light SUBARU TRIBECA 2007 1.G Owners Manual

7-14 Starting and operating
When selected, the SPORT mode indica-
tor light on the instrument panel will turn
on.
To deselect SPORT mode, move the se-
lector lever to the “D” position or select
manual mode. To subsequently reselect
SPORT mode, move the selector lever to
the “D” position and from there to the man-
ual gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up at
higher vehicle speeds and shifts down
more responsively than in normal mode. „Shift lock release
Perform the following steps if the selector
lever does not move from the “P” position
even with the release button pressed, the
brake pedal depressed and the ignition
switch in the “ON” position:
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the en-
gine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bag. 3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver.
4. Insert a screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector lever from the “P” to the
“N” position while pressing the release button.
6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start the en-
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired.
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700313

Starting and operating 7-15
– CONTINUED –
Power steering
The power steering system operates only
when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.
NOTE
Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump whichis located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is nor-
mal. It does not indicate power steering
system trouble.
Braking „Braking tips
TWhen the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a re-
sult, brake stopping distance will be long-
er. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at
a safe speed while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up the brakes. T Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
help prevent this, shift into a lower gear to
get stronger engine braking. T Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly when a tire is punctured. This could cause
a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually reduc-
ing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to
a safe place. „
Brake system
T Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has a dual circuit brake sys-
tem. Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle. If one circuit of the brake sys-
tem should fail, the other half of the sys-
tem still works. If one circuit fails, the
brake pedal will go down much closer to
the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the vehicle. T Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. If engine
manifold vacuum becomes insufficient,
such as when driving in a high-altitude
place, a vacuum pump assures a suffi-
cient vacuum to operate the brake boost-
er. Do not turn off the engine while driving
because that will turn off the brake boost-
er, resulting in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than five seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.

Starting and operating 7-17
– CONTINUED –
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. This helps prevent the loss of steering
control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h). „
ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake
pedal and hear the operating sound ofABS from the engine compartment just af-
ter the vehicle is started. This is caused by
an automatic functional test of the ABS
system being carried out and does not in-
dicate any abnormal condition. „
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately twoseconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal. y The warning light comes on right af-
ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off. y The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). y The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
y
When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.
If the warning light behaves as fol-
lows, the ABS system may not be
working properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
700314
yThe warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.
y The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).
y The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your SUBARU dealer.

7-18 Starting and operating
voltage such as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out. Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS
system’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak- ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.„
Steps to take if EBD system
fails
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously during driv-
ing.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are ap-
plied harder than usual and the vehicle’s
motion may therefore become somewhat
harder to control. If the brake system warning light and ABS
700315

Starting and operating 7-19
– CONTINUED –
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat
place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN” mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the system in-
spected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN” mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle. In-
stead, have the vehicle towed to the near-
est SUBARU dealer for repair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
systemy
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
yIf at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with a Vehicle Dynamics
Control system equipped vehicle
could easily lead to a serious acci-
dent. yEven if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on
snow-covered or icy roads; in ad-
dition, vehicle speed should be re-
duced considerably. Simply hav-
ing a Vehicle Dynamics Control
system does not guarantee that
the vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.

7-20 Starting and operating
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system ad-
justs the engine’s output and the wheels’
respective braking forces to help maintain
traction and directional control. yTraction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control operation indicator light. y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels’ tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.
NOTE y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system operates; a small de-
gree of vehicle or steering wheel shak-
ing may also be noticed in this situa-
tion. These are normal characteristics
of Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
and are no cause for alarm. y
When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short-lived oper-
ation noise may be noticed coming
from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a
check being performed on the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and is nor- mal.y Depending on the timing of activa-
tion of the brakes, certain situations
may occur just after driving off where
the brake pedal seems to exhibit a jolt-
ing motion. This too is a consequence
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tional check and is normal.y In the circumstances listed in the fol-
lowing, the vehicle may be more unsta-
ble than it feels to the driver. The Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system fault.
yon gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with
y
Activation of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system is an indica-
tion that the road being travelled
on has a slippery surface; since
having Vehicle Dynamics 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.
y Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or an
axle are removed from a vehicle
equipped with Vehicle Dynamics
Control, have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform an in-
spection of that system.
y The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is operating properly:
– All four wheels should be fitted
with tires of the same size, type,
and brand. Furthermore, the
amount of wear should be the
same for all four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at theproper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the
driver’s side door pillar.

Starting and operating 7-21
– CONTINUED –
snow tires or winter tires
y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly dif-
ferent compared to that for normal con-
ditions.y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Dynamics Control system, it is
important that winter tires be used
when driving on snow-covered or icy
roads. (All four wheels should be fitted
with tires of the same size and brand).
Furthermore, if snow chains are to be
used, they should be fitted on the front
wheels. When a vehicle is fitted with
snow chains, however, the effective-
ness of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this should be
taken into account when driving the ve-
hicle in such a condition. y It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control. y All four wheels should be fitted with
tires of the same size, type, and brand;
furthermore, the amount of wear
should be the same for all four tires. If
these precautions are not observed
and non-matching tires are used, it is
quite possible that the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system will be unable to op- erate correctly as intended. y
Always turn off the engine before re-
placing a tire as failure to do so may
render the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system unable to operate correctly. „ Vehicle Dynamics Control
system monitor
T Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light
The indicator light turns on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ON position; it
turns off approximately two seconds later.
This indicator light flashes during activa-
tion of the skid suppression function and is
illuminated steadily during activation of
the traction control function. The following two situations could indicate
a malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system; if either should occur,
have an authorized SUBARU dealer carry
out an inspection of that system at the first
available opportunity.y
The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position.y The indicator light does not turn off ap-
proximately two seconds after the ignition
key has been turned to the ON position. T Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light/Traction Control system OFF
indicator light
This single light has the function of indicat-
ing malfunctions in the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the function of indicat-
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700317

7-22 Starting and operating
ing that the Traction Control system is not
operating. It comes on in the event of a
malfunction in the system and is illuminat-
ed whenever the system is not operating. VVehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position
and goes off several seconds after engine
startup. This lighting pattern indicates that
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
operating normally.
The following situations could indicate a
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if any should occur, we rec-
ommend that you have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
the system at the first available opportuni-ty. y The warning light does not turn on when
the ignition key is turned to the ON posi- tion. y The warning light turns on while the ve-
hicle is being driven. y When a malfunction has occurred in the
Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical sys-
tem, only the warning light will turn on. In
such an event, the ABS will still be operat-
ing normally. y The warning light will also turn on when
a problem occurs with the ABS or Vehicle
Dynamics Control electronic control sys- tems.
Because the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system controls each brake through the
ABS, whenever the ABS stops operating
due to a malfunction in that electrical sys-
tem, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will
also become unable to control all four
brakes. Thus Vehicle Dynamics Control
system operation halts and the warning
light turns on. Although both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the ABS
will be inoperable in this situation, it will
still be possible to stop the vehicle using
normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the ABS do not ad-
versely affect operation of the vehicle in
any way when they are inoperable; how-
ever should such a situation occur, drive
with care and have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
those systems at the first available oppor-
tunity.
NOTE
When the warning light turns on and
off in the following way, it indicates
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is operating normally. y
Although turning on after the engine
has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off. y The warning light turns on when the vehicle is being driven; it then turns off
and stays off. V
Traction Control system OFF indica- tor light
This light comes on to indicate that the
Traction Control system is in non-opera-
tion mode. This does not constitute failure
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control system.
NOTE y The indicator light may stay on for a
while after the engine has been started,
especially in cold weather. This occurs
because the engine has not yet
warmed up and is completely normal.
The light will turn off when the engine
has reached a suitable operating tem-
perature. y When an engine problem occurs and
the malfunction indicator lamp turns
on, the indicator light will also come
on.
The following two situations could indicate
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if either should occur, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer carry out an
inspection of that system at the first avail-
able opportunity. y The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position.

Starting and operating 7-23
yThe indicator light fails to turn off after
the engine is started, even when several
minutes have passed to allow the engine
to heat up sufficiently. „ Traction Control system OFF
switch
Pressing the switch to deactivate the
Traction Control system can facilitate the
following operations:y a standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, gravel-covered, or oth-
erwise slippery surfacey extrication of the vehicle when its
wheels are stuck in mud or deep snow
When the switch is pressed during engine
operation, the indicator light illuminates.
The Traction Control system will be deac- tivated and the vehicle will behave like a
model not equipped with the Traction
Control system. When the switch is
pressed again to reactivate the Traction
Control system, the indicator light goes
off.With the Traction Control system deacti-
vated, traction enhancement offered by
Traction Control system is unavailable.
Therefore you should not deactivate the
Traction Control system except under
above-mentioned situations.
NOTE y
When the switch has been pressed
to deactivate the Traction Control sys-
tem, the Traction Control system auto-
matically reactivates itself the next
time the ignition key is turned to the
OFF position and the engine is restart-
ed. y If the switch is held down for 10 sec-
onds or longer, the indicator light goes
off, the Traction Control system is acti-
vated, and the system ignores any fur-
ther pressing of the switch. To make
the switch usable again, turn the igni-
tion key to the OFF position and restart
the engine.y When the switch is pressed to deac-
tivate the Traction Control system, the
vehicle’s running performance is com- parable with that of a vehicle that does
not have a Traction Control system. Do
not deactivate the Traction Control
system except when absolutely neces-
sary.
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7-24 Starting and operating
Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS)
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 tire pressure
is severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). Also,
this system may not react immediately to
a sudden drop in tire pressure (for exam-
ple, a blow-out caused by running over a
sharp object).
700318
If the low tire pressure warning light
comes on while driving, never brake
suddenly and keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing
speed. Then slowly pull off the road
to a safe place. Otherwise an acci-
dent involving serious vehicle dam-
age 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 tire plac-
ard on the door pillar on the driver’s
side.
Even when the vehicle is driven a
very short distance, the tires get
warm and their pressures increase
accordingly. Be sure to let the tires
cool thoroughly before adjusting
their pressures to the standard val-
ues shown on the tire placard. (Re-
fer to the “Tires and wheels” section
in chapter 11.) The tire pressure
monitoring system does not func-
tion when the vehicle is stationary.
After adjusting the tire pressures,
increase the vehicle speed to at
least 20 mph (32 km/h) to start the
TPMS re-checking of the tire infla-
tion pressures. If the tire pressures
are now above the severe low pres-
sure threshold, the low tire pressure
warning light should go off a few minutes later.