2006 SUBARU TRIBECA radiator

4-10 Climate control
Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner „Cleaning ventilator grille
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept
clean because cooling performance is im-
paired by any accumulation of insects and
leaves on the condenser. „ Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to al- low outside air to circulate into the heated
interior. This results in quicker cooling by
the air conditioner. Keep the windows
closed during the operation of the air con-
ditioner for maximum cooling efficiency. „
Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. „ Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper op-
eration each spring. Have your SUBARU
dealer perform this check. „ Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.)
a small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate any problem with the air conditioning sys-
tem. „
Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is de-
signed to temporarily shut off during air
conditioner operation whenever the accel-
erator is fully depressed such as during
rapid acceleration or when driving on a
steep upgrade. „ Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the
method of adding, changing or checking
the refrigerant is different from the method
for CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty.
400518

9-14 In case of emergency
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and run it at moderate
speed. Then start the engine of the vehi-
cle that has the discharged battery.
6. When finished, carefully disconnect the
cables in exactly the reverse order.Engine overheating
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the
road and stop the vehicle in a safe place. „If steam is coming from the
engine compartment
Turn off the engine and get everyone
away from the vehicle until it cools down. „ If no steam is coming from
the engine compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling
speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If
the fan is not turning, immediately turn off the engine and contact your authorized
dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature
has dropped, turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the
overheated zone, turn off the engine.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down,
check the coolant level in the reserve
tank.
If the coolant level is below the “MIN”
mark, add coolant up to the “MAX” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve
tank, add coolant to the reserve tank.
Then remove the radiator cap and fill the
radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot
radiator, first wrap a thick cloth around the
radiator cap, then turn the cap counter-
clockwise slowly without pressing down
until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been
fully released, remove the cap by pressing
down and turning it.
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has fully cooled down.
When the engine is hot, the coolant
is under pressure. Removing the
cap while the engine is still hot
could release a spray of boiling hot
coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.

11 - 6 Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overview
123 4 5
11
12 10 9 8 67
B00302
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-13)
2) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-19)
3) Differential gear oil level gauge (page 11-16)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level
gauge (page 11-15)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-20)
6) Fuse box (page 11-36)
7) Battery (page 11-35)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-30)
9) Radiator cap (page 11-11)
10) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-7)
11) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-
11)
12) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-7)

Maintenance and service 11 - 11
– CONTINUED –
„
Hose and connections
Your vehicle employs an electric cooling
fan which is thermostatically controlled to
operate when the engine coolant reaches
a specific temperature.
If the radiator cooling fan does not operate
even when the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge exceeds the normal operating
range, the cooling fan circuit may be de-
fective. Check the fuse and replace it if
necessary. If the fuse is not blown, have
the cooling system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
If frequent addition of coolant is neces-
sary, there may be a leak in the engine
cooling system. It is recommended that
the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness. „
Engine coolant
T Checking the coolant level
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside
of the reservoir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the
“LOW” level mark, add coolant up to the
“FULL” level mark. If the reserve tank is
empty, remove the radiator cap and refill
as required. 3. After refilling the reserve tank and the
radiator, reinstall the caps and check that
the rubber gaskets inside the radiator cap
are in the proper position.
y
Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
B00309
yBe careful not to spill engine cool-
ant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine coolant gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff.
y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
B00018

11 - 1 2 Maintenance and service
TChanging the coolant
Always add genuine Subaru cooling sys-
tem conditioner whenever the coolant is
replaced.
Change the engine coolant and add gen- uine Subaru cooling system conditioner
using the following procedures according
to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
1. Remove the under cover.
2. Place a proper container under the
drain plug and loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the
coolant from the radiator. Then drain the
coolant from the reserve tank. Tighten the
drain plug securely.
4. Install the under cover.
1) Fill up to here
5. Slowly pour the coolant and fill up to
just below the filler neck, allowing enough
room to add genuine Subaru cooling sys-
tem conditioner in the radiator. Add genu-
ine Subaru cooling system conditioner un-
til the coolant level reaches the filler neck. Do not pour the coolant too quickly, as this
may lead to insufficient air bleeding and
trapped air in the system.
Coolant capacity (Guideline):
7.8 US qt (7.4 liters, 6.5 Imp qt)
B00310
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down com-
pletely. Since the coolant is under
pressure, you may suffer serious
burns from a spray of boiling hot
coolant when the cap is removed.
1
B00311
y
Be careful not to spill engine cool-
ant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine coolant gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.

Maintenance and service 11 - 1 3
– CONTINUED –
6. Pour the coolant and fill to the reservoir
tank’s “FULL” level mark.
7. Put the radiator cap back on and tight-
en firmly. At this time, make sure that the
rubber gasket in the radiator cap is cor- rectly in place.
8. Start and run the engine for more than
five minutes at 2,000 to 3,000 rpm.
9. Stop the engine and wait until the cool-
ant cools down (122 to 140
°F [50 to
60 °C]). If there is any loss of coolant, add
coolant to the radiator’s filler neck and to
the reserve tank’s “FULL” level.
10.Put the radiator cap and reservoir cap
back on and tighten firmly.
Air cleaner element
The air cleaner element functions as a fil-
ter screen. When the element is perforat-
ed or removed, engine wear will be exces-
sive and engine life shortened.
The air cleaner element is a dry type. It is
unnecessary to clean or wash the ele- ment. „ Replacing the air cleaner ele- ment
Replace the air cleaner element according
to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”. Under
extremely dusty conditions, replace it
more frequently. It is recommended that
you always use genuine SUBARU parts.B00309
B00018
Do not operate the engine with the
air cleaner element removed. The air
cleaner element not only filters in-
take air but also stops flames if the
engine backfires. If the air cleaner
element is not installed when the en-
gine backfires, you could be burned.