warning SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Owners Manual

Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never
brake suddenly; keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing speed.
Then slowly pull off the road to a safe
place.
&Changing a flat tire
WARNING
. Do not jack up the vehicle on an
incline or a loose road surface.
The jack can come out of the
jacking point or sink into the
ground and this can result in a
severe accident.
. Use only the jack provided with
your vehicle. The jack supplied
with the vehicle is designed only
for changing a tire. Never get
under the vehicle while support-
ing the vehicle with this jack.
. Before using the jack, be sure
that there are no occupants or
cargo in the vehicle.
. Always turn off the engine before
raising the flat tire off the ground
using the jack. Never swing or
push the vehicle supported with the jack. The jack can come out
of the jacking point due to a jolt
and this can result in a severe
accident.
1. Park on a hard, level surface, when-
ever possible, then stop the engine.
2. Apply the parking brake securely and
shift the shift lever in reverse (MT models)
or the select lever to the “P ” (Park)
position (CVT models).
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher
and have everyone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire diagonally opposite the flat tire.
5. Take out the jack, jack handle and
wheel nut wrench.
The tools and the spare tire are stored under the floor of the cargo area. Refer to
“Maintenance tools
”F 9-3.
NOTE
Make sure that the jack is well lubri-
cated before using it.
6. Take out the tool bucket and turn the
attaching bolt counterclockwise, then take
the spare tire out.
NOTE
If the spare tire provided in your vehicle
is a temporary spare tire, carefully read
“Temporary spare tire ”F9-2 and
strictly follow the instructions.
In case of emergency/Flat tires
–CONTINUED –9-5

12. Before putting the spare tire on, clean
the mounting surface of the wheel and hub
with a cloth.
13. Put on the spare tire. Replace the
wheel nuts. Tighten them by hand.
WARNING
Do not use oil or grease on the
wheel studs or nuts when the spare
tire is installed. This could cause the
nuts to become loose and lead to an
accident.
14. Turn the jack handle counterclockwise
to lower the vehicle.
15. Use the wheel nut wrench to securely
tighten the wheel nuts to the specified
torque, following the tightening order in the
illustration.
For the wheel nut tightening torque, refer
to “Tires ”F 12-10. Never use your foot on
the wheel nut wrench or a pipe extension
on the wrench because you may exceed
the specified torque. Have the wheel nut torque checked at the nearest automotive
service facility.
16. Store the flat tire in the spare tire
compartment. Be sure to place the spacer
in the manner shown in the illustration,
and then tighten the bolt in the front side of
the bracket.
In case of emergency/Flat tires
–CONTINUED –9-7

In case of emergency/Flat tires
17. When storing the spare tire after
repairing a flat tire, be sure to place the
spacer in the manner shown in the
illustration, and then tighten the bolt in
the rear side of the bracket.
WARNING
Never place a tire or tire changing
tools in the passenger compartment
after changing wheels. In a sudden
stop or collision, loose equipment
could strike occupants and cause
injury. Store the tire and all tools in
the proper place.
&Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec.
models)
Low tire pressure warning light (type A)
Low tire pressure warning light (type B)
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 a tire
pressure is severely low relative to the
selected TPMS mode.
The tire pressure monitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 25 mph (40 km/h). 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).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, never
brake suddenly and keep driving
straight ahead while gradually redu-
cing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place. Otherwise an
accident involving serious vehicle
damage and serious personal injury
could occur.
Check the pressure for all four tires
and adjust the pressure to the COLD
tire pressure shown on the vehicle
placard on the door pillar on the
driver ’s side. If this light still illumi-
nates while driving after adjusting
the tire pressure, a tire may have
9-8

significant damage and a fast leak
that causes the tire to lose air
rapidly. If you have a flat tire, replace
it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting.
When a tire is repaired with liquid
sealant, the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter may not oper-
ate properly. If a liquid sealant is
used, contact your nearest SUBARU
dealer or other qualified service
shop as soon as possible. Make
sure to replace the tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter when
replacing the tire. You may reuse the
wheel if there is no damage to it and
if the sealant residue is properly
cleaned off.
If the light illuminates steadily after
blinking for approximately one min-ute, promptly contact a SUBARU
dealer to have the system inspected.Jump starting
WARNING
.
Battery fluid is SULFURIC ACID.
Do not let it come in contact with
the eyes, skin, clothing or the
vehicle.
If battery fluid gets on you,
thoroughly flush the exposed
area with water immediately. Get
medical help if the fluid has
entered your eyes.
If battery fluid is accidentally
swallowed, immediately drink a
large amount of milk or water,
and obtain immediate medical
help.
Keep everyone including chil-
dren away from the battery.
. The gas generated by a battery
explodes if a flame or spark is
brought near it. Do not smoke or
light a match while jump starting.
. Never attempt jump starting if the
discharged battery is frozen. It
could cause the battery to burst
or explode.
. Whenever working on or around
a battery, always wear suitable
In case of emergency/Jump starting
–CONTINUED –9-9

In case of emergency/Engine overheating
Engine overheating
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has fully cooled down.
When the engine is hot, the coolant
is under pressure. Removing the
cap while the engine is still hot
could release a spray of boiling hot
coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the
road and stop the vehicle in a safe
location.
& If steam is coming from the
engine compartment
. Turn off the engine and get everyone
away from the vehicle until it cools down.
. Contact an authorized SUBARU deal-
er.
& If no steam is coming from
the engine compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling
speed.
2. Open the engine hood to ventilate the engine compartment. Refer to
“Engine
hood ”F 11-7.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If
the fan is not turning, immediately turn off
the engine and contact an authorized
SUBARU dealer for repair.
3. After the coolant temperature high
warning light that has blinked or illumi-
nated in REDturns off, turn off the engine.
For details about the warning light, refer to
“Coolant temperature low indicator light/
Coolant temperature high warning light ”
F 3-17.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down,
check the coolant level in the reserve
tank. If the coolant level is below the
“LOW ”mark, add coolant up to the “FULL ”
mark.
NOTE
For details about how to check the
coolant level or how to add coolant,
refer to “Engine coolant ”F 11-13.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve
tank, add coolant to the reserve tank.
Then remove the radiator cap and fill the
radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot
radiator, first wrap a thick cloth around the
radiator cap, then turn the cap counter-
clockwise slowly without pressing down until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been
fully released, remove the cap by pressing
down and turning it.
9-12

Towing
If towing is necessary, it is best done by
your SUBARU dealer or a commercial
towing service. Observe the following
procedures for safety.
WARNING
Never tow AWD models (both CVT
and MT models) with the front
wheels raised off the ground while
the rear wheels are on the ground,
or with the rear wheels raised off the
ground while the front wheels are on
the ground. This will cause the
vehicle to spin away due to the
operation or deterioration of the
center differential.
&Towing and tie-down hooks
The towing hooks should be used only in
an emergency (e.g., to free a stuck vehicle
from mud, sand or snow).
CAUTION
. Use only the specified towing
hook and tie-down hook. Never
use suspension parts or other
parts of the body for towing or
tie-down purposes.
. To prevent deformation to the
front bumper and the towing
hook, do not apply excessive
lateral load to the towing hook. Front towing hook:
1. Take the towing hook, screwdriver and
jack handle out of the cargo area.
2. Cover the tip of a flat-head screwdriver
with vinyl tape or cloth so that it will not
scratch the bumper. Insert the flat-head
screwdriver into the cutout of the cover
and pry open the cover.
In case of emergency/Towing
–CONTINUED –9-13

In case of emergency/Towing
3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until its thread can no longer be seen.
4. Tighten the towing hook securely
using the jack handle.
After towing, remove the towing hook fromthe vehicle and stow it in the tool bucket.
Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.
WARNING
.
Do not use the towing hook
except when towing your vehicle.
. Be sure to remove the towing
hook after towing. Leaving the
towing hook mounted on the
vehicle could interfere with prop-
er operation of the SRS airbag
system in a frontal collision.
Rear towing hook:
1. Take the towing hook, screwdriver and
jack handle out of the cargo area.
2. Pry off the cover on the rear bumper
using a screwdriver, and you will find a threaded hole for attaching the towing
hook.
3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until its thread can no longer be seen.
4. Tighten the towing hook securely
using the jack handle.
9-14

After towing, remove the towing hook from
the vehicle and stow it in the tool bucket.
Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.
WARNING
.Do not use the towing hook
except when towing your vehicle.
. Be sure to remove the towing
hook after towing. Leaving the
towing hook mounted on the
vehicle could interfere with prop-
er operation of the fuel pump
shut off function when the vehi-
cle is struck from behind.
Front tie-down hooks:
The front tie-down hooks are located
between each of the front tires and the front bumper.
Rear tie-down holes:
1) Rear tie-down hole
The rear tie-down holes are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
There is a plug in each rear tie-down hole.To use the rear tie-down holes, remove
the plugs. After using the rear tie-down
holes, return the plugs to their original
places.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down holes only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip out
of the holes, possibly causing a
dangerous situation.
&
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 ”
In case of emergency/Towing
–CONTINUED –9-15

In case of emergency/Towing
position for CVT models. Shift the shift
lever into the“1st ”position for MT models.
2. Apply the parking brake 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 (both
optional), 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 the “N”/neutral position.
2. The ignition switch should be in the
“ON ”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 ”/“OFF ”position while
the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the
direction 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.
. For CVT models, 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 distances, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck.
9-16

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