ABS SUBARU FORESTER 2009 SH / 3.G User Guide

ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys- tem)
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road sur-
faces. This helps prevent the loss of
steering control and directional stability
caused by wheel lock-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 ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h).
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving –overconfidence because
youaredrivingwithanABS
equipped vehicle could easily lead
to a serious accident.
CAUTION
. The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe
following distance from other vehicles.
. When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be long-
er for a vehicle with the ABS
system than one without. When
driving under these conditions,
therefore, reduce your speed and
leave ample distance from othervehicles.
. 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.
& ABS system self-check
Just after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
the ABS system being carried out and
does not indicate any abnormal condition. &
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light illuminates when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and turns off after approximately 2seconds.
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 illumi-
nate. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will turn off. Starting and operating
7-23
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7-24Starting and operating
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as
described below, the ABS system
may not be working properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. . The warning light does not illu-
minate when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON ”position.
. The warning light illuminates
when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position, but
it does not turn off even when the
vehicle speed exceeds approxi-
mately 8 mph (12 km/h).
. The warning light illuminates dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your SUBARU dealer. NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as
described below, the ABS system may
be considered normal. .
The warning light illuminates right
after the engine is started but turns off
immediately, remaining off.. The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it
turns off when the vehicle speed
reaches approximately 8 mph (12km/h).. The warning light illuminates during
driving, but it turns off immediately and
remains off. Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
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 ABSsystem ’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fail, 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 malfunction.

&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 illuminate simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the
brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional 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 vehi-cle’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights turn off, the EBD system
may be faulty. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
4. If both warning lights illuminate again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the “
MIN ”mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the systeminspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “ MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair. Starting and operating
7-25

7-28Starting and operating
a 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
available opportunity. . The indicator light does not illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position. . The indicator light does not turn off
approximately 2 seconds after the ignition
switch has been turned to the ON position. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light/Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF
indicator light
This single light has the function of
indicating malfunctions in the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the function
of indicating that the Vehicle Dynamics Control system is not operating. It illumi-
nates in the event of a malfunction in the
system and is illuminated whenever the
system is not operating. !
Vehicle Dynamics Control warning light
The warning light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and turns off several seconds
after engine startup. This lighting pattern
indicates that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating 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 opportunity. . The warning light does not turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position. . The warning light turns on while the
vehicle is being driven.. When a malfunction has occurred in
the Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical
system, only the warning light will turn on.
In such an event, the ABS will still be
operating normally. . The warning light will also turn on when
a problem occurs with the ABS or Vehicle
Dynamics Control electronic control sys- tems.
Because the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system controls each brake through the
ABS, whenever the ABS stops operating
due to a malfunction in that electrical
system, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will
also become unable to control all four
brakes. Thus Vehicle Dynamics Control
system operation halts and the warning
light turns on. Although both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the ABS
will be inoperable in this situation, it will
still be possible to stop the vehicle using
normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the ABS do not
adversely affect operation of the vehicle
in any way when they are inoperable;
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 oppor-
tunity.
NOTE
When the warning light turns on and off
in the following way, it indicates that
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
is operating normally. . Although turning on after the engine
has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off.. The warning light turns on when the

7-30Starting and operating
gine. .Whentheswitchispressedto
deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system, the vehicle ’s running per-
formance is comparable with that of a
vehicle that does not have a Vehicle
Dynamics Control system. Do not de-
activate the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system except when absolutely neces-
sary. Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec.models)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message
by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). Also,
this system may not react immediately to a
sudden drop in tire pressure (for example,
a blow-out caused by running over a
sharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, never
brake suddenly and keep driving
straight ahead while gradually redu-
cing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place. Otherwise an
accident involving serious vehicle
damage and serious personal injury
could occur.
Check the pressure for all four tires
and adjust the pressure to the COLD
tire pressure shown on the tire
placard on the door pillar on thedriver ’s side.
Even when the vehicle is driven a
very short distance, the tires get
warm and their pressures increase
accordingly. Be sure to let the tires
cool thoroughly before adjusting
their pressures to the standard
values shown on the tire placard.
Refer to the “Tires and wheels ”
section in chapter 11. The tire pres-
sure monitoring system does not
function when the vehicle is station-
ary. After adjusting the tire pres-
sures, increase the vehicle speed to
at least 20 mph (32 km/h) to start the
TPMS re-checking of the tire infla-
tion pressures. If the tire pressures

8-6Driving tips
On-pavement and off-road driving
WARNING
. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wear-
ing a seat belt. You the driver and
all your passengers should fas-
ten the seatbelts before starting
to drive in order to minimize the
chance of serious injury or death.
. Do not make sharp turns and
quick maneuvers unless abso-
lutely unavoidable. Such actions
are dangerous as you may lose
control, possibly resulting in a
rollover which could cause death
or serious injury.
. Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-tions.
. Whenever strong crosswinds are
present, slow down sufficiently
to maintain control of your vehi-
cle. Remember that your vehicle, with its higher profile and center
of gravity, is more likely to be
affected by crosswinds than or-
dinary passenger cars.
. Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive vehicle could easily
lead to a serious accident.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including off-
road driving. But please keep in mind that
your vehicle is neither a conventional off-
road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. A
higher center of gravity in relation to the
tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for high-
speed cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle
could roll over if you make a sharp turn
at high speed. If you do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common sense
precautions such as the following should
be taken: .
Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio. . Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain. . 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. . Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either 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. . Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.. 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. . If driving through water, such as when

winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically. !Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when
parking for long periods in cold weather
since it could freeze in that position.
Instead, observe the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1 ” or “R ” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P ”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
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 har-ness.WARNING
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 enginerunning.
! Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive 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 extended period, it is best to have
the fuel tank filled to capacity. & Driving on snowy and icy roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, 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 sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle
’s braking perfor-
manceonsnowyandicyroads.For
information on braking on slippery sur-
faces, refer to the “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”and “Vehicle Dynamics Control
system ”sections in chapter 7.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control. Driving tips
8-9
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8-22Driving tips
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. . Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer 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
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable. . Check that the tire pressures are
correct.. 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 con-
nected properly and trailer ’s brake
lights illuminate when the vehicle ’s
brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s turn signal lights flash when
the vehicle ’s turn signal lever is oper-
ated. – the safety chains are connected
properly.– all cargo in the trailer is secured
safety in position.– the side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig- nificant blind spot.
. 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. ! Driving with a trailer
. 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 ofcontrol. . Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accel-
erations. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, always start out in first gear
and release the clutch at moderate enginerevolution. . Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.. Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal 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 yourvehicle. . Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing 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 gradually. .
When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance 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 practice. 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
dealer.

!Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts. . When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating. . When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the coolant temperature high
warning light (for all vehicles) and AT OIL
TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively
prone to overheating under these condi-
tions. If the coolant temperature high
warning light 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 trans-
mission, 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 overheat. . If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the selector lever as follows:
Uphill slopes:
“D ”position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking ! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then
apply the parking brake; slowly release
the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission) or “P ” (automatic transmis-
sion) and shut off the engine. Driving tips
8-23

11-14Maintenance and service
2. Place a proper container under the
drain plug and loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the
coolant from the radiator. Then drain the
coolant from the reserve tank. Tighten the
drain plug securely.
NOTE (turbo model only)
The cap (without tabs) on top of the
radiator does not need to be removed.
To add coolant, remove the cap (with
tabs) on the coolant tank on top of theengine.
4. Install the under cover.Non-turbo models
1) Fill up to this level
Turbo models
1) Fill up to this level
5. Slowly pour the coolant and fill up to
just below the filler neck, allowing enough room to add genuine SUBARU cooling
system conditioner in the radiator. Add
genuine SUBARU cooling system condi-
tioner until the coolant level reaches the
filler neck. Do not pour the coolant too
quickly, as this may lead to insufficient air
bleeding and trapped air in the system.
Guideline of coolant quantity (including
coolant in reservoir tank): Non-turbo models:MT: 7.2 US qt (6.8 liters, 6.0 Imp qt)
AT: 7.1 US qt (6.7 liters, 5.9 Imp qt)
Turbo models: 8.5 US qt (8.0 liters, 7.0 Imp qt)