tires SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owners Manual

&Driving when tired or sleepy
WARNING
When you are tired or sleepy, your
reaction will be delayed and your
perception, judgment and attentive-
ness will be impaired. If you drive
when tired or sleepy, your, your
passengers’ and other persons ’
chances of being involved in a
serious accident may increase.
Please do not continue to drive but
instead find a safe place to rest if you
are tired or sleepy. On long trips, you
should make periodic rest stops to refresh
yourself before continuing on your journey.
When possible, you should share the
driving with others.
& Car phone/cell phone and
driving
CAUTION
Do not use a car phone/cell phone
while driving; it may distract your
attention from driving and can lead
to an accident. If you use a car
phone/cell phone, pull off the road
and park in a safe place before
using your phone. In some States/
Provinces, only hands-free phones
may legally be used while driving.&Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified
other than with genuine Subaru
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its
performance, safety or durability,
and may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or
performance problems resulting
from modification may not be cov-
ered under warranties.
&Driving with petsUnrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
driving. In a collision or sudden stop,
unrestrained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for
their own safety that pets should be
properly restrained in your vehicle. Re-
strain a pet with a special traveling
harness which can be secured to the rear
seat with a seatbelt or use a pet carrier
which can be secured to the rear seat by
routing a seatbelt through the carrier ’s
handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriers
in the front passenger ’s seat. For further
information, consult your veterinarian,
local animal protection society or pet
shop.& Tire pressures
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
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8vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the spare)
at least once a month and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are
cold.
Use a pressure gauge to adjust the tire
pressures to the values shown on the tire
placard.
Refer to the “Tires and wheels” section in
chapter 11 for detailed information.& California proposition 65
warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its consti-
tuents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
&
On-pavement and off-road
drivingThis vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. Your vehicle has a higher ground
clearance and higher center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll over than
ordinary passenger cars. It also handles
and maneuvers differently from other
passenger cars. For this reason, please
read carefully the “On-pavement and off
road driving ”section in chapter 8 of this
Owner ’s Manual and follow the instruc-
tions and precautions in order to prevent
serious injury or death due to loss of
control, rollover and other accidents.
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10Illustrated index&Exterior
1) Engine hood lock release (page 11-4)
2) Headlight switch (page 3-26)
3) Bulb replacement (page 11-41)
4) Wiper switch (page 3-34)
5) Moonroof (page 2-23)
6) Roof rail (if equipped) (page 8-13)
7) Door locks (page 2-4)
8) Tire pressure (page 11-25)
9) Flat tires (page 9-6)
10) Tire chains (page 8-11)
11) Fog light switch (page 3-32)
12) Tie-down hooks (page 9-15)
13) Towing hook (page 9-15)
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1-30
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Precautions against vehicle
modificationAlways consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
. Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner ’s
Manual.
Child restraint systemsWhile riding in the vehicle, infants and
small children should always be placed in
an infant or child restraint system in one of
the rear seating positions recommended
in this Owner ’s Manual. You should use
an infant or child restraint system that
meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Canada Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards, is compatible with your vehicle
and is appropriate for the child ’s age and
size. All child restraint systems are de-
signed to be secured in vehicle seats by
lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap/
shoulder belt (except those covered under
the section in this manual, entitled “In-
stallation of child restraint systems by use
of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH)
”).
Children could be endangered in an
accident if their child restraints are not
properly secured in the vehicle. When
installing the child restraint system, care-
fully follow the manufacturer ’s instructions.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
system at all times while the vehicle is
moving.
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!Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS curtain airbag will most
likely deploy.
1) A severe side impact near the front seat
or the rear seat activates the SRS curtain
airbag.
2) The vehicle rolls onto its side or the roof.
3) If the angle of vehicle tip-up is marginal or if the skidding vehicle ’s tires hit a
curbstone laterally.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-63
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1-70
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
.Installation of custom steering
wheels
. Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
. Installation of custom seats
. Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
. Installation of additional fabric
or leather on the front seat
. Attachment of a hands-free
microphone or any other ac-
cessory to a front pillar, a
center pillar, a rear pillar, the
windshield, a side window, an
assist grip, or any other cabin
surface that would be near a
deploying SRS curtain airbag.
. Installation of additional elec-
trical/electronic equipment
such as a mobile two-way
radio on or near the SRS
airbag system components
and/or wiring is not advisable.
This could interfere with prop-
er operation of the SRS airbag
system.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
. Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver ’s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-
er ’s Manual.
. Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors,
etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.
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3-14
Instruments and controls
&
Rear differential oil
temperature warning
light
CAUTION
Reduce vehicle speed and park the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as
possible if the R.DIFF TEMP light
comes on. Continued driving with
this light on can damage the rear
differential and other parts of the
powertrain.
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the rear
differential oil temperature is too hot.
If the light comes on while driving, reduce
vehicle speed and stop the vehicle at the
nearest safe place.
Park the vehicle for several minutes. After
the light goes out, you can start driving.
If the light does not go out, contact the
nearest SUBARU dealer for service.NOTE. If the tire pressures are not correct
and/or the tires are not all the same
size and brand, the rear differential will
be heavily loaded when the vehicle is
driven, resulting in an abnormally high
oil temperature. .
The rear differential oil will deterio-
rate if its temperature increases en-
ough for the rear differential oil tem-
perature warning light to come on. It is
advisable to have the rear differential
oil replaced as soon as possible.
&
Low tire pressure
warning light
When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”position, the low tire pressure warn-
ing light will come on for approximately 2
seconds to check that the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is functioning
properly. If there is no problem and all tires
are properly inflated, the light will go out.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under- inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle
’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the
malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of
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reasons, including the installation of re-
placement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your
vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
Should the warning light illuminate stea-
dily after blinking for approximately one
minute, have the system inspected by
your nearest SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
If this light does not come on briefly
after the ignition switch is turned ON
or the light illuminates steadily after
blinking for approximately one min-
ute, you should have your Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
checked at a SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and seriouspersonal injury could occur.
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 illuminates
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. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
CAUTION
The tire pressure monitoring system
is NOT a substitute for manually
checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked peri-odically (at least monthly) using a
tire gauge. After any change to tire
pressure(s), the tire pressure mon-
itoring system will not re-check tire
inflation pressures until the vehicle
is first driven more than 20 mph (32
km/h). Therefore, 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. Therefore, be
sure to install the specified size for
the front and rear tires.
&
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”
position and goes out after approximately
2 seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as
follows, the ABS system may not
work properly.
Instruments and controls
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3-18
Instruments and controls
&
Windshield washer
fluid warning light
This light comes on when the fluid level in
the windshield washer fluid tank falls to
the lower limit (approximately 0.6 US qt,
0.6 liter, 0.5 Imp qt).&
All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light
WARNING
Continued driving with the AWD
warning light flashing can lead to
powertrain damage. If the AWD
warning light flashes, promptly park
in a safe place then check whether
all four tires are the same diameter
and whether any of the tires has a
puncture or has lost air pressure for
some other reason.
The All-Wheel Drive warning light comes
on when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ ON ”position and goes out after the
engine has started.
This light flashes if the vehicle is driven
with tires of different diameters fitted on its
wheels or with the air pressure exces-
sively low in any of its tires.
&
Vehicle Dynamics
Control operation indi-
cator light
This light comes on when the ignition
switch is ON and goes out approximately
2 seconds later.
It blinks when the skid suppression func-
tion is activated. It illuminates when only
the traction control function is operating.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably faulty under any of the following
conditions. Have your vehicle checked at
a SUBARU dealer immediately.
. The light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position.
. The light does not go out even after a
period of approximately 2 seconds after
the ignition switch has been turned to the
“ON ”position.&
Vehicle Dynamics
Control warning light/
Traction Control system
OFF indicator light
This warning light has both the function of
indicating faults in the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the function of indicat-
ing that the Traction Control system has
been deactivated. It comes on in the event of a fault in the
system and is on when the system is not
operating.
This warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”
position and goes out after the engine
has started. It indicates that the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system is in normal
operation.
! Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably inoperative under any of the
following conditions. Have your vehicle
checked at a SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately.
. The warning light does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”position.
. The warning light comes on while the
vehicle is running.
. If the electrical circuit of the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system itself becomes
faulty, the warning light only comes on. At
this time, the ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem) remains fully operational.
. The warning light comes on when the
electronic control system of the ABS/
Vehicle Dynamics Control system be-
comes faulty.
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Preparing to driveYou should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
4. Check that the hood and rear gate are
fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the“ON”position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.NOTEEngine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.
Starting the engine
CAUTION
. Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10
seconds. If the engine fails to
start after operating the starter
for 5 to 10 seconds, wait for 10
seconds or more before trying
again.
. If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the se-
lector lever into the “N ” position.
Do not attempt to place the
selector lever of a moving vehicle
into the “P ” position.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P”or “N”
position (preferably “P ” position). The
starter will only operate when the select
lever is at the “P”or “N”position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to the
“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”position
without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the
following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “START”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4)

If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
Starting and operating
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