four wheel drive SUBARU TRIBECA 2014 1.G Owners Manual

Ignition switch
WARNING
.Never turn the ignition switch to“LOCK”while the vehicle isbeing driven or towed becausethat will lock the steering wheel,preventing steering control. Andwhen the engine is turned off, ittakes a much greater effort thanusual to steer.
.Before leaving the vehicle, al-ways removethe key from theignition switch for safety andnever allow an unattended childto remain in the vehicle. Failureto follow this procedure couldresult in injury to a child orothers. Children could operatethe power windows, the moon-roof or other controls or evenmake the vehicle move.
CAUTION
Do not attach a large key holder orkey case to either key. If it bangedagainst your knees or hands whileyou were driving, it could turn theignition switch from the“ON”posi-
tion to the“Acc”or“LOCK”posi-tion, thereby stopping the engine.Also, if the key is attached to akeyholder or to a large bunch ofother keys, centrifugal force may acton it as the vehicle moves, resultingin unwanted turning of the ignitionswitch.
The ignition switch has four positions:LOCK, Acc, ON and START.
NOTE
.Keep the ignition switch in the“LOCK”position when the engine isnot running..Using electrical accessories for along time with the ignition switch in the“ON”or“Acc”position can cause thebattery to go dead.
.If the ignition switch will not movefrom the“LOCK”position to the“Acc”position, turn the steering wheelslightly to the left and right as you turnthe ignition switch.
&LOCK
The key can only be inserted or removedin this position. The ignition switch will lockthe steering wheel when you remove thekey.
If turning the key is difficult, turn thesteering wheel slightly to the right and leftas you turn the key.
The key can be turned from“Acc”to“LOCK”only when the select lever is in the“P”position.
Instruments and controls3-3
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WARNING
If this light does not illuminatebriefly after the ignition switch isturned ON or the light illuminatessteadily after blinking for approxi-mately one minute, you should haveyour Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-tem checked at a SUBARU dealer assoon as possible.
If this light illuminates while driving,never brake suddenly and keepdriving straight ahead while gradu-ally reducing speed. Then slowlypull off the road to a safe place.Otherwise an accident involvingserious vehicle damage and seriouspersonal injury could occur.
If this light still illuminates whiledriving after adjusting the tire pres-sure, a tire may have significantdamage and a fast leak that causesthe tire to lose air rapidly. If you havea flat tire, replace it with a spare tireas soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or awheel rim is replaced without theoriginal pressure sensor/transmitterbeing transferred, the Low tire pres-sure warning light will illuminatesteadily after blinking for approxi-mately one minute. This indicates
that the TPMS is unable to monitorall four road wheels. Contact yourSUBARU dealer as soon as possiblefor tire and sensor replacement and/or system resetting. If the lightilluminates steadily after blinkingfor approximately one minute,promptly contact a SUBARU dealerto have the system inspected.
CAUTION
The tire pressure monitoring systemis NOT a substitute for manuallychecking tire pressure. The tirepressureshould be checked peri-odically (at least monthly) using atire gauge. After any change to tirepressure(s), the tire pressure mon-itoring system will not re-check tireinflationpressures until the vehicleis first driven more than 20 mph (32km/h). Therefore, after adjusting thetire pressures, increase the vehiclespeed to at least 20 mph (32 km/h) tostart the TPMS re-checking of thetire inflation pressures. If the tirepressures are now above the severelow pressure threshold, the low tirepressure warning light should turnoff a few minutes later. Therefore, besure to install the specified size for
the front and rear tires.
&ABS warning light
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves asfollows, the ABS system may notwork properly.
When the warning light illuminates,the ABS function shuts down; how-ever, the conventional brake systemcontinues to operate normally.
.The warning light does not illu-minate when the ignition switchis 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 any of these conditions occur,have the ABS system repaired atthe first available opportunity byyour SUBARU dealer.
The ABS warning light illuminates to-
Instruments and controls3-15
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3-18Instruments and controls
&All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light
WARNING
Continued driving with the AWDwarning light flashing can lead topowertrain damage. If the AWDwarninglight flashes, promptly parkin a safe place then check whetherall four tires are the same diameterand whether any of the tires has apuncture or has lost air pressure forsome other reason.
NOTE
If the temporary spare tire is used, theAWD warning light may flash. Use ofthe temporary spare tire should there-fore be restricted to the minimum timenecessary. Replace the temporarysparetire with a conventional tire assoon as possible.
This light flashes if the vehicle is drivenwith tires of different diameters fitted on itswheelsor with the air pressure exces-sively low in any of its tires.
&Vehicle Dynamics
Control warning light
(U.S.-spec models and
Canada-spec. models)/
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol operation indicator
light (all models)
!Vehicle Dynamics Control warninglight (U.S.-spec models andCanada-spec. models)
CAUTION
The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-tem provides its ABS controlthrough the electrical circuit of theABS system. Accordingly, if the ABSis inoperative, the Vehicle DynamicsControl system becomes unable toprovide ABS control. As a result, theVehicle Dynamics Control systemalso becomes inoperative, causingthe warning light to illuminate.Though both the Vehicle DynamicsControl and ABS systems are inop-erative in this case, the ordinaryfunctions of the brake system arestill available. You will be safe whiledriving with this condition, but drivecarefully and have your vehicle
checked at a SUBARU dealer assoon as possible.
NOTE
.If the electrical circuit of the VehicleDynamics Control system itself mal-functions, the warning light only illumi-nates. At this time, the ABS (Anti-lockBrake System) remains fully opera-tional..The warning light illuminates whenthe electronic control system of theABS/Vehicle Dynamics Control systemmalfunctions.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system isprobably inoperative under any of thefollowing conditions. Have your vehiclecheckedat a SUBARU dealer immedi-ately.
.The warning light does not illuminatewhen the ignition switch is turned to the“ON”position.
.The warning light illuminates while thevehicle is running.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is asdescribed in the following examples,the Vehicle Dynamics Control systemmay be considered normal.
.The warning light illuminates right

7-6Starting and operating
inspect your vehicle’s emission controlsystem. If your vehicle does not pass thistest, some states may deny renewal ofyour vehicle’s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computerthat monitors the performance of theengine’s emission control system. Certi-fied emissioninspectors will inspect theOn-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system aspart of the state emission inspectionprocess. The OBDII system is designedto detect engine and transmission pro-blems that might cause the vehicle emis-sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDIIinspectionsapply to all 1996 model yearand 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 systemconsists of a visual operational check ofthe“CHECK ENGINE”warning light/mal-function indicator light (MIL) and anexamination of the OBDII system with anelectronic scan tool.
.A vehiclepasses the OBDII systeminspection if proper operation of the“CHECK ENGINE”warning light is ob-served, there are no stored diagnostictrouble codes, and the OBDII readinessmonitors are all complete.
.A vehiclefails the OBDII inspection ifthe“CHECK ENGINE”warning light is notproperly operating (light is illuminated or isnot working due to a burned out bulb) orthere is one or more diagnostic troublecodes stored in the vehicle’s computer.
.A state emission inspection may reject(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number ofOBDII system readiness monitors“NOTREADY”is greater than one. If thevehicle’s battery has been recently re-placed or disconnected, the OBDII systeminspection may indicate that the vehicle isnot ready for the emission test. Under thiscondition, the vehicle driver should beinstructed to drive his/her vehicle for a fewdays to reset the readiness monitors andreturn for an emission re-inspection.
.Owners of rejected or failing vehiclesshould contact their SUBARU Dealer forservice.
Some states still use dynamometers intheir emission inspection program. Adynamometer is a treadmill or roller-liketesting device that allows your vehicle’swheels to turn while the vehicle remains inone place. Prior to your vehicle being puton a dynamometer, tell your emissioninspectornot to place your SUBARUAWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-ometer.Otherwise, serious transmis-sion damage will result.
The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) and states using two-wheeldynamometers in their emission testingprogram have EXEMPTED SUBARUAWD vehicles from the portion of thetesting program that involves a two-wheeldynamometer. There are some states thatuse four-wheel dynamometers in theirtesting program. When properly used, thisequipment should not damage a SUBARUAWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rearwheels be jacked off the ground, norshould the driveshaft be disconnected forstate emission testing.

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

Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-vides the driver with a warning messageby sending a signal from a sensor that isinstalled in each wheel when tire pressureis severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system willactivate only when the vehicle is driven atspeeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). Also,this system may not react immediately to asudden drop in tire pressure (for example,a blow-out caused by running over asharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning lightilluminates while driving, neverbrake suddenly and keep drivingstraight ahead while gradually redu-cing speed. Then slowly pull off theroad to a safe place. Otherwise anaccident involving serious vehicledamage and serious personal injurycould occur.
Check the pressure for all four tiresand adjust the pressure to the COLDtire pressure shown on the tireplacard on the door pillar on thedriver’s side.
Even when the vehicle is driven avery short distance, the tires getwarm and their pressures increaseaccordingly. Be sure to let the tirescool thoroughly before adjustingtheir pressures to the standardvalues shown on the tire placard.Refer to“Tires and wheels”F11-21.The tire pressure monitoring systemdoes not function when the vehicleis stationary. After adjusting the tirepressures, increase the vehiclespeed to at least 20 mph (32 km/h)to start the TPMS re-checking of thetire inflation pressures. If the tirepressures are now above the severe
low pressure threshold, the low tirepressure warning light should turnoff a few minutes later.
If this light still illuminates whiledriving after adjusting the tire pres-sure, a tire may have significantdamage and a fast leak that causesthe tire to lose air rapidly. If you havea flat tire, replace it with a spare tireas soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or awheel rim is replaced without theoriginal pressure sensor/transmitterbeing transferred, the low tire pres-sure warning light will illuminatesteadily after blinking for approxi-mately one minute. This indicatesthe TPMS is unable to monitor allfour road wheels. Contact yourSUBARU dealeras soon as possiblefor tire and sensor replacement and/or system resetting.
Do not inject any tire liquid oraerosol tire sealant into the tires,as this may cause a malfunction ofthe tire pressure sensors. If the lightilluminates steadily after blinking forapproximately one minute, promptlycontact a SUBARU dealer to havethe system inspected.
Starting and operating7-27
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.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

8-10Driving tips
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possiblyleading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-hances your vehicle’sbrakingperfor-mance on snowy and icy roads. Forinformation about braking on slipperysurfaces, refer to“ABS (Anti-lock BrakeSystem)”F7-20 and“Vehicle DynamicsControl system”F7-23.
!Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make surethe wiper blades are not frozen to thewindshield or rear window. If the wiperblades are frozen to the windshield or rearwindow, use the defroster with the airflowcontrol button in the“”position and thetemperature control dial set for maximumwarmth until the wiper blades are com-pletely thawed out. The wiper deicer ishelpful to thaw the windshield wiperblades. To thaw out the rear wiper blade,use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow startsto stick on the surface of the windshielddespite wiper operation, use the defrosterwith the airflow control button in“”andthe temperature control dial set for max-imum warmth. After the windshield getswarmed enoughto melt the frozen snowon it, wash it away using the windshieldwasher.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents thewiper from working effectively. If snow isstuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road toa safe place, then remove it. If you stopthe vehicle at road side, use the hazardwarning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing typewiper blades (winter blades) during theseasons in which you could have snowand freezing temperatures. Blades of thistype givesuperior wiping performance insnowy conditions. Be sure to use bladesthat are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
During high-speed driving, non-freezing type wiper blades may notperformas well as standard wiperblades. If this happens, reduce thevehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-ing type wiper blades is over, replacethem with standard wiper blades.
&Corrosion protection
Refer to“Corrosion protection”F10-4.
&Snow tires
WARNING
.When replacing original tires withwinter (snow) tires, make sureyou use only tires of the samesize, circumference, speed sym-bol and load index as the originaltires listed on the tire placard.Using tires of other sizes orconstructions may affect speed-ometer/odometer calibration andclearance between the body andtires. It also may be dangerousand lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
.You must install four winter tiresthat are of the same size, circum-ferences,construction, manufac-turer, brand (tread pattern), de-gree of wear, speed symbol andload index. Mixing tires of othersizes, circumferences or con-structions may result in severemechanical damage to the drivetrain of your vehicle and mayaffect ride, handling, braking andspeedometer/odometer calibra-tion. It also may be dangerousand lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.

.Do not use a combination ofradial, belted bias or bias tiressince it may cause dangeroushandling characteristics and leadto an accident.
Your vehicle is equipped with“all seasontires”which are designed to provide anadequate measure of traction, handlingand braking performance in year-rounddriving. In winter, it may be possible toenhance performance through use of tiresdesigned specifically for winter drivingconditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on yourvehicle, be sure to use the correct tire sizeand type. You must install four winter tiresthat areof the same size, construction,brand and load range and you shouldnever mix radial, belted bias or bias tiressince this may result in dangerous hand-ling characteristics. When you choose atire, make sure that there is enoughclearance between the tire and vehiclebody.
Remember to drive with care at all timesregardless of the type of tires on yourvehicle.
Your vehicle comes with P255/55R18“all season tires”as original equip-ment. You should be aware that some
winter tires with that same size desig-nation may actually be too large for thevehicle and may cause rubbing onsharp turns. Listed in the following isthe winter tire size that we recommend.
Recommended winter (snow) tire size
P255/55R18 stud less
&Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on yourvehicle because of the lack ofclearance between the tires andvehicle body.
&Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it fromsnow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-erator pedal slightly and move the selectlever back 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 bystartingthe vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st.
For information about holding the trans-mission in the 2nd position, refer to“Selection of manual mode”F7-16 and“Driving tips”F7-17.
Driving tips8-11

9-10In case of emergency
holder.
Refer to“Spare tire”F9-2 for its location,instructions and precautions.
CAUTION
.When stowing a flat tire in thespare tire holder, turn the hoistshaft end only slowly. If it isturned quickly, the wheel disc ofthe flat tire could be damaged.
.Afull-sizeflattireshouldbestowed in the spare tire holderin an emergency only. After hav-ing the flat tire repaired, immedi-ately swap it with the temporaryspare tire.
.Remember that the tread width ofa flat tire is wider than that of thetemporary spare tire. When car-rying a flat tire stowed in thespare tire holder, make sure thetire does not touch any obsta-cles.
WARNING
Never place a tire or tire changingtools in the passenger compartmentafter changing wheels. In a suddenstop or collisions, loose equipment
could strike occupants and causeinjury. Store the tire and all tools inthe proper place.
&Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-vides the driver with the warning messageindicated by sending a signal from asensor that is installed in each wheelwhen tire pressure is severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system willactivate only when the vehicle is driven.Also, this system may not react immedi-ately to a sudden drop in tire pressure (forexample, a blow-out caused running overa sharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning lightilluminates while driving, neverbrake suddenly and keep drivingstraight ahead while gradually redu-cing speed. Then slowly pull off theroad to a safe place. Otherwise anaccident involving serious vehicledamageand serious personal injurycould occur.
Check the pressure for all four tiresand adjust the pressure to the COLDtire pressure shown on the vehicleplacard on the door pillar on thedriver’s side. If this light still illumi-nates while driving after adjustingthe tire pressure, a tire may havesignificant damage and a fast leakthat causes the tire to lose airrapidly. If you have a flat tire, replaceit with a spare tire as soon aspossible.
When a spare tire is mounted or awheel rim is replaced without theoriginal pressure sensor/transmitterbeing transferred, the low tire pres-sure warning light will illuminatesteadily afterblinking for approxi-mately one minute. This indicatesthe TPMS is unable to monitor allfour road wheels. Contact your