warning SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owners Manual

WARNING
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 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 vehicle
placard on the door pillar on the
driver’s side. If this light still comes
on while driving after adjusting the
tire pressure, a tire may have sig-
nificant 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 min-
ute, promptly contact a SUBARU
dealer to have the system inspected.
Jump starting
WARNING
.
Battery fluid is SULFURIC ACID.
Do not let it come in contact with
the eyes, skin, clothing or the
vehicle.
If battery fluid gets on you,
thoroughly flush the exposed
area with water immediately. Get
medical help if the fluid has
entered your eyes.
If battery fluid is accidentally
swallowed, immediately drink a
large amount of milk or water,
and obtain immediate medical
help.
Keep everyone including chil-
dren away from the battery.
. The gas generated by a battery
explodes if a flame or spark is
brought near it. Do not smoke or
light a match while jump starting.
. Never attempt jump starting if the
discharged battery is frozen. It
could cause the battery to burst
or explode.
. Whenever working on or around
a battery, always wear suitable
In case of emergency
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9-14
In case of emergency
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and run it at moderate
speed. Then start the engine of the vehicle
that has the discharged battery.
6. When finished, carefully disconnect
the cables in exactly the reverse order.
Engine overheating
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has fully cooled down.
When the engine is hot, the coolant
is under pressure. Removing the
cap while the engine is still hot
could release a spray of boiling hot
coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the
road and stop the vehicle in a safe place.& If steam is coming from the
engine compartmentTurn off the engine and get everyone
away from the vehicle until it cools down.&If no steam is coming from
the engine compartment1. Keep the engine running at idling
speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine
compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If
the fan is not turning, immediately turn off the engine and contact your authorized
dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature
has dropped, turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the
overheated zone, turn off the engine.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down,
check the coolant level in the reserve
tank.
If the coolant level is below the
“LOW ”
mark, add coolant up to the “FULL”mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve
tank, add coolant to the reserve tank.
Then remove the radiator cap and fill the
radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot
radiator, first wrap a thick cloth around the
radiator cap, then turn the cap counter-
clockwise slowly without pressing down
until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been
fully released, remove the cap by pressing
down and turning it.
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Towing
WARNING
Never tow AWD vehicles 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.If towing is necessary, it is best done by
your SUBARU dealer or a commercial
towing service. Observe the following
procedures for safety.
&Towing and tie-down hooksThe 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
hooks and tie-down hooks. Never
use suspension parts or other
parts of the body for towing or
tie-down purposes.
. Never use the tie-down hook
closest to the muffler under the
vehicle for towing purposes.
. To prevent deformation to the
bumper and the towing hook, do
not apply excessive lateral load
to the towing hooks.
Front towing hook:
1. Take out the towing hook, screwdriver
and wheel nut wrench from the tool bag.
2. Wrap a flat-head screwdriver in vinyl
tape or cloth, insert it into the gap between
the cover and the front bumper, and use it
to pry the cover open.NOTE. The cover is attached to the front
bumper with five lugs.
. Do not remove the cover while
holding the slit.
In case of emergency
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9-16
In case of emergency
3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until the threads can no longer be
seen.4. Tighten the towing hook securely
using a jack handle.After towing, remove the towing hook from
the vehicle and stow it in the tool bag.
Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.
WARNING
.
Do not use the towing hook
except when towing your vehicle.
. Be sure to remove the towing
hook after towing. Leaving the
towing hook mounted on the
vehicle could interfere with prop-
er operation of the SRS airbag
system in a frontal collision.
Rear towing hook:
1. Take out the towing hook, screwdriver
and wheel nut wrench from the on board
tool bag.
2. Pry off the cover on the rear bumper
using a screwdriver, and you will find a
threaded hole for attaching the towing
hook.3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until its thread can no longer be seen.
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4. Tighten the towing hook securely
using a wheel nut wrench.
After towing, remove the towing hook from
the vehicle and stow it in the tool bag.
Put the thread hole cover on the rear
bumper.
WARNING
.Do not use the towing hook
except when towing your vehicle.
. Be sure to remove the towing
hook after towing. Leaving the
towing hook mounted on the
vehicle could interfere with prop-
er operation of the SRS airbag
system in a frontal collision.
Front tie-down hooks:
The front tie-down hooks are located
between each of the front tires and the
front bumper.
Rear tie-down hooks:The rear tie-down hooks are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down hooks only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip off
the hooks, possibly causing a dan-
gerous situation.
& Using a flat-bed truckThis is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. Shift the selector lever into the “P ”
position.
2. Press the parking brake pedal 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.
In case of emergency
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9-18
In case of emergency
&Towing with all wheels on the
ground
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ”position while the
vehicle is being towed because
the steering wheel and the direc-
tion 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.
. Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the
engine running.
. 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.
1. Check the transmission and differen-
tial oil levels and add oil to bring it to the
upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the
“Acc ”position while the vehicle is being
towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Rear gate –if the rear gate
cannot be unlockedIn the event that you cannot unlock the
rear gate by operating the power door
locking switches or the remote keyless
entry system, you can unlock it from inside
the cargo area.1. Remove the access cover at the
bottom-center of the rear gate trim using
flat-head screwdriver.
2. Locate the rear gate lock release lever
behind the rear gate trim panel.
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Maintenance scheduleThe scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the“Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the separate “Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”.
Maintenance precautionsWhen 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
.Testing of an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle must NEVER be per-
formed on a single two-wheel
dynamometer or similar appara-
tus. Attempting to do so will
result in transmission damage
and in uncontrolled vehicle
movement and may cause an
accident or injuries to persons
nearby.
. 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
a 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
Maintenance and service
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11-4
Maintenance and service
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-
erative. The wiring and connec-
tors of these systems are yellow
for easy identification. NEVER
use a circuit tester for these
wiring.
If your SRS airbag or seatbelt
pretensioner needs service, con-
sult your nearest SUBARU deal-
er.
& 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 is 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.
& When you do checking or
servicing in the engine com-
partment 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, belts and any other moving
engine parts. Removing rings,
watches and ties is advisable.
Engine hoodTo open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the
windshield, return them to their original
positions.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the
instrument panel.
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3. Release the secondary hood release
located under the front grille by moving the
lever toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Lower the hood to a point approxi-
mately 20 in (50 cm) from the closed
position and then give the hood a strong
push down to make 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.
CAUTION
When closing the hood, be careful
not to pinch your or other person’s
hands or anything else in the hood.
Maintenance and service
11-5
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11-8
Maintenance and service
.Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
If you check the oil level just after stopping
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil to
drain back into the oil pan before checking
the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not
add any additional oil above the upper
level when the engine is cold.& Changing the oil and oil filterChange the oil and oil filter according to
the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be
changed more frequently than listed in
the maintenance schedule when driving
on dusty roads, when short trips are
frequently made, or when driving in
extremely cold whether.
1. Warm up the engine by letting the
engine idle for approximately 10 minutes
to ease draining the engine oil.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
4. Drain out the engine oil by removing
the drain plug while the engine is still
warm. The used oil should be drained into
an appropriate container and disposed of
properly.
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself with
hot engine oil.
5. Wipe the seating surface of the drain
plug with a clean cloth and tighten it
securely with a new sealing washer after
the oil has completely drained out.
6. Open the access cover by removing
the five clips and turning the access cover
counterclockwise. The oil filter will be
exposed.7. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter
wrench.
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