check engine SUBARU TRIBECA 2014 1.G Owner's Manual

Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checksand adjustments every day before youstart driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, andlights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and conditionof the tires. Also check tires for properinflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign ofleaks.
4. Check that the hood and rear gate arefully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the insideand outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that yourpassengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warningand indicator lights when the ignitionswitch 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 levelsshould be checked daily, weekly or atfuel stops.
Starting the engine
CAUTION
.Do not operate the starter motorcontinuously for more than 10seconds. If the engine fails tostart after operating the starterfor 5 to 10 seconds, wait for 10seconds or more before tryingagain.
.If you restart the engine while thevehicle is moving, shift the selectlever into the“N”position. Donot attempt to place the selectlever 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). Thestarter will only operate when the selectlever is at the“P”or“N”position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the“ON”position and check the operation of thewarning and indicator lights. Refer to“Warning and indicator lights”F3-9.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the“START”positionwithoutdepressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediatelyafter the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try thefollowing.(1) Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK”position and wait for at least10 seconds. After checking that theparking brake is firmly set, turn theignition switch to the“START”positionwhile depressing the accelerator pedalslightly (approximately a quarter of thefull stroke).Release the acceleratorpedal as soon as the engine starts.(2) If this fails to start the engine, turnthe ignition switch back to the“LOCK”position and wait for at least 10seconds.Then fully depress the accel-erator pedal and turn the ignitionswitch to the“START”position. If theengine starts, quickly release theaccelerator pedal.(3) If this fails to start the engine, turnthe ignition switch again to the“LOCK”position.After waiting for 10 secondsor longer, turn the ignition switch to the“START”position without depressingthe accelerator pedal.(4) If the engine still refuses to start,contact your nearest SUBARU dealerfor assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicatorlights have turned off after the engine has
Starting and operating7-7
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&Starting your vehicle
The remote engine start system is acti-vated by pressing the“”button twicewithin 3 seconds on your remote enginestart transmitter. The system will checkcertain pre-conditions before starting, andif all safety parameters are correct, theengine will start within 5 seconds. Whilethe vehicle is operating via remote enginestart, the vehicle’s power window featureswill be disabled. Also, the system has atimer and will shut down after 15 minutes ifyou do not operate the vehicle. Press andhold the“”button for 2 seconds again toturn the vehicle off. If the vehicle’s startercranks but does not start or starts andstalls, the remote engine start system willpower off then attempt to start the vehicle
an additional four times. If the vehicle failsto start after the additional attempts, theremote engine start system will abort andreturn to a non activated state.
&Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, thesystem will fail to start and beep the horntwice or shut down the engine duringremote start operation if any of thefollowing occur:
.The brake pedal is depressed beforethe vehicle ignition switch is turned“on”
.The key was already in the ignitionswitch
.The engine hood is opened
.The vehicle’s engine idle speed hasreached a level over 3,000 RPM
.The alarm is triggered by opening anyof the doors or the rear gate.
NOTE
.The security indicator light on thedashboard will stop flashing whileunder remote engine start operation,but the vehicle is still protected..If the vehicle is entered duringremote engine start operation, thesystem will not record entry in thealarm history.
&Entering the vehicle while it
is running via remote start
1. Unlock the vehicle doors using theremote keyless entry system. If the vehi-cle’s doors are unlocked manually usingthe key, the vehicle’s alarm system willtrigger and the remote engine start systemwill turn off. Inserting the key into theignition switch and turning it to the“ON”position or pressing the unlock button“”on the remote keyless entry transmitterwill disarm the alarm system. Refer to“Alarmsystem”F2-16.
2. Enter the vehicle. Do not depress thebrake pedal.
3. Insert the key into the ignition switchand turn to the“ON”position. If the ignitionswitch is accidentally turned to the“START”position, the system’s“starteranti-grind”feature will prevent the starterfrom re-cranking.
4. Depress the brake pedal. The remotestarter disengages, the vehicle’s powerwindow features are re-enabled and thevehicle will operate normally.
&Entering the vehicle follow-
ing remote engine start shut-
down
An alarm trigger may occur if the vehicle isopened by the remote keyless entry
Starting and operating7-9
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constant brake pedal pressure.Do not pump the brake pedalsince doing so may defeat theoperation of the ABS system.
The ABS system prevents the lock-up ofwheels which may occur during suddenbraking or braking on slippery road sur-faces. This helps prevent the loss ofsteering control and directional stabilitycaused by wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, youmay hear a chattering noise or feel a slightvibration in the brake pedal. This is normalwhen the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when thevehicle speed is below approximately 6mph (10 km/h).
&ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brakepedal and hear the operating sound ofABS from the engine compartment justafter the vehicle is started. This is causedby an automatic functional test of the ABSsystem being carried out and does notindicate any abnormal condition.
&ABS warning light
The ABS warning light illuminates whenthe ignition switch is turned to the“ON”position and turns off after approximately 2seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS systemis working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves asfollows, the ABS system may notbe working properly.
Whenthe warning light illuminates,the ABS function shuts down; how-ever, the conventional brake systemcontinues to operate normally.
.The warning light does not illu-minatewhen the ignition switch
is turned to the“ON”position.
.The warning light illuminateswhen the ignition switch isturned to the“ON”position, butit does not turn off even when thevehicle speed exceeds approxi-mately 8 mph (12 km/h).
.The warning light illuminates dur-ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS systemrepaired at the first available oppor-tunity by your SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is asdescribed in the following, the ABSsystem may be considered normal.
.The warning light illuminates rightafterthe engine is started but turns offimmediately, remaining off..The warning light remains illumi-nated after the engine has been started,but it turns off when the vehicle speedreaches approximately 8 mph (12km/h)..The warning light illuminates duringdriving, but it turns off immediately andremains off.
When driving with an insufficient batteryvoltage suchas when the engine is jump
Starting and operating7-21
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warning light illuminate simultaneously,take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,flat location.
2. Shut down the engine, apply theparking brake, and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If bothwarning lights turn off, the EBD systemmay be malfunctioning.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARUdealer and have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights illuminate againand remain illuminated after the enginehas been restarted, shut down the engineagain, apply the parking brake, and checkthe brake fluid level. Refer to“Brake fluid”F11-17.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the“MIN”mark, the EBD system may bemalfunctioning. Drive carefully to thenearest SUBARU dealer and have thesystem inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the“MIN”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.Instead, have the vehicle towed to thenearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
.Driving with the brake systemwarning light illuminated is dan-
gerous. This indicates your brakesystem may not be workingproperly. If the light remainsilluminated, have the brakes in-spected by a SUBARU dealerimmediately.
.If at all in doubt about whetherthe brakes are operating prop-erly, do not drive the vehicle.Have your vehicle towed to thenearest SUBARU dealer for re-pair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care indriving–overconfidence becauseyou are driving with a Vehicle Dy-namics Control system equippedvehicle could easily lead to a ser-ious accident.
CAUTION
.Even if your vehicle is equippedwith Vehicle Dynamics Controlsystem, winter tires should beused when driving on snow-cov-ered or icy roads; in addition,vehicle speed should be reducedconsiderably. Simply having aVehicle Dynamics Control sys-tem does not guarantee that thevehicle will be able to avoidaccidents in any situation.
.Activation of the Vehicle Dy-namics Control system is anindication that the road beingtravelled on has a slippery sur-face; since having Vehicle Dy-namics Control is no guarantee
Starting and operating7-23
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7-24Starting and operating
that full vehicle control will bemaintained at all times and underall conditions, its activationshould be seen as a sign thatthe speed of the vehicle shouldbe reduced considerably.
.Whenever suspension compo-nents, steering components, oran axle are removed from avehicle equipped with VehicleDynamics Control system, havean inspection of that systemperformed by an authorizedSUBARU dealer.
.The following precautions shouldbe observed in order to ensurethat the Vehicle Dynamics Con-trol system is operating properly.
–All four wheels should befitted with tires of the samesize, type, and brand. Further-more, the amount of wearshould be the same for allfour tires.
–Keep the tire pressure at theproper level as shown on thevehicle placard attached tothe driver’s side door pillar.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skiddingon a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,the Vehicle Dynamics Control systemadjusts the engine’soutputandthewheels’respective braking forces to helpmaintain traction and directional control.
.Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed toprevent spinning of the driving wheels onslippery road surfaces, thereby helping tomaintain traction and directional control.Activation of this function is shown bysteady illumination of the Vehicle Dy-namics Control operation indicator light.
.Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designedto help maintain directional stability bysuppressing the wheels’tendency to slidesideways during steering operations. Acti-vation of this function is shown by flashingof the Vehicle Dynamics Control operationindicator light.
NOTE
.Slight twitching of the brake pedalmay be felt when the Vehicle DynamicsControl system operates; a small de-gree of vehicle or steering wheel shak-ingmay also be noticed in this situa-tion. These are normal characteristicsof Vehicle Dynamics Control operationand are no cause for alarm..When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short operationnoise may be noticed coming from theengine compartment. This noise isgenerated as a result of a check beingperformed on the Vehicle DynamicsControl system and is normal..Depending on the timing of activa-tion of the brakes, the brake pedal mayseem to jolt when you drive off afterstarting the engine. This is a conse-quence of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-trol operational check and is normal..In the circumstances shown in thefollowing list, the vehicle may be lessstable than it feels to the driver. TheVehicle Dynamics Control System maytherefore operate. Such operation doesnot indicate a system malfunction.–on gravel-covered or ruttedroads–on unfinished roads–when the vehicle is towing atrailer–when the vehicle is fitted withsnow tires or winter tires.Activation of the Vehicle DynamicsControl system will cause operation ofthe steering wheel to feel slightlydifferent compared to that for normalconditions.
.Even if the vehicle is equipped witha Vehicle Dynamics Control system, it

exhaust fumes are entering thevehicle, have the problemchecked and corrected as soonas possible. If you must driveunder these conditions, driveonly with all windows fully open.
.Keep the rear gate closed whiledriving to prevent exhaust gasfrom entering the vehicle.
NOTE
Due to the expansion and contractionof the metals used in the manufactureof the exhaust system, you may hear acrackling sound coming from the ex-haust systemfor a short time after theengine has been shut off. This sound isnormal.
Catalytic converter
WARNING
.Avoid fire hazards. Do not driveor park the vehicle anywherenear flammable materials (e.g.grass, paper, rags or leaves),because the catalytic converteroperates at very high tempera-tures.
.Keep everyone and flammablematerials away from the exhaustpipe while the engine is running.The exhaust gas is very hot.
The catalytic converter is installed in theexhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaustgases, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic conver-ter:
.Use only unleaded gasoline. Even asmall amount of leaded gasoline willdamage the catalytic converter.
.Never start the engine by pushing orpulling the vehicle.
.Avoidracing the engine.
.Never turn off the ignition switch whilethe vehicle is moving.
.Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feelthe engine running rough (misfiring, back-firing or incomplete combustion), haveyour vehicle checked and repaired by anauthorized SUBARU dealer.
.Do not apply undercoating or rustprevention treatment to the heat shield ofcatalytic converter and the exhaust sys-tem.
.Do not drive with an extremely low fuellevel.
Driving tips8-3

.You must install four tires that areof the same size, circumferences,construction, manufacturer,brand (tread pattern), degree ofwear, speed symbol and loadindex. Mixing tires of other sizes,circumferences or constructionsmay result in severe mechanicaldamage to the drive train of yourvehicle and may affect ride,handling, braking and speed-ometer/odometer calibration. Italso may be dangerous and leadto loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION
If you use a temporary spare tire toreplace a flat tire, be sure to use theoriginaltemporary spare tire storedin the vehicle. Using other sizes mayresult in severe mechanical damageto the drive train of your vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive distributes the enginepower to all four wheels. AWD modelsprovidebetter traction when driving onslippery, wet or snow-covered roads andwhen moving out of mud, dirt or sand. Byshifting power between the front and rearwheels, SUBARU AWD can also provideadded traction during acceleration, andadded engine braking force during decel-eration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehiclemay handle differently than an ordinarytwo wheel drive vehicle and it containssome features unique to AWD. For safetypurposes as well as to avoid damagingthe AWD system, you should keep thefollowing tips in mind.
.An AWD model is better able to climbsteeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.There is little difference in handling,however, during extremely sharp turns orsudden braking. Therefore, when drivingdown a slope or turning corners, be sureto reduce your speed and maintain anample distance from other vehicles.
.Always check the cold tire pressurebefore starting to drive. The recom-mended tire pressure is provided on thetire placard, which is located under thedoor latch on the driver’s side.
.There are some precautions that youmust observe when towing your vehicle.For detailed information, refer to“Towing”F9-14.
Driving tips8-5

depth of the water and the bottom of thestream bed for firmness and ensure thatthe bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowlyand completely through the stream. Thewater should be shallow enough that itdoes not reach the vehicle’s undercar-riage. Water entering the engine air intakeor the exhaust pipe or water splashingonto electrical parts may damage yourvehicle and may cause it to stall. Neverattempt to drive through rushing water;regardless of its depth, it can wash awaythe ground from under your tires, resultingin possible loss of traction and evenvehicle rollover.
.Always check your brakes for effec-tiveness immediately after driving in sand,mud or water. Do this by driving slowlyand stepping on the brake pedal. Repeatthat process several times to dry out thebrake discsand brake pads.
.Do not drive or park over or nearflammable materials such as dry grass orfallen leaves,as they may burn easily. Theexhaust system is very hot while theengine is running and right after enginestops. This could create a fire hazard.
.After driving through tall grass, mud,rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that thereis no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on theunderbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used withthese materials trapped or adhering to theunderbody, a mechanical breakdown orfire could occur.
.Secure all cargo carried inside thevehicle and make certain that it is notpiled higher than the seatbacks. Duringsudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargocould be thrown around in the vehicle andcause injury. Do not pile heavy loads onthe roof. Those loads raise the vehicle’scenter of gravity and make it more proneto tip over.
.If you must rock the vehicle to free itfrom sand or mud, depress the acceleratorpedal slightly andmove the select leverback and forth between“D”and“R”repeatedly. Do not race the engine. Forthe best possible traction, avoid spinningthe wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
.When the road surface is extremelyslippery, you can obtain better traction bystarting the vehicle with the transmissionin 2nd than 1st.
.Never equip your vehicle with tireslarger than thosespecified in this manual.
.Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-road driving. Suspension components areparticularly prone to dirt buildup, so theyneed to be washed thoroughly.
.Frequent driving of an AWD modelunder hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitatemore frequent replacement of engine oil,brake fluid and transmission oil than thatspecified in the maintenance scheduledescribed in the“Warranty and Mainte-nance Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to yourSUBARU while operating it off-road andnot using common sense precautionssuch as those listed above is not eligiblefor warranty coverage.
Driving tips8-7

8-8Driving tips
Winter driving
&Operation during cold
weather
Carry some emergency equipment, suchas a window scraper, a bag of sand,flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Coldtemperatures reduce battery capacity.The battery must be in good condition toprovide enough power for cold winterstarts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade andviscosity for cold weather. Heavy summeroil will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing bysquirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damageor separate the rubber weather stripsaround the door. If the door is frozen,use hot water to melt the ice, and after-wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-tains an antifreeze solution. Do not useengine antifreeze or other substitutesbecause they may damage the paint ofthe vehicle.
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-perature varies according to how much itis diluted, as indicated in the followingtable.
Washer Fluid Con-centrationFreezing Temperature
30% 10.48F(!128C)
50%!48F(!208C)
100%!498F(!458C)
In order to prevent freezing of washerfluid, check the freezing temperatures inthe table above when adjusting the fluidconcentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid witha different concentration from the oneused previously, purge the old fluid fromthe piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washerfor a certain period of time. Otherwise, ifthe concentration of the fluid remaining inthe piping is too low for the outsidetemperature, it may freeze and block thenozzles.
CAUTION
.Adjust the washer fluid concen-tration appropriately for the out-side temperature. If the concen-tration is inappropriate, sprayedwasher fluid may freeze on thewindshield and obstruct yourview, and the fluid may freeze inthe reservoir tank.
.State or local regulations onvolatile organic compounds mayrestrict the use of methanol, acommon windshield washer anti-freeze additive. Washer fluidscontaining non-methanol anti-freeze agents should be usedonly if they provide cold weatherprotection without damagingyour vehicle’s paint, wiper bladesor washer system.
!Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove anysnow or ice from your shoes because that

could make the pedals slippery anddriving dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle beforedriving, check that the accelerator pedal,brake pedal, and all other controls operatesmoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that hasaccumulated under the fenders to avoidmaking steering difficult. During severewinter driving, stop when and where it issafe to do so and check under the fendersperiodically.
!Parking in cold weather
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaustgases under your vehicle. Keepsnow clear of the exhaust pipe andfrom around your vehicle if you parkthe vehicle in snow with the enginerunning.
Do not use the parking brake whenparking for long periods in cold weathersince it could freeze in that position.Instead, you should observe the followingtips.
1. Place the select lever in“P”position.
2. Use tire stops under the tires toprevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow orwhen it snows, raise the wiper blades offthe glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parkedafter use on roads heavily covered withsnow, or has been left parked during asnowstorm, icing may develop on thebrake system, which could cause poorbraking action.Check for snow or icebuildup on the suspension, disc brakesand brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,being careful not to damage the discbrakes and brake hoses and ABS har-ness.
!Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming inthe fuel system and the risk of its freezing,use of an antifreeze additive in the fueltank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specificallydesigned for this purpose. When anantifreeze additive is used, its effect lastslonger if the tank is refilled whenever thefuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be usedfor an extended period, it is best to havethe fuel tank filled to capacity.
&Driving on snowy and icy
roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control onslippery roads such as snowy or icyroads. This may cause loss ofvehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous drivingin snowstorms. Snow will enter theengine’sintakesystemandmayhinder the airflow, which could re-sult in engine shutdown or evenbreakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoidsudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-speed driving, and sharp turning whendriving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance betweenyour vehicle and the vehicle ahead of youto avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use theengine brake effectively to control thevehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gearwhen necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
Driving tips8-9
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