Windows SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Owner's Manual

Climate control/Operating tips for heater and air conditioner
Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner
&Cleaning ventilation grille
1) Front ventilation inlet grille
Always keep the front ventilation inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser.
&Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to allow outside air to circulate into the
heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency.
&
Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil.
&Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-
son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
&Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate any problem with the air conditioning
system.
&
Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving up a steep
incline.
&Refrigerant for your climate
control system
1) Air conditioner label
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
4-12

Audio/Audio set
!File information
Compatible compressed files (Audio)
Item USB DISC
Compatible
file format MP3/WMA/AAC
Folders in the
device Maximum
512 Maximum
255
Files in the
device Maximum
8000 Maximum
512
Files per
folder Maximum
255 —
Corresponding sampling frequency
(Audio)
File type Frequency (kHz)
MP3 files:
MPEG 1 LAYER 3 32/44.1/48
MP3 files:
MPEG 2 LSF LAYER 3 16/22.05/24
WMA files:
Ver. 7, 8, 9 (9.1/9.2) 32/48/64/80/96/128/
160/192
AAC files:
MPEG4/AAC-LC 48/44.1/32/24/22.05/
16/12/11.025/8
Corresponding bit rates (Audio)
File type
Bit rate (kbps)
MP3 files:
MPEG 1 LAYER 3 32 - 320
MP3 files:
MPEG 2 LSF LAYER 3 8 - 160
WMA files: Ver. 7, 8 CBR 48 - 192
WMA files:
Ver. 9 (9.1/9.2) CBR 32 - 192
AAC files:
MPEG4/AAC-LC 16 - 320
(Variable Bit Rate (VBR) compatible)
.
MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3), WMA
(Windows Media Audio) and AAC (Ad-
vanced Audio Coding) are audio compres-
sion standards.
. This system can play MP3/WMA/AAC
files on CD-R, CD-RW discs, USB mem-
ory, and Bluetooth device.
. This system can play disc recordings
compatible with ISO 9660 level 1 and level
2 and with the Romeo and Joliet file
system.
. When naming an MP3/WMA/AAC file,
add an appropriate file extension (.mp3/
.wma/.m4a).
. This system plays back files with .mp3/
.wma/.m4a file extensions as MP3/WMA/
AAC files respectively. To prevent noise and playback errors, use the appropriate
file extension.
.
This system can play only the first
session when using multi-session compa-
tible CDs.
. MP3 files are compatible with the ID3
Tag Ver. 1.0, Ver. 1.1, Ver. 2.2 and Ver. 2.3
formats. This system cannot display disc
title, track title and artist name in other
formats.
. WMA/AAC files can contain a WMA/
AAC tag that is used in the same way as
an ID3 tag. WMA/AAC tags carry informa-
tion such as track title and artist name.
. The emphasis function is available only
when playing MP3/WMA files recorded at
32, 44.1 and 48 kHz.
. This system can play back AAC files
encoded by iTunes.
. The sound quality of MP3/WMA files
generally improves with higher bit rates. In
order to achieve a reasonable level of
sound quality, discs recorded with a bit
rate of at least 128 kbps are recom-
mended.
. The MP3/WMA player does not play
back MP3/WMA files from discs recorded
using packet write data transfer (UDF
format). Discs should be recorded using
“pre-mastering ”software rather than pack-
etwrite software.
5-10

Audio/Audio set
.Level 2: The file name can have up to
31 characters (including the separation
mark “.” and file extension). Each folder
must contain fewer than 8 hierarchies.
!MP3
. MP3 is an audio compression standard
determined by a working group (MPEG) of
the ISO (International Standard Organiza-
tion). MP3 compresses audio data to
about 1/10 the size of that on conventional
discs.
!WMA
. WMA (Windows Media Audio) is an
audio compression format developed by
Microsoft
®. It compresses files into a size
smaller than that of MP3 files. The
decoding formats for WMA files are Ver.
7, 8 and 9.
. This product is protected by certain
intellectual property rights of Microsoft
Corporation and third parties. Use or
distribution of such technology outside of
this product is prohibited without a license
from Microsoft or an authorized Microsoft
subsidiary and third parties. !
AAC
. AAC is short for Advanced Audio
Coding and refers to an audio compres-
sion technology standard used with
MPEG2 and MPEG4.
5-12

Audio/Hands–free phone system
Hands-free phone system
The hands-free system enables calls to be
made and received without having to take
your hands off the steering wheel.
This system supports Bluetooth. Bluetooth
is a wireless data system that enables cell
phones to be used without being con-
nected by a cable or placed in a cradle.
The operating procedure of the phone is
explained here.
WARNING
. While driving, do not use a cell
phone or connect the Bluetooth
phone. Doing so may result in
loss of control of your vehicle
and cause an accident or serious
injury.
. Your audio unit is fitted with
Bluetooth antennas. People with
implantable cardiac pacemakers,
cardiac resynchronization ther-
apy-pacemakers or implantable
cardioverter defibrillators should
maintain a reasonable distance
between themselves and the
Bluetooth antennas. The radio
waves may affect the operation
of such devices. .
Before using Bluetooth devices,
users of any electrical medical
device other than implantable
cardiac pacemakers, cardiac re-
synchronization therapy-pace-
makers or implantable cardiover-
ter defibrillators should consult
the manufacturer of the device
for information about its opera-
tion under the influence of radio
waves. Radio waves could have
unexpected effects on the opera-
tion of such medical devices.CAUTION
Do not leave your cell phone in the
vehicle. The temperature inside may
rise to a level that could damage the
phone.
NOTE
. If your cell phone does not support
Bluetooth, this system cannot function.
. In the following conditions, the sys-
tem may not function:
–The cell phone is turned off.
– The current position is outside
the communication area.
– The cell phone is not connected.
– The cell phone has a low battery. .
When using the hands free function
and other Bluetooth functions at the
same time, the following problems may
occur:
–The Bluetooth connection may
be cut.
– Noise may be heard when play-
ing back voice with the Bluetooth
function.
. The other party’ s voice will be heard
from the front speakers. The audio/
visual system will be muted during
phone calls or when hands-free voice
commands are used.
. Talk alternately with the other party
on the phone. If both parties speak at
the same time, the other party may not
hear what has been said. (This is not a
malfunction.)
. Keep call volume down. Otherwise,
the other party’ s voice may be audible
outside the vehicle and voice echo may
increase. When talking on the phone,
speak clearly towards the microphone.
. The other party may not hear you
clearly when:
–Drivingonanunpavedroad.
(Making excessive traffic noise.)
– Driving at high speeds.
– The moonroof or windows are
open.
– The air conditioning vents are
5-70

&Using the voice command
system
! Steering switch
1) Talk switch
Action Function
Press Start the voice com-
mand system.
Press and hold Cancel voice recogni-
tion.
!
Microphone
1) Models without SUBARU STARLINK
2) Models with SUBARU STARLINK
(U.S.-spec. models only)
It is unnecessary to speak directly into the
microphone when giving a command.
NOTE
.Wait for the confirmation beep be-
fore speaking a command.
. Voice commands may not be recog-
nized if:
–Spoken too quickly.
– Spoken at a low or high volume.
– The moonroof or windows are
open.
– Passengers are talking while
voice commands are spoken.
– The air conditioning speed is set high.
–
The air conditioning vents are
turned towards the microphone.
. In the following conditions, the sys-
tem may not recognize the command
properly and using voice commands
may not be possible:
–The command is incorrect or
unclear. Note that certain words,
accents or speech patterns may be
difficult for the system to recognize.
– There is excessive background
noise, such as wind noise.
Audio/Voice command system
–CONTINUED –5-81

&Fuel filler lid and cap
! Refueling
Only one person should be involved in
refueling. Do not allow others to approach
the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler
pipe while refueling is in progress.
Be sure to observe any other precautions
that are posted at the service station.
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid
release lever up. The lever is on the floor
at the left of the driver ’s seat.
WARNING
Before opening the fuel filler cap,
first touch the vehicle body or a
metal portion of the fuel pump or
similar object to discharge any
static electricity that may be present
on your body. If your body is carry-
ing an electrostatic charge, there is
a possibility that an electric spark
could ignite the fuel, which could
burn you. To avoid acquiring a new
static electric charge, do not get
back into the vehicle while refueling
is in progress.
1) Open
2) Close
2. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise.
WARNING
. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Only handle fuel out-
doors. Quickly wipe up any
spilled fuel.
. When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to the
Starting and operating/Fuel
–CONTINUED –7-5

Starting and operating/Preparing to drive
.A vehiclefails the OBDII inspection if
the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle’ s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT
READY ”is greater than one. If the
vehicle’ s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection.
. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for
service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks and check that no small animal is
under the vehicle.
4. Check that no small animal enters the
engine compartment.
5. Check that the hood and rear gate are
fully closed.
6. Check the adjustment of the seat.
7. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
8. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
9. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the
“ON ”position.
10. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.
7-8

Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
operating range of the system and the
start request is received, the following
phenomena will occur.
.The fob flashes and beeps once.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
If the fob is not within range (the user is
too far away from the vehicle), the fob will
indicate two long flashes without beeping.
The system will check certain safety
preconditions before starting, and if all
conditions are met, the engine will start
within 5 seconds. After the engine starts,
the following phenomena will occur.
. The fob flashes and beeps twice.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
While the engine is idling via the remote
engine start system, the following phe-
nomena will occur.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights remain illuminated.
. The fob button flashes once every 3
seconds.
. The power windows are disabled.
If the engine turns over but does not start
(or starts and stalls) the remote engine start system will power off and then
attempt to start the engine 3 additional
times. The system will not attempt to
restart the engine if it determines a vehicle
malfunction is preventing starting. If the
engine does not start after 3 additional
attempts, the remote engine start request
will be aborted.
!
Stopping the engine
Press and hold the fob button for at least 2
seconds to stop the engine. The fob will
flash and beep three times, indicating the
engine has stopped. If the stop request is
not received (for example, if the user is too
far away from the vehicle), the fob will
continue to flash once every 3 seconds.
The system will automatically stop the
engine after 15 minutes.
! Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
remote engine start system will prevent
starting (or stop the engine if running) and
sound the horn twice if any of the following
conditions is detected. In addition, the fob
will flash and beep 3 times.
. The brake pedal is depressed
. A key is in the ignition switch
. The engine hood is open
. The remote start system “Service
mode ”is engaged
. The engine idle speed exceeds 3,500 RPM
.
The security alarm is triggered
. The select lever is not in the “P ”
position
If the system detects any door (including
the rear gate) open during operation, it will
prevent starting or stop the engine, and
sound the horn and flash side marker
lights, tail lights, and parking lights 6
times.
In addition to the items above, if the
vehicle’ s engine management system
determines there is a safety risk due to a
vehicle-related problem, the vehicle will
power down and the horn will sound 3
times.
NOTE
. If the alarm system is armed at the
time of remote engine starter activation
(the security indicator light on the
combination meter is flashing), the
alarm system will remain armed
throughout the remote start run cycle.
. If the alarm system is disarmed at
the time of remote engine starter
activation (the security indicator light
on the combination meter is not flash-
ing), the alarm system will remain
disarmed throughout the remote start
run cycle.
7-16

exhaust fumes are entering the
vehicle, have the problem
checked and corrected as soon
as possible. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive
only with all windows fully open.
. Keep the rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle.
NOTE
Due to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal.
Catalytic converter
Non-turbo models
Turbo models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as a catalyst to reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust
gases, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic conver-
ter:
.
Use only unleaded fuel. Even a small
amount of leaded fuel will damage the
catalytic converter.
. Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.
. Avoid racing the engine.
. Never turn the ignition switch to the
“OFF ”position while the vehicle is moving.
. Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
. Do not apply undercoating or rust
prevention treatment to the heat shield of
catalytic converter and the exhaust sys-
tem.
. Do not drive with an extremely low fuel
level.
WARNING
. Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive
or park the vehicle anywhere
near flammable materials (e.g.,
grass, paper, rags or leaves),
because the catalytic converter
Driving tips/Catalytic converter
–CONTINUED –8-3

of maintenance and treatment if you need
assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as
soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion.
Occasionally check under the mats to
make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. In such a garage, corrosion can
be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle
into the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, and hood latch should
be inspected and lubricated periodically.Cleaning the interior
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. (Do not use
organic solvents.)
&Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a
vacuum cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the
fabric or hard to remove with a vacuum
cleaner, use a soft brush then vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly
wrung cloth and dry the seat fabric
thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty, wipe
using a solution of mild soap and luke-
warm water then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a
commercially-available fabric cleaner. Use
the cleaner on a hidden place and make
sure it does not affect the fabric adversely.
Use the cleaner according to its instruc-
tions.
CAUTION
When cleaning the seat, do not use
benzine, paint thinner, or any similar
materials. Doing so could damage
the surface and cause the color to deteriorate.
&
Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high
quality natural product which will retain its
distinctive appearance and feel for many
years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the
surface can cause the material to become
brittle and to wear prematurely. Regular
cleaning with a soft, moist, natural fiber
cloth should be performed monthly, taking
care not to soak the leather or allow water
to penetrate the stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning
woolen fabrics may be used to remove
difficult dirt spots, rubbing with a soft, dry
cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If
your SUBARU is to be parked for a long
time in bright sunlight, it is recommended
that the seats and head restraints be
covered, or the windows shaded, to
prevent fading or shrinkage. Seat covers
and head restraint covers should be
removed before operating the vehicle.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches
may be treated with a commercial leather
spray lacquer. You will discover that each
leather seat section will develop soft folds
or wrinkles, which is characteristic of
genuine leather.
Appearance care/Cleaning the interior
–CONTINUED –10-5