2007 SUBARU FORESTER Snow

7-16 Starting and operating
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 two separate circuit
brake systems. Each circuit works diago-
nally across the vehicle. If one circuit of
the brake system should fail, the other half
of the system 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. Do not
turn off the engine while driving because
that will turn off the brake booster, result-
ing in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to push the pedal much harder
than normal and the braking distance will
increase. „
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 checked by your
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 roads, 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
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

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 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 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 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.

Driving tips 8-5
Driving tips for AWD vehicles
All-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD vehiclesprovide 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.
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.
800004

8-8 Driving tips
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes be-
cause they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing temper-
ature varies according to how much it is di-
luted, as indicated in the following table.
In order to prevent freezing of washer flu-
id, check the freezing temperatures in the
table above when adjusting the fluid con-
centration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid fromthe piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside tem-
perature, it may freeze and block the noz-
zles.
T
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and dan-
gerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driv-
ing, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accu-
mulated under the fenders to avoid mak-
ing steering difficult. During severe winter
driving, stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders period-
ically. T
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
Washer Fluid Con-
centration Freezing Tempera-
ture
30% 10.4 qF (–12 qC)
50% –4 qF (–20 qC)
100% –49 qF (–45 qC)
Adjust the washer fluid concentra-
tion appropriately for the outside
temperature. If the concentration is
inappropriate, sprayed washer fluid
may freeze on the windshield and
obstruct your view, and the fluid
may freeze in the reservoir tank.
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.

Driving tips 8-9
– CONTINUED –
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness. T
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath- er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for
an extended period, it is best to have the
fuel tank filled to capacity. „ Driving on snowy and icy roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System)” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces. TWiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button/dial in the “ ” position
and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed out. If your vehicle
is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on the surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control button/dial
in “ ” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.

8-10 Driving tips
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades. „Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section
(chapter 10). „
Snow tires
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires” as original equipment, which are de-
signed to provide an adequate measure of
traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance in year-round driving. In winter, it
may be possible to enhance performance
through use of tires designed specifically
for winter driving conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on
your vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire
size and type. You must install four winter
tires that are of the same size, construc-
tion, brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous han-
dling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough clear-
ance between the tire and vehicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on your ve-
hicle. „Tire chains
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads may
require the use of tire chains, in which
case put the chains on the front wheels
only. Use only SAE class S type chains
that are of the correct size for your tires so
as not to damage the vehicle body or sus-
pension.
When driving with tire chains, drive at
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
y
When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure you
use only the same size, construc-
tion and load range as the original
tires listed on the tire placard. Us-
ing other sizes and construction
may affect speedometer/odome-
ter calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also
may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control.
yYou must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, con-
struction, brand, and load range.
Mixing other sizes or construc-
tions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train
of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speed-
ometer/odometer calibration. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control.
yDo not use a combination of radi-
al, belted bias or bias tires since it
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics and lead to an ac-
cident.

Driving tips 8-11
– CONTINUED –
speeds below 19 mph (30 km/h).
Always use the utmost care when driving
with tire chains – overconfidence because
you are driving with tire chains could eas-
ily lead to a serious accident. „
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the acceler-
ator pedal slightly and move the selector
lever back and forth between “D” and “R”
repeatedly. 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
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
Refer to the “Automatic transmission” sec-
tion in chapter 7 for information on holding
the transmission in 2nd position.
Loading your vehicle
y Never allow passengers to ride on
a folded rear seatback or in the
cargo area. Doing so may result in
serious injury.
yNever stack luggage or other car-
go higher than the top of the seat-
back because it could tumble for-
ward and injure passengers in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-
dent. Keep luggage or cargo low,
as close to the floor as possible.
100094
yWhen you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
yDo not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
ySecure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
yNever exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle han-
dles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle.
yDo not place anything on the ex-
tended cargo area cover. Such
items could tumble forward in the
event of a sudden stop or a colli-
sion. This could cause serious in- jury.