Window SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Workshop Manual

Interior equipment/Sun visors
the lights turn off immediately.
.The ignition switch is turned from the
“LOCK”/ “OFF ”position to the “ACC”or
“ON ”position.
. All doors and the rear gate are locked
using the keyless access function (if
equipped).
. All doors and the rear gate are locked
using the remote keyless entry system.
The setting for the period of time in which
the lights remain on (OFF delay timer) can
be changed by a SUBARU dealer. Con-
tact your SUBARU dealer for details. For
models with multi function display, the
setting can be changed by operating the
multi function display. For details, refer to
“Interior light off delay timer setting ”F 3-
84.Sun visors
To block out glare, swing down the visors.
To use the sun visor at a side window,
swing it down and move it sideways.
& Sun visor extension plate
With the sun visor positioned over the side
window, you can use the sun visor
extension plate to prevent glare through
the gap between the sun visor and center
pillar. To use the extension plate, pull it
toward the rear of the vehicle. When you
have finished using it, stow it by pushing it
toward the front of the vehicle.
6-4

&Fuel filler lid and cap
! Refueling
Only one person should be involved in
refueling. Do not allow others to approach
the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler
pipe while refueling is in progress.
Be sure to observe any other precautions
that are posted at the service station.
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid
release lever up. The lever is on the floor
at the left of the driver ’s seat.
WARNING
Before opening the fuel filler cap,
first touch the vehicle body or a
metal portion of the fuel pump or
similar object to discharge any
static electricity that may be present
on your body. If your body is carry-
ing an electrostatic charge, there is
a possibility that an electric spark
could ignite the fuel, which could
burn you. To avoid acquiring a new
static electric charge, do not get
back into the vehicle while refueling
is in progress.
1) Open
2) Close
2. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise.
WARNING
. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Only handle fuel out-
doors. Quickly wipe up any
spilled fuel.
. When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to the
Starting and operating/Fuel
–CONTINUED –7-5

Starting and operating/Preparing to drive
.A vehiclefails the OBDII inspection if
the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle’ s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT
READY ”is greater than one. If the
vehicle’ s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection.
. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for
service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks and check that no small animal is
under the vehicle.
4. Check that no small animal enters the
engine compartment.
5. Check that the hood and rear gate are
fully closed.
6. Check the adjustment of the seat.
7. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
8. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
9. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the
“ON ”position.
10. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.
7-8

Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push–button start system)
. When starting the engine, be sure
to sit in the driver ’s seat (except
when using the remote engine
start system).
NOTE
. Avoid rapid racing and rapid accel-
eration immediately after the engine
has started.
. For a short time after the engine has
started, the engine speed is kept high.
When the warm-up is completed, the
engine speed lowers automatically.
. On rare occasions, it may be difficult
to start the engine depending on the
fuel and the usage condition (repeated
driving of a distance in which the
engine has not warmed up sufficiently).
In such a case, it is recommended that
you change to a different brand of fuel.
. On rare occasions, transient knock-
ing may be heard from the engine when
the accelerator is operated rapidly
such as a rapid start-up and a rapid
acceleration. This is not a malfunction.
. The engine starts more easily when
the headlights, air conditioner and rear
window defogger are turned off.
. After the engine starts, the engine
speed will be kept high until the engine
has warmed up sufficiently. !
MT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine.
The starter motor will only operate when
the clutch pedal is depressed fully to the
floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to
“Warning and indicator lights ”F 3-13.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the
following procedure.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“OFF ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “START”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition switch back to the
“OFF”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “OFF”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still does not start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
! CVT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Shift the select lever to the “P”or “N
”
position (preferably the “P”position).
The

starter motor will only operate when
the select lever is at the “P”or “N”position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
7-10

Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
operating range of the system and the
start request is received, the following
phenomena will occur.
.The fob flashes and beeps once.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
If the fob is not within range (the user is
too far away from the vehicle), the fob will
indicate two long flashes without beeping.
The system will check certain safety
preconditions before starting, and if all
conditions are met, the engine will start
within 5 seconds. After the engine starts,
the following phenomena will occur.
. The fob flashes and beeps twice.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
While the engine is idling via the remote
engine start system, the following phe-
nomena will occur.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights remain illuminated.
. The fob button flashes once every 3
seconds.
. The power windows are disabled.
If the engine turns over but does not start
(or starts and stalls) the remote engine start system will power off and then
attempt to start the engine 3 additional
times. The system will not attempt to
restart the engine if it determines a vehicle
malfunction is preventing starting. If the
engine does not start after 3 additional
attempts, the remote engine start request
will be aborted.
!
Stopping the engine
Press and hold the fob button for at least 2
seconds to stop the engine. The fob will
flash and beep three times, indicating the
engine has stopped. If the stop request is
not received (for example, if the user is too
far away from the vehicle), the fob will
continue to flash once every 3 seconds.
The system will automatically stop the
engine after 15 minutes.
! Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
remote engine start system will prevent
starting (or stop the engine if running) and
sound the horn twice if any of the following
conditions is detected. In addition, the fob
will flash and beep 3 times.
. The brake pedal is depressed
. A key is in the ignition switch
. The engine hood is open
. The remote start system “Service
mode ”is engaged
. The engine idle speed exceeds 3,500 RPM
.
The security alarm is triggered
. The select lever is not in the “P ”
position
If the system detects any door (including
the rear gate) open during operation, it will
prevent starting or stop the engine, and
sound the horn and flash side marker
lights, tail lights, and parking lights 6
times.
In addition to the items above, if the
vehicle’ s engine management system
determines there is a safety risk due to a
vehicle-related problem, the vehicle will
power down and the horn will sound 3
times.
NOTE
. If the alarm system is armed at the
time of remote engine starter activation
(the security indicator light on the
combination meter is flashing), the
alarm system will remain armed
throughout the remote start run cycle.
. If the alarm system is disarmed at
the time of remote engine starter
activation (the security indicator light
on the combination meter is not flash-
ing), the alarm system will remain
disarmed throughout the remote start
run cycle.
7-16

exhaust fumes are entering the
vehicle, have the problem
checked and corrected as soon
as possible. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive
only with all windows fully open.
. Keep the rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle.
NOTE
Due to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal.
Catalytic converter
Non-turbo models
Turbo models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as a catalyst to reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust
gases, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic conver-
ter:
.
Use only unleaded fuel. Even a small
amount of leaded fuel will damage the
catalytic converter.
. Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.
. Avoid racing the engine.
. Never turn the ignition switch to the
“OFF ”position while the vehicle is moving.
. Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
. Do not apply undercoating or rust
prevention treatment to the heat shield of
catalytic converter and the exhaust sys-
tem.
. Do not drive with an extremely low fuel
level.
WARNING
. Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive
or park the vehicle anywhere
near flammable materials (e.g.,
grass, paper, rags or leaves),
because the catalytic converter
Driving tips/Catalytic converter
–CONTINUED –8-3

Driving tips/Winter driving
need to be washed thoroughly.
.Frequent driving of an AWD model
under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of the follow-
ing items than that specified in the
maintenance schedule described 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)
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage.Winter driving
& Operation during cold
weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand,
flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle. SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the following
table.
Washer Fluid Con-
centration Freezing Temperature
30% 10.4 8F( −12 8C)
50% −48F( −20 8C)
100% −
49 8F( −45 8C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside
temperature, it may freeze and block the
nozzles.
CAUTION
. Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out-
8-8

Driving tips/Winter driving
frost or snow etc. on the power rear
gate, remove it. If you forcibly
operate the power rear gate with
frost or snow, it may cause a mal-
function.
&Driving on snowy and icy
roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle’ s braking perfor-
mance on snowy and icy roads. For
information on braking on slippery sur-
faces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-37 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-39.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine ’sintakesystemandmay
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
! Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the
windshield or rear window, perform the
following procedure.
. To thaw the windshield wiper blades,
use the defroster with the airflow selection
in “
”and the temperature set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed. Refer to “Climate
control ”F 4-1.
. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blades. Refer to
“Defog-
ger and deicer ”F 3-116.
. To thaw the rear wiper blade, use the
rear window defogger. Refer to “Defogger
and deicer ”F 3-116.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow selection in “
”and the
temperature set for maximum warmth.
After the windshield gets warmed enough
to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away
using the windshield washer. Refer to
“Windshield washer ”F 3-106.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
Refer to “Hazard warning flasher ”F 3-8.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and freez-
ing temperatures. Blades of this type give
superior wiping performance in snowy
conditions. Be sure to use blades that
are suitable for your vehicle.
8-10

Appearance care/Exterior care
Exterior care
&Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up the
brakes.
. Do not wash the engine compart-
ment and area adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air intake
or electrical parts, it will cause
engine trouble or a malfunction
of electrical equipment.
. When washing the inner fenders,
underbody, bumpers and pro-
truding objects such as exhaust
pipes and exhaust finishers, be
careful to avoid contact with any
sharp ends in order to prevent
injures.
. Do not use any organic solvents
when washing the surface of the
bulb assembly cover. However, if
a detergent with organic solvents
is used to wash the cover sur- face, completely rinse off the
detergent with water. Otherwise,
the cover surface may be da-
maged.
. Since your vehicle is equipped
with a rear wiper, automatic car-
wash brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging the
wiper arm and other compo-
nents. Ask the automatic car-
wash operator not to let the
brushes touch the wiper arm or
to fix the wiper arm on the rear
window glass with adhesive tape
before operating the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle’ s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in direct
sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required.
If you use a light detergent, make certain
that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All
cleaning agents should be promptly rinsed
off the surface and not allowed to dry
there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or soft
cloth. Wear rubber gloves and use a hand
brush when washing down underbody,
inner fenders and suspension to remove
mud and dirt effectively.
!
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-
rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-
derbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-
pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-
sion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
10-2

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