Air conditioner SUBARU FORESTER 2013 SH / 3.G Owners Manual

&Abbreviation list
You may find several abbreviations in this
manual. The meanings of the abbrevia-
tions are shown in the following list.
Abbreviation Meaning
A/C Air conditioner A/ELR Automatic/Emergency locking retractor
ABS Anti-lock brake system
AKI Anti knock index
ALR Automatic locking retractor
AT Automatic transmission
ATF Automatic transmission fluid
AWD All-wheel drive
DRL Daytime running light EBD Electronic brake force distri- bution
ELR Emergency locking retractor
FWD Front-wheel drive
GAW Gross axle weight
GAWR Gross axle weight rating
GVW Gross vehicle weight
GVWR Gross vehicle weight rating
HID High intensity discharge
INT Intermittent Abbreviation Meaning
LATCH Lower anchors and tethers for
children
LED Light emitting diode
LSD Limited slip differential
MIL Malfunction indicator light MMT Methylcyclopentadienyl man-
ganese tricarbonyl
MT Manual transmission
OBD On-board diagnostics
RON Research octane number SRS Supplemental restraint sys- tem
TIN Tire identification number TPMS Tire pressure monitoring sys- tem Vehicle symbols
There are some of the symbols you may
see on your vehicle.
For warning and indicator lights, refer to “
Warning and indicator lights ”F 21.
Mark Name
WARNING
CAUTION
Power door lock
Power door unlock
Power window with automatic
open (all models) and close (if
equipped) function
Passengers ’windows lock
and unlock
Fuel
Front fog lights 3
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&Automatic headlight beam
leveler (models with HID headlights)
The HID headlights generate more light
than conventional halogen headlights.
Therefore a driver of an oncoming vehicle
may experience too much glare if your
headlight beam height adjustment is high
when the vehicle is carrying a heavy load.
The automatic headlight beam leveler
adjusts the headlight beam height auto-
matically and optimally according to the
load being carried by the vehicle.
The automatic headlight beam leveler has
a warning light on the combination meter.
Refer to “Automatic headlight beam leve-
ler warning light (models with HID head-lights) ”F 3-21. Turn signal lever
To activate the right turn signal, push the
turn signal lever up. To activate the left
turn signal, push the turn signal lever
down. When the turn is finished, the lever
will return automatically. If the lever does
not return after cornering, return the lever
to the neutral position by hand.
To signal a lane change, push the turn
signal lever up or down slightly and hold it
during the lane change. The turn signal
indicator lights will flash in the direction of
the turn or lane change. The lever will
return automatically to the neutral position
when you release it. Illumination brightness con- trol
The brightness of clock display, audio, air
conditioner, information display and instru-
ment panel illumination dims automatically
when the light switch is in the
“
”or
“” position.
In addition, you can adjust brightness of
the instrument panel illumination for better
visibility.
To brighten, turn the control dial upward.
To darken, turn the control dial downward. NOTE
When the control dial is turned fully
upward, the illumination brightness
becomes the maximum and the auto- Instruments and controls
3-31
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Ventilator control................................................. 4-2
Center ventilators ................................................ 4-2
Side ventilators ................................................... 4-2
Climate control panel .......................................... 4-2
Type A ................................................................ 4-3
Type B ................................................................ 4-4
Type C ................................................................ 4-5
Automatic climate control system (type B and C) ............................................................... 4-6
Type B ................................................................ 4-6
Type C ................................................................ 4-7
Temperature sensors ........................................... 4-7
Manual climate control ....................................... 4-8
Airflow mode selection ........................................ 4-8
Temperature control ............................................ 4-9
Fan speed control ............................................... 4-9
Air conditioner control ........................................ 4-9
Air inlet selection ................................................ 4-9 Defrosting
........................................................... 4-10
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner ...................................................... 4-10
Cleaning ventilation grille ................................... 4-10
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-10
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant circuit .............................................................. 4-11
Checking air conditioning system before summer season ............................................................ 4-11
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions ................. 4-11
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded .............................................. 4-11
Refrigerant for your climate control system ... ..... 4-11
Air filtration system ........................................... 4-11
Replacing an air filter ......................................... 4-12Climate control
4

&Type A1) Temperature control dial (Refer to “Tem-
perature control ”F 4-9.)
2) Fan speed control dial (Refer to “Fan
speed control ”F 4-9.)
3) Airflow control dial (Refer to “Airflow
mode selection ”F 4-8.)
4) Control switch of the defogger and deicer system (Refer to “Defogger and deicer ”
F 3-44.)
5) Air conditioner button (Refer to “Air
conditioner control ”F 4-9.)
6) Air inlet selection button (Refer to “Air
inlet selection ”F 4-9.)
Climate control
4-3
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4-4Climate control
& Type B
1) Temperature control dial (driver ’s side)
(Refer to “Temperature control ”F 4-9.)
2) AUTO button (Refer to “Automatic cli-
mate control system (type B and C) ”F 4-
6.)
3) DUAL mode button (Refer to “Automatic
climate control system (type B and C) ”
F 4-6 and “Temperature control ”F 4-9.)
4) OFF button (Refer to “Automatic climate
control system (type B and C) ”F 4-6.)
5) Air inlet selection button (Refer to “Air
inlet selection ”F 4-9.)
6) Fan speed control button (Refer to “Fan
speed control ”F 4-9.)
7) Airflow mode selection button (Refer to “Airflow mode selection ”F 4-8.)
8) Air conditioner button (Refer to “Air
conditioner control ”F 4-9.)
9) Temperature control dial (passenger ’s
side) (Refer to “Temperature control ”
F 4-9.)
10) Defroster button (Refer to “Airflow mode
selection ”F 4-8 and “Defrosting ”F 4-10.)
11) Rear window defogger button (Refer to “Defogger and deicer ”F 3-44.)

&Type C1) Temperature control dial (Refer to “Tem-
perature control ”F 4-9.)
2) Fan speed control dial (Refer to “Auto-
matic climate control system (type B and C) ”F 4-6 and “Fan speed control ”F 4-9.)
3) Airflow control dial (Refer to “Automatic
climate control system (type B and C) ”
F 4-6, “Airflow mode selection ”F 4-8 and
“ Defrosting ”F 4-10.)
4) Control switch of the defogger and deicer system (Refer to “Defogger and deicer ”
F 3-44.)
5) Air inlet selection button (Refer to “Air
inlet selection ”F 4-9.)
6) Air conditioner button (Refer to “Air
conditioner control ”F 4-9.)
NOTE
The controllable temperature range
may differ depending on the model. Climate control
4-5

4-6Climate control
Automatic climate control
system (type B and C)
When the automatic climate control mode
is selected, the outlet air temperature, the
fan speed, airflow distribution, air-inlet
control and air conditioner compressor
operation are automatically controlled.
To activate this mode, perform the follow-
ing procedure. NOTE .Operate the automatic climate con-
trol system when the engine is running. . The blower fan rotates at a low
speed when the engine coolant tem-
perature is low.. The air conditioner may not operate
in the following cases:
–When the cabin temperature is
low – When the ambient temperature
decreases to close to 32 8F(0 8C)
. For efficient defogging or dehumidi-
fying in cold weather, press the “A/C ”
button. &
Type B
1) Temperature control dial (driver ’s side)
2) AUTO button
3) Temperature control dial (front passen- ger’s side)
1. Set the preferred temperature using
temperature control dial.
2. Press the “AUTO ”button. The FULL
AUTO mode is selected and the indicator light “FULL AUTO ”on the display illumi-
nates. NOTE . When the “DUAL ”button is pressed,
separate temperature settings for the driver ’s side and passenger ’s side can
be enabled (DUAL mode). To cancel the
DUAL mode, press the “DUAL ”button
again. The temperature setting for the passenger
’s side becomes the same as
the setting for the driver ’s side.
. If you operate any of the buttons on
the control panel other than the “OFF ”
button, rear window defogger button
and temperature control dials during
FULL AUTO mode operation, the indi-
cator light “FULL ”on the control panel
will turn off and the indicator light“ AUTO ”will remain illuminated. You
can then manually control the system
as desired using the button you oper-
ated. To change the system back to the
FULL AUTO mode, press the “AUTO ”
button.
3. To turn off the climate control system,
press the “OFF ”button.

NOTE .When the “
”mode or “”mode
is selected, the air conditioner com-
pressor automatically operates to more
quickly defog the windshield. At the
same time, the air inlet selection is
automatically set to the outside airmode.
In this state:
–The air conditioner indicator light
does not illuminate. – For type A, you cannot stop the
air conditioner compressor by
pressing the air conditioner button. – For type A, you cannot select the
“ recirculation ”mode by pressing
the air inlet selection button.
& Temperature control
! Type A
Turn the temperature control dial over a
range from the blue side (cool) to red side
(warm) to regulate the temperature of
airflow from the air outlets. ! Type B and C
Turn the temperature control dial to set the
preferred interior temperature. With the
dial set to your preferred temperature, the
system automatically adjusts the tempera-
ture of air supplied from the outlets such that the preferred temperature is achieved
and maintained.
If the dial is turned fully counterclockwise,
the system provides maximum cooling
performance. If the dial is turned fully
clockwise, the system provides maximum
heating performance.
NOTE
For type B, when the “DUAL ”button is
pressed, separate temperature settings
for the driver ’s side and passenger ’s
side can be enabled (DUAL mode). To
cancel the DUAL mode, press the“ DUAL ”button again. The temperature
setting for the passenger ’s side be-
comes the same as the setting for thedriver ’s side.
& Fan speed control
The fan operates only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON ”position. Select the
preferred fan speed by turning the fan
speed control dial (type A and C), or by
pressing the fan speed control buttons
(type B).
& Air conditioner control
The air conditioner operates only when
the engine is running.
Press the air conditioner button while the fan is in operation to turn on the air
conditioner. When the air conditioner is
on, the
“A/C ”indicator light illuminates.
To turn off the air conditioner, press the
button again.
NOTE
For efficient defogging or dehumidify-
ing in cold weather, turn on the air
conditioner. However, if the ambient
temperature decreases to approxi-
mately 32 8F(0 8C), the air conditioner
compressor stops operation.
& Air inlet selection
Select the air inlet by pressing the air inlet
selection button.
ON position (recirculation) : Interior air is
recirculated inside the vehicle. Press the
air inlet selection button to the ON position
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or
when driving on a dusty road. When the
ON position is selected, the “
”indicator
light illuminates.
OFF position (outside air) : Outside air is
drawn into the passenger compartment.
Press the air inlet selection button to the
OFF position when the interior has cooled
to a comfortable temperature and/or the
road is no longer dusty. Climate control
4-9
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4-10Climate control
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. Defrosting
Select the desired
“
”mode or “”mode
to defrost or dehumidify the windshield
and front door windows by performing the
following procedures.
For types A and C: Turn the airflow control
dial and select the “
”mode or “”
mode.
For type B: Press the airflow mode
selection button to select the “
”mode
or press the defroster button to select the “
” mode.
NOTE . When the “
”mode or “”mode
is selected, the air conditioner com-
pressor automatically operates to more
quickly defog the windshield. (The air
conditioner indicator light does not
illuminate in this case.) At the same
time, the air inlet selection is automa-
tically set to the outside air mode. For
details, refer to “Airflow mode selec-
tion ”F 4-8.
. For type B, if the defroster button is
pressed while the “
”mode is se-
lected, it will return to the previous
mode before selecting the “
”mode. 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

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
pedal is fully depressed such as during
rapid acceleration or when driving on a
steep upgrade. & 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- Climate control
4-11
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