transmission SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 User Guide

7-16
Starting and operating
.The transmission does not automa-
tically shift up in the manual mode.
Perform gearshifts in accordance with
road conditions so that the tachometer
needle does not enter the red zone. If
the engine speed reaches a predeter-
mined level, a fuel-cut function will
operate. Shift up if this happens. Also,
the transmission may automatically
shift up to protect the engine.
. If you attempt to shift down when
the engine speed is too high, i.e., when
a downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible.
. If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.
. You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the selector lever twice in rapid suc-
cession.
. The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving.
. If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,
the “AT OIL TEMP ”warning light will
come on and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and let the
engine idle until the warning light goes off.
&
Maximum speeds
WARNING
When down shifting, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed
exceeding the Maximum Allowable
Speed for the gear which is about to
be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-
revving and this in turn can result in
engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine braking caused by down
shifting when the vehicle is travel-
ling on a slippery surface can lead
to wheel locking; as a consequence,
control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident in-
creased.
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
When down shifting, it is important to
confirm that the current vehicle speed is
not in excess of the Maximum Allowable
Speed of the gear which is about to be
selected.
Position mph (km/h)
1 28 (45)
2 53 (85)
3 87 (140)
Never exceed posted speed limits.
NOTE. In order to prevent over-revving
during acceleration of the vehicle, the
transmission will automatically shift to
the next highest gear if the Maximum
Allowable Speed for the current gear is
exceeded.
. Similarly, in order to prevent over-
revving during deceleration of the
vehicle, the transmission will remain
in the current gear if the speed of the
vehicle is in excess of the Maximum
Allowable Speed for the gear to which
the selector lever has been moved.& Driving tips. On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or
gravel-covered road), you can pull away
from a standstill safely and easily by first
selecting the 2nd gear of the manual
mode.
. Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D”or
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“R”position.
. Always set the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the
vehicle with only the transmission.
. Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the
“D ”position. Use the brake instead.
. The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate a
problem.
. A slight reduction in output torque may
occur before the engine warms up.& SPORT modeSPORT mode is used when power is
needed for rapid acceleration or for uphill driving. To select this mode, move the
selector lever from the
“D”position to the
manual gate.
When selected, the SPORT mode indica-
tor light on the instrument panel will turn
on.
To deselect SPORT mode, move the
selector 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
manual gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up at
higher vehicle speeds and shifts down
more responsively than in normal mode.& Shift lock releasePerform 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
engine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bag.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver.
Starting and operating
7-17
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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
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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
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&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
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8-20
Driving tips
watercraft.&When you do not tow a trailer. Remove the ball mount from the hitch
receiver tube and insert the receiver cover
onto the hitch receiver tube.
. Place the dust cap over the four-pin
connector of the hitch wire harness to
protect against possible damage.
. Occasionally lubricate terminals of the
four-pin connector using the terminal
grease.
Trailer towingYour 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. In addition, be sure to follow the
instructions on correct installation and use
provided by the trailer and other towing
equipment manufacturers.
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.& Warranties and maintenanceSUBARU 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-
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.Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn.
. If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed
immediately by the nearest SUBARU
dealer.
! Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle’ s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts.
. When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating.
. When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the water temperature gauge
pointer and AT OIL TEMP warning light
since the engine and transmission are
relatively prone to overheating under
these conditions. If the water temperature
gauge pointer approaches the OVER-
HEAT zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning
light illuminates, immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the vehicle at the
nearest safe place. Refer to the
“Engine
overheating ”section in chapter 9, and
“Warning and indicator lights ”section in
chapter 3.
NOTEThe temperature of engine coolant is
less likely to rise to the OVERHEAT
zone in the “D ” position than in the
manual mode position.
. Avoid using the accelerator pedal to
stay stationary on an uphill slope instead
of using the parking brake or foot brake.
That may cause the transmission fluid to
overheat.
! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal
down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the parking brake; slowly release
the regular brakes.
5. Shift into
“P”and shut off the engine.
Driving tips
8-27
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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 schedule................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions............................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment ................................................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running ....... 11-4
Engine hood................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview ...................... 11-6
Engine oil ........................................................ 11-7
Checking the oil level ...................................... 11-7
Changing the oil and oil filter ........................... 11-8
Recommended grade and viscosity ................. 11-9
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions ....................................... 11-10
Cooling system............................................ 11-11
Hose and connections ................................... 11-11
Engine coolant .............................................. 11-11
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-14
Replacing the air cleaner element .................. 11-14
Spark plugs.................................................. 11-15
Recommended spark plugs ........................... 11-15
Drive belts.................................................... 11-15
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-15
Checking the fluid level................................. 11-15
Recommended fluid ...................................... 11-16
Front differential gear oil ............................. 11-17
Checking the oil level.................................... 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-17
Rear differential gear oil.............................. 11-18
Checking the gear oil level ............................ 11-18 Recommended grade and viscosity
............... 11-18
Power steering fluid..................................... 11-19
Checking the fluid level ................................. 11-19
Recommended fluid ...................................... 11-20
Brake fluid..................................................... 11-20
Checking the fluid level ................................. 11-20
Recommended brake fluid ............................ 11-21
Brake booster............................................... 11-21
Brake pedal ................................................... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal free play ............... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ..................................................... 11-22
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-22
Breaking-in of new brake pads and
linings ........................................................ 11-22
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-23
Tires and wheels ........................................... 11-23
Types of tires................................................ 11-23
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) ....... 11-24
Tire inspection .............................................. 11-25
Tire pressures and wear ............................... 11-25
Wheel balance .............................................. 11-27
Wear indicators ............................................ 11-28
Tire rotation direction mark ........................... 11-28
Tire rotation .................................................. 11-28
Tire replacement ........................................... 11-29
Wheel replacement ....................................... 11-29
Aluminum wheels......................................... 11-30
Chrome plated wheels (if equipped) ........... 11-31
Windshield washer fluid ............................... 11-32
Maintenance and service
11
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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
11-3
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