steering SUBARU FORESTER 2005 SG / 2.G Owner's Manual

7-28
Starting and operating
Vehicle Dynamics Control system (if
equipped)
Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving with a Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system equipped vehi-
cle could easily lead to a serious accident.
y
Even if your vehicle is equipped with Vehicle
Dynamics Control, winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on snow-covered
or icy roads; in addition, vehicle speed should
be reduced considerably. Simply having a Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control system does not guaran-
tee that the vehicle will be able to avoid acci-
dents in any situation.y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is an indication that the road being trav-
elled on has a slippery surface; since having
Vehicle Dynamics Control is no guarantee that
full vehicle control will be maintained at all
times and under all conditions, its activation should be seen as a sign that the speed of the
vehicle should be reduced considerably.y
Whenever suspension components, steering
components, or an axle are removed from a ve-
hicle equipped with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
have an authorized SUBARU dealer perform an
inspection of that system. y The following precautions should be ob-
served in order to ensure that the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is operating properly: – 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.
– Keep the tire pressure at the proper level as
shown on the placard attached to the vehi-
cle’s door pillar.
– Use only the special temporary spare tire to
replace a flat tire. With a temporary spare tire,
the effectiveness of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is reduced and this should be
taken into account when driving the vehicle
in such a condition.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding on a slippery
road surface and/or during cornering and/or an eva-
sive maneuver, the Vehicle Dynamics Control system

7-29
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
adjusts the engine’s output and the wheels’ respective
braking forces to help maintain traction and directional
control. yTraction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to prevent
spinning of the driving wheels on slippery road surfac-
es, thereby helping to maintain traction and directional
control. Activation of this function is shown by steady
illumination of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light. y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed to help
maintain directional stability by suppressing the
wheels’ tendency to slide sideways during steering op-
erations. Activation of this function is shown by flash-
ing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation indica-
tor light.
NOTE y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt
when the Vehicle Dynamics Control system oper-
ates; a small degree of vehicle or steering wheel
shaking may also be noticed in this situation.
These are normal characteristics of Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation and are no cause for
alarm. y
When driving off immediately after starting the
engine, a short-lived operation noise may be no-
ticed coming from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a check being per-
formed on the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
and is normal. y Depending on the timing of activation of the
brakes, certain situations may occur just after
driving off where the brake pedal seems to exhibit
a jolting motion. This too is a consequence of the
Vehicle Dynamics Control operational check and
is normal. y In the circumstances listed below, the vehicle
may be more unstable than it feels to the driver.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control System may there-
fore operate. Such operation does not indicate a system fault. yon gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with snow tires or
winter tires
y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem will cause operation of the steering wheel to feel slightly different compared to that for normal
conditions.y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a Vehicle

7-35
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
When parking on a hill, always turn the steering wheel.
When the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front
wheels should be turned away from the curb. When facing downhill, the front wheels should be
turned into the curb.
y
Never leave unattended children or pets in
the vehicle. They could accidentally injure
themselves or others through inadvertent oper-
ation of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny days,
the temperature in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause severe
or possibly fatal injuries to people.y Do not park the vehicle over flammable mate-
rials such as dry grass, waste paper or rags, as
US7510AAUS7511AA

8-8
Driving tips
Off road driving
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, your SUBARU can be driven on ordinary roads
or off-road. But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you
do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as the following should be taken: y
Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seatbelts. y Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and cell phone or citizens band radio. y Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain.y Slow down and employ extra caution at all times.
When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit of
marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. y Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther straight up or straight down the slopes. A vehicle
can much more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down slopes
that are too steep.y Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher speeds. y
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure
your hands. Instead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.y If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and
the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and ensure
that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s under-
carriage. Water entering the engine air intake or the
exhaust pipe or water splashing onto electrical parts
may damage your vehicle and may cause it to stall.
Never attempt to drive through rushing water; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover. y Always check your brakes for effectiveness immedi-
ately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by
driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Re-
peat that process several times to dry out the brake
discs and brake pads.y Do not drive or park over or near flammable materi-
als such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the engine stops. This

8-10
Driving tips
Winter driving „
Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such as tire
chains, a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a
small shovel, and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures re-
duce battery capacity. The battery must be in good
condition to provide enough power for cold winterstarts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and viscosity for
cold weather. Heavy summer oil will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by 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 contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other
substitutes because they may damage the paint of the vehicle. 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 dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check
that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all other
controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under
the fenders to avoid making steering difficult. During
severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe
to do so and check under the fenders periodically.
HS8004AA

8-33
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
for proper operation of the turn signals, the brake
lights and parking lights each time you hitch up.
Direct splicing or other improper connection of
trailer lights may damage your vehicle’s electri-
cal system and cause a malfunction of your ve-
hicle’s lighting system.
T Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are properly
inflated to the pressure specified on the tire placard lo-
cated on the driver’s side center pillar.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper infla-
tion pressure should be in accordance with the trailer
manufacturer’s specifications. „ Trailer towing tips
yNever exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing
a trailer in hilly country on hot days. y When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performance will be different from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ extra caution
when towing a trailer and you should never
speed. You should also keep the following tips
in mind:
T Before starting out on a trip
y Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are appar-
ent, do not tow the trailer.y Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the trail-
er attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at the
front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then con-
firm that the load and its distribution are acceptable. y Check that the tire pressures are correct.
y Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that
– the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connected properly
and trailer’s brake lights illuminate when the vehi-
cle’s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer’s
turn signal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn signal
lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected properly.

8-34
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
UG8035BC

9-16
In case of emergency
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-
sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position
while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.
y
Never turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction of
the wheels will be locked.y Remember that the brake booster and power
steering do not function when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is turned off, it will
take greater effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
y If transmission failure occurs, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck. y Do not run the engine while being towed us-
ing this method. Transmission damage could
result if the vehicle is towed with the engine
running. y
For vehicles with automatic transmission,
the traveling speed must be limited to less than
20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling distance to
less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds
and distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.

10-2
Appearance care
Appearance careExterior care „
Washing
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s beauty is fre-
quent washing. Wash the vehicle at least once a
month to avoid contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of luke-
warm or cold water. Do not wash the vehicle with hot
water and in direct sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot and bird droppings
should be washed off by using a light detergent, as re-
quired. If you use a light detergent, make certain that
it is a neutral detergent. Do not use strong soap or
chemical detergents. All cleaning agents should be
promptly flushed from the surface and not allowed to
dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of
lukewarm water. Wipe the remaining water off with a
chamois or soft cloth.
y When washing the vehicle, the brakes may
get wet. As a result, the brake stopping dis-
tance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the
vehicle at a safe speed while lightly pressing
the brake pedal to heat up the brakes. y
Do not wash the engine compartment and
area adjacent to it. If water enters the engine air
intake, electrical parts or the power steering flu-
id reservoir, it will cause engine trouble or
faulty power steering respectively.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in an automatic
car wash, make sure beforehand that the car wash
is of suitable type. Automatic car wash brushes or
other equipment may damage the rear wiper and
roof spoiler (if equipped). T Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for deicing road sur-
faces are extremely corrosive, accelerating the corro-
sion of underbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake cables, floor pan
and fenders, and suspension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and inside of the
fenders with lukewarm or cold water at frequent inter-
vals to reduce the harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody components may accelerate their corrosion.
After driving off-road or muddy or sandy roads, wash
the mud and sand off the underbody.

11 - 1
11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ................................. 11-3
Maintenance precautions ............................ 11-3 Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is
running ............................................................ 11-5
Engine hood .................................................. 11-5
Engine compartment overview ................... 11-8 Non-turbo models ............................................. 11-8
Turbo models .................................................... 11-9
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-10 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-10
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-11
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-13
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-15
Synthetic oil ....................................................... 11-15
Cooling system ............................................. 11-16 Cooling fan, hose and connections ................ 11-16
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-17
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-21 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-21
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-25 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-26
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-26
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-27 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-27
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-28 Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-29
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-29
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-31
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-31 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-31
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-32
Rear differential gear oil ............................... 11-33 Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-33
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-34
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-34 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-34
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-35
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-36 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-36
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-36
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-37 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-37
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-37
Brake booster ................................................ 11-38
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-38 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-38
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-39
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) ........................... 11-39 Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-39
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-40
Hill holder (MT vehicles – if equipped) ....... 11-40
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-41 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .... 11-41
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-42