2006 SUBARU FORESTER Owners Manual

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8
Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000 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 vehicles ........................... 8-5
Off road driving .................................................. 8-6
Winter driving ..................................................... 8-7
Operation during cold weather .............................. 8-7
Driving on snowy and icy roads ............................ 8-9
Corrosion protection .............................................. 8-10
Snow tires ............................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ............................................................... 8-10
Rocking the vehicle ................................................ 8-11
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-11
Vehicle capacity weight ......................................... 8-12
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................... 8-12
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ..................... 8-13
Trailer hitch (if equipped) .................................. 8-16
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-16
When you do not tow a trailer ............................... 8-17
Trailer towing ...................................................... 8-18
Warranties and maintenance ................................. 8-18
Maximum load limits .............................................. 8-18 Trailer hitches ......................................................... 8-21
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-22
Trailer towing tips ................................................... 8-23
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8-2
Driving tips
Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving
– the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km)The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent 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):
yDo not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept 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 accel-
eration, except in an emergency.
y Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
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 hintsThe 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 decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain 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 driv-
er’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.
y Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.
y Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.
y Avoid carrying unnecessary cargo.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)yNever inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.yAlways properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.yNever run the engine in a closed
space, such as a garage, except
for the brief time needed to drive
the vehicle in or out of it.yAvoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy time while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use the ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.yAlways keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.
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Driving tips
8-3
– CONTINUED –
NOTEDue to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal.
Catalytic converterTurbo model
Non-turbo model
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust gas-
es, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic convert-
er:
yUse only unleaded fuel. Even a small
amount of leaded fuel will damage the cat-
alytic converter.
y Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.
y Avoid racing the engine.
y Never turn off the ignition switch while
the vehicle is moving.
y Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
y Do not apply undercoating or rust pre-
vention treatment to the heat shield of cat-
alytic converter and the exhaust system.
y If at any time you suspect that ex-
haust fumes are entering the vehi-
cle, have the problem checked
and corrected as soon as possi-
ble. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all win-
dows fully open.yKeep the rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle.
800232800218
yAvoid fire hazards. Do not drive or
park the vehicle anywhere near
flammable materials (e.g. grass,
paper, rags or leaves), because
the catalytic converter operates at
very high temperatures.
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8-4
Driving tips
Periodic inspectionsTo keep your vehicle in the best condition
at all times, always have the recommend-
ed maintenance services listed in the
maintenance schedule in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet” performed at
the specified time or mileage intervals.
Driving in foreign countriesWhen planning to use your vehicle in an-
other country:
yConfirm the availability of the correct fu-
el. (Refer to the “Fuel requirements” sec-
tion in chapter 7.)
y Comply with all regulations and require-
ments of each country.
y Keep everyone and flammable
materials away from the exhaust
pipe while the engine is running.
The exhaust gas is very hot.
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Driving tips
8-5
Driving tips for AWD vehiclesAll-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD vehicles
provide better traction when driving on
slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand. By
shifting power between the front and rear
wheels, SUBARU AWD can also provide
added traction during acceleration and
added engine braking force during decel-
eration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle
may handle differently than an ordinary
two wheel drive vehicle and it contains
some features unique to AWD. For safety
purposes as well as to avoid damaging
the AWD system, you should keep the fol-lowing tips in mind:
y
An AWD vehicle is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling, how-
ever, during extremely sharp turns or sud-
den braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an am-
ple distance from other vehicles.
y When replacing a tire, make sure you
use only the same size, construction,
brand, and load range as the original tires
listed on the tire placard. Using other sizes
or construction may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train of your
vehicle and may affect ride, handling,
braking, speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion, and clearance between the body and
tires. It also may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control.
y Always check the cold tire pressure be-
fore starting to drive. The recommended
tire pressure is provided on the tire plac-
ard, which is located under the door latch
on the driver’s side.
y Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only.
y There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detail information, see the “Towing”
section in chapter 9.
800004
y Always maintain a safe driving
speed according 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.yAlways use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
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8-6
Driving tips
Off road drivingBecause of the AWD feature and higher
ground clearance, 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 nei-
ther a conventional 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:
yMake certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
y Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
y Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary 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. In-
stead, drive either 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, espe-
cially 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 out-
side 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 completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your ve-
hicle and may cause it to stall. Never at-
tempt 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 traction and even vehicle
rollover.
y Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
y Do not drive or park over or near flam- mable materials such as dry grass or fall-
en leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after the engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
y
After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, 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 underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
y Secure all cargo carried inside the vehi-
cle 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 in-
jury. 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.
y If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelera-
tor pedal slightly and move the selector le-
ver back and forth between “D” and “R” re-
peatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the
wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slip-
pery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
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Driving tips
8-7
– CONTINUED –
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
yNever equip your vehicle with tires larg-
er than those specified in this manual.
y Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle un-
der hard-driving conditions such as rough
roads or off roads will necessitate more
frequent replacement of engine oil, brake
fluid and transmission oil than that speci-
fied in the maintenance schedule de-
scribed in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage.
y Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.
Winter driving„ Operation during cold weath-
erCarry 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 tem-
peratures reduce battery capacity. The
battery must be in good condition to pro-
vide enough power for cold winter starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and vis-
cosity for cold weather. Heavy summer oil
will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
yAlways maintain a safe driving
speed according 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.
yAlways use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
800219
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