
3-16 Instruments and controls
The ABS warning light comes on together with the brake system warning light if the
EBD system becomes faulty. For further
details of the EBD system fault warning,
refer to “Brake system warning light”.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal. yThe warning light comes on right af-
ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off. y The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). y The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jumpstarted, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out. „
Brake system
warning light
This light has the following three func-
tions: TParking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the
“ON” position. It goes out when the park-
ing brake is fully released. T Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN” level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON” position and with the parking brake fully released. If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN” mark in the reser-
voir, do not drive the vehicle. Have the ve-
hicle towed to the nearest SUBARU deal-
er for repair. T
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also illu-
minates if a malfunction occurs in the EBD
system. In that event, it comes on together
with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously during driv-
ing.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are ap-
plied harder than usual and the vehicle’s
motion may therefore become somewhat
harder to control. If the brake system warning light and ABS
y Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
yIf at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
(U.S.) (Canada)

Starting and operating 7-15
– CONTINUED –
Power steering
The power steering system operates only
when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.
NOTE
Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump whichis located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is nor-
mal. It does not indicate power steering
system trouble.
Braking „Braking tips
TWhen the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a re-
sult, brake stopping distance will be long-
er. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at
a safe speed while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up the brakes. T Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
help prevent this, shift into a lower gear to
get stronger engine braking. T Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly when a tire is punctured. This could cause
a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually reduc-
ing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to
a safe place. „
Brake system
T Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has a dual circuit brake sys-
tem. Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle. If one circuit of the brake sys-
tem should fail, the other half of the sys-
tem still works. If one circuit fails, the
brake pedal will go down much closer to
the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the vehicle. T Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. If engine
manifold vacuum becomes insufficient,
such as when driving in a high-altitude
place, a vacuum pump assures a suffi-
cient vacuum to operate the brake boost-
er. Do not turn off the engine while driving
because that will turn off the brake boost-
er, resulting in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than five seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.

7-16 Starting and operating
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to push the pedal much harder
than normal and the braking distance will
increase.
NOTE
Some sound accompanying operation
of the vacuum pump may be heard from the engine compartment during
driving. This does not indicate a fault. „Disc brake pad wear warning
indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, imme- diately have your vehicle inspected by the
nearest SUBARU dealer.
ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem)
700040
Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with an ABS equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident. y
The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe fol-
lowing distance from other vehi-
cles.
y When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy road, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be longer
for a vehicle with the ABS system
than one without. When driving
under these conditions, therefore,
reduce your speed and leave am-
ple distance from other vehicles.

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 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 orslow. 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 a newly installed or overhauled
engine or when brake pads or brake lin-
ings 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 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 luggage or
cargo. Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
y
Never 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.

8-6 Driving tips
Your B9 TRIBECA is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including
off-road driving, but a higher center of
gravity in relation to the tread width as
compared with ordinary passenger cars
makes vehicles of this type more likely to
roll over. In reality, utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles. The high ground clear-
ance of this vehicle is a real advantage,
giving you a better view of the road and al-
lowing you to anticipate problems earlier.
However, remember that your utility vehi-
cle is not designed for high-speed corner-
ing comparable to ordinary passenger
cars and that your vehicle could roll over if you make a sharp turn at high speed. If
you do take your SUBARU off-road, cer-
tain 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 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 vehiclerollover. 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. Theexhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after 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
y Whenever strong crosswinds are
present, slow down sufficiently to
maintain control of your vehicle.
Remember that your vehicle, with
its higher profile and center of
gravity, is more likely to be affect-
ed by crosswinds than ordinary
passenger cars.
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.

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 .................................................................. 11-4
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview ......................... 11-6
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-7 Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-7
Changing the oil and oil filter ................................ 11-7
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-9
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .................................... 11-10
Cooling system .................................................. 11-10 Hose and connections ........................................... 11-11
Engine coolant ........................................................ 11-11
Air cleaner element ............................................ 11-13 Replacing the air cleaner element ......................... 11-13
Spark plugs ......................................................... 11-14 Recommended spark plugs ................................... 11-14
Drive belts ........................................................... 11-15
Automatic transmission fluid ............................ 11-15 Checking the fluid level ......................................... 11-15
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-16
Front differential gear oil ................................... 11-16 Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-16 Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-17
Rear differential gear oil .................................... 11-17 Checking the gear oil level .................................... 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-18
Power steering fluid ........................................... 11-19 Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-19
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-19
Brake fluid ........................................................... 11-20 Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-20
Recommended brake fluid ..................................... 11-20
Brake booster ..................................................... 11-21
Brake pedal ......................................................... 11-21 Checking the brake pedal free play ...................... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ......... 11-21
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............... 11-22 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .......... 11-22
Parking brake stroke .......................................... 11-23
Tires and wheels ................................................ 11-23 Types of tires .......................................................... 11-23
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) ............ 11-23
Tire inspection ........................................................ 11-25
Tire pressures and wear ........................................ 11-25
Wheel balance ......................................................... 11-27
Wear indicators ....................................................... 11-27
Tire rotation ............................................................. 11-28
Tire replacement ..................................................... 11-28
Wheel replacement ................................................. 11-29
Aluminum wheels ............................................... 11-29

11 - 2 2 Maintenance and service
Replacement of brake pad
and lining
The front disc brake and the right rear disc
brake have audible wear indicators on the
brake pads. If the brake pads wear close
to their service limit, the wear indicator
makes a very audible scraping noise
when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible. „
Breaking-in of new brake
pads and linings
When replacing the brake pad or lining,
use only genuine SUBARU parts. After re-
placement, the new parts must be broken
in as follows: T Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40 mph
(50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake pedal
lightly. Repeat this five or more times. T Parking brake lining
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of approx- imately 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. Press the parking brake pedal SLOW-
LY and GENTLY. (Pressing with a force of
approximately 34 lbs [150 N, 15 kg].)
3. Drive the vehicle for approximately 220
yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking
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 pedal.
Parking brake stroke:
5 – 6 notches / 67 lbs (300 N, 30 kg)
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
brake pad wear indicator, it will re-
sult in the need for costly brake ro-
tor repair or replacement.
700040
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
Pressing the parking brake pedal
too forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be cer-
tain to press the pedal slowly and
gently.

14-2 Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................................... 7-16 Warning light ....................................................... 3-15, 7-17
Accessories .................................................................... 11-38
Accessory power outlet ...................................................... 6-8
Active head restraint ........................................................... 1-5
Air cleaner element ........................................................ 11-13
Air filtration system ........................................................... 4-11
Air flow ............................................................................... 4-2
Alarm system .................................................................... 2-14
All-Wheel Drive warning light ........................................... 3-17
Aluminum wheels ........................................................... 11-29
Antenna system ................................................................. 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) .......................................... 7-16
Arming the system ............................................................ 2-15
Armrest ............................................................................. 1-11
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light .................................. 3-13
Audio control buttons ....................................................... 5-22
Audio set ............................................................................ 5-3
Auto-dimming mirror/compass ......................................... 3-34
Automatic climate control system ....................................... 4-5
Automatic transmission ...................................................... 7-8 Capacities .................................................................... 12-3
Fluid ........................................................................... 11-15
Manual mode ............................................................... 7-11
Selector lever ................................................................. 7-9
Shift lock release ......................................................... 7-14
Temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP) ................. 3-13
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ........... 1-16 B
Battery ............................................................................ 11-35 Jump starting ............................................................... 9-11
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) ............. 2-10
Brake
Booster ...................................................................... 11-21
Fluid ........................................................................... 11-20
Pad and lining ............................................................ 11-22
Pedal .......................................................................... 11-21
Brake pedal
Free play .................................................................... 11-21
Reserve distance ....................................................... 11-21
Brake system .................................................................... 7-15
Warning light ................................................................ 3-16
Braking ............................................................................. 7-15 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ................ 11-22
Tips .............................................................................. 7-15
Bulb Chart ............................................................................ 12-8
Replacing ................................................................... 11-39
C
Capacities ......................................................................... 12-3
Cargo area Light ............................................................................... 6-2
Tie-down hooks ........................................................... 6-12
Catalytic converter .............................................................. 8-3
Center Console .......................................................................... 6-5
Ventilators ...................................................................... 4-4
Changing
Flat tire ........................................................................... 9-7
Oil and oil filter ............................................................. 11-7
Charge warning light ......................................................... 3-13