2005 SUBARU FORESTER brake

7-32
Starting and operating
trols each brake through the ABS, whenever the ABS
stops operating due to a malfunction in that electrical
system, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will also be-
come unable to control all four brakes. Thus Vehicle
Dynamics Control system operation halts and the
warning light turns on. Although both the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system and the ABS will be inoperable
in this situation, it will still be possible to stop the vehi-
cle using normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system and the ABS do not adversely affect oper-
ation of the vehicle in any way when they are inopera-
ble; however should such a situation occur, drive with
care and have an authorized SUBARU dealer carry
out an inspection of those systems at the first available
opportunity.
NOTE
When the warning light turns on and off in the fol-
lowing way, it indicates that the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is operating normally. y
Although turning on after the engine has been
started, the warning light quickly turns off and
stays off. y The warning light turns on when the vehicle is
being driven; it then turns off and stays off. V Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
This light comes on to indicate that the Vehicle Dy- namics Control system is in non-operation mode. This
does not constitute failure of the Vehicle DynamicsControl system.
NOTE y
The indicator light may stay on for a while after
the engine has been started, especially in cold
weather. This occurs because the engine has not
yet warmed up and is completely normal. The light
will turn off when the engine has reached a suit-
able operating temperature. y When an engine problem occurs and the mal-
function indicator lamp turns on, the indicator
light will also come on.
The following two situations could indicate malfunction
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control system; if either
should occur, have an authorized SUBARU dealer
carry out an inspection of that system at the first avail-
able opportunity. y The indicator light does not turn on when the ignition
key is turned to the ON position. y The indicator light fails to turn off after the engine is
started, even when several minutes have passed to al-
low the engine to heat up sufficiently.

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Starting and operating
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

7-36
Starting and operating
they may burn easily if they come near hot en-
gine or exhaust system parts.y
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.
US7512BA

7-37
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
The Hill holder does not operate when the vehicle is
facing downhill. And the Hill holder may not operate on
slight grades.
When starting in reverse and using the Hill holder, a
braking effect may be felt even after the brake pedal
has been released. However, this braking effect
should disappear once the clutch pedal is released.
A slight jolt may be felt when the vehicle begins to
move forward after being reversed.
If the braking power of the Hill holder is insufficient af-
ter the brake pedal is released, apply more braking
power by pressing the brake pedal again.
The Hill Holder is a device only for helping the
driver to START the vehicle on an uphill grade.
To prevent accidents when the vehicle is
parked on a slope, be sure to firmly set the
parking brake. When setting the parking brake,
make sure that the vehicle remains stationary
when the clutch pedal is released.
US7513BA

7-40
Starting and operating
At this time, the “ ” indicator light is illuminated in
the combination meter.
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: y
Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction (if
so equipped). y Depress the brake pedal.
y Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission ve-
hicles only).y Shift the selector lever into the “N” position (auto-
matic transmission vehicles only). y Shift the shift lever into neutral (manual transmis-
sion vehicles only).
The “ ” indicator light in the combination meter
goes off when the cruise control is cancelled.
To resume the cruise control after it has been tempo-
rarily canceled and with vehicle speed of about 20
US1115HAUB7204BA

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Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
TTo decrease the speed (by brake pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release cruise control
temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the desired speed,
press the control lever downward in the “SET/COAST”
direction once. Now the desired speed is set and the
vehicle will keep running at that speed without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. Self-leveling rear suspension (if
equipped)
The self-leveling suspension adjusts the vehicle body
position automatically to keep it level at all times irre-
spective of the number of occupants and the amount
of cargo.
The self-leveling system is incorporated in the rear
suspension shock absorber and operates only when
the vehicle is in motion.
HS7019BA

8-2
Driving tips
Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the
first 1,000 miles (1,600 km)
The performance and long life of your vehicle are de-
pendent on how you handle and care for your vehicle
while it is new. Follow these instructions during the
first 1,000 miles (1,600 km):y
Do not race the engine. And do not allow engine
speed to exceed 4,000 rpm except in an emergency.y Do not drive at one constant engine or vehicle
speed for a long time, either fast or slow. y Avoid starting suddenly and rapid acceleration, ex-
cept in an emergency. y Avoid hard braking, except in an emergency.
The same break-in procedures should be applied to
an overhauled engine, newly mounted engine or when
brake pads or brake linings are replaced with new
ones.
Fuel economy hints
The following suggestions will help to save your fuel. y Select the proper gear position for the speed and
road conditions. y Avoid sudden acceleration or deceleration. Always
accelerate gently until you reach the desired speed.
Then try to maintain that speed for as long as possible. y Do not pump the accelerator and avoid racing the
engine. y Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
y Keep the engine properly tuned.
y Keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure shown
on the tire placard, which is located under the door
latch on the driver’s side. Low pressure will increase
tire wear and fuel consumption.y Use the air conditioner only when necessary.
y Keep the front and rear wheels in proper alignment.
y Avoid carrying unnecessary cargo.

8-8
Driving tips
Off road driving
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, your SUBARU can be driven on ordinary roads
or off-road. But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you
do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as the following should be taken: y
Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seatbelts. y Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and cell phone or citizens band radio. y Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain.y Slow down and employ extra caution at all times.
When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit of
marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. y Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther straight up or straight down the slopes. A vehicle
can much more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down slopes
that are too steep.y Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher speeds. y
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.y 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 under-
carriage. 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; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover. y 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.y 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