check engine SUBARU TRIBECA 2012 1.G User Guide

3-22Instruments and controls
&High beam indicator light
This light shows that the headlights are in
the high beam mode.
This indicator light also illuminates when
the headlight flasher is operated. &Cruise control indica-
tor light
This light illuminates when the “CRUISE ”
main switch is pressed to activate the
cruise control function. NOTE . If you move the cruise control lever
or press the main switch button while
turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the
cruise control function is deactivated
and the cruise control indicator light
flashes. To reactivate the cruise control
function, turn the ignition switch back
to the “Acc ”or “LOCK ”position, and
then turn it again to the “ON ”position.
. If this indicator light and the CHECK
ENGINE warning light/malfunction in-
dicator light flash simultaneously dur-
ing driving, have the vehicle checked
by your nearest SUBARU dealer. &
Cruise control set in-
dicator light
This light illuminates when vehicle speed
has been set to use the cruise controlfunction. &Headlight indicator light
This indicator light illuminates when the
light switch is turned to the “”position
(to turn on the parking lights) or to the “
” position (to turn on the headlights).
& Front fog light indicator light
This indicator light illuminates while the
front fog lights are illuminated. Clock NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with a
genuine SUBARU navigation system,
refer to the Owner
’s Manual supple-
ment for the navigation system.
The clock shows the time while the
ignition switch is in the “Acc ”or “ON ”
position.

Ventilator.............................................................. 4-2
Airflow ................................................................ 4-2
Ventilator ............................................................ 4-4
Automatic climate control system ..................... 4-5
Control panel ...................................................... 4-5
Rear air conditioner ............................................. 4-9
Temperature sensors ........................................... 4-9
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner ....................................................... 4-10
Cleaning ventilator grille ..................................... 4-10
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-10 Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .............................................................. 4-10
Checking air conditioning system before summer season ............................................................ 4-10
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions ................. 4-10
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded .............................................. 4-11
Refrigerant for your climate control system ... ..... 4-11
Air filtration system ........................................... 4-11
Replacing the air filter ........................................ 4-11Climate control
4

4-10Climate control
–Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are located as follows. – Solar sensor: beside windshield
defroster grille– Interior air temperature sensor: on the
side of the driver-side part of the center panel – Outside temperature sensor: behind
front grille Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner &
Cleaning ventilator grille
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser. &Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to
allow outside air to circulate into the heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency. &
Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. & Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer. & Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning

system. &Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. & Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the meth-
od of adding, changing or checking the
refrigerant is different from the method for
CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty. Air filtration system
Replace the filter element according to the
replacement schedule shown in the fol-
lowing. This schedule should be followed
to maintain the filter
’s dust collection
ability. Under extremely dusty conditions,
the filter should be replaced more fre-
quently. It is recommended that you have
your filter checked or replaced by your
SUBARU dealer. For replacement, we
recommend the use of a genuine
SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 15 months or 15,000 miles (24,000
km) whichever comes first &
Replacing the air filter
1. Remove the instrument panel side
cover. NOTE
The instrument panel side cover is held
in place with four pins. Climate control
4-11
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6-22Interior equipment
the surrounding area with your
eyes and mirrors, and move
backward at a slow speed. Mov-
ing backward only by checking
the rear view image from the
camera could cause an accident.
. Do not disassemble or modify the
camera, switch or wiring. If
smoke comes out or you smell
a strange odor, stop using the
rear view camera immediately.
Contact your SUBARU dealer
for an inspection. Continued use
may result in accident, fire or
electric shock.
CAUTION
. If your vehicle is washed with a
high-pressure washer, do not
allow water to contact the camera
directly. Entry of water in the
camera lens may result in con-
densation, malfunction, fire or
electric shock.
. Since the camera is a precision
device, do not subject it to strong
impacts. Otherwise, malfunction,
fire or electric shock may occur.
. If mud or snow sticks to or is
frozen on the camera, you must be very careful removing it.
Otherwise, damage done to the
camera may cause a fire or
electric shock. Pour water or
lukewarm water over the camera
to remove mud and ice, and wipe
it with a soft, dry cloth.
. Do not put a flame close to the
camera or wiring. Otherwise, da-
mage or fire may occur.
. When replacing the fuse, be sure
to use a fuse with the specified
rating. Use of a fuse with a
different rating may result in amalfunction.
. If the rear view camera is used for
a long time while the engine is
not operated, the battery may
become completely discharged.
NOTE . Do not wipe the camera with alcohol,
benzine or paint thinner. Otherwise,
discoloration may occur. To remove
contamination, wipe the camera with a
cloth moistened with a diluted neutral
detergent and then wipe it with a soft,
dry cloth.. When waxing the vehicle, be careful
not to apply the wax to the camera. If it
comes in contact with the camera, moisten a clean cloth with a diluted
neutral detergent to remove the wax..
The camera lens has hard coating to
help prevent scratches. However, when
washing the vehicle or cleaning the
camera lens, be careful not to scratch
the camera lens. Do not use a washing
brush directly on the camera lens. The
monitor screen may be adversely af-fected.. Strong light shined on the camera
lens may develop white light stripes
around the light source. This is not amalfunction.. Under the fluorescent light, the dis-
play may flicker. However, this is not a malfunction. . The image of the rear view camera
may be slightly different from the
actual color of the objects. & How to use the rear view camera
When the select lever is set to “R ”, the rear
view camera automatically displays the
rear view image from the vehicle. When
the lever is set to other positions, the
image before setting to “R ”is displayed.
1. Set the ignition switch to “ON ”.
2. Set the select lever to “R ”.

Fuel...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-3
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-5
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-7
Starting the engine .............................................. 7-7
Stopping the engine ............................................ 7-8
Remote engine start system (dealer option) ..... 7-8
Starting your vehicle ........................................... 7-9
Remote start safety features ................................ 7-9
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start .................................................................. 7-9
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown .......................................................... 7-9
Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the vehicle ............................................................. 7-10
Service mode ..................................................... 7-10
Remote engine start transmitter programming and programmable feature option ..................... 7-10
System maintenance .......................................... 7-11
Automatic transmission ..................................... 7-12
Select lever ........................................................ 7-13
Shift lock function .............................................. 7-14
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-16
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-17
SPORT mode ..................................................... 7-18 Power steering
................................................... 7-18
Braking ............................................................... 7-19
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-19
Brake system .................................................... 7-19
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-20
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-20
ABS system self-check ...................................... 7-21
ABS warning light .............................................. 7-21
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ............................................................. 7-22
Steps to take if EBD system malfunctions ..... ..... 7-22
Vehicle Dynamics Control system .................... 7-23
Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor..... ..... 7-25
Traction Control system OFF switch ................... 7-25
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) ........ 7-27
Parking your vehicle ......................................... 7-28
Parking brake .................................................... 7-28
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-29
Cruise control .................................................... 7-29
To set cruise control .......................................... 7-30
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-30
To turn off the cruise control .............................. 7-31
To change the cruising speed .. .......................... 7-31
Cruise control indicator light .............................. 7-32
Cruise control set indicator light ........................ 7-32
Starting and operating
7

7-2Starting and operating
Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel
additive may cause engine damage.
& Fuel requirements
The engine is designed to operate using
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of 87 AKI (90 RON) or higher .
! Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane
numbers and is commonly referred to as
the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane
rating can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle
sometimes knocks lightly when you drive
up a hill or when you accelerate. Contact
your SUBARU dealer if you use a fuel with
the specified octane rating and your
vehicle knocks heavily or persistently. ! Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy. !
California fuel
If your vehicle was certified to California
Emission Standards as indicated on the
underhood tune-up label, it is designed to
optimize engine and emission control
system performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur Cali-
fornia gasoline specifications. If you live in
any other state than California, your
vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting
Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher
sulfur levels, which may affect the perfor-
mance of your vehicle ’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or
smell. SUBARU recommends that you try
a different brand of unleaded gasoline
having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service. The CHECK ENGINE warning
light/Malfunction indicator light may also
illuminate. If this occurs, return to your
authorized SUBARU dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty. !
MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-
function indicator light may illuminate. If
this happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU dealer for service. If it is
determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not
be covered by your warranty. ! Gasoline for cleaner air
CAUTION
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Your use of gasoline with detergent
additives will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system.
This helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part
for cleaner air. If you continuously use a
high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never

NOTE
.You will see the “”sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator
light may illuminate. Refer to “CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator light ”F 3-12.
CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da- mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap to the
right until it clicks to ensure that
it is fully tightened. If the cap is
not securely tightened, fuel may
leak out while the vehicle is being
driven or fuel spillage could
occur in the event of an accident,
creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit, and
your fuel tank and emission con-
trol system may be damaged. It
could also lead to fuel spillage
and a fire.
. 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 en-gine. State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive model
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
. At state inspection time, remem-
ber to tell your inspection or
service station in advance not to
place your SUBARU AWD vehicle
on a two-wheel dynamometer.
Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
. Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or
its contractors or licensees.
California and a number of federal states
have Inspection/Maintenance programs to Starting and operating
7-5
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7-6Starting and operating
inspect your vehicle ’s emission control
system. If your vehicle does not pass this
test, some states may deny renewal of
your vehicle ’s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer
that monitors the performance of the engine ’s emission control system. Certi-
fied emission inspectors will inspect the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as
part of the state emission inspection
process. The OBDII system is designed
to detect engine and transmission pro-
blems that might cause the vehicle emis-
sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII
inspections apply to all 1996 model year
and newer passenger cars and trucks.
Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-
bia have implemented emission inspec-
tion of the OBDII system. . The inspection of the OBDII system
consists of a visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/mal-
function indicator light (MIL) and an
examination of the OBDII system with an
electronic scan tool. . A vehicle
passes the OBDII system
inspection if proper operation of the “ CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is ob-
served, there are no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness
monitors are all complete. .
A vehicle
fails the OBDII inspection if
the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle ’s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT
READY ”is greater than one. If the
vehicle ’s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection. . Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.

Preparing to drive
You 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 properinflation.
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.
NOTE
Engine 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 tryingagain.
. If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the select
lever into the “N ” position. Do
not attempt to place the select
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 select 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“ Warning and indicator lights ”F 3-9.
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
lights have turned off after the engine has Starting and operating
7-7
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