light SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owners Manual

&Vehicle Dynamics Control
system monitor! Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tion indicator lightThe indicator light turns on when the
ignition key is turned to the ON position;
it turns off approximately 2 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.
.The indicator light does not turn on when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position.
.
The indicator light does not turn off
approximately 2 seconds after the ignition
key has been turned to the ON position.
! Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light/Traction Control system OFF
indicator light
This single light has the function of
indicating malfunctions in the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the function
of indicating that the Traction Control
system is not operating. It comes on in
the event of a malfunction in the system
and is illuminated whenever the system is
not operating. !
Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and goes off several seconds
after engine startup. This lighting pattern
indicates that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating normally.
The following situations could indicate a
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system; if any should occur, we
recommend that you have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
the system at the first available opportu-
nity.
. The warning light does not turn on
when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position.
. The warning light turns on while the
vehicle is being driven.
. When a malfunction has occurred in
the Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical
system, only the warning light will turn on.
In such an event, the ABS will still be
operating normally.
. 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
Starting and operating
7-25
– CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

7-26
Starting and operating
due to a malfunction in that electrical
system, 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
adversely affect operation of the vehicle
in any way when they are inoperable;
however 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.NOTEWhen the warning light turns on and off
in the following way, it indicates that
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
is operating normally.
.Although turning on after the engine
has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off.
. The warning light turns on when the
vehicle is being driven; it then turns off
and stays off. !
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. 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.
. 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
Control system; if either should occur,
have an authorized SUBARU dealer carry
out an inspection of that system at the first
available opportunity.
. The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position.
. The 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
switchPressing the switch to deactivate the
Traction Control system can facilitate the
following operations:
. a standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, gravel-covered, or
otherwise slippery surface
. 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 in the
combination meter illuminates. The Trac-
tion Control system will be deactivated
and the vehicle will behave like a model
not equipped with the Traction Control
ProCarManuals.com

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. 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 “LOCK ”
position and the engine is restarted.
. If the switch is held down for 10
seconds or longer, the indicator light
goes off, the Traction Control system is
activated, and the system ignores any
further pressing of the switch. To make
the switch usable again, turn the igni-
tion key to the “LOCK ”position and
restart the engine.
. When the switch is pressed to
deactivate the Traction Control system,
the vehicle ’s running performance is
comparable with that of a vehicle that
does not have a Traction Control
system. Do not deactivate the Traction
Control system except when absolutely necessary.
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 example,
a blow-out caused by running over a
sharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
Starting and operating
7-27
–
CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

7-28
Starting and operating
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 da-
mage 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
placard 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
values shown on the tire placard.
(Refer to the “Tires and wheels ”
section in chapter 11.) The tire
pressure monitoring system does
not function 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 inflation pressures. If the tire
pressures are now above the severe
low pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should go off a few minutes later.
If this light still comes on while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have 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.
Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of
the tire pressure sensors. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking for
approximately one minute, promptly
contact a SUBARU dealer to have
the system inspected.
CAUTION
Do not place metal film or any metal
parts under the driver
’s seat. This
may cause poor reception of the
signals from the tire pressure sen-
sors, and the tire pressure monitor-
ing system will not function prop-
erly.NOTEThis device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void the
user ’s authority to operate the equip-
ment.
ProCarManuals.com

Parking your vehicle
WARNING
.Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to them.
. Do not park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
. Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occu-
pants in the vehicle could die
from carbon monoxide (CO) con-
tained in the exhaust gas.
& Parking brake
CAUTION
. Never drive while the parking
brake is set because this will
cause unnecessary wear on the
brake linings. Before starting to
drive, always make sure that the
parking brake has been fully
released.
. Never drive with your foot on the
parking brake pedal.To set the parking brake, hold down the
brake pedal while pushing the parking
brake pedal as far as it will go.
To release the parking brake, hold down
the brake pedal while pushing the parking
brake pedal and slowly releasing it.
When the parking brake is set while the
engine is running, the parking brake
warning light comes on. After starting the
vehicle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ”
section in chapter 3.& Parking tipsWhen parking your vehicle, always set the
parking brake firmly and put the selector
lever in the “P”(Park) position. Always set
the parking brake firmly when parking your
vehicle. Never rely on the transmission
alone to hold the vehicle.
Starting and operating
7-29
– CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

7-30
Starting and operating
When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel. When the vehicle is
headed up the hill, the front wheels should
be turned away from the curb.When facing downhill, the front wheels
should be turned into the curb.
Cruise controlCruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more. Make sure the
main switch is turned“OFF”when the
cruise control is not in use to avoid
unintentionally setting the cruise control.NOTEIf you move the cruise control lever or
press the main switch button while
turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the
cruise control function is deactivated
and the “CRUISE ”indicator light
flashes. To reactivate the cruise control
function, turn the ignition switch back
to the “Acc ”or “LOCK ”position, and
then turn it again to the “ON ”position.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions. This
may cause loss of vehicle control:
. driving up or down a steep grade
. driving on slippery or winding
roads
. driving in heavy traffic
&To set cruise control1. Push the main switch button.The “
”indicator light on the combina-
tion meter will come on.
2. Depress the accelerator pedal until the
ProCarManuals.com

vehicle reaches the desired speed.3. Push the control lever downward in the
“SET/COAST”direction and release it.
Then release the accelerator pedal.At this time, the “
”indicator light is
illuminated in the combination meter. The vehicle will maintain the desired
speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily in-
creased while driving with the cruise
control activated. Simply depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehi-
cle. When the accelerator pedal is re-
leased, the vehicle will return to and
maintain the previous cruising speed.
&
To temporarily cancel the
cruise controlThere are three ways to cancel the cruise
control temporarily:. Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL”
direction.
. Depress the brake pedal.
. Shift the selector lever into the “N” position.
The
“
”indicator light in the combination
meter goes off when the cruise control is
canceled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (32
km/h) or more, push the control lever
upward in the “RES/ACC”direction to
return to the original cruising speed auto-
matically.
The “”indicator light in the combination
meter will automatically come on at this
time.
& To turn off the cruise controlThere are two ways to turn off the cruise
control:
. Push the main switch again.
. Turn the ignition switch to the “Acc ”or
“ LOCK ”position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped).
Starting and operating
7-31
– CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

!To decrease the speed (by brake
pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the
desired speed, press the control lever
downward in the “SET/COAST”direction
once. Now the desired speed is set and
the vehicle will keep running at that speed
without depressing the accelerator pedal.& Cruise control indicator lightThe cruise control indicator light comes on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”position and goes out after approxi-
mately 3 seconds.
The light comes on when the “CRUISE”
main switch is pressed. If you move the cruise control lever while
turning the ignition switch
“ON”, the cruise
control function is deactivated and the
“CRUISE” indicator light flashes. To re-
activate the cruise control function, turn
the ignition switch back to the “Acc”or
“LOCK” position, and then turn it again to
the “ON ”position.
& Cruise control set indicator
lightThe cruise control set indicator light
comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON”position and goes out
after approximately 3 seconds.
The light comes on when vehicle speed
has been set.
Starting and operating
7-33
ProCarManuals.com

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 selector lever
back and forth between “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.
. 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
need to be washed thoroughly.
. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the
“Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet ”.
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
weatherCarry some emergency equipment, such
as tire chains, 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.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and
viscosity for cold weather. Heavy summer
oil will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
Driving tips
8-7
–CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

&Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on tires
listed in the following because of
lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body.
All model: P255/55R18 tires&Rocking the vehicleIf you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the selector
lever back and forth between “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.
Refer to the “Automatic transmission ”
section in chapter 7 for information on
holding the transmission in 2nd position.
Loading your vehicle
WARNING
Never allow passengers to ride on a
folded rear seatback or in the cargo
area. Doing so may result in serious
injury.
WARNING
. Never stack luggage or other
cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble
forward and injure passengers in
the event of a sudden stop or
accident. Keep luggage or cargo
low, as close to the floor as possible.
. When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
. Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle ’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
. Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
. Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal
injury. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
. Do not place anything on the
extended luggage cover. Such
items could tumble forward in
the event of a sudden stop or a
collision. This could cause ser-
ious injury.
Driving tips
8-11
– CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com