climate control SUBARU FORESTER 2011 SH / 3.G Owner's Manual

!Temperature control dial
This dial is used to set the desired interior
temperature. With the dial set to your
desired temperature, the system automa-
tically adjusts the temperature of air
supplied from the outlets such that the
desired temperature is achieved andmaintained.
If the dial is turned fully counterclockwise,
the system gives maximum cooling per-
formance. If the dial is turned fully clock-
wise, the system gives maximum heatingperformance. !
Airflow control dialEach dial position activates the following
air outlets. AUTO: The airflow control is adjusted
automatically in accordance with the air
temperature inside and outside the pas-
senger compartment, the intensity of sun-
light, and other factors. SUBARU recom-
mends using the AUTO position.
(Ventilation): Instrument panel outlets
(Bi-level): Instrument panel outlets and
foot outlets
(Heat): Foot outlets, both side outlets of
the instrument panel and some through
windshield defroster outlets (A small
amount of air flows to the windshield and
both side windows to prevent fogging.)
(Heat-def): Windshield defroster out-
lets, foot outlets and both side outlets of
the instrument panel
: Windshield defroster outlets and both
side outlets of the instrument panel
For details, refer to “Airflow selection ”F 4-
2.
NOTE
When the dial is placed in the “
”or
“” position, the air inlet selection is
automatically set to “outside air ”
mode. ! Air inlet selection button
ON position (recirculation): Interior air is
recirculated inside the vehicle. Push the
air inlet selection button to the ON position Climate control
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4-16Climate control
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or
when driving on a dusty road. The
indicator light will illuminate.
OFF position (outside air): Outside air is
drawn into the passenger compartment.
Push the air inlet selection button to the
OFF position when the interior has cooled
to a comfortable temperature and the road
is no longer dusty. The indicator light will
turn off. AUTO: Turn the fan speed control dial and
airflow control dial to the AUTO position.
The air inlet control is then adjusted
automatically in accordance with the air
temperature inside and outside the pas-
senger compartment, the intensity of sun-
light, and other factors. Pressing the air
inlet selection button cancels the “AUTO ”
mode. To return to “AUTO ”mode, turn the
fan speed control dial or airflow control
dial to a position other than the AUTO
position. Then turn to “AUTO ”mode.
SUBARU recommends using the AUTOposition.
WARNING
Continued operation in the ON posi-
tion may fog up the windows. Switch
to the OFF position as soon as the
outside dusty condition clears. !
Air conditioner button
The button positions and their functions
are as follows. ON: The air conditioner operates while the
fan is running.
Push the button to select this position. The
indicator light will illuminate. OFF: The air conditioner does not oper-
ate.
Push the button again to select this
position. The indicator light will turn off. AUTO: Turn the fan speed control dial and
airflow control dial to the AUTO position.
The air conditioner compressor operation
is then adjusted automatically in accor-
dance with the air temperature inside and
outside the passenger compartment, the
intensity of sunlight, and other factors.
Pressing the button cancels the “AUTO ”mode. To return to
“AUTO ”mode, turn the
fan speed control dial or airflow control
dial to a position other than the AUTO
position. Then turn to “AUTO ”mode.
SUBARU recommends using the AUTOposition.
NOTE
The air conditioner ’s compressor does
not operate with an outside tempera-
ture of 32 8F(0 8C) or lower.

&Temperature sensors
1) Interior air temperature sensor
2) Solar sensor
The automatic climate control system
employs several sensors. These sensors
are delicate. If they are not treated properly and become damaged, the sys-
tem may not be able to control the interior
temperature correctly. To avoid damaging
the sensors, observe the following pre-cautions. –
Do not subject the sensors to impact.
– Keep water away from the sensors.
– Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are located as follows.– Solar sensor: beside the windshield
defroster grille.– Interior air temperature sensor: near
the ignition switch.– Outside temperature sensor: behind
the front grille. Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner &
Cleaning ventilation grille
Always keep the front ventilation inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser. &Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to
allow outside air to circulate into the Climate control
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4-18Climate control
heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency. &Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. & Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer. & Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning system.
& Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. & Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the meth-
od of adding, changing or checking the
refrigerant is different from the method for
CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty. Air filtration system
Replace the filter element according to the
replacement schedule as follows. This
schedule should be followed to maintain
the filter
’s dust collection ability. Under
extremely dusty conditions, the filter
should be replaced more frequently. It is
recommended that you have your filter
checked or replaced by your SUBARU
dealer. For replacement, use only a
genuine SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 7,500 miles (12,000
km) whichever comes first
CAUTION
Contact your SUBARU dealer if the
following occurs, even if it is not yet
time to change the filter. – Reduction of the airflow through
the vents.
– Windshield gets easily fogged ormisted.
NOTE
The filter can influence the air condi-
tioning, heating and defroster perfor-

mance if not properly maintained. &Replacing an air filter
1. Remove the glove box. (1) Open the glove box.
(2) Remove the damper shaft from the
glove box.
(3) Pull out the glove box.
2. Remove the air filter.
3. Replace the air filter element with a
new one.
CAUTION
The arrow mark on the filter must
point UP. Climate control
4-19
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4-20Climate control
4. Reinstall the glove box, and connect
the damper shaft.
5. Close the glove box.
6. LABEL installation
(1) Fill out the information on the
service label (small).1) Service label
(2) Attach the service label to the driver ’s side door pillar.
1) Caution label
(3) Attach the caution label next to the air filter as shown in the illustration.

Bottle holders
CAUTION
. Do not pick up a bottle from the
bottle holder or put a bottle in the
holder while you are driving, as
this may distract you and lead to
an accident.
. When placing a beverage in a
door pocket, make sure it is
capped. Otherwise, the beverage
could spill when opening/closing
the door or while driving and, if
the beverage is hot, it could scaldyou.
The door pocket equipped on each door trim can be used to hold beverage bottles
and other items.
Accessory power outlets
Power outlet below the climate controls
Power outlet in the center consoleInterior equipment
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6-10Interior equipment
Power outlet in the cargo area
Accessory power outlets are provided
below the climate controls, in the center
console and in the cargo area. Electrical
power (12V DC) from the battery is
available at any of the outlets when the
ignition switch is in either the “Acc ”or “ON ”
position.
Youcanuseanin-vehicleelectrical
appliance by connecting it to an outlet.
The maximum power rating of an appli-
ance that can be connected is 120W.Do
not use an appliance which exceeds the
indicated wattage for each outlet.
When using appliances connected to two
or more outlets simultaneously, the total
power consumed by them must not
exceed 120W.
CAUTION
. Do not attempt to use a cigarette
lighter in the accessory power outlets.
. Do not place any foreign objects,
especially metal ones such as
coins or aluminum foil, into the
accessory power outlet. That
could cause a short circuit. Al-
ways put the cap on the acces-
sory power outlet when it is not
in use.
. Use only electrical appliances
which are designed for 12V DC.
The maximum power rating of an
appliance that can be connected
is 120W. Do not use an appliance
which exceeds the indicated wat-
tage for each outlet.
When using appliances con-
nected to two or more outlets
simultaneously, the total power
consumed by them must not
exceed 120W. Overloading the
accessory power outlet can
cause a short circuit. Do not use
double adapters or more than
one electrical appliance.
. If the plug on your electric appli-
ance is either too loose or too tight for the accessory power
outlet, this can result in a poor
contact or cause the plug to get
stuck. Only use plugs that fit
properly.
. Use of an electric appliance in the
accessory power outlet for a long
period of time while the engine is
not running can cause batterydischarge.
. Before driving your vehicle, make
sure that the plug and the cord
on your electrical appliance will
not interfere with your shifting
gears and operating the accel-
erator and brake pedals. If they
do, do not use the electrical
appliance while driving.
& Use with a cigarette lighter
(dealer option)
To use the accessory power outlet as a
cigarette lighter socket, purchase the
cigarette lighter plug, which is an optional
accessory.
A cigarette lighter plug is available from
your SUBARU dealer.
The cigarette lighter operates only when
the ignition switch is in the “ON ”or “Acc ”
position.

8-10Driving tips
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine ’s intake system and may
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or evenbreakdown.
! 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, perform the
following procedure. . To thaw the windshield wiper blades,
use the defroster with the airflow selection in “
”and the temperature set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed. Refer to “Climate
control ”F 4-1.
. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper
deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blades. Refer to “Defog-
ger and deicer ”F 3-45.
. To thaw the rear wiper blade, use the
rear window defogger. Refer to “Defogger and deicer
”F 3-45.
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 set to “
”and the
temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth. After the windshield gets warmed
enough to melt the frozen snow on it,
wash it away using the windshield washer.
Refer to “Washer ”F 3-35.
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.
Refer to “Hazard warning flasher ”F 3-5.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and freez-
ing temperatures. Blades of this type give
superior wiping performance in snowy
conditions. Be sure to use blades that
are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the vehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades. & Corrosion protection
Refer to “Corrosion protection ”F 10-4.
& Snow tires
WARNING
. When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure
you use only the same size,
construction and load range as
the original tires listed on the tire
placard. Using other sizes and
construction may affect speed-
ometer/odometer calibration and
clearance between the body and
tires. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, con-
struction, brand, and load range.
Mixing other sizes or construc-

Exterior care....................................................... 10-2
Washing ............................................................. 10-2
Waxing and polishing ......................................... 10-3
Cleaning aluminum wheels ................................. 10-4
Corrosion protection .......................................... 10-4
Most common causes of corrosion ..................... 10-4
To help prevent corrosion ................................... 10-4 Cleaning the interior
.......................................... 10-5
Seat fabric ......................................................... 10-5
Leather seat materials ........................................ 10-5
Synthetic leather upholstery ............................... 10-6
Climate control panel, audio panel, instrument panel, console panel, and switches .................. 10-6
Monitor (if equipped) .......................................... 10-6
Cargo tray (if equipped) ..................................... 10-6
Appearance care
10