automatic transmission SUBARU FORESTER 2011 SH / 3.G User Guide

7-20Starting and operating
end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly
pulling the select lever toward the “ ”
end of the manual gate. NOTE
Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode. . If you attempt to shift down when
the engine speed is too high, i.e., when
a downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible.. If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.. You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the select lever twice in rapid succes-sion.. The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stopsmoving.. If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,the “AT OIL TEMP ”warning light will
illuminate and upshifts to 4th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and let the
engine idle until the warning light turns off. &
Driving tips
. On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or
gravel-covered road), you can pull away
from a standstill (safely and easily) by first
selecting the 2nd gear of the manualmode. . Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D ”or
“ R ”position.
. Always set the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the
vehicle with only the transmission. . Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the “ D ”position. Use the brake instead.
. The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate aproblem. &
SPORT mode
SPORT mode is used when power is
needed for rapid acceleration or for uphill
driving. To select this mode, move the
select lever from the “D ” position to the
manual gate.

!Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery anddangerous.
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. ! 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 the “1 ” or “R ”
position for manual transmission models,
or place the select lever in the “P ”position
for automatic transmission models.
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 “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-23 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-25.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy Driving tips
8-9
– CONTINUED –

8-24Driving tips
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 following indicators be-
cause the engine and transmission are
relatively prone to overheating.
–Temperature gauge (if equipped)
– Coolant temperature high warning
light (if equipped) – AT OIL TEMP warning light (AT
models)
. If any of the following conditions occur,
immediately turn off the air conditioner and
stop the vehicle in the nearest safe
location. Refer to “If you park your vehicle
in case of an emergency ”F9-2 and
“ Engine overheating ”F 9-13.
– Temperature gauge needle ap-
proaches the OVERHEAT zone (if
equipped). Refer to “Temperature
gauge (models with type A combina-
tion meter) ”F 3-11.
– Coolant temperature high warning
light illuminates (if equipped). Refer to

“Coolant temperature low indicator
light/Coolant temperature high warn-
ing light ”F 3-16.
– AT OIL TEMP warning light illumi-
nates (AT models). Refer to “AT OIL
TEMP warning light (AT models) ”F 3-
18.
. 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 select 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 models) or the
“P ” position
(automatic transmission models) and shut
off the engine. Driving tips
8-25

If you park your vehicle in case of anemergency ........................................................ 9-2
Temporary spare tire (if equipped) .................... 9-2
Precautions for AWD models with automatic transmission ..................................................... 9-3
Maintenance tools ............................................... 9-4
Tool bag. ............................................................. 9-4
Under the cargo area ........................................... 9-5
Flat tires ............................................................... 9-6
Changing a flat tire .............................................. 9-6
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec. models) ........................................... 9-9
Jump starting ..................................................... 9-10
How to jump start ............................................... 9-11 Engine overheating
........................................... 9-13
If steam is coming from the engine compartment ................................................... 9-13
If no steam is coming from the engine compartment ................................................... 9-13
Towing ................................................................ 9-14
Towing and tie-down hooks. ............................... 9-14
Using a flat-bed truck. ........................................ 9-17
Towing with all wheels on the ground ................. 9-17
Rear gate –if the rear gate cannot be
opened ............................................................. 9-18
Moonroof –if the moonroof cannot be
closed .............................................................. 9-19 In case of emergency
9

install the conventional tire as soon as
possible because the spare tire is de-
signed only for temporary use.
Check the inflation pressure of the tem-
porary spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. The correct pressure is
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kg/cm
2).
When using the temporary spare tire, note
the following. . Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
. Do not put a tire chain on the temporary
spare tire. Because of the smaller tire size,
a tire chain will not fit properly. . Do not use two or more temporary
spare tires at the same time.. Do not drive over obstacles. This tire
has a smaller diameter, so road clearance
is reduced.
1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
. When the wear indicator appears on
the tread, replace the tire. . The temporary spare tire must be used
only on a rear wheel. If a front wheel tire
gets punctured, replace the wheel with a
rear wheel and install the temporary spare
tire in place of the removed rear wheel. &
Precautions for AWD models
with automatic transmission
Your vehicle is equipped with the AWD
(All-Wheel Drive) system. In addition, if
your vehicle is an AT model, before driving
your vehicle with the temporary spare tire,
deactivate the AWD capability of the
vehicle as follows.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK ”
position.
2. Pull any one spare fuse out of the
spare fuse holder in the engine compart-
ment. Spare fuses are attached on the
back side of the fuse holder cover. You
may pick up any one fuse in the spare
fuse holder. In case of emergency
9-3
– CONTINUED –

&Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. Shift the select lever into the “P ”
position for automatic transmission mod-
els or “1st ”for manual transmission
models.
2. Pull up the parking brake lever firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier
properly with safety chains. Each safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (if
equipped), be careful not to scrape
them when placing the vehicle on
the carrier and when removing the
vehicle from the carrier.
& Towing with all wheels on the ground
1. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
2. The ignition switch should be in the “Acc ”position while the vehicle is being
towed.
3. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ”position while the
vehicle is being towed because
the steering wheel and the direc-
tion of the wheels will be locked.
. Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion 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.
CAUTION
. If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
. Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the
engine running.
. For models with automatic trans-
mission, 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 In case of emergency
9-17
– CONTINUED –

Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ................................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment (non-turbo models) ...................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running .......... 11-5
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-5
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-7
Non-turbo models .............................................. 11-7
Turbo models ..................................................... 11-8
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-9
Checking the oil level ......................................... 11-9
Changing the oil and oil filter ............................ 11-10
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-12
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-13
Cooling system ................................................ 11-13
Cooling fan, hose and connections ................... 11-13
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-14
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-16
Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-17
Spark plugs ...................................................... 11-19
Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-19
Drive belts ........................................................ 11-19
Turbo models ................................................... 11-19
Non-turbo models ............................................ 11-20
Manual transmission oil .................................. 11-20
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-20
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-21Automatic transmission fluid
.......................... 11-21
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-21
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-22
Front differential gear oil (AT models) ........... 11-22
Checking the oil level ...................................... 11-22
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-23
Rear differential gear oil .................................. 11-23
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-23
Power steering fluid ........................................ 11-24
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-24
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-24
Brake fluid ........................................................ 11-25
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-25
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-25
Clutch fluid (MT models) ................................. 11-26
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-26
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-26
Brake booster .................................................. 11-27
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-27
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-28
Clutch pedal (MT models) ............................... 11-28
Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-28
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-28
Hill start assist system (MT models) .............. 11-29
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............ 11-29
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....... 11-29
Parking brake stroke ....................................... 11-30
Tires and wheels .............................................. 11-30
Types of tires ................................................... 11-30
Maintenance and service
11

Engine compartment overview &Non-turbo models1) Power steering fluid reservoir (page 11-
24)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge (MT) (page 11-20) or Differential gear oil level
gauge (AT) (page 11-22)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-21)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-45)
7) Battery (page 11-44)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-38)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-9)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-14)
11) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
12) Engine oil filter (page 11-10)
13) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-9)
14) Air cleaner case (page 11-16) Maintenance and service
11-7
– CONTINUED –

11-8Maintenance and service
& Turbo models
1) Power steering fluid reservoir
(page 11-24)
2) Differential gear oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-22)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-21)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-45)
7) Battery (page 11-44)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-38)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-9)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-14)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-9)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
13) Air cleaner case (page 11-16)