2006 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 48

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-19 fect their strength. Inspect the seatbelts and attachments including the webbing and all hardware periodically for cracks, cuts, gashes, tears, damage, loose bolts or worn areas. Replace the seatbelts even if only minor damage is found. Seatbelt extender If the front seatbelts are not long enough to permit the tongue plate to engage with the seatbelt buckle, an optional seatbelt extender is available from your SUBARU dealer. When ordering an extender, only order one particularly designed for your vehicle. Several different types of extenders are available to match various varieties of front seatbelt designs. See your SUBARU dealer for assistance. The extender adds approximately 8 inches (200 mm) of length and it can be used for either the driver or front passenger seating position. For the safety of others, the extender should be removed after each use, especially if the next person using the seatbelt does not need one. Note that leaving the seatbelt extender's tongue plate engaged with the seatbelt buckle may prevent the Subaru advanced front airbag system from functioning correctly or cause the system to fail. 100120 Do not allow the retractor to roll up the seatbelt too quickly. Otherwise, the metal tongue plates may hit against the trim, resulting in damaged trim. Have the seatbelt fully rolled up so that the tongue plates are neatly stored. A hanging tongue plate can swing and hit against the trim during driving, causing damage to the trim. Keep the belts free of polishes, oils, chemicals and particularly battery acid. Never attempt to make modifications or changes that will prevent the seatbelt from operating properly. Seatbelt maintenance To clean the seatbelts, use a mild soap and lukewarm water. Never bleach or dye the belts because this could seriously afBe sure to observe the following when using the seatbelt extender. - CONTINUED -