ABS SUBARU FORESTER 2005 SG / 2.G User Guide

7-24
Starting and operating
y
When driving on badly surfaced roads, gravel
roads, icy roads, or over deep newly fallen
snow, stopping distances may be longer for a
vehicle with the ABS system than one without.
When driving under these conditions, there-
fore, reduce your speed and leave ample dis-
tance from other vehicles. y When you feel the ABS system operating,
you should maintain constant brake pedal pres-
sure. Do not pump the brake pedal since doing
so may defeat the operation of the ABS system.
„ ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and
hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine com-
partment 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 abnor-
mal condition. „
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after
about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such
as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning
light may come on. This is due to the low battery volt-
age and does not indicate a malfunction. When the
battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out.
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Starting and operating
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If the warning light behaves as follows, the ABS
system may not be working properly.
When the warning light is on, the ABS function
shuts down; however, the conventional brake
system continues to operate normally. yThe warning light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position. y The warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, but it
does not go out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). y The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by your SUBARU
dealer.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described be-
low, the ABS system may be considered normal. y The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off. y The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the vehicle speed reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h).y
The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.

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Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system (if equipped)
The EBD system maximizes the effectiveness of the
brakes by allowing the rear brakes to supply a greater
proportion of the braking force. It functions by adjust-
ing the distribution of braking force to the rear wheels
in accordance with the vehicle’s loading condition and
speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the ABS system
and uses some of the ABS system’s components to
perform its function of optimizing the distribution of
braking force. If any of the ABS components used by
the EBD function fails, the EBD system also stops
working.
When the EBD system is operating, you may hear a
chattering noise or feel a slight vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal and does not indicate a malfunc- tion.
„
Steps to take if EBD system fails
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system, the system
stops working and the brake system warning light and
ABS warning light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light illuminate simulta-
neously during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conventional braking
system will still function. However, the rear wheels will
be more prone to locking when the brakes are applied
harder than usual and the vehicle’s motion may there-
fore become somewhat harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS warning
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Starting and operating
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should occur, have an authorized SUBARU dealer
carry out an inspection of that system at the first avail-
able opportunity. yThe indicator light does not turn on when the ignition
key is turned to the ON position. y The indicator light does not turn off approximately
two seconds after the ignition key has been turned to
the ON position. T Vehicle Dynamics Control warning light/Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
This single light has the function of indicating malfunc-
tions in the Vehicle Dynamics Control system and the
function of indicating that the Vehicle Dynamics Con- trol system is not operating. It comes on in the event
of a malfunction in the system and is illuminated when-
ever the system is not operating. V
Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position and goes off several sec-
onds after engine startup.This lighting pattern indi-
cates that the Vehicle Dynamics Control system is op-
erating normally.
The following situations could indicate a malfunction of
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system; if any should
occur, have an authorized SUBARU dealer carry out
an inspection of the system at the first available oppor-
tunity. y The warning light does not turn on when the ignition
key is turned to the ON position. y The warning light turns on while the vehicle is being
driven. y When a malfunction has occurred in the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control electrical system, only the warning
light will turn on. In such an event, the ABS will still be
operating normally. y The warning light will also turn on when a problem
occurs with the ABS or Vehicle Dynamics Control
electronic control systems.
Because the Vehicle Dynamics Control system con-
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Starting and operating
trols each brake through the ABS, whenever the ABS
stops operating due to a malfunction in that electrical
system, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will also be-
come unable to control all four brakes. Thus Vehicle
Dynamics Control system operation halts and the
warning light turns on. Although both the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system and the ABS will be inoperable
in this situation, it will still be possible to stop the vehi-
cle using normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system and the ABS do not adversely affect oper-
ation of the vehicle in any way when they are inopera-
ble; however 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
opportunity.
NOTE
When the warning light turns on and off in the fol-
lowing way, it indicates that the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system 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 indicator light
This light comes on to indicate that the Vehicle Dy- namics Control system is in non-operation mode. This
does not constitute failure of the Vehicle DynamicsControl system.
NOTE y
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 suit-
able operating temperature. y When an engine problem occurs and the mal-
function indicator lamp turns on, the indicator
light will also come on.
The following two situations could indicate malfunction
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control 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
key 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 al-
low the engine to heat up sufficiently.

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Starting and operating
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„Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch
Pressing the switch to deactivate the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system can facilitate the following opera- tions: y a standing start on a steeply sloping road with a
snowy, gravel-covered, or otherwise 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 illuminates. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will be deactivated and the vehicle will
behave like a model not equipped with the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system. When the switch is pressed
again to reactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys- tem, the indicator light goes off.
With the Vehicle Dynamics Control system deactivat-
ed, traction and stability enhancement offered by Ve- hicle Dynamics Control system is unavailable. There-
fore you should not deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system except under above-mentioned situa-
tions.
NOTE y
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 key is turned
to the OFF position and the engine is restarted. y If the switch is held down for 10 seconds or
longer, the indicator light goes off, the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is activated, and the sys-
tem ignores any further pressing of the switch. To
make the switch usable again, turn the ignition key
to the OFF position and restart the engine. y When the switch is pressed to deactivate the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system, the vehicle’s run-
ning performance is comparable with that of a ve-
hicle that does not have a Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system. Do not deactivate the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system except when absolutely neces-
sary.
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Starting and operating
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TTo decrease the speed (by brake pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release cruise control
temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the desired speed,
press the control lever downward in the “SET/COAST”
direction once. Now the desired speed is set and the
vehicle will keep running at that speed without de-
pressing 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 irre-
spective 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 motion.
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Driving tips
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TParking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmissionvehicles.
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 after 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 harness.
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.
T Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel sys-
tem and the risk of its freezing, use of an antifreeze ad-
ditive in the fuel tank is recommended during cold
weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for
this purpose. When an antifreeze 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 extend-
ed period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capac- ity. „ Driving on snowy and icy roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden brak-
ing, 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 sud-
den braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake
effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a

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Driving tips
lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can
cause the wheels to lock, possibly leading to loss of
vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehi-
cle’s braking performance on snowy and icy roads.
Refer to the “ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)” section in
chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery sur-faces.
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads
such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause
loss of vehicle control.
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 but-
ton/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 windshield despite wiper operation,
use the defroster with the airflow control button/dial in
“ ” and the temperature control dial set for maxi-
mum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed
enough to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away us-
ing 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 wiper blades
(winter blades) during the seasons you could have
snow and sub-zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions.
Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehi- cle. „
Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section (chapter
10).

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Driving tips
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot.
y Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of
the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out on a
trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping
and backing up. T Driving with a trailer
y You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking
because it may result in skidding or jackknifing and
loss of control.y Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution. y Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. y Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal turning radius because the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. y Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing 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 immediately but gradu- ally.y
When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and
length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
A) Left turn
B) Right turn
y 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. y If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
A B
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