Get Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags -> System operation (Type B) Guide for Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

& System operation

CAUTION

Do not touch the SRS airbag system

components with bare hands right

after d eployment. Doing so can

cause burns because the compo-

nents can be very hot as a result of

deployment.

The SRS airbags can function only when

the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.

When the SRS airbag(s) deploy(s), 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.

! SUBARU advanced frontal airbag

operation

1) Driver’s side

2) Passenger’s side

The SUBARU advanced frontal airbag

system is desi gned t o determine the

activation or deactivation condition of the

front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag

depending on the total load on the front

passenger’s seat monitored by the front

passenger’s occupant detection system

weight sensor. For this reason, only the

driver’s SRS frontal airbag may deploy in

the event of a collision, but this does not

mean failure of the system.

If the front sub sensors inside both front

fenders and the impact sensors in the

airbag control module detect a predeter-

mined amount of force during a frontal

collision, the control module sends signals

to the airbag module(s) (only driver’s

module or both driver’s and front passen-

ger’s modules) instructing the module(s)

to inflate the SRS frontal airbag(s). The

driver’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal

airbags use dual stage inflators. The two

inflators of each airbag are triggered either

sequentially or simultaneously, depending

on the severity of impact in the case of the

driver’s SRS frontal airbag and depending

on the severity of impact and the total load

on the seat in the case o f the front

passenger’s SRS frontal airbag.

After deployment, the SRS airbag imme-

diately starts to deflate so that the driver’s

vision is not obstructed and the driver’s

ability to maintain control of the vehicle is

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1-86 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

not impai red. The time required from

detecting impact to the deflation of the

SRS airbag after deployment is shorter

than the blink of an eye.

Both when only the driver’s SRS frontal

airbag deploys and the driver’s and front

passenger’s SRS frontal airbags deploy,

the driver’s and front passenger’s seatbelt

pretensioners operate at the same time.

The driver’s SRS frontal airbag and front

passenger’s SRS frontal airbag are de-

signed to deploy in the event of an

accident involving a moderate to severe

frontal collision. They are not designed to

de ploy in most lesser f rontal impacts

because the necessary protection can be

achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, they

are not designed to deploy in most side or

rear impacts or in most rollover accidents

because deployment of only the driver’s

SRS frontal airbag or both driver’s and

front p assenger’s SRS frontal a irbags

would not help the occupant in those

situations. The driver’s and front passen-

ger’s SRS frontal airbags are designed to

function on a one-time-only basis.

SRS airbag deployment depends on the

level of force experienced in the passen-

ger compartment during a 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.

! Examples of accident in which the

driver’s/driver’s and front passen-

ger’s SRS frontal airbag(s) will most

likely deploy

A head-on collision against a thick con-

crete wall at a vehicle speed of 12 to 19

mph (20 to 30 km/h) or higher activates

only the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or both

driver’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal

airbags. The airbag(s) will also be acti-

vated when the vehicle is exposed to a

f rontal impact similar in fashion and

magnitude to the collision described

above.

! Examples of the types of accidents

in which it is possible that the

driver’s/driver’s and front passen-

ger’s SRS frontal airbag(s) will de-

ploy

Only the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or

both driver’s and front passenger’s SRS

frontal airbags may be activated when the

vehicle sustains a hard impact in the

undercarriage area from the road surface

(such as when the vehicle plunges into a

deep ditch, is severely impacted or

knocked hard against an obstacle on the

road such as a curb).

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1-88 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

! Examples of the types of accidents in which deployment of the driver’s/driver’s

and front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag(s) is unlikely to occur

1) The vehicle strikes an object, such as a

telephone pole or sign pole.

2) The vehicle slides under the load bed of

a truck.

3) The vehicle sustains an oblique offset

frontal impact.

4) The vehicle sustains an offset frontal

collision.

5) The vehicle strikes an object that can

move or deform, such as a parked

vehicle.

There are many types of collisions which

might not necessarily require deployment

of driver’s/driver’s and front passenger’s

SRS frontal airbag(s). In the event of

accidents like those illustrated, the dri-

ver’s/driver’s and front passenger’s SRS

frontal airbag(s) may not deploy depend-

ing on the level of accident forces in-

volved.

! Examples of the types of accidents

in which the driver’s/driver’s and

front passenger’s SRS frontal

airbag(s) is not designed to deploy

in most cases

The driver’s and front passenger’s SRS

frontal airbags are designed not to deploy

in most cases if the vehicle is struck from

the side or from behind, or if it rolls onto its

side or roof, or if it is involved in a low-

speed frontal collision.

1) First impact

2) Second impact

I n an accident where the vehicle is

impacted more than once, the driver’s

and/or front passenger’s SRS frontal

airbag(s) will deploy only once on the first

impact.

Example: In the case of a double collision,

first with another vehicle, then against a

concrete wall in immediate succession,

once either or both of the driver’s and front

passenger’s SRS frontal airbags is/are

activated on the first impact, it/they will not

be activated on the second impact.

WARNING

If the vehicle is damaged in an

accident but the SRS frontal airbag

does not deploy, contact your

SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-

ble.

! SRS side airbag and SRS curtain

airbag operation

The driver’s and front passenger’s SRS

side airbags and SRS curtain airbags

deploy independently of each other be-

cause each has its own impact sensor.

Therefore, they may not both deploy in the

same accident. Also, the SRS side airbag

deploys independently of the driver’s and

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1-90 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

front passenger’s SRS frontal airbags in

the steering wheel and instrument panel.

An impact sensor, which senses impact

force, is located in each of the following

locations.

. In the left and right front doors

. In the left and right center pillars

. In the left and right rear wheel houses

. In the airbag control module

. In the left and right front fenders (only

SRS curtain airbag s are designe d to

deploy when the front sub sensors sense

a severe impact.)

For Outback models, a rollover sensor is

also located inside the airbag control

module.

If the impact sensor that is located in the

airbag control module and one of the

center pillar impact sensors or front door

impact sensors together sense 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 the impact sensor that is located in the

airbag control module and one of the rear

wheel ho use impact sensors together

sense an impact force above a predeter-

mined level in a side collision, the control

module caus es only the SRS curtain

airbag on the impacted side to inflate.

Even if a frontal collision occurs, both right

and left curtain airbags will deploy when

the front sensor and the control unit

determine that the impact results from a

an offset frontal collision.

The curtain airbags are desi gned to

deploy when the driver’s frontal airbag

deploys or the driver’s and passenger’s

frontal airbags deploy in a frontal collision,

and also when the system determines that

the collision is an offset frontal collision.

The curtain airbags are basically designed

not to deploy when the frontal airbags do

not deploy or the system determines that

the collision is other than an offset frontal

collision.

For Outback models, if the rollover sensor

detects rollover of the vehicle, the control

module inflates the SRS curtain airbags.

At this time, the driver’s and front passen-

ger ’s seatbelt pretensioners also operate

at the same time.

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.

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. They are

basica lly not designed to deploy in a

lesser side impact.

The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain

airbag deployment depend on the level of

force experienced in the passenger com-

partment 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.

For Outback models, the SRS curtain

airbags are also designed to deploy when

the vehicle is in an extremely inclined

state such as during a rollover. They are

not designed to deploy in most lesser

inclined state.

The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain

airbag are not designed to deploy in most

rear impacts because the 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 one-

time-only basis.

! Example of the type of accident in

which the SRS side airbag will most

likely deploy

A severe side impact near the front seat

activates the SRS side airbag.

! Examples of the types of accidents

in which the SRS curtain airbag will

most likely deploy

Legacy models

1) A severe side impact near the front seat

or the rear seat.

2) An offset frontal collision that is severe

enough to deploy the front airbag.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

1-91

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1-92 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

Outback models

1) The vehicle is involved in a severe side

impact near the front seat or the rear

seat.

2) The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.

3) The angle of vehicle tip-up is marginal or

the skidding vehicle’s tires hit a curb-

stone laterally.

4) An offset frontal collision that is severe

enough to deploy the front airbag.

! Examples of the types of accidents in which it is possible that the SRS side

airbag and the SRS curtain airbag will deploy (Outback)

1) Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard

surface

2) Falling into or jumping over a deep hole

3) Landing hard or vehicle falling

It is possible that the SRS side and curtain

airbags will deploy if a serious impact

occurs to the underside of your vehicle.

Some examples are shown in the illustra-

tion.

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1-94 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS side airbag is unlikely to

deploy

1) The vehicle is involved in an oblique

side-on impact.

2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact in an area outside the vicinity of

the passenger compartment.

3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or

similar object.

4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact from a motorcycle.

5) The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.

There are many types of collisions which

might not necessarily require SRS side

airbag deployment. In the event of acci-

dents like those illustrated, the SRS side

airbag may not deploy depending on the

level of accident forces involved.

! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS curtain airbag is unlikely

to deploy

Legacy models

1) The vehicle is involved in an oblique

side-on impact.

2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact in an area outside the vicinity of

the passenger compartment.

3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or

similar object.

4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact from a motorcycle.

5) The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.

There are many types of collisions which

might not necessarily require SRS curtain

airbag deployment. In the event of acci-

dents like those illustrated, the SRS

curtain airbag may not deploy depending

on the level of accident forces involved.

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1-96 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

Outback models

1) The vehicle is involved in an oblique

side-on impact.

2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact in an area outside the vicinity of

the passenger compartment.

3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or

similar object.

4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on

impact from a motorcycle.

There are many types of collisions which

might not necessarily require SRS curtain

airbag deployment. In the event of acci-

dents like those illustrated, the SRS

curtain airbag may not deploy depending

on the level of accident forces involved.

! Examples of the types of accidents

in which the SRS side airbag and

SRS curtain airbag is not designed

to deploy in most cases

1) The vehicle is involved in frontal collision

with another vehicle (moving or station-

ary). (Only the SRS side airbag is

designed not to deploy in most cases)

2) The vehicle is struck from behind.

3) The vehicle pitches end over end.

In the event of accidents like those

illustrated, the SRS side airbag and SRS

curtain airbag are not designed to deploy

in most cases.

1) First impact

2) Second impact

A) SRS curtain airbag

B) SRS side airbag

In an accident where the vehicle is struck

from the side more than once, the SRS

side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy

only once on the first impact.

Example: In the case of a double side

impact collision, first with one vehicle and

immediately followed by another from the

same direction, once the SRS side airbag

and SRS curtain airbag are activated on

the first impact, they will not be activated

on the second.

& SRS airbag system monitors

SRS airbag system warning light (type A)

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

1-97

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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags -> System operation (Type B) for Your Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

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