2007 SUBARU TRIBECA Owners Manual

7-10 Starting and operating
TD (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into
a suitable gear from 1st to 5th according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require.
When more acceleration is required in this
position, press the accelerator pedal fully
to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift
to 4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you re-
lease the pedal, the transmission will re-
turn to the original gear position.
To use the SPORT mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate
then move it toward the “+” and “–” ends. V While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to
4th or 5th gear is prevented from taking
place when the accelerator is released.
This minimizes the chance of subsequent downshifting to a lower gear when accel-
erating again. This prevents repeated up-
shifting and downshifting resulting in a
smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTE
The transmission may downshift to
2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way
the accelerator pedal is pressed to ac-
celerate the vehicle again. V
While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any
other slope while braking with the “SPORT” mode selected, the transmis-
sion may downshift to 4th or 3rd gear de-
pending on how hard you depress the
brake pedal, causing engine braking to
work. Reacceleration for a short time will
cause the transmission to upshift normal- ly.
NOTE y A 5th-to-4th automatic downshift will
not occur at speeds above 78 mph (126
km/h) and a 4th-to-3rd automatic down-
shift will not occur at speeds above 53
mph (86 km/h).y Automatic downshifts to 4th or 3rd
may occur even when driving on a level
road depending on conditions, such as
how hard you depress the brake pedal. „
Selector lever reverse inhibit-
ing function
This function prevents accidental move-
ment of the selector lever to the “R” posi-
tion while the vehicle is moving.
The function becomes operational when
the vehicle reaches a speed of approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h). Once operation-
al, it prevents the selector lever from being
moved from the “N” position to the “R” po-
sition. When the vehicle speed drops be-
low 6 mph (10 km/h), the function is can-
celed. The selector lever can then be
moved to the “R” and “P” positions.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “OFF” position, movement of the se-
lector lever from the “N” position to the “R”
position is possible for a limited time peri-
od and then becomes impossible. Also,
the selector lever cannot be moved to the
“R” position when it has been placed in the
“P” position and then placed again in the
“N” position. When movement of the se-
lector lever from the “N” position to the “R”
position has become impossible, turn the
ignition switch back to the “ON” position
then move the selector lever to the “P” po-
sition. Pressing the selector lever release
button also makes it possible to move the
selector lever to the “P” position at this
time.
Do not drive the vehicle with the se-
lector lever in the “N” (neutral) posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
this condition and the risk of an ac-
cident is consequently increased.

Starting and operating 7-11
– CONTINUED –
T
Selector lever release button
If you inadvertently have turned the igni-
tion switch to the “OFF” position with the
selector lever in the “N” position, proceed
as follows. By referring to the “Shift lock
release” section in this chapter, remove
the cover. Then, with a screwdriver insert-
ed into the hole, move the selector lever to
the “P” position while pressing the release
button. If the selector lever reverse inhibit-
ing function fails, have the vehicle inspect-
ed by the nearest SUBARU dealer. „
Selection of manual mode
With the vehicle either moving or station-
ary, move the selector lever from the “D”
position to the manual gate then move it to
the “+” end or “–” end of the manual gate
to select manual mode. 1) Upshift indicator
2) Downshift indicator
3) Gear position indicator
When the manual mode is selected, the
gear position indicator and upshift indica-
tor and/or downshift indicator in the ta-
chometer come on. The gear position indi-
cator shows the currently selected gear in
the 1st-to-5th-gear range. The upshift and
downshift indicators show when a gear-
shift is possible. When the upshift indica-
tor “ ” is on, upshifting is possible.
When the downshift indicator “ ” is on,
downshifting is possible. When both indi-
cators are on, upshifting and downshifting
are both possible. When the vehicle stops
(for example, at traffic signals), the down-
shift indicator goes off.
700306700307
1
2 3
700308

7-12 Starting and operating
Gearshifts can be performed using the se-
lector lever.
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly
pushing the selector lever toward the “+”
end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly pull-
ing the selector lever toward the “–” end of
the manual gate.
NOTE
Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when usingthe manual mode. yWhen the temperature of the engine
oil is higher than normal, warning
beeps are emitted and the shift posi-
tion indicator shows “–”. If these warn-
ings are issued, deselect the manual
mode to protect the engine from dam- age. y
The transmission does not automati-
cally shift up in the manual mode. Per-
form gearshifts in accordance with
road conditions so that the tachometer
needle does not enter the red zone. If
the engine speed reaches a predeter-
mined level, a fuel-cut function will op-
erate. Shift up if this happens. Also, the
transmission may automatically shift
up to protect the engine. y If you attempt to shift down when the
engine speed is too high, i.e., when a
downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible. y If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond. y You can perform a skip-shift (for ex-
ample, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the selector lever twice in rapid suc-
cession. y The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving. y If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,
the “AT OIL TEMP” warning light will
come on and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and let the en-
gine idle until the warning light goes off.
„ Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ- ent gear.
When down shifting, it is important to con-
firm that the current vehicle speed is not in
excess of the Maximum Allowable Speed
700309
When down shifting, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed
exceeding the Maximum Allowable
Speed for the gear which is about to
be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-
revving and this in turn can result in
engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine braking caused by down
shifting when the vehicle is travel-
ling on a slippery surface can lead to
wheel locking; as a consequence,
control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident in-
creased.

Starting and operating 7-13
– CONTINUED –
of the gear which is about to be selected.
Never exceed posted speed limits.
NOTE y In order to prevent over-revving dur-
ing acceleration of the vehicle, the
transmission will automatically shift to
the next highest gear if the Maximum
Allowable Speed for the current gear is
exceeded.y Similarly, in order to prevent over-
revving during deceleration of the vehi-
cle, the transmission will remain in the
current gear if the speed of the vehicle
is in excess of the Maximum Allowable
Speed for the gear to which the selec-
tor lever has been moved. „ Driving tips
y On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or
gravel-covered road), you can pull away
from a standstill safely and easily by first selecting the 2nd gear of the manual mode. y
Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D” or
“R” position. y Always set the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the vehi-
cle with only the transmission. y Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the
“D” position. Use the brake instead. y The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate a
problem. y A slight reduction in output torque may
occur before the engine warms up. „
SPORT mode
SPORT mode is used when power is
needed for rapid acceleration or for uphill
driving. To select this mode, move the se-
lector lever from the “D” position to the
manual gate.
Position mph (km/h)
1 25 (40)
2 59 (95)
3 95 (153)
700310
700311

7-14 Starting and operating
When selected, the SPORT mode indica-
tor light on the instrument panel will turn
on.
To deselect SPORT mode, move the se-
lector lever to the “D” position or select
manual mode. To subsequently reselect
SPORT mode, move the selector lever to
the “D” position and from there to the man-
ual gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up at
higher vehicle speeds and shifts down
more responsively than in normal mode. „Shift lock release
Perform the following steps if the selector
lever does not move from the “P” position
even with the release button pressed, the
brake pedal depressed and the ignition
switch in the “ON” position:
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the en-
gine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bag. 3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver.
4. Insert a screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector lever from the “P” to the
“N” position while pressing the release button.
6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start the en-
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired.
700312
700313

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.

Starting and operating 7-17
– CONTINUED –
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. This helps prevent the loss of steering
control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h). „
ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake
pedal and hear the operating sound ofABS from the engine compartment just af-
ter the vehicle is started. This is caused by
an automatic functional test of the ABS
system being carried out and does not in-
dicate any abnormal condition. „
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately twoseconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal. y The 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
y
When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.
If the warning light behaves as fol-
lows, the ABS system may not be
working properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
700314
yThe warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.
y The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).
y The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your SUBARU dealer.