tow bar SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owners Manual

1-48
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Subaru advanced frontal air-
bag systemYour vehicle is equipped with a Subaru
advanced frontal airbag system that com-
plies with the new advanced frontal airbag
requirements in the amended Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
No. 208.
The Subaru advanced frontal airbag sys-
tem automatically determines the deploy-
ment force of the driver ’s SRS frontal
airbag at the time of deployment as well as
whether or not to activate the front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag and, if
activated, the deployment force of the
SRS frontal airbag at the time of deploy-
ment.
Your vehicle has warning labels on the
driver ’s and front passenger ’s sun visors
beginning with the phrase “EVEN WITH
ADVANCED AIR BAGS” and a tag
attached to the glove box lid beginning
with the phrase “Even with Advanced Air
Bags”. Make sure that you carefully read
the instructions on the warning labels and
tag.
Always wear your seatbelt. The Subaru
advanced frontal airbag system is a
supplemental restraint system and must
be used in combination with a seatbelt. All
occupants should wear a seatbelt or be
seated in an appropriate child restraint system.
The driver
’s SRS frontal airbag is stowed
in the center portion of the steering wheel.
The front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag
is stowed near the top of the dashboard
under an “SRS AIRBAG ”mark.
In a moderate to severe frontal collision,
the driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbags deploy and supplement the
seatbelts by reducing the impact on the
driver ’s and front passenger ’s head and
chest.
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-
CING CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE
FRONTSEAT.DOINGSORISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD’
S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG.
WARNING
Never allow a child to stand up, or to
kneel on the front passenger ’s seat.
The SRS airbag deploys with con-
siderable force and can injure or
even kill the child.
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2-4
Keys and doors
&Security indicator lightThe security indicator light deters potential
thieves by indicating that the vehicle is
equipped with an immobilizer system. It
begins flashing approximately 60 seconds
after the ignition switch is turned from the
“ON ”position to the “Acc”or “LOCK ”
position or immediately after the key is
pulled out.
If the security indicator light does not flash,
the immobilizer system may be faulty. If
this occurs, contact your SUBARU dealer
as soon as possible.
In case an unauthorized key is used (e.g.
an imitation key), the security indicator
light comes on.
NOTEEven if the security indicator light
flashes irregularly or its fuse blows
(the light does not flash if its fuse is
blown), the immobilizer system will
function normally.& Key replacementYour key number plate and security ID
plate will be required if you ever need a
replacement key made. Any new key must
be registered for use with your vehicle’ s
immobilizer system before it can be used.
Up to four keys can be registered for use
with one vehicle.
For security, all the keys registered with
your vehicle ’s immobilizer system will
have their ID codes erased and re-
registered when a new key is made.
Therefore, all of your vehicle’ s keys must
be presented when a new key is regis-
tered. Any key that is not re-registered
when a new key is made cannot be used
after the other keys are re-registered. For
information on replacement keys and on
the registration of keys with your immo-
bilizer system, contact your SUBARU
dealer.
Door locks& Locking and unlocking from
the outsideTo lock the driver ’s door from the outside
with the key, turn the key toward the front.
To unlock the door, turn the key toward the
rear.
Lift the outside door handle to open an
unlocked door.
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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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3-16
Instruments and controls
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
.The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position.
. The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to
the “ON ”position, but it does not
go out even when the vehicle
speed exceeds approximately 8
mph (12 km/h).
. The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If any of these conditions occur,
have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by
your SUBARU dealer.
The ABS warning light comes on together
with the brake system warning light if the
EBD system becomes faulty. For further
details of the EBD system fault warning,
refer to “Brake system warning light ”.NOTEIf the warning light behavior is as
described in the following, the ABS
system may be considered normal.
.The warning light comes on right after the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.
.
The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).
. The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately and
remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
&
Brake system
warning light
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle. Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
This light has the following three functions:
! Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the
“ ON ”position. It goes out when the
parking brake is fully released.
! Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN ”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have
the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair.
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!Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also
illuminates if a malfunction occurs in the
EBD system. In that event, it comes on
together with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be faulty if the
brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are
applied harder than usual and the vehi-
cle ’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake, and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN
”mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the system
inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
&
Low fuel warning light
CAUTION
Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning light
illuminates. Engine misfires as a
result of an empty tank could cause
damage to the engine.
The low fuel warning light illuminates
when the tank is nearly empty approxi-
mately 2.6 US gal (10 liters, or 2.2 Imp
gal). It only operates when the ignition
switch is in the “ON”position. When this
light illuminates, fill the fuel tank immedi-
ately.
NOTEThis light does not go out unless the
tank is replenished up to an internal
fuel quantity of approximately 4.0 US
gal (15 liters, 3.3 Imp gal).& Door open warning lightThe indicators are located in the center
portion of the dashboard.
When any of the doors or the rear gate is
not fully closed, it is indicated by the
corresponding part of the door open
warning light.
Always make sure this light is out before
you start to drive.
Instruments and controls
3-17
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If you inadvertently have turned the igni-
tion switch to the“LOCK”position with the
selector lever in the “N”position, proceed
as follows. By referring to the “Shift lock
release ”section in this chapter, remove
the cover. Then, with a screwdriver in-
serted into the hole, move the selector
lever to the “P”position while pressing the
release button. If the selector lever re-
verse inhibiting function fails, have the
vehicle inspected by the nearest SUBARU
dealer.& Selection of manual modeWith the vehicle either moving or station-
ary, move the selector lever from the “D”
position to the manual gate then move it to
the “+”end or “−”end of the manual gate
to select manual mode.
1) Upshift indicator
2) Downshift indicator
3) Gear position indicatorWhen the manual mode is selected, the
gear position indicator and upshift indica-
tor and/or downshift indicator in the
tachometer come on. The gear position
indicator shows the currently selected
gear in the 1st-to-5th-gear range. The
upshift and downshift indicators show
when a gearshift is possible. When the
upshift indicator “
”is on, upshifting is
possible. When the downshift indicator
“
” is on, downshifting is possible. When
both indicators are on, upshifting and
downshifting are both possible. When the
vehicle stops (for example, at traffic
signals), the downshift indicator goes off.
Gearshifts can be performed using the selector lever.
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly
pushing the selector lever toward the
“+”
end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly
pulling the selector lever toward the “−”
end of the manual gate.NOTEPlease read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode.
. When the temperature of the engine
oil is higher than normal, warning
beeps are emitted and the shift position
indicator shows “− ”. If these warnings
are issued, deselect the manual mode
to protect the engine from damage.
Starting and operating
7-15
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7-22
Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) systemThe EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS
system ’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.
& Steps to take if EBD system
failsIf a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the
brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are
applied harder than usual and the vehi-
cle’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake, and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN
”mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the system
inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
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may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence because
you are driving with a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a ser-
ious accident.
CAUTION
. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on
snow-covered or icy roads; in
addition, vehicle speed should
be reduced considerably. Simply
having a Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system does not guarantee
that the vehicle will be able to
avoid accidents in any situation.
. Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy-
namics Control is no guarantee that full vehicle control will be
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle equipped with Vehicle
Dynamics Control, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer per-
form an inspection of that sys-
tem.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly:
– All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
Starting and operating
7-23
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New vehicle break-in driving–the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km) .................................. 8-2
Fuel economy hints ......................................... 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ........ 8-2
Catalytic converter ........................................... 8-3
Periodic inspections ........................................ 8-4
Driving in foreign countries ............................ 8-4
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ......................... 8-4
On-pavement and off road driving .................. 8-5
Winter driving ................................................... 8-7
Operation during cold weather .......................... 8-7
Driving on snowy and icy roads ....................... 8-9
Corrosion protection ...................................... 8-10
Snow tires ..................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ...................................................... 8-11
Rocking the vehicle ......................................... 8-11
Loading your vehicle ...................................... 8-11
Vehicle capacity weight ................................... 8-12
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ..................... 8-12
Roof rails and crossbar (if equipped) ............... 8-13
Roof molding and crossbar (if equipped) ......... 8-16
Trailer hitch (if equipped).............................. 8-18
Connecting a trailer........................................ 8-18
When you do not tow a trailer .. ....................... 8-20
Trailer towing................................................. 8-20
Warranties and maintenance ........................... 8-20
Maximum load limits ....................................... 8-20
Trailer hitches ................................................. 8-23
Connecting a trailer ........................................ 8-24
Trailer towing tips ........................................... 8-26
Driving tips
8
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power to all four wheels. AWD vehicles
provide better traction when driving on
slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand.
By shifting power between the front and
rear wheels, SUBARU AWD can also
provide added traction during accelera-
tion, and added engine braking force
during deceleration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle
may handle differently than an ordinary
two wheel drive vehicle and it contains
some features unique to AWD. For safety
purposes as well as to avoid damaging
the AWD system, you should keep the
following tips in mind:
.An AWD vehicle is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling,
however, during extremely sharp turns or
sudden braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an
ample distance from other vehicles.
. When replacing a tire, make sure you
use only the same size, circumference,
construction, brand, and load range as the
original tires listed on the tire placard.
Using other sizes, circumferences or
construction may result in severe mechan-
ical damage to the drive train of your vehicle and may affect ride, handling,
braking, speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion, and clearance between the body
and tires. It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control.
.
If you use a temporary spare tire to
replace a flat tire, be sure to use the
original temporary spare tire stored in the
vehicle. Using other sizes may result in
severe mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle.
. Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver ’s side.
. Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only.
. There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
Refer to the “Towing”section in chapter 9
for detailed information.
On-pavement and off road
driving
WARNING
. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wear-
ing a seat belt. You the driver and
all your passengers should fas-
ten the seatbelts before starting
to drive in order to minimize the
chance of serious injury or death.
. Do not make sharp turns and
quick maneuvers unless abso-
lutely unavoidable. Such actions
are dangerous as you may lose
control, possibly resulting in a
rollover which could cause death
or serious injury.
. Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-
tions.
. Whenever strong crosswinds are
present, slow down sufficiently
to maintain control of your vehi-
cle. Remember that your vehicle,
Driving tips
8-5
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