Maintenance SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Owner's Guide

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

of maintenance and treatment if you need
assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as
soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion.
Occasionally check under the mats to
make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. In such a garage, corrosion can
be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle
into the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, and hood latch should
be inspected and lubricated periodically.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.
CAUTION
When cleaning the seat, do not use
benzine, paint thinner, or any similar
materials. Doing so could damage
the surface and cause the color to deteriorate.
&
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 head restraints be
covered, or the windows shaded, to
prevent fading or shrinkage. Seat covers
and head restraint covers should be
removed before operating the vehicle.
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.
Appearance care/Cleaning the interior
–CONTINUED –10-5

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 and service
Tire replacement.............................................. 11-29
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-30
Aluminum wheels............................................. 11-30
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-30
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-32
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-33
Windshield wiper blade rubber ......................... 11-33
Rear window wiper blade assembly .................. 11-34
Rear window wiper blade rubber ....................... 11-35
Battery............................................................... 11-36
Fuses ................................................................ 11-37
Installation of accessories ............................... 11-38 Replacing bulbs
............................................... 11-39
Headlights (models with LED headlights) .......... 11-39
Headlights (models with halogen headlights) .................................................... 11-39
Front turn signal light, front side marker light and parking light ........................................... 11-41
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-42
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-42
License plate light ........................................... 11-44
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-44
Replacing key battery ...................................... 11-44Replacing battery of access key ....................... 11-45
Replacing transmitter battery ........................... 11-46

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/Maintenance tips
!Type C clips
1. Turn the clip counterclockwise using a
Phillips screwdriver until the center portion
of the clip is raised.
2. Remove the entire clip by pulling it up. !
Reinstalling clipsType A clips
Type B clips
Type C clips
Insert the clip without the center portion
first and then push the center portion of
the clip into the hole.
11-6

Engine hood
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the
windshield, return them to their original
position.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the
instrument panel.
3. Release the secondary hood release
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
the hood forcibly to close it. It could
deform the metal.
WARNING
Always check that the hood is
properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open
while the vehicle is moving and
block your view, which may cause
an accident and serious bodily in-
jury.
Maintenance and service/Engine hood11-7

Maintenance and service/Engine compartment overview
Engine compartment overview
&Non-turbo models
1) Brake fluid reservoir/Clutch fluid reservoir
(MT) (page 11-18)
2) Fuse box (page 11-37)
3) Battery (page 11-36)
4) Windshield washer tank (page 11-30)
5) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-10)
6) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-13)
7) Radiator cap (page 11-13)
8) Engine oil filter (page 11-11)
9) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-10)
10) Air cleaner case (page 11-14)
11-8