2007 SUBARU FORESTER Service

4-12 Climate control
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 conditions
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. Air filtration system (if
equipped)
If your vehicle’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system, re-
place the filter element according to the
replacement schedule shown in the fol-
lowing. This schedule should be followed
to maintain the filter’s dust collection abili-
ty. Under extremely dusty conditions, the
filter should be replaced more frequently.
It is recommended that you have your fil-
ter checked or replaced by your SUBARU
dealer. For replacement, use only a genu-
ine SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule:
Every 12 months or 7,500 miles (12,000
km) whichever comes first
Contact your SUBARU dealer if the
following occurs, even if it is not yet
time to change the filter:
– Reduction of the air flow throughthe vents.
– Windshield gets easily fogged or misted.

4-14 Climate control
5. Reinstall the glove box.
6. Close the glove box.1) Service label
2) Caution label
7. LABEL installation 1) Fill out the information on the service
label (small).
2) Attach the service label to the driver
side door pillar and the caution label to
the driver side end of the instrument
panel.
400680
1
2
400557

Audio 5-11
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Type B audio set (if equipped)
The audio set will operate only when the ignition switch is in the “ACC” or “ON” position. „Radio operation
500325
(1) (2) (4)
(3) (5)
(6)
(1) Power switch, Volume, Brightness control dial
(2) FM/AM selection button
(3) Seek button
(4) Scan button
(5) Sound/Tune control dial
(6) Preset buttons T Power switch and volume/bright-
ness control (POWER/VOL/BRIGHT)
The dial (1) is used for both power (ON/
OFF) and volume control. The radio is
turned ON and OFF by pushing the dial,
and the volume is controlled by turning the
dial. T Sound control and tune/folder se-
lect/channel control (SOUND/TUNE/
FOLDER/CH)
The dial (5) is used for selecting the sound
control mode with each brief press of the
dial, and for adjusting each level by turn-
ing it. It is also used for tuning the radio/
folder selection (only when playing MP3 or
WMA)/channel selection (satellite radio*)
when the “FM/AM”, “CD/AUX” and “SAT”
are selected.
(*: Use of satellite radio (Sirius) requires a
tuner, antenna and a service contract. For
details, please contact your SUBARU
dealer.)

5-20 Audio
„Auxiliary unit operation
500324
(17) (19) (18) (20) (21)
(22) (23)
(17) AUX button
(18) Category button
(19) Scan button
(20) Satellite radio* button
(21) Category selection button
(22) Preset buttons
(23) Channel selection dial
(*: Use of satellite radio (Sirius) requires a
tuner, antenna and a service contract. For
details, please contact your SUBARU
dealer.)
“Satellite Radio mode” and “AUX mode”
are available as well as the CD changer
mode when the unit is in the Auxiliary unit
mode.
NOTE y For use of the In-dash CD changer,
refer to the section of “In-dash 6 CD
auto changer (if equipped)” in this
chapter. y Use of satellite radio (Sirius) requires
a tuner, antenna and a service con-
tract. For details, please contact your
SUBARU dealer. y The “AUX mode” can be used when
the appropriate device is connected to
the AUX terminal. y The output sound of the portable au-
dio player is not loud, and the sound
via the vehicle’s speakers that are con-

Audio 5-21
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nected to the vehicle audio set is very
quiet. If you turn up the volume of the
audio set, the volume becomes louder.
However, when you change the audio
to the radio mode or to a CD player, the
sound becomes a lot louder. Remem-
ber to turn down the volume when you
change between them.
T
AUX audio jack (if equipped)
The AUX (auxiliary) audio jack is located
behind the lid under the climate controls.
Push gently on the lid to open it. T
Satellite Radio mode (if equipped)
Press the “SAT” button (20) to select the
“Satellite radio mode” (when the SR-BB is
connected).
NOTE
Use of satellite radio (Sirius) requires a
tuner, antenna and a service contract.
For details, please contact your
SUBARU dealer. or
Visit Sirius Satellite Radio at
sirius.com
or call 1-888-539-SIRIUS
(7474) for more information. Sirius, the
Sirius dog logo, channel names and
logos are trademarks of SIRIUS Satel-
lite Radio Inc. V Satellite radio reception
Satellite radio signals are best received in
areas with a clear view of the open sky. In
areas where there are tall buildings, trees,
tunnels or other structures that may ob-
struct the signal of the satellites, there
may be signal interruptions. Other circum-
stances that may result in signal loss in-
clude driving near a wall, steep cliff or hill,
or driving on the lower level of a multi-
tiered road or inside a parking garage.
To help reduce this condition, satellite ra-
dio providers have installed ground-based
repeaters in heavily populated areas.
500277
AUX

7-2 Starting and operating
Sta rting an d o peratingFuel
„Fuel requirements
T Non-turbo models
The 2.5-liter non-turbo engine is designed
to operate using unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher. T Turbo models
The 2.5-liter turbo engine is designed to
operate using premium unleaded gasoline
with an octane rating of 91 AKI or higher.
If premium unleaded gasoline is not avail-
able, regular unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of 87 AKI or higher may be
temporarily used. For optimum engine
performance and driveability, it is required
that you use premium grade unleaded
gasoline.
NOTE
Be sure to use premium unleaded gas-
oline of 91 AKI or higher for a 2.5-liter
turbo engine model. If other gasoline
(lower than 91 AKI) is used, knocking, reduced output and poor accelerator
response will result. T
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane num-
bers and is commonly referred to as the
Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane rat-
ing can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle some-
times knocks lightly when you drive up a
hill or when you accelerate. See your
dealer or a qualified service technician if
you use a fuel with the specified octane
rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or
persistently. T Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler
nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy. T Gasoline for California-certified LEV
Your vehicle was certified to California’s
low emission vehicle (LEV) standards as
indicated on the underhood tune-up label,
it is designed to optimize engine and
emission performance with gasoline that meets the clean burning low-sulfur Califor-
nia gasoline specifications. If you live in
any other state than California, your vehi-
cle will operate on gasoline meeting Fed-
eral specifications. Gasoline sold outside
California is permitted to have higher sul-
fur levels, which may affect the perfor-
mance of your vehicle’s catalytic convert-
er and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor
or smell. SUBARU recommends that you
try a different brand of unleaded gasoline
having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service. T
MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-
function indicator lamp may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is deter-
mined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs may not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel addi-
tive may cause engine damage.

Starting and operating 7-3
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T
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent addi-
tives will help prevent deposits from form-
ing in your engine and fuel system. This
helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly,
and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality
fuel with the proper detergent and other
additives, you should never need to add
any fuel system cleaning agents to your
fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with ma-
terials called oxygenates. Use of these fu-
els can also help keep the air cleaner. Ox-
ygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE (Me-
thyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol (ethyl
or grain alcohol) may be used in your ve-
hicle, but should contain no more than
15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the proper
operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station oper-
ators if their gasolines contain detergents
and oxygenates and if they have been re-
formulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in the
following. y
Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual. y Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle
ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents
and corrosion inhibitors required to pre-
vent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT un-
der these conditions. y If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a different brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer.y Fuel system damage or driveability problems which result from the use of im-
proper fuel are not covered under the
SUBARU Limited Warranty. „
Fuel filler lid and cap
T Refueling
0
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
700029

Starting and operating 7-5
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State emission testing (U.S.
only)
At state inspection time, remember to
tell your inspection or service station
in advance not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dyna-
mometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result.
Some states have started using dyna-
mometers in their state inspection pro-
grams in order to meet their obligation un-der federal law to implement stricter vehi-
cle emission standards to reduce air pollu-
tion from cars. A dynamometer is a tread-
mill or roller-like testing device that allows
your vehicle’s wheels to turn while the ve-
hicle remains in one place. Depending on
the severity of a state’s air pollution prob-
lems, the states must adopt either a “ba-
sic” or “enhanced” vehicle emission in-
spection test. Normally, a portion of the
basic emission test consists of an emis-
sion inspector inserting an analyzer probe
into the exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle
for a short period of time. States with more
severe air pollution problems are required
to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission
test. This test simulates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits
more accurate measurement of tailpipe
emitted pollution than the basic emission
test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy (EPA) and states using two-wheel dy-
namometers in their emission testing pro-
grams have
EXEMPTED SUBARU AWD
vehicles from the portion of the testing
program that involves a two-wheel dyna-
mometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel
dynamometers in their testing programs.
When properly used, that equipment will
y
Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause dam-
age to the fuel system.
y Make sure that the cap is tight-
ened until it clicks to prevent fuel
spillage in the event of an acci-
dent.
y Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered un-
der the SUBARU Limited Warran- ty.
y Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the wrong
cap, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and
emission control system might be
damaged.
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehi-
cle must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in un-
controlled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
Resultant vehicle damage due to im-
proper testing is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty and
is the responsibility of the state in-
spection program or its contractors
or licensees.