light SUBARU FORESTER 2012 SH / 3.G Owners Manual

Cleaning the interior
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. (Do not use
organic solvents.) &Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a
vacuum cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the
fabric or hard to remove with a vacuum
cleaner, use a soft brush then vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly
wrung cloth and dry the seat fabric
thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty, wipe
using a solution of mild soap and luke-
warm water then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a
commercially available fabric cleaner. Use
the cleaner on a hidden place and make
sure it does not affect the fabric adversely.
Use the cleaner according to its instruc-tions. NOTE
When cleaning the seat, do not use
benzine, paint thinner, or any similarmaterials. &
Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high
quality natural product which will retain its
distinctive appearance and feel for many
years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the
surface can cause the material to become
brittle and to wear prematurely. Regular
cleaning with a soft, moist, natural fiber
cloth should be performed monthly, taking
care not to soak the leather or allow water
to penetrate the stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning
woolen fabrics may be used to remove
difficult dirt spots, rubbing with a soft, dry
cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If
your SUBARU is to be parked for a long
time in bright sunlight, it is recommended
that the seats and headrests be covered,
or the windows shaded, to prevent fading
or shrinkage.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches
may be treated with a commercial leather
spray lacquer. You will discover that each
leather seat section will develop soft folds
or wrinkles, which is characteristic of
genuine leather. &
Synthetic leather upholstery
The synthetic leather material used on the
SUBARU may be cleaned using mild soap
or detergent and water, after first vacuum-
ing or brushing away loose dirt. Allow the
soap to soak in for a few minutes and wipe
off with a clean, damp cloth. Commercial
foam-type cleaners suitable for synthetic
leather materials may be used when
necessary. NOTE
Strong cleaning agents such as sol-
vents, paint thinners, window cleaner
or gasoline must never be used on
leather or synthetic interior materials. & Climate control panel, audio
panel, instrument panel,
console panel, and switches
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. NOTE
Do not use organic solvents such as
paint thinners or gasoline, or strong
cleaning agents that contain thosesolvents. Appearance care
10-5
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Maintenance and serviceTires and wheels .............................................. 11-29
Types of tires ................................................... 11-29
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec. models) ........................................ 11-29
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-31
Tire pressures and wear ................................... 11-31
Wheel balance .................................................. 11-33
Wear indicators ................................................ 11-34
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-34
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-35
Tire replacement .............................................. 11-35
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-36
Wheel covers (if equipped) ............................... 11-36
Aluminum wheels ............................................. 11-37
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-37
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-39
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-39Windshield wiper blade rubber
......................... 11-40
Rear window wiper blade assembly .................. 11-41
Rear window wiper blade rubber ... ................... 11-41
Battery .............................................................. 11-43
Fuses ................................................................ 11-44
Installation of accessories .............................. 11-45
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-45
Headlights (models with HID headlights) ........... 11-45
Headlights (models without HID headlights) ...... 11-46
Position light ................................................... 11-48
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-48
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-48
License plate light ........................................... 11-49
Dome light, map light, cargo area light and door step light ............................................... 11-50
Other lights on the vehicle ............................... 11-51

the engine has stopped.
& When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
while the engine is running
WARNING
A running engine can be dangerous.
Keep your fingers, hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from the cooling
fan, belts and any other moving
engine parts. Removing rings,
watches and ties is advisable. Engine hood
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the
windshield, return them to their originalposition.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the
instrument panel.
3. Release the secondary hood latch by
moving the lever between the front grille
and the hood toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Lower the hood to a height of approxi-
mately 5.9 in (15 cm) above its closed
position and then let it drop.
2. After closing the hood, be sure the
hood is securely locked.
If this does not close the hood, release it
from a slightly higher position. Do not push
thehoodforciblytocloseit.Itcould
deform the metal.Maintenance and service
11-5
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11-12Maintenance and service
Non-turbo models
Turbo models
7. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter wrench.
8. Before installing a new oil filter, apply a
thin coat of engine oil to the seal. 9. Clean the seal seating area. Screw on
the oil filter by hand until its seal contacts
the seating surface. Be careful not to twist
or damage the seal.
10. Tighten the oil filter further by the
amount indicated in the following table.
Turbo models
Oil filter color Part number Amount of
rotation
Black 15208AA100 1 rotation
Blue 15208AA12A 7/8
rotation
Non-turbo models Oil filter color Part number Amount of
rotation
Black 15208AA130 3/4 rotation
15208AA160
1 rotation
CAUTION
. Never over tighten the oil filter
because that can result in an oil leak.
. Thoroughly wipe off any engine
oil that has spilled over the
exhaust pipe and/or under-cover.
If spilled oil is not promptly
wiped up, the oil could cause afire. 11. Reinstall under cover (turbo models).
12. Pour engine oil through the filler neck.
For the oil capacity guideline, refer to “
Engine oil ”F 12-5.
The oil quantity indicated above is onlyguideline.
The necessary quantity of oil depends on
the quantity of oil that has been drained.
The quantity of drained oil differs slightly
depending on the temperature of the oil
and the time the oil is left flowing out. After
refilling the engine with oil, therefore, you
must use the level gauge to confirm that
the level is correct.
13. Start the engine and make sure that no
oil leaks appear around the filter ’s rubber
seal and drain plug.
14. Run the engine until it reaches the
normal operating temperature. Then stop
the engine and wait a few minutes to allow
the oil drain back. Check the oil level
again and if necessary, add more engineoil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire.

11-14Maintenance and service
shortened to that of the mixing coolant.
. Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
& Cooling fan, hose and con- nections
Your vehicle employs an electric cooling
fan which is thermostatically controlled to
operate when the engine coolant reaches
a specific temperature.
If the radiator cooling fan does not operate
even when the following conditions occur,
the cooling fan circuit may be defective. . The engine coolant temperature gauge
exceeds the normal operating range (if
equipped). Refer to “Temperature gauge
(models with type A combination meter) ”
F 3-11.
. The coolant temperature high warning
light blinks or illuminates in RED(if
equipped). Refer to “Coolant temperature
low indicator light/Coolant temperature
high warning light ”F 3-16.
Check the fuse and replace it if necessary.
If the fuse is not blown, have the cooling
system checked by your SUBARU dealer. Refer to
“Fuses ”F 11-44 and “Fuse panel
located in the engine compartment ”F 12-
13.
If frequent addition of coolant is neces-
sary, there may be a leak in the engine
cooling system. It is recommended that
the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness.
& Engine coolant
! Checking the coolant level
1) “FULL ”level mark
2) “LOW ”level mark
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside
of the reservoir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the “
LOW ”level mark, add coolant up to the
“ FULL ”level mark. If the reservoir is
empty, remove the radiator cap (non-turbo
models) or the coolant filler tank cap
(turbo models) and refill as required.
NOTE (turbo models only)
The cap (without tabs) on top of the
radiator does not need to be removed.
Remove the cap (with tabs) on the
coolant filler tank on top of the engine.
3. After refilling the reservoir and the
radiator, reinstall the caps after checking
that the rubber gaskets inside the radiator
cap/coolant filler tank cap are in the properposition.

WARNING
Never let clutch fluid contact your
eyes because clutch fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If clutch fluid
gets in your eyes, immediately flush
them thoroughly with clean water.
For safety, wearing eye protection isadvisable.
CAUTION
. Clutch fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause improper clutchoperation.
. If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
. When clutch fluid is added, be
careful not to allow any dirt into
the tank.
. Never splash the clutch fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.
Alcohol contained in the clutch
fluid may damage them.
. Be careful not to spill clutch fluid
when adding it. If clutch fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If clutch fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff.
& Recommended clutch fluid
Refer to “Fluids ”F 12-9.
CAUTION
Never use different brands of clutch
fluid together. Also, avoid mixing
DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids even if
they are the same brand. Brake booster
If the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following, have it checked
by your SUBARU dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake
pedal several times, applying the same
pedal force each time. The distance the
pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start
the engine. The pedal should move
slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop
the engine and keep the pedal depressed
for 30 seconds. The pedal height should
not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for
approximately 1 minute then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times to
check the brake booster. The brake
booster operates properly if the pedal
stroke decreases with each depression. NOTE
For models equipped with the brake
assist system, when you depress the
brake pedal strongly or suddenly while
the engine is running, the following
phenomena occur. They do not indicate
any malfunctions, and the brake assist
system is operating properly.Maintenance and service
11-25
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11-26Maintenance and service
.You might feel that the brake pedal
is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force.. You might hear the sound of ABS
operating from the engine compart-ment. Brake pedal
Check the brake pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the
“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”.
& Checking the brake pedal
free play
1) 0.02 –0.08 in (0.5 –2.0 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the
brake pedal several times. Then, check
the free play by pulling up the brake pedal
with a force of less than 2 lbf (10 N, 1 kgf).
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. &
Checking the brake pedal
reserve distance
1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbf (294 N, 30 kgf) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact your
SUBARU dealer.

Clutch pedal (MT models)
Check the clutch pedal free play according
to the maintenance schedule in the“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
& Checking the clutch function
Check the clutch engagement and disen-gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and
transmission smoothly couple without
any sign of slippage. &
Checking the clutch pedal
free play
1) 0.16 –0.43 in (4.0 –11.0 mm)
Lightly press the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. Hill start assist system (MT
models)
Ensure that the Hill start assist system
operates properly under the followingcircumstances:
1. Stop the vehicle on an uphill grade by
depressing the brake pedal and clutch
pedal, with the engine running.
2. Make sure that the vehicle does not
move backward even after the brake
pedal is released.
3. Then make sure the vehicle can start
climbing the grade by following the normal
starting procedures.
If the Hill start assist system does not
operate as described above, contact your
SUBARU dealer.
Maintenance and service
11-27

11-28Maintenance and service
Replacement of brake pad
and lining
Each disc brake has audible wear indica-
tors on the brake pads. If the brake pads
wear close to their service limit, the wear
indicator makes a very audible scraping
noise when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time
you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
wear indicator, it will result in the
need for costly brake rotor repair or replacement.
& Breaking-in of new brake
pads and linings
When replacing the brake pad or lining,
use only genuine SUBARU parts. After
replacement, the new parts must be
broken in as follows.
WARNING
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
! Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40
mph (50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake
pedal lightly. Repeat this five or moretimes. ! Parking brake lining
CAUTION
Pulling the parking brake lever too
forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be
certain to pull the lever up slowly
and gently.
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of approximately 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button
pushed in, pull the parking brake lever
SLOWLY and GENTLY (pulling with a
force of approximately 34 lbf [150 N,
15.3 kgf]).
3. Drive the vehicle for approximately
220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking
brake to cool down. Repeat this proce-dure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the
parking brake stroke is out of the specified
range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut
located on the parking brake lever.
Parking brake stroke: 7–8 notches / 45 lbf (200 N, 20.4 kgf)

Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
When the parking brake is properly
adjusted, braking power is fully applied
by pulling the lever up 7 to 8 notches
gently but firmly (approximately 45 lbf [200
N, 20.4 kgf]). If the parking brake lever
stroke is not within the specified range,
have the brake system checked and
adjusted at your SUBARU dealer. Tires and wheels &
Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
The factory-fitted tires are all-season tires. ! All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON ”and/or “M+S ”(Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall. ! Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-
covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to
replace all four tires. !
Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as
summer tires and all season tires on roads
other than snow-covered and icy roads. & 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 monitor-
ing system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven. 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).
If you adjust the tire pressures in a warm
garage and will then drive the vehicle in
cold outside air, the resulting drop in tire
pressures may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to
pressures higher than those shown on the
tire placard. Specifically, inflate them by an
extra 1 psi (6.9 kPa, 0.07 kgf/cm
2) for
every difference of 10 8F (5.6 8C) between
Maintenance and service
11-29
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