belt SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Owners Manual

Driving tips/On–road and off –road driving
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling,
however, during extremely sharp turns or
sudden braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an
ample distance from other vehicles.
. Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver ’s side.
. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
steep hills or dusty roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of the follow-
ing items than that specified in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
– Engine oil
– Brake fluid
– Rear differential gear oil
– Manual transmission oil (MT mod-
els)
– Continuously variable transmission
fluid (CVT models)
– Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
. There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detailed information, refer to “Towing ”
F 9-13.On-road and off-road driving
WARNING
. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wear-
ing a seat belt. You the driver and
all your passengers should fas-
ten the seatbelts before starting
to drive in order to minimize the
chance of serious injury or death.
. Do not make sharp turns and
quick maneuvers unless abso-
lutely unavoidable. Such actions
are dangerous as you may lose
control, possibly resulting in a
rollover which could cause death
or serious injury.
. Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-
tions.
. Whenever strong crosswinds are
present, slow down sufficiently
to maintain control of your vehi-
cle. Remember that your vehicle,
with its higher profile and center of gravity, is more likely to be
affected by crosswinds than or-
dinary passenger cars.
. Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive model could easily
lead to a serious accident.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including off-
road driving. But please keep in mind that
your vehicle is neither a conventional off-
road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. A
higher center of gravity in relation to the
tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for high-
speed cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle
could roll over if you make a sharp turn
at high speed.
If you take your SUBARU off-road, certain
8-6

common sense precautions such as those
in the following list should be taken.
.Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
. Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
. Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
. Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim.
. If driving through water, such as when
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 cross the stream without stopping.
The water should be shallow enough that
it does not reach the vehicle’
s under-
carriage. Water entering the engine air
intake or the exhaust pipe or water
splashing onto electrical parts may da-
mage 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 shift lever/
select lever back and forth between “1”/
“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. For CVT models with
manual mode, refer to “Selection of
manual mode ”F 7-27.
. 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
Driving tips/On –road and off –road driving
–CONTINUED –8-7

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 or installing tire
(s), all four tires must be the
same for the following items.
(a) Size
(b) Circumference
(c) Speed symbol
(d) Load index
(e) Construction
(f) Manufacturer (g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degrees of wear
For the items (a) to (d), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
bottom of driver
’s door pillar.
If all of four tires are not the same
in items (a) to (h), it may lead to
serious mechanical damage to
the drive train of your car and
affect the following factors.
— Ride
— Handling
— Braking
— Speedometer/Odometer
calibration
— Clearance between the body
and tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
. Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires ”as original equipment, which are designed to provide an adequate measure
of traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance in year-round driving. In winter, it
may be possible to enhance performance
through use of tires designed specifically
for winter driving conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on
your vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire
size and type. You must install four winter
tires that are of the same size, construc-
tion, brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough
clearance between the tire and vehicle
body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on your
vehicle.&
Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on your
vehicle because of the lack of
clearance between the tires and
vehicle body.
Driving tips/Winter driving
–CONTINUED –8-11

In case of emergency/Jump starting
eye protectors, and remove metal
objects such as rings, bands or
other metal jewelry.
. Be sure the jumper cables and
clamps on them do not have
loose or missing insulation.
Do not jump start unless cables
in suitable condition are avail-
able.
. A running engine can be danger-
ous. 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.
. Jump starting is dangerous if it
done incorrectly. If you are un-
sure about the proper procedure
for jump starting, consult a com-
petent mechanic.
When your vehicle does not start due to a
run down (discharged) battery, the vehicle
may be jump started by connecting your
battery to another battery (called the
booster battery) with jumper cables.& How to jump start
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12
volts and the negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not let the two vehicles touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary lights and
accessories.
4. Connect the jumper cables exactly in
the sequence illustrated.
9-10

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 while the engine is running .......... 11-5
Maintenance tips................................................ 11-5Removing and reinstalling clips .......................... 11-5
Engine hood....................................................... 11-7
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-8
Non-turbo models.............................................. 11-8
Turbo models ..................................................... 11-9
Engine oil.......................................................... 11-10Engine oil consumption .................................... 11-10
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-10
Changing the oil and oil filter ............................ 11-11
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-11
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-12
Cooling system ................................................ 11-12Cooling fan, hose and connections ................... 11-12
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-13
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-14Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-14
Spark plugs...................................................... 11-16Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-16
Drive belts........................................................ 11-16
Manual transmission oil .................................. 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-17
Continuously variable transmission fluid ....... 11-17Front differential gear oil (CVT models) and
rear differential gear oil ................................ 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-17
Brake fluid........................................................ 11-18Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-18
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-18
Clutch fluid (MT models)................................. 11-19Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-19
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-19
Brake booster.................................................. 11-20
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-20
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-20
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ....... 11-20
Clutch pedal (MT models) ............................... 11-21Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-21
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-21
Hill start assist system.................................... 11-21
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............ 11-22
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....... 11-22
Parking brake stroke ....................................... 11-23
Tires and wheels .............................................. 11-23
Types of tires................................................... 11-23
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ...................................................... 11-23
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-25
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-25
Wheel balance ................................................. 11-27
Wear indicators ............................................... 11-27
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-28
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-28
Maintenance and service
11

Maintenance schedule
U.S. models
The scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the“Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”. For details, read the
separate “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet ”.
Canada models
The scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the “Warranty and Service
Booklet ”. For details, read the separate
“Warranty and Service Booklet ”.
Except for U.S. and Canada models
Some items of your vehicle are required to
be serviced at scheduled intervals. For
details about your maintenance schedule,
read the separate “Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”.
NOTE
For models with a multi function dis-
play, you can set a reminder to be
displayed when a scheduled mainte-
nance item is almost due. For details,
refer to“Maintenance settings ”F 3-76.
Maintenance precautions
When maintenance and service are re-
quired, it is recommended that all work be
done by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service
by yourself, you should familiarize yourself
with the information provided in this
section on general maintenance and
service for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could
cause improper or unsafe vehicle opera-
tion. Any problems caused by improper
maintenance and service performed by
you are not eligible for warranty coverage.
WARNING
. Always select a safe area when
performing maintenance on your
vehicle.
. Always be very careful to avoid
injury when working on the vehi-
cle. Remember that some of the
materials in the vehicle may be
hazardous if improperly used or
handled, for example, battery
acid.
. Your vehicle should only be ser-
viced by persons fully competent
to do so. Serious personal injury may result to persons not experi-
enced in servicing vehicles.
. Always use the proper tools and
make certain that they are well
maintained.
. Never get under the vehicle sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use
safety stands to support the
vehicle.
. Never keep the engine running in
a poorly ventilated area, such as
a garage or other closed areas.
. Do not smoke or allow open
flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire.
. Because the fuel system is under
pressure, replacement of the fuel
filter should be performed only
by your SUBARU dealer.
. Wear adequate eye protection to
guard against getting oil or fluids
in your eyes. If something does
get in your eyes, thoroughly
wash them out with clean water.
. Do not tamper with the wiring of
the SRS airbag system or seat-
belt pretensioner system, or at-
tempt to take its connectors
apart, as that may activate the
system or it can render it inop-
Maintenance and service/Maintenance schedule
–CONTINUED –11-3

Maintenance and service/Maintenance precautions
erative. NEVER use a circuit
tester for this wiring. If your
SRS airbag or seatbelt preten-
sioner needs service, consult
your nearest SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
SUBARU does not endorse the use of
non-SUBARU approved flushing sys-
tems and strongly advises against
performing these services on a
SUBARU vehicle. Non-SUBARU ap-
proved flushing systems use chemi-
cals and/or solvents which have not
been tested or approved by SUBARU.
SUBARU warranties do not cover any
part of the vehicle which is damaged by
adding or applying chemicals and/or
solvents other than those approved or
recommended by SUBARU.
&Before checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
WARNING
. Always stop the engine and set
the parking brake firmly to pre-
vent the vehicle from moving.
. Always let the engine cool down.
Engine parts become very hot when the engine is running and
remain hot for some time after
the engine has stopped.
. Do not spill engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components.
This may cause a fire.
. Always remove the key from the
ignition switch. When the ignition
switch is in the “ON ”position,
thecoolingfanmayoperate
suddenly even when the engine
is stopped. If your body or
clothes come into contact with a
rotating fan, that could result in
serious injury.
. Before performing any servicing
on a vehicle equipped with a
remote engine start system (a
dealer option), temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent it from
unexpectedly starting the engine.
CAUTION
. Do not contact the drive belt
cover while checking the compo-
nents in the engine compart-
ment. Doing so may cause your
hand to slip off the cover and
result in an unexpected injury.
. Do not touch the oil filter until the
engine has cooled down comple-
tely. Doing so may result in a
burn or other injury. Note that the
oil filter becomes very hot when
the engine is running and re-
mains hot for some time after
the engine has stopped.
11-4

&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, drive belt and any other moving
engine parts. Removing rings,
watches and ties is advisable.
Maintenance tips
Some clips and fender linings must be
removed before replacing the air cleaner
elements or specific bulbs.
&Removing and reinstalling
clips
! Removing clips
There are several types of clips used for
your vehicle.
!Type A clips
1. Turn the clips counterclockwise using
a flat-head screwdriver until the center
portion of the clip is raised.
2. Remove the clips with a flat-head
screwdriver using leverage. 3. Remove the entire clip by pulling it up.
!Type B clips
1. Pull out the center portion of the clip
using a flat-head screwdriver as shown in
the illustration.
2. Pull the protruded center portion to
remove the entire body of the clip.
Maintenance and service/Maintenance tips
–CONTINUED –11-5

Maintenance and service/Spark plugs
the air cleaner element.
3. Clean the inside of the air cleaner case
(both front and rear) with a damp cloth and
install a new air cleaner element.
4. To install the air cleaner case (rear),
insert the three projections on the air
cleaner case (rear) into the slits on the
air cleaner case (front).
5. Install in the reverse order of removal.
Spark plugs
It may be difficult to replace the spark
plugs. It is recommended that you have
the spark plugs replaced by your
SUBARU dealer.
The spark plugs should be replaced
according to the maintenance schedule
in the“Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let ”.
CAUTION
Make sure the cables are replaced in
the correct order.
& Recommended spark plugs
For the recommended spark plugs, refer
to“Electrical system ”F 12-10.
Drive belts
It is unnecessary to check the deflection of
the drive belt periodically because your
engine is equipped with an automatic belt
tension adjuster. However, replacement of
the belt should be done according to the
maintenance schedule in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet ”. Consult your
SUBARU dealer for replacement.
If the drive belt is loose, cracked or worn,
contact your SUBARU dealer.
11-16

Tire wear varies from wheel to wheel.
Move the tires to the positions shown in
the illustration each time they are rotated.
For the tire rotation schedule, refer to the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn
tires at the time of rotation. After tire
rotation, adjust the tires pressures and
make sure the wheel nuts are correctly
tightened.
After driving approximately 600 miles
(1,000 km), check the wheel nuts again
and retighten any nut that has become
loose.
& Tire replacement
The wheels and tires are important and
integral parts of your vehicle’ s design;
they cannot be changed arbitrarily. The
tires fitted as standard equipment are
optimally matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and were selected to give
the best possible combination of running
performance, ride comfort, and service
life. It is essential for every tire to have a
size and construction matching those
shown on the tire placard and to have a
speed symbol and load index matching
those shown on the tire placard.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle
’s ground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to
replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-
ment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU
recommends replacing all four tires at
the same time.WARNING
. When replacing or installing tire
(s), all four tires must be the
same for the following items.
(a) Size
(b) Circumference
(c) Speed symbol
(d) Load index
(e) Construction
(f) Manufacturer
(g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degrees of wear For the items (a) to (d), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
bottom of driver
’s door pillar.
If all of four tires are not the same
in items (a) to (h), it may lead to
serious mechanical damage to
the drive train of your car and
affect the following factors.
— Ride
— Handling
— Braking
— Speedometer/Odometer
calibration
— Clearance between the body
and tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
. Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
an accident.
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
–CONTINUED –11-29