2006 SUBARU FORESTER wheel

9-14
In case of emergency
Moonroof – if the moonroof cannot be closedIf the moonroof cannot be closed with the
moonroof switch, you can close the moon-
roof manually.
1. Remove the plug on the roof trim locat-
ed to the rear of the moonroof by inserting
the end of the flat-head screwdriver be-
tween the roof and plug and prying it off.2. Insert a hex-headed wrench in the end
of the motor shaft.
To close the moonroof, turn the wrench
counterclockwise.
Have your vehicle checked and repaired
by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
Maintenance toolsYour vehicle is equipped with the following
maintenance tools:
Screwdriver
Wheel nut wrench
Hex-head wrench (for vehicle with
moonroof)
900235
900236
900265
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10
Appearance care
Exterior care ....................................................... 10-2
Washing ................................................................... 10-2
Waxing and polishing ............................................. 10-3
Cleaning aluminum wheels .................................... 10-3
Corrosion protection .......................................... 10-3
Most common causes of corrosion ...................... 10-3
To help prevent corrosion ..................................... 10-4
Cleaning the interior .......................................... 10-4
Seat fabric ............................................................... 10-4
Leather seat materials ............................................ 10-5
Synthetic leather upholstery ................................. 10-5
Ashtray .................................................................... 10-5
Climate control panel, audio panel, instrument panel, console panel, switches, combination
meter, and other plastic surfaces ....................... 10-5
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Appearance care
10-3
– CONTINUED –
of the high temperature, high pressure
type, and they can damage or deform the
resin parts such as mouldings, or cause
water to leak into the vehicle.„Waxing and polishingAlways wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing and polishing.
Use a good quality polish and wax and ap-
ply them according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. Wax or polish when the paint-
ed surface is cool.
Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim,
as well as the painted surfaces. Loss of
wax on a painted surface leads to loss of
the original luster and also quickens the
deterioration of the surface. It is recom-
mended that a coat of wax be applied at
least once a month, or whenever the sur-
face no longer repels water.
If the appearance of the paint has dimin-
ished to the point where the luster or tone
cannot be restored, lightly polish the sur-
face with a fine-grained compound. Never
polish just the affected area, but include
the surrounding area as well. Always pol-
ish in only one direction. A No. 2000 grain
compound is recommended. Never use a
coarse-grained compound. Coarser
grained compounds have a smaller grain- size number and could damage the paint.
After polishing with a compound, coat with
wax to restore the original luster. Frequent
polishing with a compound or an incorrect
polishing technique will result in removing
the paint layer and exposing the under-
coat. When in doubt, it is always best to
contact your SUBARU dealer or an auto
paint specialist.
NOTEBe careful not to block the windshield
washer nozzles with wax when waxing
the vehicle.„
Cleaning aluminum wheelsyPromptly wipe the aluminum wheels
clean of any kind of grime or agent. If dirt
is left on too long, it may be difficult to
clean off.
y Do not use soap containing grit to clean
the wheels. Be sure to use a neutral clean-
ing agent, and later rinse thoroughly with
water. Do not clean the wheels with a stiff
brush or expose them to a high-speed
washing device.
y Clean the vehicle (including the alumi-
num wheels) with water as soon as possi-
ble when it has been splashed with sea
water, exposed to sea breezes, or driven
on roads treated with salt or other agents.
Corrosion protectionYour SUBARU has been designed and
built to resist corrosion. Special materials
and protective finishes have been used on
most parts of the vehicle to help maintain
fine appearance, strength, and reliable
operation.„ Most common causes of cor-
rosionThe most common causes of corrosion
are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retaining
dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle
when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust control
chemicals, or used in coastal areas where
there is more salt in the air, or in areas
where there is considerable industrial pol-
lution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity, es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the vehi-
cle remains for a long time, even though
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Maintenance and serviceReplacement of brake pad and lining ............... 11-28
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ......... 11-28
Parking brake stroke .......................................... 11-29
Tires and wheels ................................................ 11-29
Types of tires .......................................................... 11-29
Tire inspection ........................................................ 11-30
Tire pressures and wear ........................................ 11-30
Wheel balance ........................................................ 11-32
Wear indicators ....................................................... 11-32
Tire rotation ............................................................. 11-32
Tire replacement ..................................................... 11-33
Wheel replacement ................................................. 11-33
Aluminum wheels (if equipped) ........................ 11-34
Windshield washer fluid .................................... 11-34
Replacement of wiper blades ............................ 11-36
Windshield wiper blades ........................................ 11-36
Rear window wiper blade ....................................... 11-37
Battery ................................................................\
. 11-39
Fuses ..................................................................\
. 11-40
Main fuse ............................................................. 11-41
Installation of accessories ................................ 11-42
Replacing bulbs .................................................. 11-43
Headlights (Canada-spec. 2.5XT) .......................... 11-44
Headlights (Except Canada-spec. 2.5XT) ............. 11-45
Rear combination lights ......................................... 11-46
License plate light .................................................. 11-47
Dome light and map light ....................................... 11-47
High mount stop light ............................................ 11-48
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Maintenance and service
11 - 3
– CONTINUED –
Maintenance and service
Maintenance scheduleThe scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the separate “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”.
Maintenance precautionsWhen maintenance and service are re-
quired, it is recommended that all work be
done by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service
by yourself, you should familiarize your-
self with the information provided in this
section on general maintenance and ser-
vice for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could
cause improper or unsafe vehicle opera-
tion. Any problems caused by improper
maintenance and service performed by
you are not eligible for warranty coverage.yTesting of an All-Wheel Drive ve-
hicle must NEVER be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamome-
ter or similar apparatus. Attempt-
ing to do so will result in transmis-
sion damage and in uncontrolled
vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons
nearby.yAlways select a safe area when
performing maintenance on your
vehicle.
yAlways be very careful to avoid in-
jury when working on the vehicle.
Remember that some of the mate-
rials in the vehicle may be hazard-
ous if improperly used or handled,
for example, battery acid.yYour vehicle should only be ser-
viced by persons fully competent
to do so. Serious personal injury
may result to persons not experi-
enced in servicing vehicles.yAlways use the proper tools and
make certain that they are well
maintained.yNever get under the vehicle sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use
a safety stands to support the ve-
hicle.yNever keep the engine running in
a poorly ventilated area, such as a
garage or other closed areas.yDo not smoke or allow open
flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire.yBecause the fuel system is under
pressure, replacement of the fuel
filter should be performed only by
your SUBARU dealer.
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Maintenance and service
11 - 2 9
– CONTINUED –
brake to cool down. Repeat this proce-
dure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the
parking brake stroke is out of the specified
range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut
located on the parking brake lever.Parking brake stroke:
7 – 8 notches / 44 lbs (196 N, 20 kg)
Parking brake strokeCheck the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”. When
the parking brake is properly adjusted,
braking power is fully applied by pulling
the lever up seven to eight notches gently
but firmly (approximately 44 lbs, 196 N, 20
kg). If the parking brake lever stroke is not
within the specified range, have the brake
system checked and adjusted at your
SUBARU dealer.
Tires and wheels„Types of tiresYou should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
T All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new ve-
hicle are all season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road con-
ditions. However all season tires do not of-
fer as much traction performance as win-
ter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow or
on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON” and/or “M+S” (Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall.
T Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to re-
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
Pulling the parking brake lever too
forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be cer-
tain to pull the lever up slowly and
gently.
B00379
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11 - 3 0
Maintenance and service
place all four tires.
TWinter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as sum-
mer tires and all season tires on roads oth-
er than snow-covered and icy roads. „ Tire inspectionCheck on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immediate-
ly if you find any problem.NOTEyWhen the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on oth-
er rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and ap-
proach the curbs as squarely as possi-
ble. Also, make sure the tires are not
pressed against the curb when you park the vehicle.
y
If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the ve-
hicle in a straight line, one of the tires
and/or wheels may be damaged. Drive
slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicle
inspected.
„ Tire pressures and wearMaintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires’ service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey. Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving the vehi-
cle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to in-
crease. Be careful not to mistakenly re-
lease air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTEy
The air pressure in a tire increases
by approximately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm
2) when the tire becomes warm.
y The tires are considered cold when
the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours or has been driven less
than one mile (1.6 km).
800221
Do not let air out of warm tires to ad-
just pressure. Doing so will result in
low tire pressure.
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11 - 3 2
Maintenance and service
„Wheel balanceEach wheel was correctly balanced when
your vehicle was new, but the wheels will
become unbalanced as the tires become
worn during use. Wheel imbalance caus-
es the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts from
the vehicle’s straight-line stability. It can
also cause steering and suspension sys-
tem problems and abnormal tire wear. If
you suspect that the wheels are not cor-
rectly balanced, have them checked and
adjusted by your SUBARU dealer. Also
have them adjusted after tire repairs and
after tire rotation.NOTELoss of correct wheel alignment* caus-
es the tires to wear on one side and re-
duces the vehicle’s running stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer if you no-
tice abnormal tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold
each wheel at a certain alignment (relative to
the other wheels and to the road) for optimum
straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance.„
Wear indicators1) New tread
2) Worn tread
3) Tread wear indicatorEach tire incorporates a tread wear indica-
tor, which becomes visible when the depth
of the tread grooves decreases to 0.063 in
(1.6 mm). A tire must be replaced when
the tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
NOTEFor safety, inspect tire tread regularly
and replace the tires before their tread
wear indicators become visible.„Tire rotation
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of vehi-
cle control could lead to an acci-
dent.
12 3
B00327
When a tire’s tread wear indicator
becomes visible, the tire is worn be-
yond the acceptable limit and must
be replaced immediately. With a tire
in this condition, driving at high
speeds in wet weather can cause
the vehicle to hydroplane. The re-
sulting loss of vehicle control can
lead to an accident.
B00054
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