2003 SUBARU FORESTER transmission

7-17
Starting and operating
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gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal
is pressed to accelerate the vehicle again. While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing the brake
pedal will cause the transmission to downshift to 3rd
gear, thus applying engine braking. Reacceleration for
a short time will cause the transmission to upshift nor- mally.
NOTE
In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a
downhill grade does not result in an automatic
downshift to 3rd gear. This can happen when the
automatic transmission fluid temperature is very
low, for example, during d riving shortly after the
vehicle has been parked for an extended period of
time. When the ATF temperature has risen to a cer-
tain level, automatic downshift normally takes
place. In the meantime, downshift manually for en-
gine braking as required.
Also, downshifting when braking downhill will not
occur at speeds above approximately 48 mph (78
km/h). 3 (Third)
This position is for using engine braking when going
downahillorforclimbingagrade. The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 3rd according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear
position.
2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a steep grade.
In this position, the transmission holds in the 2nd gear.
Use this position when starting off from a standstill on
slippery road surfaces such as mud or snow. It will en-
sure greater traction. 1(First)
This position is for driving up or down very steep
grades, or driving through mud or sand, or on slippery
surfaces. In this position, the transmission holds in the
1st gear. Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear. The tachome-

7-18
Starting and operating
ter’s needle will enter the red area if these speeds are
exceeded.
When shifting down a gear, it is important to confirm
that the current vehicle speed is not in excess of the
Maximum Allowable Speed of the gear which is about
to be selected.
Exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speeds will result
in over-revving of the engine. In addition a powerful
engine brake will engage and control of the vehicle
may be lost.
mph (km/h)
NOTE
In order to prevent over-revving during decelera-
tion of the vehicle, the transmission will remain in
the current gear if the speed of the vehicle is in ex-
cess of the Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear
to which the selector lever has been moved.
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the ve-
hicle is not travelling at a speed exceeding the
Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear which
is about to be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-revving and
this in turn can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine
brakes when the vehicle is travelling on a slip-
pery surface can lead to wheel locking; as a
consequence, control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident increased.
Driving tips
Always apply the foot or parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped in the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R” position. Always set the parking brake when parking your ve-
hicle. Do not hold the vehicle with only the transmis-
sion. Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary position on
an uphill grade by using the “D”, “3”, “2”, or “1” position.
Use the brake instead. Shift lock release
If the selector lever does not move from the “P” posi-
X and XS
1st 34 (54)
2nd 62 (100)
3rd 101 (162)

7-27
Starting and operating
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Parking your vehicle Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firmly
and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly,
press the release button, then lower the lever while
keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is run-
ning, the parking brake warning light comes on. After
starting the vehicle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section (chapter 3).
Never drive while the parking brake is set be-
cause this will cause unnecessary wear on the
brake linings. Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake has been fully
released.
Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for an
upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for manual
transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) position for
automatic transmission vehicles. Always set the park-
ing brake firmly when parking your vehicle. Never rely
on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
HS7014BA

7-29
Starting and operating
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they may burn easily if they come near hot en-
gine or exhaust system parts.Be sure to stop the engine if you take a nap in
the vehicle. If engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occupants in the ve-
hicle could die from carbon monoxide (CO)
contained in the exhaust gas. Hill holder (for manual transmission
— if equipped)
The Hill holder is a device to make starting on an uphill
grade easier.
On an uphill grade, when the clutch pedal is de-
pressed while the brake pedal is also depressed, brak-
ing power is maintained temporarily by the Hill holder
when the brake pedal is released. The driver is there-
fore able to start the vehicle the same way as on a lev-
el grade, just using the clutch and accelerator pedal.
HS7021BA

7-32
Starting and operating
3. Push the control lever downward in the “SET,
COAST” direction and release it. Then release the ac-
celerator pedal.
The vehicle will maintain the desired speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily increased while
driving with the cruise control activated. Simply de-
press the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
When the accelerator pedal is released, the vehicle
will return to and maintain the previous cruising speed.
To temporarily cancel the cruise con- trol
There are four ways to cancel the cruise control tem- porarily:
Depress the brake pedal.
Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction. (if
so equipped) Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission ve-
hicles only). Shift the selector lever into the “N” position (auto-
matic transmission vehicles only).
To resume the cruise control after it has been tempo-
rarily canceled and with vehicle speed of about 20
mph (32 km/h) or more, push the control lever upward
in the “ACCEL, RESUME” direction to return to the
original cruising speed automatically. To turn off the cruise control
Therearetwowaystoturnoffthecruisecontrol: Pushthemainswitchagain.
Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” po-
sition (but only when the vehicle is completely
stopped). To change the cruising speed
To increase the speed (by control lever)
Push the control lever upward in the “ACCEL, RE-
SUME” direction and hold it until the vehicle reaches
A CC
RE S
CANC EL
S ET
C OAS
T
HS7018BA

8-8
Driving tips

Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure
your hands. Instead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim. If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and
the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and ensure
that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s
undercarriage. Water entering the engine air intake or
the exhaust pipe or water splashing onto electrical
parts may damage your vehicle and may cause it to
stall. Never attempt to drive through rushing water; re-
gardless of its depth, it can wash away the ground
from under your tires, resulting in possible loss of trac-
tion and even vehicle rollover. Always check your brakes for effectiveness immedi-
ately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by
driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Re-
peat that process several times to dry out the brake
discs and brake pads. Do not drive or park over or near flammable materi-
als such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the engine stops. This
could create a fire hazard.
After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, riv-
ers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stones, sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from the under-
body. If the vehicle is use d with these materials
trapped or adhering to the underbody, a mechanical
breakdown or fire could occur. Secure all cargo carried inside the vehicle and make
certain that it is not piled higher than the seatbacks.
During sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could
be thrown around in the vehicle and cause injury. Do
not pile heavy loads on the roof. Those loads raise the
vehicle’s center of gravity and make it more prone to
tip over. If you must rock the vehicle to free it from sand or
mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and move
the selector lever back and forth between “D” and “R”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the best pos-
sible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can
obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the
transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT). Never equip your vehicle with tires larger than those
specified in this manual. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driv-
ing conditions such as rough roads or off roads will ne-

8-9
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
cessitate more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that specified in
the maintenance schedule described in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to your Subaru while
operating it off-road and not using common sense pre-
cautions such as those listed above is not eligible for
warranty coverage.
Always maintain a safe driving speed accord-
ing to the road and weather conditions in order
to avoid having an accident on a sharp turn,
during sudden braking or under other similar
conditions. Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving an all
wheel drive vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
Winter driving Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such as tire
chains, a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a
small shovel, and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures re-
duce battery capacity. The battery must be in good
condition to provide enough power for cold winterstarts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and viscosity for
cold weather. Heavy summer oil will cause harder
HS8004AA

8-10
Driving tips
starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them
with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or separate
the rubber weather strips around the door. If the door
is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other
substitutes because they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the pedals
slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check
that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all other
controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under
the fenders to avoid making steering difficult. During
severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe
to do so and check under the fenders periodically.
Parkingincoldweather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmission
vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows,
raise the wiper blades off the glass to prevent damage
to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor braking action.
Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc
brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful
not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses and
ABS harness.
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust