Subaru Outback (BR): Front Seat

A: REMOVAL

CAUTION: The airbag system is fitted with a backup power supply. After disconnecting the battery ground cable, the airbag may operate if you do not wait for 60 seconds before starting the service of airbag system.

1) Remove the headrest.

NOTE: For models with headrest monitor, remove the headrest in the following procedures.

1. Fold the backrest all the way backward, and then remove the headrest.

2. Place the headrest on the seating face.

3. Return the backrest to the original position.

2) Disconnect the ground cable from battery and wait for at least 60 seconds before starting work.

NOTE: For the power seat, remove the slide rail installing bolt before removing the battery ground.

3) Remove the slide rail installing bolt.

1. Tilt the backrest forward and move the seat to the front most position.
2. Remove the rear bolt cover (A) and remove the two bolts.
3. Move the seat to the rearmost position.
4. Remove the front bolt cover (B) and remove the two bolts.

4) Disconnect the connector under the seat.

CAUTION: Disconnect the ground cable from battery, and wait 60 seconds before disconnecting the connector.

• Seat belt warning light connector (driver's seat)
• Occupant detection system harness connector (passenger's seat)
• Side airbag connector
• Seat heater connector (model with seat heater)
• Power seat connector (model with power seats)
• Headrest monitor connector (model with headrest monitor)

5) Take out the front seat from the vehicle.

CAUTION: Be careful not to damage the body.

B: INSTALLATION

Install each part in the reverse order of removal.

CAUTION:

• The seat mounting bolts differ between the front mounting points and the rear mounting points.

  Make sure that you are using correct bolts at correct positions.

• Tighten the slide rail installing bolt gradually in several steps to the specified torque in the order as shown in the figure.

• Front (bolt A): Washer diameter 22 mm (0.87 in)
• Rear (bolt B): Washer diameter 26 mm (1.02 in)

Tightening torque:
Front seat assembly: 53 N*m (5.4 kgf-m, 39.1 ft-lb)

C: DISASSEMBLY

1. DRIVER SEAT (MANUAL SEAT)

CAUTION: Before assembling, make sure how the harnesses of the side airbag and inner seat belt are routed in order to avoid misarranging. Assembling with harnesses improperly routed may cause the harness to get caught and short out.

1) Remove the seat from vehicle. <Ref. to SE-10, REMOVAL, Front Seat.>

2) Remove the seat lifter lever.

1. Using a flat tip screwdriver, remove the seat lifter lever cover (a).
2. Remove the screw and remove the seat lifter lever.

3) Remove the reclining lever cover.

1. Pull up the reclining lever and release the claws on the back.
2. Pull out the reclining lever cover.

4) Remove the seat side cover OUT.

1. Remove the screws.
2. Release the claw in the upper section of the seat side cover.
3. Release the claw in the rear section of the seat side cover.
4. Release the claw in the front section of the seat side cover, then remove the seat side cover OUT.

5) Remove the inner seat belt assembly.

1. Remove the nut and remove the inner seat belt assembly.
2. Remove the clip for the inner seat belt harness located under the seat cushion.

6) Remove the seat side cover IN.

1. Remove the screws.
2. Release the claw in the upper section of the seat side cover.
3. Release the claw in the rear section of the seat side cover, then remove the seat side cover IN.

7) Separate the backrest assembly and the seat cushion assembly.

1. Remove the clip for the side airbag harness located under the seat cushion. (seat with side airbag)
2. Remove the bolts from reclining hinge of both sides.
3. While taking care not to damage the airbag harness, separate the backrest assembly and the seat cushion assembly.

8) Remove the sliding adjuster bar.

1. Remove the left and right spring locks.
2. Pull out the sliding adjust bar.

9) Remove the riser cover OUT.

1. Remove the clip.
2. Remove the hook, and detach the riser cover OUT.

10) Remove the screws and remove the riser cover INN LH and RH.

11) Remove the bolts and bushings on the seat cushion assembly (left and right) sides, and remove the slide rail assembly.

CAUTION: Do not reuse the removed bolts because they are coated with the thread lock material. Always use new bolts during assembly.

NOTE: To remove the front bolt, use a spanner.

12) Remove the seat cushion pad & cover.

1. Remove the hooks and hog rings.
2. Remove the seat cushion pad & cover from seat cushion assembly.

13) Remove the seat cushion cover.

1. Remove the hog ring (A).
2. Pull out the seat cushion pad from the seat cushion cover.

14) Remove the backrest back cover.

1. Remove the screws.
2. Release the hooks by pulling down the back cover and remove the backrest back cover.

15) Remove the backrest pad & cover.

CAUTION: Be careful not to tear the vinyl inside the seat when removing the hog rings.

If torn, replace with a new part.

1. Remove the hooks and hog rings.
2. Remove the backrest pad & cover from backrest assembly.

16) Remove the side airbag module assembly.

CAUTION: Do not open the side airbag module case (plastic) of the airbag. If any damage is present in the side airbag module case (such as airbag module cloth coming out), replace the side airbag module assembly with a new one.

1. Remove the hooks, hog rings, and S hooks.
2. Remove the mounting nuts of the side airbag module.

3. Remove the side airbag harness from backrest frame assembly.
4. While taking care not to damage the side airbag module case (plastic) of the airbag, remove the side airbag module assembly.

17) Remove the headrest bushing.

NOTE: Catch the tip of headrest bushing with pliers and push it from inside seat to outside to remove it.

18) Pull out the backrest frame.

19) Remove the backrest cover.

1. Remove the hog ring (A).
2. Pull out the backrest pad from the backrest cover.

2. DRIVER SEAT (POWER SEAT)

CAUTION:

• Before assembling, make sure how the harnesses of the side airbag and inner seat belt are routed in order to avoid misarranging. Assembling with harnesses improperly routed may cause the harness to get caught and short out.
• Do not disassemble the backrest assembly and seat cushion frame and slide rail assembly.

1) Remove the seat from vehicle. <Ref. to SE-10, REMOVAL, Front Seat.>

NOTE: Before removing the seat, lift the seating face.

2) Disconnect the connector for reclining motor from the backside of seat cushion.

3) Remove the seat side cover OUT.

1. Release the claw in the rear section of the seat side cover.
2. Release the claw in the upper section of the seat side cover.
3. Remove the clip and release the claw in the front section of the seat side cover
4. Disconnect the power seat switch and lumber switch connector and remove the seat side cover OUT.

4) Remove the inner seat belt assembly.

1. Remove the nut and remove the inner seat belt assembly.
2. Disconnect the connector of the inner seat belt harness located under the seat cushion.

5) Remove the seat side cover IN.

1. Remove the screws.
2. Release the claw in the rear section of the seat side cover.
3. Release the claw in the upper section of the seat side cover, then remove the seat side cover IN.

6) Separate the backrest assembly and the seat cushion assembly.

1. Remove the clip for the side airbag harness located under the seat cushion.
2. Remove the bolts from reclining hinge of both sides.
3. While taking care not to damage the airbag harness, separate the backrest assembly and the seat cushion assembly.

7) Remove the riser covers LH and RH as well as slide rail end cover.

1. Remove the clips and remove the riser covers LH and RH.
2. Remove the hook, and then remove the slide rail end cover.

8) Remove the seat cushion pad & cover.

1. Remove the hooks and hog rings.
2. Remove the seat cushion pad & cover from seat cushion assembly.

9) Remove the seat cushion cover.

1. Remove the hog ring (A).
2. Pull out the seat cushion pad from the seat cushion cover.

10) Remove the backrest back cover.

1. Remove the screws.
2. Release the hooks by pulling down the back cover and remove the backrest back cover.

11) Remove the backrest pad & cover.

1. Remove the hooks, hog rings, and metal clips.
2. Remove the backrest pad & cover from backrest assembly.

12) Remove the side airbag module assembly.

CAUTION: Do not open the side airbag module case (plastic) of the airbag. If any damage is present in the side airbag module case (such as airbag module cloth coming out), replace the side airbag module assembly with a new one.

1. Remove the S hook.
2. Remove the mounting nuts of the side airbag module.

3. Remove the side airbag harness from backrest frame assembly.
4. While taking care not to damage the side airbag module case (plastic) of the airbag, remove the side airbag module assembly.

13) Remove the headrest bushing.

NOTE: Catch the tip of headrest bushing with pliers and push it from inside seat to outside to remove it.

14) Pull out the backrest frame.

15) Remove the backrest cover.

1. Remove the hog ring (A).
2. Pull out the backrest pad from the backrest cover.

3. PASSENGER'S SEAT

CAUTION:

• If the seat cushion cover is removed or replaced, make sure to perform occupant detection system adjustment after installing the seat. <Ref. to OD(diag)-15, OPERATION, System Calibration (Rezeroing).>
  Failure to do so may prevent the passenger's airbag from operating properly.
• The occupant detection system (passenger seat only) control module, occupant detection sensor, seat cushion pad and seat cushion frame are considered as a single seat cushion pad and frame assembly.

  Never remove the occupant detection control module or the occupant detection sensor from the seat cushion frame.

• If the seat cushion cover is removed, make sure to replace the hang wire on the seat cushion side with a new wire.

1) Remove the seat from vehicle. <Ref. to SE-10, REMOVAL, Front Seat.>

NOTE: For power seat, lift the seating face before removing the seat.

2) Refer to the disassembly procedures for the driver's seat.

• Manual seat <Ref. to SE-12, DRIVER SEAT (MANUAL SEAT), DISASSEMBLY, Front Seat.>
• Power seat <Ref. to SE-21, DRIVER SEAT (POWER SEAT), DISASSEMBLY, Front Seat.>

D: ASSEMBLY

CAUTION:

• The slide rail mounting bolts for the manual seat are coated with the thread lock material. Therefore, do not reuse the removed bolts. Always use new bolts during assembly.

• Do not confuse the harness routing of the side airbag and inner seat belt etc. Assembling with harnesses improperly routed may cause the harness to get caught and short out.
• If the flat mat hook of the backrest frame assembly is deformed or comes off due to the deformation, replace the hook with a new part.

• Make sure that the side airbag module assembly is installed as shown in the figure.

1. Side airbag guide cloth
2. Backrest cover
3. Side airbag module ASSY
4. Side airbag tape

1. Backrest pad
2. Backrest cover
3. Nut
4. Backrest frame
5. Backrest back cover
6. Side airbag guide cloth
7. S hook
8. Side airbag module inflator
9. Side airbag module case
10. Side airbag tape

Besides, if the backrest cover is not installed securely, the side airbag module may not be activated properly, therefore keep strictly to the following procedures.

• When replacing the side airbag assembly with new one, be sure to attach the side airbag tape.
• Be careful not to stain or damage the backrest cover during assembly.
• Do not reuse hog rings and S hooks.
• Secure the hog ring using hog ring pliers.
• Install the hog rings to the specified points securely and make sure that there is no wrinkle or twisting on backrest cover.

1) Make sure that there is no foreign matter on side airbag module.

2) Assemble the seat cover.

1. Adjust so that the left and right clearances between wire and seat pad become equal, and mark the seat pad.

1. Marking

2. Mark the center of the wire on the pad side to which the hog ring is attached.

1. Marking

3. Insert the wire into the seat cover, and align the wire with the position marked in Step 1).

4. Mark the wire on the seat cover side according to the markings on the seat pad.

1. Marking

5. Perform Steps 1) - 4) to all sections to which the hog rings are attached.
6. Make sure that all hog rings (A) are attached securely.

3) Assemble remaining parts in the reverse order of disassemble.

NOTE:

• When installing the inner seat belt assembly, follow the procedures described in the seat belt section.

  <Ref. to SB-25, INSTALLATION, Front Seat Belt.>

• Install the backrest assembly and seat cushion assembly in the following procedure.

1. Temporarily tighten the four reclining hinge bolts.

2. Place the backrest in the most upright position.

3. Tighten the reclining hinge bolts in order from (1) to (4) two or three times, until they reach the specified torque.

1. Vehicle inside
2. Vehicle outside

Tightening torque: Refer to "COMPONENT" of "General Description". <Ref. to SE-2, FRONT SEAT, COMPONENT, General Description.>

Tightening torque: <Ref. to SE-2, FRONT SEAT, COMPONENT, General Description.>

4) If any wrinkles are found after the assembly of the seat cover, finish the seat cover with iron.

1. Place the wet towel on wrinkles.

2. Touch up with warm iron.

CAUTION: Keep moving the iron, otherwise the seat cover surface can be damaged.

NOTE: This method is available for genuine leather, synthetic leather, cloth, etc.

5) Install the seat assembly.

CAUTION:

• The seat mounting bolts differ between the front mounting points and the rear mounting points.

  Make sure that you are using correct bolts at correct positions.

• Tighten the slide rail installing bolts in the order as shown in the figure, in several steps by gradually increasing the torque until they reach the specified torque.

• Front (bolt A): Washer diameter 22 mm (0.87 in)
• Rear (bolt B): Washer diameter 26 mm (1.02 in)

Tightening torque: 53 N*m (5.4 kgf-m, 39.1 ft-lb)

E: INSPECTION

1. SEAT COVER

Check that no tear or fray on the backrest cover and seat cushion cover.

NOTE: For model with side airbag, if the door side of the backrest cover is torn or frayed, the side airbag may not be deployed properly. In this case, replace the backrest cover.

2. FLAT MAT HOOK

Apply load to the backrest and check the flat mat hook.

NOTE: If the backrest does not keep sufficient tension when subject to load, some hooks may be detached.

If any hook is deformed and detached, replace it with a new hook.

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