tow bar SUBARU TRIBECA 2014 1.G Owners Manual

&Lumbar support
Pull the lever forward or backward.
Pulling the lever forward will increase theamountof support for your lower back.
Pulling the lever backward will decreasethe amount of support for your lower back.
Seat heater (if equipped)
Theseat heater is equipped in the frontseats.
Theseat heater operates when the igni-tion switch is in the“ON”position.
The seat heater can be adjusted in threelevels. Press the button to activate theseat heater. Each subsequent press of thebutton will reduce the level. Pushing thebutton four times or keeping the buttonpressed for approximately 1 second willturn the heater off. While the seat heater isoperating, its operating level is shown bythe number of illuminated indicators. Towarm the seat as quickly as possible, setthe heater with three indicators illumi-nated.
When the vehicle’s interior is warmedenough or before you leave the vehicle,always turn the switch off.
CAUTION
.There is a possibility that peoplewith delicate skin may sufferslightburns even at low tempera-tures if they use the seat heaterfor a long period of time. Whenusing the heater, always be sureto warn the persons concerned.
.Do not put anything on the seatwhich insulates against heat,such as a blanket, cushion, orsimilaritems. This may cause theseat heater to overheat.
NOTE
Use of the seat heater for a long periodof time while the engine is not runningcan cause battery discharge.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-7

&SUBARU advanced frontal
airbag system
Your vehicle is equipped with a SUBARUadvanced frontal airbag system that com-plies with the new advanced frontal airbagrequirements in the amended FederalMotor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)No. 208.
The SUBARU advanced frontal airbagsystem automatically determines the de-ployment force of the driver’s SRS frontalairbag at the time of deployment as well aswhether or not to activate the frontpassenger’s SRS frontal airbag and, ifactivated, the deployment force of theSRS frontal airbag at the time of deploy-ment.
Your vehicle has warning labels on thedriver’s and front passenger’s sun visorsbeginning withthe phrase“EVENWITHADVANCED AIR BAGS”and a tagattached to the glove box lid beginningwiththe phrase“Evenwith Advanced AirBags”. Make sure that you carefully readthe instructions on the warning labels andtag.
Always wearyour seatbelt. The SUBARUadvanced frontal airbag system is asupplemental restraint system and mustbe used in combination with a seatbelt. Alloccupants should wear a seatbelt or beseated in an appropriate child restraint
system.
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag is stowedin the center portion of the steering wheel.The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbagis stowed near the top of the dashboardunder an“SRS AIRBAG”mark.
In a moderate to severe frontal collision,the driver’s and front passenger’s SRSfrontal airbagsdeploy and supplement theseatbelts by reducing the impact on thedriver’s and front passenger’s head andchest.
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-CING CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THEFRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKSSERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THECHILD’SHEADTOOCLOSETOTHE SRS AIRBAG.
WARNING
Never allow a child to stand up, or tokneel on the front passenger’s seat.The SRS airbag deploys with con-siderable force and can injure oreven kill the child.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-49
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!If the light is blinking
If the light is blinking while driving, anengine misfire condition has been de-tected which may damage the emissioncontrol system.
To prevent serious damage to the emis-sion control system, you should do thefollowing.
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard acceleration.
.Avoid steepuphill grades.
.Reduce the amount of cargo, if possi-ble.
.Stop towing a trailer as soon aspossible.
The CHECK ENGINE warning light maystop blinking and illuminate steadily afterseveral drivingtrips. You should have yourvehicle checked by an authorizedSUBARU dealer immediately.
&Charge warning light
If this light illuminates when the engine isrunning, it may indicate that the chargingsystem is not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or doesnot turn off after the engine starts, stop theengine at the first safe opportunity andcheck the alternator belt. If the belt isloose, broken or if the belt is in good
condition but the light remains illuminated,contact your nearest SUBARU dealerimmediately.
&Oil pressure warning
light
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine with theoil pressure warning light illumi-nated. This may cause serious en-gine damage.
If this light illuminates when the engine isrunning, it may indicate that the engine oilpressureis low and the lubricating systemis not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or doesnot turnoff after the engine starts, stop theengine at the first safe opportunity andcheck the engine oil level. If the oil level islow, add oil immediately. If the engine oil isat the proper level but the light remainsilluminated, contact your nearestSUBARU dealer immediately.
&AT OIL TEMP warning
light
If this light illuminates when the engine isrunning, it may indicate that the automatictransmission fluid temperature is too hot.
If the light illuminates while driving, im-mediately stop the vehicle in a safe placeand let the engine idle until the warninglight turns off.
!Automatic transmission controlsystem warning
If the light flashes after the engine starts, itmay indicate that the automatic transmis-sion control system is not working prop-erly. Contact your nearest SUBARU deal-er for service immediately.
&Rear differential oil
temperature warning
light
CAUTION
If the R.DIFF TEMP warning lightilluminates, reduce vehicle speedand stop the vehicle in a safelocation as soon as possible. Con-tinuing to drive with this light illumi-nated may damage the rear differ-ential and other parts of the power-train.
If this light illuminates when the engine isrunning, it may indicate that the reardifferential oil temperature is too hot.
If the light illuminates while driving, reduce
Instruments and controls3-13
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3-16Instruments and controls
gether with the brake system warning lightif the EBD system becomes malfunction-ing. For further details of the EBD systemmalfunction warning, refer to“Brake sys-tem warning light”F3-16.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is asdescribed in the following, the ABSsystem may be considered normal.
.The warning light illuminates rightafter the 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 such as when the engine is jumpstarted, the ABS warning light may illumi-nate. This is due to the low battery voltageand does not indicate a malfunction.When the battery becomes fully charged,the light will turn off.
&Brake system
warning light
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.
This light has the following three functions.
!Parking brake warning
The light illuminates with the parkingbrakeapplied while the ignition switch isin the“ON”position. It turns off when theparking brake is fully released.
!Brake fluid level warning
This light illuminateswhen the brake fluidlevel has dropped to near the“MIN”levelof the brake fluid reservoir with the ignitionswitch in the“ON”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light shouldilluminate while driving (with the parkingbrake fully released and with the ignitionswitch positioned in“ON”), it could be anindication of leaking of brake fluid or wornbrake pads. If this occurs, immediatelystop the vehicle at the nearest safe placeand check the brake fluid level. If the fluidlevel is below the“MIN”mark in thereservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Havethe vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARUdealer for repair.
!Electronic Brake Force Distribution(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light alsoilluminates if a malfunction occurs in theEBD system. In that event, it illuminatestogether with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning ifthe brakesystem warning light and ABSwarning light illuminate simultaneouslyduring driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-tional braking system will still function.However, the rear wheels will be moreprone to locking when the brakes areapplied 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 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.
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.
&Low fuel warning light
CAUTION
Immediately put fuel in the tankwhenever the low fuel warning lightilluminates. Engine misfires as aresult of an empty tank could causedamage to the engine.
The low fuel warning light illuminateswhen the tank is nearly empty approxi-mately 2.6 US gal (10 liters, 2.2 Imp gal). Itonly operates when the ignition switch isin the“ON”position. When this lightilluminates, fillthe fuel tank immediately.
NOTE
This light does not turn off unless thetank is replenished up to an internalfuel quantity of approximately 4.0 USgal (15 liters, 3.3 Imp gal).
&Door open warning light
The indicators are located in the centerportion of the dashboard.
When any of the doors or the rear gate isnot fully closed, it is indicated by thecorresponding part of the door openwarning light.
Always make sure this light is out beforeyou start to drive.
&Windshield washer
fluid warning light
This light illuminates when the fluid level inthe windshield washer fluid tank falls tothe lower limit (approximately 0.6 US qt,0.6 liter, 0.5 Imp qt).
Instruments and controls3-17
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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

New vehicle break-in driving–the first1,000 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 models.............................. 8-4
On-road and off-road driving.............................. 8-6
Winter driving...................................................... 8-8Operation during cold weather............................. 8-8Driving on snowy and icy roads.......................... 8-9Corrosion protection.......................................... 8-10Snow tires......................................................... 8-10Tire chains......................................................... 8-11Rockingthe vehicle............................................ 8-11
Loading your vehicle......................................... 8-12Vehicle capacity weight...................................... 8-12GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratingand Gross Axle Weight Rating)........................ 8-13Roof rails and crossbar (if equipped).................. 8-14Roof molding and crossbar (if equipped)............ 8-17
Trailer hitch (if equipped).................................. 8-18Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-19When you do not tow a trailer ............................ 8-20
Trailer towing..................................................... 8-21Warranties and maintenance.............................. 8-21Maximum load limits.......................................... 8-21Trailer hitches.................................................... 8-24Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-25Trailer towing tips.............................................. 8-26
Driving tips
8

.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

8-6Driving tips
On-road and off-road driving
WARNING
.In a rollover crash, an unbeltedperson is significantly morelikely to die than a person wear-ing a seatbelt. You the driver andall your passengers should fas-ten the seatbelts before startingto drive in order to minimize thechance of serious injury or death.
.Do not make sharp turns andquick maneuvers unless abso-lutely unavoidable. Such actionsare dangerous as you may losecontrol, possibly resulting in arolloverwhich could cause deathor serious injury.
.Always maintain a safe drivingspeed according to the road andweather conditions in order toavoid havingan accident on asharp turn, during sudden brak-ing or under other similar condi-tions.
.Whenever strong crosswinds arepresent, slow down sufficientlyto maintain control of your vehi-cle. Remember that your vehicle,with its higher profile and center
of gravity, is more likely to beaffected by crosswinds than or-dinary passenger cars.
.Always use the utmost care indriving–overconfidence be-cause you are driving an All-Wheel Drive model could easilylead to a serious accident.
Yo u r v e h i c l e i s c l a s s i f i e d a s a u t i l i t yvehicle. Utilityvehicles feature a higherground clearance which enables them tobe used for wide applications including off-road driving. But please keep in mind thatyour vehicle is neither a conventional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. Ahighercenter of gravity in relation to thetread width as compared with ordinarypassenger cars makes vehicles of thistype more likely to roll over. In reality, utilityvehicles have a significantly higher roll-over rate thanother types of vehicles. Thehigh ground clearance of this vehicle is areal advantage, giving you a better view ofthe road and allowing you to anticipateproblems earlier. However, remember thatyour utility vehicleis not designed for high-speed cornering comparable to ordinarypassenger cars and that your vehiclecould roll over if you make a sharp turnat high speed. If you do take yourSUBARU off-road, certain common sense
precautions such as those in the followinglist should be taken.
.Make certain that you and all of yourpassengers are wearing seatbelts.
.Carry some emergency equipment,such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone orcitizens band radio.
.Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-sary risks by driving in dangerous areas orover rough terrain.
.Slow down and employ extra caution atall times. When driving off-road, you willnot have the benefit of marked trafficlanes, banked curves, traffic signs andthe like.
.Do not drive across steep slopes.Instead, drive either straight up or straightdown the slopes. A vehicle can muchmore easily tip over sideways than it canend over end. Avoid driving straight up ordown slopes that are too steep.
.Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-cially at higher speeds.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of thesteering wheel. A bad bump could jerk thewheel andinjure your hands. Instead drivewith your fingers and thumbs on theoutside of the rim.
.If driving through water, such as whencrossing shallow streams, first check the