ECU SUBARU FORESTER 2010 SH / 3.G Service Manual

6-6Interior equipment
To use as an armrest:
1. Tip the console top forward from its
vertical position.
2. Push the armrest part of the console
top forward to the desired position. Adjust
the position of the armrest to suit your driving position. Make sure the armrest is
securely retained.
To return the console top to the vertical
position, raise the console top.
CAUTION
Do not step or sit on the armrest,
and do not place heavy objects on it.
The armrest could break, and you
could get hurt.
To use as storage space:
Raise the console top to the vertical position.
1) Pocket console
The pocket console can be used to store
small items.
CAUTION
Be careful not to trap your hands
between the console top and con-
sole box when raising and tipping
the console top.

6-12Interior equipment
tray’s inner lid. Clean them off using a
toothbrush or another narrow-ended implement. Floor mat
A retaining pin is located on the driver
’s
side floor.
The floor mat is secured using the built-in
grommets, by placing the grommets over
the pins and pushing them downward.
CAUTION
Make sure the driver ’s floor mat is
placed back in its proper location
and correctly secured on its retain-
ing pins. Also, do not use more than
one floor mat. If the floor mat slips
forward and interferes with the
movement of the pedals during
driving, it could cause an accident. Shopping bag hook
CAUTION
Do not hang items on the shopping
bag hook that weigh 6 lbs (3 kg) ormore.
A shopping bag hook is attached to each
side of the cargo area.

both ends of the sleeve into the recesses
of the retainers.Cargo tie-down hooks
The cargo area is equipped with four tie-
down hooks so that cargo can be secured
with a cargo net or ropes.
When using the tie-down hooks, turn them
down out of the storing recesses. When
not in use, put the hooks up into the
storing recesses.
CAUTION
The cargo tie-down hooks are de-
signed only for securing light cargo.
Never try to secure cargo that
exceeds the capacity of the hooks.
The maximum load capacity is 44
lbs (20 kg) per hook. Interior equipment
6-15

WARNING
. When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop-
ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto-
matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from
the tank and create a fire hazard.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically stops. Do not add any
more fuel.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap whiletightening.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged. NOTE .
You will see the “”sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.. 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/malfunction indicator
lamp may illuminate. Refer to “CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator lamp ”F 3-12.
CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da-
mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap to the
right until it clicks to ensure that
it is fully tightened. If the cap is
not securely tightened, fuel may
leak out while the vehicle is being
driven or fuel spillage could
occur in the event of an accident,
creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting and your fuel tank
and emission control system
may be damaged. It could also
lead to fuel spillage and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires
as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-gine. Starting and operating
7-5

7-10Starting and operating
Remote engine start system
(dealer option)
WARNING
. Do not remote start a vehicle in
an enclosed environment (e.g., in
a closed garage). Prolonged op-
eration of a motor vehicle in an
enclosed environment can cause
a harmful build-up of Carbon
Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is
harmful to your health. Exposure
to high levels of Carbon Monox-
ide can cause headaches, dizzi-
ness or in extreme cases uncon-
sciousness and/or death.
. Before performing any servicing
of the vehicle, temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent the
system from unexpectedly start-
ing the engine.
& Starting your vehicle
The remote control start system is acti-
vated by pressing the “
”button twice
within 3 seconds on your remote control
transmitter. The system will check certain
pre-conditions before starting, and if all
safety parameters are correct, the engine
will start within 5 seconds. While the
vehicle is operating via remote engine
start, the vehicle ’s power window features
will be disabled. Also, the system has a
timer and will shut down after 15 minutes if
you do not operate the vehicle. Press and
hold the “
”button for 2 seconds again to
turn the vehicle off. If the vehicle ’s starter
cranks but does not start or starts and
stalls, the remote engine start system will
power off then attempt to start the vehicle an additional four times. If the vehicle fails
to start after the additional attempts, the
remote engine start system will abort and
return to a non-activated state.
& Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
system will fail to start and beep the horn
twice or shut down the engine during
remote start operation if any of the
following conditions occur. . The brake pedal is pressed before the
vehicle ignition switch is turned “on ”.
. The key was already in the ignition
switch.. The engine hood is opened.
. The vehicle ’s engine idle speed has
reached a level over 3,000 rpm.. The alarm is triggered by opening a
door or the rear gate.
NOTE . The security indicator light on the
dashboard will stop flashing while
under remote engine start operation,
but the vehicle is still protected.. If the vehicle is entered during
remote engine star t operation, the
system will not record entry in the
alarm history.

7-16Starting and operating
“R ” position or vice versa until
the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may
cause damage to the transmis-sion.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever inthe “P ” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the select
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the automatic transmis-
sion will upshift to higher engine
speeds than when the coolant tempera-
ture is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve
driveability. The gearshift timing will
automatically shift to the normal timing
after the engine has warmed up.. Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
which the on-board computer has
collected and stored in memory to allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current
condition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
& Select lever
: Shifting is possible with brake pedal
depressed
: Shifting is possible with brake pedal notdepressed
The select lever has four positions, “P ”,
“ R ”, “N ”, “D ”and also has manual gate for
using “SPORT ”mode or manual mode.
! P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine.
In this position, the transmission is me- chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the
“P ”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the select lever from the “P ”to any
other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the select
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started. ! R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N ”to “R ”position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the
lever to the “R ”position.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “LOCK ”position, movement of the
select lever from the “N ”position to the “R ”
position is possible for a limited time
period by depressing the brake pedal,
and then it becomes impossible. For
details, refer to “Shift lock function ”F 7-17.
! N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalledengine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, the
transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll

7-32Starting and operating
When the vehicle is facing uphill, the front
wheels should be turned away from thecurb.
When the vehicle is facing downhill, the
front wheels should be turned into thecurb.
WARNING
. Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to people.
. Do not park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
. Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occu-
pants in the vehicle could die
from carbon monoxide (CO) con-
tained in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION
. Always set the parking brake
firmly when parking your vehicle.
Never rely on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
. If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (if
equipped), pay attention to
blocks and other obstructions
on the ground when parking.
The underspoilers could be da-
maged by contact with them.

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 completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle’s undercar-
riage. 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;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover. . Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials 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 engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard. . After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. .
Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle ’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over. . If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the select lever
back and forth between “D ” and “R ”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle. . When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st. . Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.. Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly. . Frequent driving of an AWD model under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the
“Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage. Driving tips
8-7

8-12Driving tips
Loading your vehicle
WARNING
. Never allow passengers to ride
on a folded rear seatback or in
the cargo area. Doing so may
result in serious injury.
. Never stack luggage or other
cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble
forward and injure passengers in
the event of a sudden stop or
accident. Keep luggage or cargo
low, as close to the floor aspossible.
WARNING
. When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
. Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-cle ’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
. Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
. Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal
injury. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
. Do not place anything on the
extended cargo area cover. Such
items could tumble forward in the
event of a sudden stop or a
collision. This could cause ser-
ious injury.CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo. & Vehicle capacity weight

8-14Driving tips
&Roof rail (if equipped)
1) Roof rack
Luggage can be carried on the roof after
securing the roof rack to the roof rail.
When installing the roof rack on the roof
rail, follow the manufacturer ’s instructions.
The roof rail is designed to carry loads
(luggage and roof rack) of not more than
150 lbs (68 kg) .
CAUTION
. When using the roof rack, make
sure that the total carrying load
of the roof rack and luggage does
not exceed 150 lbs (68 kg). Over-
loading may cause damage to
the vehicle.
. For cargo carrying purposes, the roof rail must be used together
with the roof rack and any appro-
priate carrying attachment that
may be needed. The roof rail
must never be used alone to
carry cargo. Otherwise, damage
to the roof or paint or a danger-
ous road hazard due to loss of
cargo could result.
NOTE
Remember that the vehicle ’s center of
gravity is altered with the weight of the
load on the roof, thus affecting drivingcharacteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard
cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind
effects will be increased. &
Roof molding and crossbar
(if equipped)
CAUTION
. For cargo carrying purposes, the
roof molding must be used to-
gether with a roof crossbar kit
and the appropriate carrying at-
tachment. Otherwise, damage to
the roof or paint or a dangerous
road hazard due to loss of cargo
could result.
. When using the roof crossbar kit,
make sure that the total weight of
the crossbars, carrying attach-
ment and cargo does not exceed
the maximum load limit. Over-
loading may cause damage to