Fall 2002 Forward to a Friend


Quick Stops

Hang Onto Your Cell Phone!
  
Do you have a retired cellular phone you no longer use? Keeping it fully charged and in your Subaru (along with a car adapter) may help you out in an emergency – even if the phone no longer has an active service plan.

The Federal Communications Commission requires that any cellular phone, regardless of whether it has a number or active service plan, be allowed to dial 911 for free. You won’t be able to receive calls on an emergency-only phone, but you will be able to call for help when you (or anyone else) need it. You may want to give your old phone to a family member or friend to help them in an emergency.

If you don’t have an old phone at hand, look for a cellular retailer that offers “emergency only” phones.

Child Seat Safety Solution
The U.S. government has implemented regulations for installing a child seat in a vehicle. The system is called “LATCH,” which stands for “Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren;” it makes it easier to properly install a child seat. Subaru has been incorporating these standards over the past three model years.If you have a 2001 or newer Subaru, your Owner’s Manual provides installation instructions for the system.
  
 If you have a 2001 and later Legacy/Outback, 2002 and later Impreza, or 2003 Forester, consult your Owner’s Manual for important information on the LATCH system.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is developing LATCH educational materials. The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) has volunteered to post a list of LATCH-equipped child seats on their Web site (www.actsinc.org).

LATCH retrofit kits are available; they allow owners of LATCH-equipped vehicles to equip certain older-model child restraints with LATCH attachments. These kits can be obtained from Toys‘R’Us and other retailers for about $25.

More information on the LATCH system.



Subaru receives many phone calls from drivers who cannot get their parking lights to turn off, regardless of what they do with the ignition switch or the stalk-mounted light control switch.

  
If this happens to you, don’t panic – your vehicle’s wiring hasn’t gone haywire. You’ve likely accidentally activated the parking light switch that’s located on top of the steering column between the steering wheel and the instrument panel, maybe while cleaning your vehicle’s interior. This rocker switch operates independently of the ignition switch and activates the parking lights, the front and rear side marker lights, the tail lights and the license plate lights, as some municipalities (and countries) require such a control. Simply push on the back edge of the switch to turn these lights off.

If you have a question about your Subaru, contact your authorized Subaru dealer or call Subaru Customer/Dealer Service at
(800) SUBARU3. E-mail us at “Contact Subaru” on www.subaru.com.