2001 SUBARU FORESTER steering

8-12mend ed d uring c old weather.
Use only ad d itives that are sp ec ific ally d esig ned f
or this p urp ose.
When an antifreeze ad d itive is used , its effec t las ts long er if the tank is
refilled whenever the fuel level reac hes half emp ty .
If your SUBARU is not g oing to b e used for an exten d ed p eriod , it is
b est to have the fuel tank filled to c ap ac ity. Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control.
To p revent skid d ing and slip p ing , avoid sud d en b rak ing , ab rup t ac c el-
eration, hig h-sp eed d riving , and sharp turning when d riving on snowy
or ic y road s.
Always maintain amp le d istanc e b etween your vehic le and the vehic le
ahead of you to avoid the need for sud d en b raking .
To sup p lement the foot b rake, use the eng ine b rake effec tively to c on-
trol the vehic le sp eed . (Shift into a lower g ear wh en nec essary.)
Avoid shifting d own ab rup tly. Suc h b ehavior c an c au se the wheel to
loc k, p ossib ly lead ing to loss of vehic le c ontrol.
Avoid loc king the front wheels b ec ause that c an lea d to a loss of
steering c ontrol. When b raking with a vehic le not e q uip p ed with an
Anti-Loc k Brake System (ABS), p ress the b rake p ed al rep eated ly at
short intervals to p revent the wheels from loc king . Then ap p ly the
b rakes softly to b ring the vehic le to a stop .
An ABS enhanc es your vehic le ’s b raking p erformanc e on snowy and
ic y road s. Refer to the “ABS (Anti-Loc k Brake System) ” in this c hap ter
for information on b raking on slip p ery surfac es in ABS eq uip p ed
vehic le. n Wiper operation when snowing
Before d riving in c old weather, make sure the wip er b lad es are not
frozen to the wind shield or rear wind ow. If the wip er b lad es are frozen
to the wind shield or rear wind ow, use the d efroster with the airflow
c ontrol d ial in the “
” p osition and the temp erature c ontrol lever

8-30n
Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehic le are p r op erly inflated to the
p ressure und er towing c ond itions as shown in follow ing tab le. These
tire inflations are also shown on the tire p lac ard loc ated on the left
c enter p illar of your vehic le. Trailer tire c ond iti on, size, load rating and
p rop er inflation p ressure should b e in ac c ord anc e w ith the trailer
manufac turer ’s sp ec ific ations.
Front
29 psi (200 kPa, 2.0 kg/cm 2
)
Rear41 psi (275 kPa, 2.8 kg/cm 2
)
Trailer towing tips CAUTION
Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing a trailer in hilly
country on hot days. When towing a trailer, steering, stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be different from normal operation. For
safety’ s sake, you should employ extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never speed. You should also keep the fol-lowing tips in mind:
n Before starting out on a trip
Chec k that the vehic le and vehic le-to-hitc h mountin g are in g ood
c ond ition. If any p rob lems are ap p arent, d o not tow the trailer.
Chec k that the vehic le sits horizontally with the t railer attac hed . If
the vehic le is tip p ed sharp ly up at the front and d own at the rear,
c hec k the total trailer weig ht, GVW, GAWs and tong u e load ag ain,
then c onfirm that the load and its d istrib ution are ac c ep tab le.
Chec k that the tire p ressures are c orrec t.
Chec k that the vehic le and trailer are c onnec ted p r op erly. Confirm that
– the trailer tong ue is c onnec ted p rop erly to the hit c h b all.
– the trailer lig hts c onnec tor is c onnec ted p rop erly and trailer’s
b rake lig hts illuminate when the vehic le ’s b rake p ed al is p ressed ,
and that the trailer ’s turn sig nal lig hts flash when the vehic le ’s turn

Starting and operating8-31
–
CONTINUED –
sig nal lever is op erated .
–
the safety c hains are c onnec ted p rop erly.
– all c arg o in the trailer is sec ured safety in p osit ion.
– the sid e mirrors p rovid e a g ood rearward field of v iew without a
sig nific ant b lind sp ot.
Suffic ient time should b e taken to learn the “feel ” of the vehic le/
trailer c omb ination b efore starting out on a trip . In an area free of traf-
fic , p rac tic e turning , stop p ing and b ac king up . n Driving with a trailer
You should allow for c onsid erab ly more stop p ing d is tanc e when
towing a trailer. Avoid sud d en b raking b ec ause it m ay result in skid -
d ing or jac kknifing and loss of c ontrol. Avoid ab rup t starts and sud d en ac c elerations. If yo ur vehic le has a
manual transmission, always start out in first g ear and release the
c lutc h at mod erate eng ine RPM. Avoid uneven steering , sharp turns and rap id lane c hang es.
Slow d own b efore turning . Make a long er than normal turning
rad ius b ec ause the trailer wheels will b e c loser th an the vehic le
wheels to the insid e of the turn. In a tig ht turn, the trailer c ould hit your
vehic le. Crosswind s will ad versely affec t the hand ling of yo ur vehic le and
trailer, c ausing sway. Crosswind s c an b e d ue to wea ther c ond itions or
the p assing of larg e truc ks or b uses. If swaying oc c urs, firmly g rip the
steering wheel and slow d own immed iately b ut g rad ua lly.
When p assing other vehic les, c onsid erab le d istanc e is req uired
b ec ause of the ad d ed weig ht and leng th c aused b y at tac hing the
trailer to your vehic le. When b ac king up with a trailer, never ac c elerate or steer rap id ly.
When turning b ac k, g rip the b ottom of the steering wheel with one
hand and turn it to the left for a left turn, and t urn it to the rig ht for a
rig ht turn.

In case of emergency9-13
–
CONTINUED –

Using a flat-bed truck
HS0161
This is the b est way to transp ort your vehic le. Use the following p roc e-
d ures to ensure safe transp ortation.
1. Shift the selec tor lever into the “P ” p osition for automatic transmis-
sion vehic les or “1st ” for manual transmission vehic les.
2. Pull up the p arking b rake lever firmly.
3. Sec ure the vehic le onto the c arrier p rop erly with safety c hains.
Eac h safety c hain should b e eq ually tig htened and c are must b e tak-
en not to p ull the c hains so tig htly that the susp e nsion b ottoms out.
Towing with all wheels on the ground
WARNING
Never turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK” position while the
vehicle is being towed because the steering wheel and the direc- tion of the wheels will be locked. Remember that the brake booster and power steering do not
function when the engine is not running. Because the engine isturned off, it will take greater effort to operate the brake pedal andsteering wheel.

10-2Exterior care
Washing
CAUTION
When washing the vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed while lightly pressing the brakepedal to heat up the brakes. Do not wash the engine compartment and areas adjacent to it.
If water enters the engine air intake, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will cause engine trouble or faulty pow-
er steering respectively.
The b est way to p reserve your vehic le ’s b eauty is freq uent washing .
Wash the vehic le at least onc e a month to avoid c on tamination b y road
g rime.
Wash d irt off with a wet sp ong e and p lenty of lukew arm or c old water. Do
not wash the vehic le with hot water and in d irec t s unlig ht.
Salt, c hemic als, insec ts, tar, soot and b ird d rop p i ng s should b e washed
off b y using a lig ht d eterg ent, as req uired . If you use a lig ht d eterg ent,
make c ertain that it is a neutral d eterg ent. Do not use strong soap or
c hemic al d eterg ents. All c leaning ag ents should b e p romp tly flushed
from the surfac e and not allowed to d ry there. Rins e the vehic le thor-
oug hly with p lenty of lukewarm water. Wip e the rema ining water off with a
c hamois or soft c loth.
Washing the underbody
Chemic als, salts and g ravel used for d eic ing road s urfac es are ex-
tremely c orrosive, ac c elerating the c orrosion of un d erb od y c omp o-
nents, suc h as the exhaust system, fuel and b rake l ines, b rake
c ab les, floor p an and fend ers, and susp ension.
Thoroug hly flush the und erb od y and insid e of the fe nd ers with luke-
warm or c old water at freq uent intervals to red uc e the harmful effec ts
of suc h ag ents.

Appearance care10-5
–
CONTINUED –
3. Damp ness in c ertain p arts of the vehic le remains
for a long time,
even thoug h other p arts of the vehic le may b e d ry.
4. Hig h temp eratures will c ause c orrosion to p arts o f the vehic le
whic h c annot d ry q uic kly d ue to lac k of p rop er vent ilation.
To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehic le freq uently. If you d rive on salted road s in the winter
or if you live in a c oastal area, you should flush the und erb od y with
fresh water freq uently.
After the winter has end ed , it is rec ommend ed that the und erb od y b e
g iven a very thoroug h washing .
Before the b eg inning of winter, c hec k the c ond ition of und erb od y
c omp onents, suc h as the exhaust system, fuel and b r ake lines, b rake
c ab les, susp ension, steering system, floor p an, and fend ers. If any of
them are found to b e rusted , they should b e g iven a n ap p rop riate rust
p revention treatment or should b e rep lac ed . Contac t your SUBARU
d ealer to p erform this kind of maintenanc e and trea tment if you need
assistanc e.
Rep air c hip s and sc ratc hes in the p aint as soon as you find them.
Chec k the interior of the vehic le for water and d ir t ac c umulation und er
the floor mats b ec ause that c ould c ause c orrosion. Oc c asionally
c hec k und er the mats to make sure the area is d ry.
Keep your g arag e d ry. Do not p ark your vehic le in a d amp , p oorly
ventilated g arag e. In suc h a g arag e, c orrosion c an b e c aused b y
d amp ness. If you wash the vehic le in the g arag e or p ut the vehic le
into the g arag e when wet or c overed with snow, that c an c ause
d amp ness.
If your vehic le is op erated in c old weather and /or in areas where road
salts and other c orrosive materials are used , the d oor hing es and
loc ks, trunk lid loc k, and hood latc h should b e ins p ec ted and lub ri-
c ated p eriod ic ally.

11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule11-3
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Maintenance precautions 11-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine hood 11-6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine compartment overview 11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil 11-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling system 11-14
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine coolant 11-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air cleaner element 11-18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spark plugs 11-19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drive belts 11-20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission oil 11-21
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission fluid 11-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Front differential gear oil (Automatic transmission vehicles) 11-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear differential gear oil 11-25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power steering fluid 11-27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid 11-28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clutch fluid 11-30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake booster 11-31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery 11-31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield washer fluid 11-33
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacement of windshield wiper blades 11-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake pedal 11-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles) 11-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacement of brake pad and lining 11-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parking brake stroke 11-40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires and wheels 11-41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire pressure 11-41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire rotation 11-42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aluminum wheels (If equipped) 11-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuses 11-44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Main fuse and fusible link 11-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation of accessories 11-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing bulbs 11-48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11-8Engine compartment overview 1
Manual transmission oil level
g aug e (MT) (p ag e 11-21) or
Differential g ear oil level
g aug e (AT) (p ag e 11-24)
2 Air c leaner element
(p ag e 11-18)
3 Clutc h fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-30)
4 Automatic transmission fluid
level g aug e (p ag e 11-22)
5 Brake fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-28)
6 Fuel filter 7
Wind shield washer tank
(p ag e 11-33)
8 Fuse b ox (p ag e 11-44)
9 Battery (p ag e 11-31)
Q Eng ine oil filler c ap
(p ag e 11-9)
W Eng ine c oolant reservoir
(p ag e 11-15)
E Eng ine oil level g aug e
(p ag e 11-9)
R Power steering fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-27)
T Rad iator c ap (p ag e 11-15) HGA017BB