check transmission fluid SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owners Manual

NOTEThis light also comes on when the fuel
filler cap is not tightened until it clicks.
If you have recently refueled your vehicle,
the cause of the CHECK ENGINE warning
light/malfunction indicator lamp coming on
could be a loose or missing fuel filler cap.
Remove the cap and retighten it until it
clicks. Make sure nothing is interfering
with the sealing of the cap. Tightening the
cap will not make the CHECK ENGINE
warning light turn off immediately. It may
take several driving trips. If the light does
not go out, take your vehicle to your
authorized SUBARU dealer immediately.
!If the light is blinking:
If the light is blinking while driving, an
engine misfire condition has been de-
tected which may damage the emission
control system.
To prevent serious damage to the emis-
sion control system, you should do the
following.
. Reduce vehicle speed.
. Avoid hard acceleration.
. Avoid steep uphill grades.
. Reduce the amount of cargo, if possi-
ble.
. Stop towing a trailer as soon as
possible. The CHECK ENGINE warning light may
stop blinking and come on steadily after
several driving trips. You should have your
vehicle checked by an authorized
SUBARU dealer immediately.
&
Charge warning light
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the charging
system is not working properly.
If the light comes on while driving or does
not go out after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the alternator belt. If the belt is
loose, broken or if the belt is in good
condition but the light remains on, contact
your nearest SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately.&
Oil pressure warning
light
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine with the
oil pressure warning light on. This
may cause serious engine damage.
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the engine oil
pressure is low and the lubricating system
is not working properly. If the light comes on while driving or does
not go out after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the engine oil level. If the oil level is
low, add oil immediately. If the engine oil is
at the proper level but the light remains on,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.
&
AT OIL TEMPerature
warning light
The AT oil temperature warning light
comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the
“ON”position and goes out
after approximately 2 seconds.
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the automatic
transmission fluid temperature is too hot.
If the light comes on while driving,
immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and let the engine idle until the
warning light goes off.
! Automatic transmission control
system warning
If the light flashes after the engine starts, it
may indicate that the automatic transmis-
sion control system is not working prop-
erly. Contact your nearest SUBARU deal-
er for service immediately.
Instruments and controls
3-13
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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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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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Spark plugsIt may be difficult to replace the spark
plugs. It is recommended that you have
the spark plugs replaced by your
SUBARU dealer.
The spark plugs should be replaced
according to the maintenance schedule
in the“Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let ”.& Recommended spark plugsSILFR6A (NGK)
Drive beltsThe alternator, power steering pump, and
air conditioner compressor depend on
drive belts. Satisfactory performance re-
quires that belt tension be correct.
It is unnecessary to check belt tension
periodically because your engine is
equipped with an automatic belt tension
adjuster. However, replacement of the belt
should be done according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”. Consult your
SUBARU dealer for replacement.
If a belt is loose, cracked, or worn, contact
your SUBARU dealer.
Automatic transmission fluid& Checking the fluid levelThe automatic transmission fluid expands
largely as its temperature rises; the fluid
level differs according to fluid temperature.
Therefore, there are two different scales
for checking the level of hot fluid and cold
fluid on the dipstick.
Though the fluid level can be checked
without warming up the fluid on the
“COLD ”range, we recommend checking
the fluid level when the fluid is at operating
temperature.
! Checking the fluid level when the
fluid is hot
Check the fluid level monthly.
1. Drive the vehicle several miles to raise
the temperature of the transmission fluid
up to normal operating temperature; 158
to 1768 F (70 to 80 8C) is normal.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
set the parking brake.
3. First shift the selector lever in each
position. Then shift it in the “P ” position,
and run the engine at idling speed.
Maintenance and service
11-15
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11-16
Maintenance and service
1) Yellow handle1) HOT range
2) COLD range
3) Upper level
4) Lower level
4. Pull out the dipstick and check the fluid
level on the gauge. If it is below the lower
level on the“HOT”range, add the recom-
mended automatic transmission fluid up to
the upper level.
! Checking the fluid level when the
fluid is cold
When the fluid level has to be checked
without time to warm up the automatic
transmission, check to see that the fluid
level is between the lower level and upper
level on the “COLD”range. If it is below
that range, add fluid up to the upper level.
Be careful not to overfill.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill automatic
transmission fluid when adding it.
If automatic transmission fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a
fire. If automatic transmission fluid
gets on the exhaust pipe, be sure to
wipe it off.
& Recommended fluidUse one of the following types of auto-
matic transmission fluid.
Genuine Subaru Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid Type-HP
IDEMITSU ATF HP
Castrol Transmax JNOTEUsing any non-specified type of auto-
matic transmission fluid could result in
damage inside the transmission. When
replacing the automatic transmission
fluid, be sure to use a fluid of the types
specified above.
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11-20
Maintenance and service
mended fluid as necessary to bring the
level between the“MIN”and “MAX ”line.
If the fluid level is extreme low, it may
indicate possible leakage. Consult your
SUBARU dealer for inspection.& Recommended fluidUse one of the following types of auto-
matic transmission fluid.
Genuine Subaru Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid Type-HP
“Dexron III ”Type Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid
Brake fluid& Checking the fluid level
WARNING
. Never let brake fluid contact your
eyes because brake fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If brake
fluid gets in your eyes, immedi-
ately flush them thoroughly with
clean water. For safety, when
performing this work, wearing
eye protection is advisable.
. Brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause a dangerous loss
of braking performance.
. If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
. Never use different brands of
brake fluid together. Also, avoid
mixing DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake
fluids even if they are of the same
brand. .
When adding brake fluid, be care-
ful not to allow any dirt into the
reservoir.
. Never splash the brake fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.
Alcohol contained in the brake
fluid may damage them.
. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
when adding it. If brake fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If brake fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it
off.
Check the fluid level monthly.
Check the fluid level on the outside of the
reservoir. If the level is below “MIN”, add
the recommended brake fluid to “MAX”.
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