2003 SUBARU FORESTER oil type

10-2
Appearance care
Appearance care
Exterior care
Washing
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s beauty is fre-
quent washing. Wash the vehicle at least once a
month to avoid contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of luke-
warm or cold water. Do not wash the vehicle with hot
water and in direct sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot and bird droppings
should be washed off by using a light detergent, as re-
quired. If you use a light detergent, make certain that
it is a neutral detergent. Do not use strong soap or
chemical detergents. All cleaning agents should be
promptly flushed from the surface and not allowed to
dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of
lukewarm water. Wipe the remaining water off with a
chamois or soft cloth.
When washing the vehicle, the brakes may
get wet. As a result, the brake stopping dis-
tance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the
vehicle at a safe speed while lightly pressing
the brake pedal to heat up the brakes.
Do not wash the engine compartment and
area adjacent to it. If water enters the engine air
intake, electrical parts or the power steering flu-
id reservoir, it will cause engine trouble or
faulty power steering respectively.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in an automatic
car wash, make sure beforehand that the car wash
is of suitable type. Automatic car wash brushes or
other equipment may damage the rear wiper and
roof spoiler (if equipped). Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for deicing road sur-
faces are extremely corrosive, accelerating the corro-
sion of underbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake cables, floor pan
and fenders, and suspension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and inside of the
fenders with lukewarm or cold water at frequent inter-
vals to reduce the harmful effects of such agents. Using a warm water washer
Keepagooddistanceof12in(30cm)ormorebe-
tween the washer nozzle and the vehicle. Do not wash the same area continuously.

11 - 1
11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ................................ 11-3
Maintenance precautions ........................... 11-3 Before checking or servicing in the engine
compartment ................................................... 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the
engine compartment while the engine is
running ............................................................. 11-5
Engine hood ................................................. 11-5
Engine compartment overview .................. 11-8
Engine oil ..................................................... 11-9 Checking the oil level ..................................... 11-9
Changing the oil and oil filter ........................ 11-10
Recommended grade and viscosity .............. 11-12
Recommended grade and viscosity under
severe driving conditions .............................. 11-14
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-14
Cooling system ............................................ 11-14 Cooling fan, hose and connections .............. 11-15
Engine coolant ................................................ 11-15
Air cleaner element ..................................... 11-19 Replacing the air cleaner element ................. 11-19
Spark plugs .................................................. 11-20 Recommended spark plugs ........................... 11-21
Drive belts .................................................... 11-21
Manual transmission oil .............................. 11-22 Checking the oil level ..................................... 11-22
Recommended grade and viscosity .............. 11-23
Automatic transmission fluid ..................... 11-24 Checking the fluid level .................................. 11-24 Recommended fluid ....................................... 11-25
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ..... 11-26 Checking the oil level ..................................... 11-26
Recommended grade and viscosity ............. 11-26
Rear differential gear oil .............................. 11-27 Checking the gear oil level ............................ 11-27
Recommended grade and viscosity ............. 11-28
Power steering fluid ..................................... 11-29 Checking the fluid level .................................. 11-29
Recommended fluid ....................................... 11-30
Brake fluid .................................................... 11-30 Checking the fluid level .................................. 11-30
Recommended brake fluid ............................. 11-31
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ........................... 11-31 Checking the fluid level .................................. 11-31
Recommended clutch fluid ............................ 11-32
Brake booster ............................................... 11-32
Brake pedal ................................................... 11-33 Checking the brake pedal free play .............. 11-33
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance . 11-33
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) .......................... 11-34 Checking the clutch function ........................ 11-34
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............. 11-34
Hill holder (MT vehicles — if equipped) ..... 11-35
Replacement of brake pad and lining ........ 11-35 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .. 11-36
Parking brake stroke ................................... 11-37
Tires and wheels .......................................... 11-37 Types of tires .................................................. 11-37

14-7
Index
SRS
Airbag system warning light ....................... 3-10
Frontal airbag ............................................ 1-44
Side airbag ................................................ 1-51
Storage compartments ................................... 6-4
Sun visors ....................................................... 6-3
Supplemental restraint system airbag ............ 1-39
Synthetic leather upholstery ........................... 10-6 T
Tachometer .................................................... 3-6
Temperature gauge ........................................ 3-8
Tilt steering wheel .......................................... 3-33Tire Chains ....................................................... 8-13
Inspection .................................................. 11-38
Pressures and wear ................................... 11-38
Replacement ............................................. 11-43
Rotation ..................................................... 11-42
Types ......................................................... 11-37
Top tether anchorages ................................... 1-38
Towing ............................................................ 9-13
All wheels on the ground ........................... 9-15
Flat-bed truck ............................................. 9-15
Tie-down hooks .............................................. 9-13 Trailer Connecting ................................................ 8-31 Hitch .......................................................... 8-22
Towing ....................................................... 8-25
Towing tips ................................................ 8-32
Turn signal indicator lights .............................. 3-15
Turn signal lever ............................................. 3-19 U
Under-floor storage compartment ... ............... 6-19
V
Valet mode ..................................................... 2-17
Vanity mirror ................................................... 6-4
Vehicle capacity weight .................................. 8-15
Vehicle identification ....................................... 12-10
Ventilator ........................................................ 4-2 W
Warning and indicator lights ........................... 3-9
Warning lights ABS ........................................................... 3-12
Anti-lock Brake system .............................. 3-12
AT OIL TEMPerature ................................. 3-12
Brake system ............................................. 3-13
Charge ....................................................... 3-11
CHECK ENGINE ....................................... 3-10
Door open .................................................. 3-14