2006 Subaru Outback Owner's Manual - Page 82

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-57 senses an impact force above a predetermined level in a side collision, the control module causes both the SRS side airbag and curtain airbag on the impacted side to inflate regardless of whether the rear wheel house impact sensor on the same side senses an impact. If it is a rear wheel house impact sensor alone that senses a sufficiently strong impact force, the control module causes only the SRS curtain airbag on the impacted side to inflate. After the deployment, the SRS side airbag immediately starts to deflate. The time required from detection of an impact to deflation of an SRS side airbag after deployment is shorter than the blink of an eye. The SRS curtain airbag remains inflated for a while following deployment then slowly deflates. The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy even when no one occupies the seat on the side on which an impact is applied. When the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy, a sudden, fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and some smoke will be released. These occurrences are a normal result of the deployment. This smoke does not indicate a fire in the vehicle. Do not touch the SRS side airbag system components around the front seat seatback with bare hands right after deployment. Doing so can cause burns because the components can be very hot as a result of deployment. After deployment, do not touch any part of the SRS curtain airbag system (from the front pillar to the part of the roof side over the rear seat). Doing so can cause burns because the components can be very hot as a result of deployment. The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag are designed to deploy in the event of an accident involving a moderate to severe side impact collision. It is basically not designed to deploy in a lesser side impact. Also, it is basically not designed to deploy in frontal or rear impacts because SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deployment would not help the occupant in those situations. Each SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag are designed to function on a onetime-only basis. SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deployment depend on the level of force experienced in the passenger compartment during a side impact collision. That level differs from one type of collision to another, and it may have no bearing on the visible damage done to the vehicle itself. Example of the type of accident in which the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag will most likely deploy. 200320 A severe side impact near the front seat activates the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag. - CONTINUED -