ABS SUBARU FORESTER 2006 User Guide

7-22
Starting and operating
The following situations could indicate a
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if any should occur, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer carry out an
inspection of the system at the first avail-
able opportunity.
yThe warning light does not turn on when
the ignition switch is turned to the ON po-
sition.
y The warning light turns on while the ve-
hicle is being driven.
y When a malfunction has occurred in the
Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical sys-
tem, only the warning light will turn on. In
such an event, the ABS will still be operat-
ing normally.
y The warning light will also turn on when
a problem occurs with the ABS or Vehicle
Dynamics Control electronic control sys-
tems.
Because the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system controls each brake through the
ABS, whenever the ABS stops operating
due to a malfunction in that electrical sys-
tem, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will
also become unable to control all four
brakes. Thus Vehicle Dynamics Control
system operation halts and the warning
light turns on. Although both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the ABS
will be inoperable in this situation, it will
still be possible to stop the vehicle using normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the ABS do not ad-
versely affect operation of the vehicle in
any way when they are inoperable; how-
ever should such a situation occur, drive
with care and have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
those systems at the first available oppor-
tunity.
NOTEWhen the warning light turns on and
off in the following way, it indicates
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is operating normally.
y
Although turning on after the engine
has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off.
y The warning light turns on when the
vehicle is being driven; it then turns off
and stays off.
V Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indi-
cator light
This light comes on to indicate that the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system is in non-
operation mode. This does not constitute
failure of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system.NOTEy The indicator light may stay on for a
while after the engine has been started, especially in cold weather. This occurs
because the engine has not yet
warmed up and is completely normal.
The light will turn off when the engine
has reached a suitable operating tem-
perature.
y
When an engine problem occurs and
the malfunction indicator lamp turns
on, the indicator light will also come
on.
The following two situations could indicate
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if either should occur, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer carry out an
inspection of that system at the first avail-
able opportunity.
y The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position.
y The indicator light fails to turn off after
the engine is started, even when several
minutes have passed to allow the engine
to heat up sufficiently.
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Starting and operating
7-23
„Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switchPressing the switch to deactivate the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system can facili-
tate the following operations:
ya standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, gravel-covered, or oth-
erwise slippery surface
y extrication of the vehicle when its
wheels are stuck in mud or deep snow
When the switch is pressed during engine
operation, the “ ” indicator light illumi-
nates. The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem will be deactivated and the vehicle will
behave like a model not equipped with the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system. When
the switch is pressed again to reactivate
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the indicator light goes off.
With the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem deactivated, traction and stability en-
hancement offered by Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is unavailable. Therefore
you should not deactivate the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system except under
above-mentioned situations.
NOTEy
When the switch has been pressed
to deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system, the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system automatically reacti-
vates itself the next time the ignition
switch is turned to the OFF position
and the engine is restarted.
y If the switch is held down for 10 sec-
onds or longer, the indicator light goes
off, the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is activated, and the system ig-
nores any further pressing of the
switch. To make the switch usable
again, turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position and restart the engine.
y When the switch is pressed to deac-
tivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, the vehicle’s running perfor-
mance is comparable with that of a ve-
hicle that does not have a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system. Do not deacti-
vate the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys- tem except when absolutely neces-
sary.
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Starting and operating
7-29
TTo decrease the speed (by brake
pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the de-
sired speed, press the control lever down-
ward in the “SET/COAST” direction once.
Now the desired speed is set and the ve-
hicle will keep running at that speed with-
out depressing the accelerator pedal.
Self-leveling rear suspension (if equipped)The self-leveling suspension adjusts the
vehicle body position automatically to
keep it level at all times irrespective of the
number of occupants and the amount of
cargo.
The self-leveling system is incorporated in
the rear suspension shock absorber and
operates only when the vehicle is in mo-
tion. Owing to the self-leveling suspension, the
vehicle body is adjusted to the proper po-
sition after several drive trips, even if the
rear of the vehicle is lowered by loaded
cargos or a coupled trailer.
If cargos are unloaded all at once, the ve-
hicle height may become higher than the
normal level. This is because that the hy-
draulic pressure in the self-leveling sus-
pension was increased for leveling the
body when the cargos were loaded. In
such a case, the vehicle height will return
to the original level after several driving
trips.
NOTEIf the rear axle is loaded excessively,
the vehicle body may not be adjusted
to the proper position.
700054
700055
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8-8
Driving tips
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes be-
cause they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing temper-
ature varies according to how much it is di-
luted, as indicated in the following table.
In order to prevent freezing of washer flu-
id, check the freezing temperatures in the
table above when adjusting the fluid con-
centration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid fromthe piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside tem-
perature, it may freeze and block the noz-
zles.
T
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and dan-
gerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driv-
ing, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accu-
mulated under the fenders to avoid mak-
ing steering difficult. During severe winter
driving, stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders period-
ically.
T
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.
Washer Fluid Con- centration Freezing Tempera-
ture
30% 10.4 °F (–12 °C)
50% –4 °F (–20 °C)
100% –49 °F (–45 °C)
Adjust the washer fluid concentra-
tion appropriately for the outside
temperature. If the concentration is
inappropriate, sprayed washer fluid
may freeze on the windshield and
obstruct your view, and the fluid
may freeze in the reservoir tank.
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Driving tips
8-9
– CONTINUED –
TRefueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for
an extended period, it is best to have the
fuel tank filled to capacity.„ Driving on snowy and icy
roadsTo prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System)” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces.
T
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button/dial in the “ ” position
and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed out. If your vehicle
is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on the surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control button/dial
in “ ” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
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8-24
Driving tips
tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle.
yCrosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down im-
mediately but gradually.
y When passing other vehicles, consider-
able distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by at-
taching the trailer to your vehicle.1) Left turn
2) Right turny Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn.
y
If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed im-
mediately by the nearest SUBARU dealer.
T Driving on grades
y Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts.
y When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating.
y When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the water temperature gauge
pointer (for all vehicles) and AT OIL TEMP
warning light (for AT vehicles) since the
engine and transmission are relatively
prone to overheating under these condi-
tions. If the water temperature gauge
pointer approaches the OVERHEAT zone
or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illumi-
nates, immediately switch off the air con-
ditioner and stop the vehicle at the nearest
safe place. Refer to the “Engine overheat-
ing” section in chapter 9, and “Warning
and indicator lights” section in chapter 3. y
If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, avoid using the accelerator pedal
to stay stationary on an uphill slope in-
stead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat.
y If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the selector lever as fol-
lows:
Uphill slopes: “D” position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking
T Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehi-
cle and trailer when parking. Apply the
parking brake firmly. You should not park
on a hill or slope. But if parking on a hill or
slope cannot be avoided, you should take
the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal
down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un-
der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, re-
lease the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then ap-
ply the parking brake; slowly release the
regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission) or “P” (automatic transmis-1 2
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In case of emergency
9-5
– CONTINUED –
5. The jack is stored under the left side of
the cargo floor.
To take out the jack:
Pull the tab to open the lid, turn the jack
screw counterclockwise to loosen it, then
remove the jack. To take out the jack handle:
Open the rear-left and center lids in the
cargo area by pulling their tabs.
6. Loosen the wheel nuts using the wheel
nut wrench but do not remove the nuts.
7. Place the jack under the side sill at the
front or rear jack-up point closest to the flat
tire.
Turn the jackscrew by hand until the jack
head engages firmly into the jack-up point.
900003
900004900005
900006900007
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11 - 2 4
Maintenance and service
„Recommended fluid“Dexron III” Type Automatic Transmis-sion Fluid
Brake fluid„Checking the fluid levelCheck the fluid level monthly.
Check the fluid level on the outside of the
reservoir. If the level is below “MIN”, add
the recommended brake fluid to “MAX”.
Use only brake fluid from a sealed con-
tainer.
Be careful not to burn yourself be-
cause the fluid may be hot.
yWhen power steering fluid is be-
ing added, use only clean fluid,
and be careful not to allow any dirt
into the tank. And never use dif-
ferent brands together.
y Avoid spilling fluid when adding it
in the tank.
y Be careful not to spill power steer-
ing fluid when adding it. If power
steering fluid touches the exhaust
pipe, it may cause a bad smell,
smoke, and/or a fire. If power
steering fluid gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
B00125
yNever let brake fluid contact your
eyes because brake fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If brake fluid
gets in your eyes, immediately
flush them thoroughly with clean
water. For safety, when perform-
ing this work, wearing eye protec-
tion is advisable.yBrake fluid absorbs moisture from
the air. Any absorbed moisture
can cause a dangerous loss of
braking performance.yIf the vehicle requires frequent re-
filling, there may be a leak. If you
suspect a problem, have the vehi-
cle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
y Never use different brands of
brake fluid together. Also, avoid
mixing DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake flu-
ids even if they are of the same
brand.
y When adding brake fluid, be care-
ful not to allow any dirt into the
reservoir.
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Maintenance and service
11 - 2 5
– CONTINUED –
„Recommended brake fluidFMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4brake fluid
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles)„Checking the fluid levelCheck the fluid level on the outside of the
reservoir. If the level is below “MIN” level
mark, add the recommended clutch fluid
to “MAX” level mark.
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed con-
tainer.
yNever splash the brake fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.
Alcohol contained in the brake flu-
id may damage them.
y Be careful not to spill brake fluid
when adding it. If brake fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If brake fluid gets on the ex-
haust pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
B00126
Never let clutch fluid contact your
eyes because clutch fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If clutch fluid
gets in your eyes, immediately flush
them thoroughly with clean water.
For safety, when performing this
work, wearing eye protection is ad-
visable.
yClutch fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed mois-
ture can cause improper clutch
operation.
y If the vehicle requires frequent re-
filling, there may be a leak. If you
suspect a problem, have the vehi-
cle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
y Never use different brands of
clutch fluid together.
y When clutch fluid is added, be
careful not to allow any dirt into
the tank.
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12-6
Specifications
Fuses and circuits„Fuse panel located behind the instrument pan-
el
1 234 56
789101112
1413 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23
C00000
Fuse panel
Fuse rating
Circuit
1
15A
y
Heater fan
2
15A
y
Heater fan
3
15A
y
Power door lock
y
Remote keyless entry
4
15A
y
Cigarette lighter
y
Remote controlled rear view mirrors
5
10A
y
Tail light
y
Parking light
6
15A
y
SRS airbag
7
15A
y
Fog light
8
30A
y
ABS
y
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
(models with Vehicle Dynamics
Control system only)
9
15A
y
Radio
10
Empty
11
15A
y
Engine ignition system
y
SRS airbag
y
AT control system
12
10A
y
Illumination brightness control
13
20A
y
Wiper deicer
y
Outside mirror defogger
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