check engine SUBARU FORESTER 2002 SG / 2.G User Guide

Climate control4-15
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nOUT.TEMP switch
To check the outside air temperature, push the “OUT.TEMP” switch.
The outside air temperature will be displayed for five seconds, and
then the display automatically changes back to the inside air temper-
ature.
The display changes over from the inside air temperature to the out-
side air temperature as its normal indication if you keep the switch
pressed for more than 2 seconds. NOTE You can check the outside air temperature even when the Au-
tomatic Climate Control is off. (The ignition switch should be in the “ON” position.)
In the following cases, the display can indicate a higher tem-
perature than the actual outside air temperature: – In direct sunlight
– When the vehicle is parked for a long period of time with the
engine kept running.– During stop and go driving
n
— Defroster switch
To defrost or dehumidify the windshield and side window, push the
defroster switch “
”. When the “” switch is pushed, re-
gardless whether the air conditioner is operating or not, outside air is
drawn into the passenger compartment, the air conditioner compres-
sor turns on, air flow is directed towards the windshield and side win-dows, and the indicator light “
” on the control panel comes on.
After eliminating the fogging from the windshield, set the air condition- er back in the AUTO mode by pushing the “AUTO” switch or turn off
by pushing the “OFF” switch or “
” switch.

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Operating tips for heater and air conditionerCleaning ventilator grille
HB5019BC
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille free of snow, leaves, or oth-
er 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 windowsclosed during the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool-
ing 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-sea-
son to circulate its oil. Checking air conditioning system before summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks, hose conditions,
and proper operation each spring. This check is best performed by
your SUBARU dealer.

Climate control4-21
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Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low tempera- ture weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humidity, low tempera-
tures, 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 com-
pressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner op-
eration whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as during
rapid accerelation or when driving on a steep upgrade. Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant HFC134a. There-
fore, the method of adding, changing or checking the refrigerant is
different from the method for CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a result of using the wrong
refrigerant are not covered under warranty.
Air filtration system (if equipped) If your vehicle ’s air conditioning system is equipped with a optional air
filtration system, replace the filter element according to the replacement
schedule shown below. This schedule should be followed to maintain the
filter’ s dust collection ability. Under extremely dusty conditions, the filter
should be replaced more frequently. Since the filter element is a viscous
type, it is unnecessary to clean or wash the element. Have your filter
checked or replaced by your SUBARU dealer.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 9,300 miles (15,000 km) whichever comes first
NOTE The filter can influence the air conditioning, heating and defroster performance.

Starting and operating7-7
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If the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks or if the tether
is caught under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE warning light may come on. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ” section lo-
cated in chapter 3.
State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must NEVER be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamometer. Attempting to do so willresult in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause an acci-
dent or injuries to persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty and is the responsibility ofthe state inspection program or its contractors or licensees.
At state inspection time, remember to tell your inspection or service
station in advance not to place your Subaru AWD vehicle on a two-
wheel dynamometer. Otherwise, serious transmission damage willresult.
Some states have started using dynamometers in their state inspection
programs in order to meet their obligation under federal law to implement
stricter vehicle emission standards to reduce air pollution from cars. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like testing device that allows your
car’ s wheels to turn while the car remains in one place. Depending on
the severity of a state ’s air pollution problems, the states must adopt
either a “basic” or “enhanced” vehicle emission inspection test. Nor-
mally, a portion of the basic emission test consists of an emission
inspector inserting an analyzer probe into the exhaust pipe of an idling
vehicle for a short period of time. States with more severe air pollution
problems are required to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission test. This
test simulates actual driving conditions on a dynamometer and permits

7-8
more accurate measurement of tailpipe emitted pollution than the basic emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states using two-
wheel dynamometers in their emission testing programs haveEXEMPTED Subaru AWD vehicles from the portion of the testing pro-
gram that involves a two-wheel dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel dynamometers in their testing
programs. When properly used, that equipment will not damage an AWD Subaru 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 be-
fore you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are clean and unob- structed.
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.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear gate are fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passengers have fastened theirseatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator lights when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights after starting the en-gine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid and other fluid
levels should be checked daily, weekly or at fuel stops.

Starting and operating7-9
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Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor continuously for more than ten
seconds. If the engine fails to start after operating the starter forfive to ten seconds, wait for ten seconds or more before tryingagain.
Starting the engine for a manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the shift lever into neutral.
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor while starting the engine. The starter
motor will only operate when the clutch pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
light” section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turn the ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone off after the
engine has started. The fuel injection system automatically lowers the
idle speed as the engine warms up.
Starting the engine for an automatic transmission ve- hicle
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the vehicle is moving, shift the se- lector lever into the “N” position. Do not attempt to place the se-
lector lever of a moving vehicle into the “P” position.

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1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N” position (preferably “P” posi-
tion). The starter will only operate when the select lever is at the “P” or
“N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
lights” section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turnthe ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone out after the
engine has started. The fuel injection system automatically lowers the
idle speed as the engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make sure that the selector lever is at the “P” or “N” position and that the parking brake is applied.
Starting the engine during cold weather below –4°F
(–20 °C)
If the engine is difficult to start using the normal method (without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal), turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position while slightly depressing the accelerator pedal.
Starting a flooded engine
If the engine does not start, it may be flooded (excessive fuel in the en-gine).
In case of a flooded engine, turn the starter motor for five seconds with
the accelerator pedal fully depressed. Repeat this two or three times until
the engine starts. Release the ignition switch and accelerator pedal as
soon as the engine starts.

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leave ample distance from other vehicles. When you feel the ABS system operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure. Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the operation of the ABS system.
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of wheels which may occur during
sudden braking or braking on slippery road surfaces. This helps prevent
the loss of steering control and directional stability caused by wheellock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you may hear a chattering noise or
feel a slight vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal when the ABSoperates. The ABS system will not operate when the vehicle speed is below
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and hear the operating
sound of ABS from the engine compartment just after the vehicle is
started. This is caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS sys-
tem being carried out and does not indicate any abnormal condition. ABS warning light
HB4010GA
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after about two seconds.

Starting and operating7-27
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In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding on a slippery road surface
and/or during cornering and/or an evasive maneuver, the VDC systemadjusts the engine ’s output and the wheels ’ respective braking forces to
help maintain traction and directional control.
Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to prevent spinning of the
driving wheels on slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to maintain
traction and directional control. Activation of this function is shown bysteady illumination of the VDC operation indicator light. Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed to help maintain directional
stability by suppressing the wheels ’ tendency to slide sideways dur-
ing steering operations. Activation of this function is shown by flash-ing of the VDC operation indicator light.
NOTE Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt when the VDC-sys-
tem operates; a small degree of vehicle or steering wheel shaking may also be noticed in this situation. These are normal characteris-tics of VDC operation and are no cause for alarm. When driving off immediately after starting the engine, a short-
lived operation noise may be noticed coming from the enginecompartment. This noise is generated as a result of a check beingperformed on the VDC system and is normal. Depending on the timing of activation of the brakes, certain situa-
tions may occur just after driving off where the brake pedal seemsto exhibit a jolting motion. This too is a consequence of the VDCoperational check and is normal. Activation of the VDC system will cause operation of the steering
wheel to feel slightly different compared to that for normal condi-tions. Even if the vehicle is equipped with a VDC system, it is important
that winter tires be used when driving on snow-covered or icyroads. (All four wheels should be fitted with tires of the same sizeand brand).

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It is always important to reduce speed when approaching a cor-
ner, even if the vehicle is equipped with VDC. All four wheels should be fitted with tires of the same size, type,
and brand; furthermore, the amount of wear should be the same for
all four tires. If these precautions are not observed and non-match-ing tires are used, it is quite possible that the VDC system will beunable to operate correctly as intended. Always turn off the engine before replacing a tire as failure to do
so may render the VDC system unable to operate correctly.
VDC system monitor
HB4010FB
nVDC OFF indicator light
The VDC OFF indicator light turns on initially when the ignition key
is turned to the ON position; it subsequently turns off 6 seconds after
the engine is started. This light turns on to indicate that the VDC system is in non-opera-
tion mode. This does not constitute failure of the VDC system. NOTE The VDC OFF 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 nor-
mal. The light will turn off when the engine has reached a suitableoperating temperature. When an engine problem occurs and the CHECK ENGINE