2007 SUBARU FORESTER coolant temperature

3-8 Instruments and controls
NOTE
This light does not go out unless the
tank is replenished up to an internal
fuel quantity of approximately 4.0 US
gal (15 liters, 3.3 Imp gal).
„Temperature gauge
1) Normal operating range
The temperature gauge shows engine
coolant temperature when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
The coolant temperature will vary in ac-
cordance with the outside temperature
and driving conditions.
We recommend that you drive moderately
until the pointer of the temperature gauge
reaches near the middle of the range. En-
gine operation is optimum with the engine
coolant at this temperature range and high
revving operation when the engine is not
warmed up enough should be avoided.
„
Outside temperature indica- tor
MT vehicles
1) U.S.-spec. models
2) Canada-spec. models
Promptly put fuel in the tank when-
ever the low fuel warning light
comes on. Engine misfires as a re-
sult of an empty tank could cause
damage to the engine.
1
300574 If the pointer exceeds the normal
operating range, safely stop the ve-
hicle as soon as possible.
See “In case of emergency” in chap-
ter 9.
12
300575

4-8 Climate control
Automatic climate control
system (if equipped)
Although this climate control system can
be used as a full-automatic climate control
system, it can also, if desired, be used as
a semi-automatic climate control system.
When it is used as a full-automatic climate
control system, the outlet air temperature,
fan speed, air flow distribution, air inlet
control, and air conditioner compressor
operation are all automatically controlled
to maintain a constant, comfortable tem-
perature inside the vehicle.
NOTE yOperate the automatic climate con-
trol system when the engine is run-
ning. y When the engine coolant is cold, the
blower does not run. y In the “AUTO” mode, when the air
temperature in the passenger compart-
ment is sufficiently cool, the air condi-
tioner compressor does not operate.
For efficient defogging or dehumidify-
ing in cold weather, press the “A/C”
button to operate the air conditioner
compressor. y Even when cooling is not necessary,
setting the temperature much lower
than the current outlet air temperature turns on the air conditioner compres-
sor automatically and the “A/C” indica-
tor light on the control panel comes on.
„ Control panel
1) Temperature control dial
2) Fan speed control dial
3) Air flow control dial
4) Rear window defogger button (Refer to the “Rear window defogger button” in
chapter 3.)
5) Air inlet selection button
6) Air conditioner button
„ To use as full-automatic cli-
mate control system
Place the temperature control dial in the
position for your desired temperature, then set the other dials and buttons as de-
scribed in the following. The system’s
functions will then switch to AUTO mode
and be controlled automatically. y
Air flow control dial: AUTO position
y Fan speed control dial: AUTO position
y Air inlet selection button: Press for at
least 1 second. (Indicator will flash twice.) y Air conditioner button: Press for at least
1 second. (Indicator will flash twice.)
„ To use as semi-automatic cli-
mate control system
Each function can be individually set to
AUTO mode independently of the others.
Any function set to AUTO mode is con-
trolled automatically. Any function not set
to AUTO mode can be manually adjusted
as desired.
The temperature can be set within a range
of 65 to 85 qF (20 to 30 qC).
3
5 4
6 2
1
400594

Starting and operating 7-11
– CONTINUED –
NOTE
y When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, your vehicle’s automat-
ic transmission will up-shift at higher
engine speeds than when the coolant
temperature is sufficiently high in or-
der to shorten the warm-up time and
improve driveability. The gearshift tim-
ing will automatically shift to the nor-
mal timing after the engine has warmed up. y Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
the on-board computer has collected
and stored in memory to allow the
transmission to shift at the most ap-
propriate times for the current condi-
tion of your vehicle. Optimized shifting will be restored as the vehicle contin-
ues to be driven for a while.
„ Selector lever for automatic
transmission
: With the brake pedal depressed, move the lever along the gate.
: Move the lever along the gate.
The selector lever has seven positions. T P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine.
In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the “P”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
A shift interlock function is employed in
the automatic transmission system to en-
y
Avoid shifting from one of the for-
ward driving positions into the
“R” position or vice versa until the
vehicle has completely stopped.
Such shifting may cause damage
to the transmission.
y When parking the vehicle, first se-
curely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P” position.PP
R
N
D
3
2
1
700034
700332

9-10 In case of emergency
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 “LOW”
mark, add coolant up to the “FULL” 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.
Towing
If towing is necessary, it is best done by
your SUBARU dealer or a commercial
towing service. Observe the following pro-
cedures for safety.
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.Never tow AWD vehicles (both AT
and MT) with the front wheels raised
off the ground while the rear wheels
are on the ground, or with the rear
wheels raised off the ground while
the front wheels are on the ground.
This will cause the vehicle to spin
away due to the operation or deteri-
oration of the center differential.
900014

Maintenance and service 11 - 11
– CONTINUED –
SAE viscosity number and applicable
temperature
*: 5W-30 is recommended.
Engine oil viscosity (thickness) affects fuel
economy. Oils of lower viscosity provide
better fuel economy. However, in hot
weather, oil of higher viscosity is required
to properly lubricate the engine.
„ Recommended grade and
viscosity under severe driv-
ing conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in ar- eas with very high temperatures, or used
for heavy-duty applications such as tow-
ing a trailer, use of oil with the following
grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SM (or SL):
SAE viscosity No.:
30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50
„ Synthetic oil
You can use synthetic engine oil that
meets the same requirements given for
conventional engine oil. When using syn-
thetic oil, you must use oil of the same
classification, viscosity and grade shown
in this Owner’s Manual, and must follow
the oil and filter changing intervals shown
in the maintenance schedule.
Cooling system
Use only engine oil with the recom-
mended grade and viscosity.
B00549
5W-30*
10W-30, 10W-40
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40
-20 0 60 20 80 10040
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.
The cooling system has been filled
at the factory with a high quality,
corrosion-inhibiting, year-around
coolant which provides protection
against freezing down to –33 qF
(–36 qC). For adding, use genuine
SUBARU coolant or an equivalent: a
mixture of 50% soft water (or clear
and drinkable water) and 50% phos-
phate or non-amine type coolant.
Use of improper coolants may result
in corrosion in the cooling system. It
is important to maintain protection
against freezing and corrosion,
even if freezing temperatures are
not expected. Never mix different
kinds of coolant.

11 - 1 2 Maintenance and service
„Cooling fan, hose and con-
nections
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 SUB-
ARU 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
1) “FULL” level mark
2) “LOW” level mark
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.
FULL
LOW1
2
600442
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 it
off.
y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
B00018

11 - 3 6 Maintenance and service
Washer fluid level gauge
Remove the washer tank filler cap, then
check the fluid level indicated by the level
gauge (attached to the inside of the cap).
If the level is near the “Low” mark, add flu- id until it reaches the “Hi” level on the level
gauge or the “Full” mark on the tank.
Use windshield washer fluid. If windshield
washer fluid is unavailable use clean wa- ter.
In areas where water freezes in winter,
use an anti-freeze type windshield washer
fluid. SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid
contains 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 oneused previously, purge the old fluid from
the 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.
Hi Low
300172
FULL
300524
Washer Fluid
Concentration Freezing
Temperature
30% 10.4 qF (–12 qC)
50% –4 qF (–20 qC)
100% –49 qF (–45 qC)
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.
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.