length SUBARU FORESTER 2003 SG / 2.G Owners Manual

1-12
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1. Lower the headrests.
2. Unlock the seatback by pulling the release knob
and then fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original position, raise the
seatback until it locks into place and make sure that it
is securely locked.

After returning the rear seatback to its origi-
nal position, make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded
rear seatback or in the cargo area. Doing so
may result in serious injury or death. Secure lengthy items properly to prevent
them from shooting forward and causing seri-
ous injury during a sudden stop.
Seatbelts Seatbelt safety tips
All persons in the vehicle should fasten their
seatbelts BEFORE the vehicle starts to move.
Otherwise, the possibility of serious injury be-
comes greater in the event of a sudden stop or
accident. All belts should fit snugly in order to provide
full restraint. Loose fitting belts are not as ef-
fective in preventing or reducing injury. Each seatbelt is designed to support only
one person. Never use a single belt for two or
more persons — even children. Otherwise, in
an accident, serious injury or death could re-
sult. Replace all seatbelt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware worn by occu-
pants of a vehicle that has been in a serious
accident. The entire assembly should be re-
placed even if damage is not obvious. Put children aged 12 and under in the rear
seat properly restrained at all times. The SRS
airbag deploys with considerable speed and

8-3
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monox-
ide)
Never inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine ex-
haust gas contains carbon monoxide, a color-
less and odorless gas which is dangerous, or
even lethal, if inhaled. Always properly maintain the engine exhaust
system to prevent engine exhaust gas from en-
tering the vehicle. Never run the engine in a closed space, such
as a garage, except for the brief time needed to
drive the vehicle in or out of it. Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a
lengthy time while the engine is running. If that
is unavoidable, then use the ventilation fan to
force fresh air into the vehicle. Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free from snow, leaves or other obstructions to
ensure that the ventilation system always
works properly. If at any time you suspect that 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 met-
als used in the manufacture of the exhaust sys-
tem, you may hear a crackling sound coming from
the exhaust system for a short time after the en-
gine has been shut off. This sound is normal.

8-34
Driving tips
ally.
When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and
length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. 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. If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal- er.
Driving on grades
Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts. When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating. 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 conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3. If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an
uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an automat-
1 2
HS8023BB

12-2
Specifications
Specifications
Specifications
These specifications are subject to change without notice.
Dimensions
in (mm)
*1: Measured with vehicle empty
Item2.5-liter
XXS
Drive systemAWD
Transmission typeAutomatic
transmissionManual
transmissionAutomatic
transmissionManual
transmission
Overall length175.2 (4450)
Overall width68.3 (1735)
Overall height62.6 (1590)
Wheel base99.4 (2525)
TreadFront58.9 (1495)
Rear58.5 (1485)
Ground clearance* 17.5 (190)