suspension SUBARU FORESTER 2017 SJ / 4.G Owners Manual

der the center of the instrument
panel
If you need service or repair in those
areas or near the front seatbelt
retractors, have the work performed
by your authorized SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
If the front or side part of the vehicle is
damaged in an accident to the extent
that the seatbelt pretensioner does not
operate, contact your SUBARU dealer
as soon as possible.
& Precautions against vehicle
modification
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
. Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to the front end.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver ’s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-
er ’s Manual.
Child restraint systems
Infants and small children should always
be placed in an infant or child restraint
system in the rear seat while riding in the
vehicle. You should use an infant or child
restraint system that meets Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canada
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, is com-
patible with your vehicle and is appro-
priate for the child ’s age and size. All child
restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or
the lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt
(except those described in “Installation of
child restraint systems by use of lower and
tether anchorages (LATCH) ”F 1-37).
Children could be endangered in an
accident if their child restraints are not
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-29

are placed on the seat.!If the passenger ’s frontal airbag
OFF indicator illuminates and
the ON indicator turns off even
when the front passenger ’s seat
is occupied by an adult
This can be caused by the adult incor-
rectly sitting in the front passenger ’s seat.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF ”position.
2. Ask the front passenger to set the
seatback to the upright position, sit up
straight in the center of the seat cushion,
correctly fasten the seatbelt, position his/
her legs out forward, and adjust the seat to
the rearmost position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position.
If the OFF indicator remains illuminated
while the ON indicator remains off, take
the following actions.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF ”position.
2. Make sure that the front passenger
does not use a blanket, seat cushion, seat
cover, seat heater or massager, etc.
3. If wearing excessive layers of clothing,
the front passenger should remove any
unnecessary items before sitting in the
front passenger ’s seat, or should sit in a rear seat.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the
“ON”
position and wait 6 seconds to allow the
system to complete self-checking. Follow-
ing the system check, both indicators turn
off for 2 seconds. Now, the ON indicator
should illuminate while the OFF indicator
remains off.
If the OFF indicator still remains illumi-
nated while the ON indicator remains off,
ask the occupant to move to the rear seat
and immediately contact your SUBARU
dealer for an inspection.
! How to contact the vehicle manu-
facturer concerning modifications
for persons with disabilities that
may affect the advanced airbag
system
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, rear seat, seatbelts, front bumper,
front side frame, radiator panel, instrument
panel, combination meter, steering wheel,
steering column, tire, suspension or floor
panel can affect the operation of the
SUBARU advanced airbag system. If
you have any questions, you may contact
the following SUBARU distributors. of Columbia>
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Dealer Services Department
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)

Subaru Hawaii
2850 Pukoloa Street, Suite 202,
Honolulu, HI 96819-4467
808-839-2273

Shen
’s Corporation dba Prestige Automo-
bile
491, East Marine Corps Drive, Route 1
Dededo, Guam 96921-6225
671-633-2698

Trebol Motors
P.O. Box 11204, San Juan, Puerto Rico
00910
787-793-2828
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
–CONTINUED –1-55

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
&Precautions against vehicle
modification
WARNING
To avoid accidental activation of the
system or rendering the system
inoperative, which may result in
serious injury, no modifications
should be made to any components
or wiring of the SRS airbag system.
This includes following modifica-
tions.
. Installation of custom steering
wheels
. Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
. Installation of custom seats
. Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
. Installation of additional fabric or
leather on the front seat
. Attachment of a hands-free mi-
crophone or any other accessory
to a front pillar, a center pillar, a
rear pillar, the windshield, a side
window, an assist grip, or any
other cabin surface that would be
near a deploying SRS curtain
airbag. .
Installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment such as
a mobile two-way radio on or
near the SRS airbag system
components and/or wiring is not
advisable. This could interfere
with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
. Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver ’s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-
er ’s Manual.
. Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors, etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.
1-72

2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Check the brake fluid level. For details
about checking the brake fluid level, refer
to“Checking the fluid level ”F 11-18.
. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN ”mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
. If the brake fluid level is below the
“ MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light illuminated is dan-
gerous. This indicates your brake
system may not be working
properly. If the light remains
illuminated, have the brakes in-
spected by a SUBARU dealer
immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence because
you are driving a vehicle with the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
could easily lead to a serious acci-
dent.
CAUTION
. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, winter tires should be
used when driving on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced
considerably. Simply having a
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem does not guarantee that the
vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.
. Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy- namics Control is no guarantee
that full vehicle control will be
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle, have an inspection of
that system performed by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly:
– All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
– Use only the specified tem-
porary spare tire to replace a
flat tire. With a temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness
Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
–CONTINUED –7-39

Simply having X-mode does not
guarantee that the vehicle will be
able to avoid accidents in any
situation.
. Activating the X-mode should be
done when you encounter a very
slippery surface at low speed.
However, having X-mode is no
guarantee that full vehicle con-
trol will be maintained at all times
and under all conditions. When
activating X-mode, the speed of
the vehicle should be reduced
considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle, have the system in-
spected by an authorized
SUBARU dealer.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the X-mode is operating
properly:
– All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the proper level as shown on the
label attached to the vehicle
’s
door pillar.
– Use only the special tempor-
ary spare tire to replace a flat
tire. With a normal temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness of
the X-mode is reduced and
this should be taken into ac-
count when driving the vehi-
cle in such a condition.
. If the hill descent control function
has operated continuously for a
long time, the temperature of the
brake disc may increase and the
hill descent control function may
be temporarily disabled. In this
case, the hill descent control
indicator light will turn off. When
the hill descent control indicator
light turns off, the hill descent
control function is disabled.
X-mode is the integrated control system of
the engine, AWD and Vehicle Dynamics
Control system, etc. for driving with bad
road conditions. Using X-mode, you can
drive more comfortably even in slippery
road conditions including uphill and down-
hill.
X-mode has the following functions. .
Hill descent control function:
Using the hill descent control function, you
can keep the vehicle at a consistent speed
driving downhill. If the vehicle speed is
likely to increase, the brake control system
will be activated to adjust the vehicle
speed.
. Driving ability control:
This mode increases the hill-climbing
ability and driving ability as well as
enabling smooth application of torque for
easier control of the steering wheel.
& To activate/deactivate the
X-mode
X-mode switchStarting and operating/X
–mode
– CONTINUED –
7-43

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

side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.
. State or local regulations on
volatile organic compounds may
restrict the use of methanol, a
common windshield washer anti-
freeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol anti-
freeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging
your vehicle ’s paint, wiper blades
or washer system.
! Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and
driving dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before
driving, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has
accumulated under the fenders to avoid
making steering difficult. During severe winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically.
!
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when
parking for long periods in cold weather
since it could freeze in that position.
Instead, you should observe the following
tips.
1. Place the shift lever in “1”or “R”for MT
models, or the select lever in “P”for CVT
models.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked
after use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
! Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically
designed for this purpose. When an
antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used
for an extended period, it is best to have
the fuel tank filled to capacity.
! Opening rear gate (models with
power rear gate)
CAUTION
Before operating the power rear
gate, check that there is no frost or
snow between the power rear gate
and the vehicle body. If you notice
Driving tips/Winter driving
–CONTINUED –8-9

Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safety
and satisfaction depend upon proper use
of correct equipment and cautious opera-
tion of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your SUBARU dealer to assist you in
purchasing a hitch and other necessary
towing equipment appropriate for your
vehicle. Do not use towing equipment
other than genuine SUBARU towing
equipment. In addition, be sure to follow
the instructions on correct installation and
use provided by SUBARU.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for
injuries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any
errors or omissions in the instructions
accompanying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.
Regularly check that the hitch mounting
bolts and nuts are tightened securely.
& Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to
vehicle damage or malfunction caused
by trailer towing. If you use your vehicle to
tow a trailer, more frequent maintenance
will be required due to the additional load.
(Refer to “Maintenance schedule under
severe driving conditions ”in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet ”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer
be towed with a new vehicle or a vehicle
with any new powertrain component (en-
gine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) of driving.
& Maximum load limits
WARNING
Never exceed the maximum load
limits explained in the following.
Exceeding the maximum load limits
could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.
CAUTION
. Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg) total weight.
. Before towing a trailer, check the
trailer total weight, GVW, GAWs
and tongue load. Make sure the
load and its distribution in your
vehicle and trailer are accepta-
ble.
! Total trailer weight
Total trailer weight
The total trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo load) must never exceed the
maximum weight in the following table.
Conditions Maximum total trailer
weight
When towing a trailer
with brakes. 1,500 lbs (680 kg)
Driving tips/Trailer towing
–CONTINUED –
8-19

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
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