2008 SUBARU TRIBECA brake

The Vehicle Dynamics Control system
provides its ABS control through the
electrical circuit of the ABS system.
Accordingly, if the ABS is inoperative, the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system be-
comes unable to provide ABS control. As
a result, the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system also becomes inoperative, caus-
ing the warning light to come on. Though
both the Vehicle Dynamics Control and
ABS systems are inoperative in this case,
the ordinary functions of the brake system
are still available. You will be safe while
driving with this condition, but have your
vehicle checked at a SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.NOTEIf the warning light behavior is as
shown in the following, the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system may be con-
sidered normal.
.The warning light comes on right
after the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.
. The warning light comes on after
engine startup and goes off while the
vehicle is subsequently being driven.
. The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately and
remains off. !
Traction Control system OFF indi-
cator light
. It comes on when the Traction Control
system OFF switch is pressed.
. It also comes on when the Traction
Control system is deactivated.
NOTE. The light may stay on for a while
after the engine has been started,
especially in cold weather. This does
not indicate the existence of a problem.
The light should go out as soon as the
engine has warmed up.
. The indicator light comes on when
the engine has developed a problem
and the CHECK ENGINE warning light/
Malfunction indicator lamp is on.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably faulty under the following condi-
tion. Have your vehicle checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
. The light does not go out even after the
lapse of several minutes (the engine has
warmed up) after the engine has started.
& Security indicator lightThe indicators are located in the center
portion of the dashboard.
This indicator light shows the status of the
alarm system. It also indicates operation
of the immobilizer system.
! Alarm system
It blinks to show the driver the operational
status of the alarm system. For detailed
information, refer to the “Alarm system”
section in chapter 2.
! Immobilizer system
This light blinks approximately 60 seconds
after the ignition switch is turned from
“ ON ”position to the “Acc ”or “LOCK ”
position or immediately after the key is
pulled out. (Refer to the “Door locks ”
Instruments and controls
3-19
–CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

&High/low beam change (dim-
mer)To change from low beam to high beam,
push the turn signal lever forward. When
the headlights are on high beam, the high
beam indicator light “
”on the instru-
ment panel is also on.
To switch back to low beam, pull the lever
back to the detent position.
& Headlight flasher
CAUTION
Do not hold the lever in the flashing
position for more than just a few
seconds.
To flash the headlights, pull the lever
toward you and then release it. The high
beam will stay on for as long as you hold
the lever. The headlight flasher works
even though the light switch is in the
“OFF ”position.
When the headlights are on high beam,
the high beam indicator light “
”on the
instrument panel also comes on.
& Daytime running light system
WARNING
The brightness of the illumination of
the high beam headlights is reduced
by the daytime running light system.
The light switch must always be
turned to the “
”position when it
is dark outside.
The high beam headlights will automati-
cally come on at reduced brightness when
the engine has started, under the following
conditions:
. The parking brake is fully released.
. The light switch is in the “OFF”or “
”
position.
NOTEWhen the light switch is in the “
”
position, the front side marker lights,
parking lights and license plate lights
are illuminated.
Instruments and controls
3-27
ProCarManuals.com

Aux unit operationBy connecting a commercial audio pro-
duct to the vehicle, such as a portable
audio player, you can hear its sound via
the vehicle’s speaker.
Connect the portable audio player and
push the “RSE AUX ”button.
For the audio input terminal, a stereo mini
pin plug (3.5 f) can be connected. For
detailed information, see the Owner ’s
Guide for the portable audio player.NOTE. The output sound of the portable
audio player is not loud, and the sound
via the vehicle ’s speakers that are
connected 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. Remember to turn down the
volume when you change between
them.
.
In some cases, when the sound
volume of the portable audio player is
low, the sound becomes bad when you
turn up the volume of the vehicle audio
system. In this case, adjust the sound
volume of the portable audio player.
. In some cases, noise occurs be-
cause of a bad connection between the
portable player of the vehicle audio
system or for the player.
Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE) system operation (if
equipped)If your vehicle is equipped with the Rear
Seat Entertainment (RSE) system, you
can listen to the audio via the vehicle
speakers. Push the “RSE AUX”button to
play a DVD using the Rear Seat Entertain-
ment system.
For detailed operating procedures, refer to
the attached supplement manual for the
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system.NOTETo watch a DVD in the front seats using
the monitor of the navigation system,
park the vehicle in a safe location and
apply the parking brake. Images of the
DVD will not be displayed on the front
monitor unless the parking brake is
applied.
Audio
5-29
ProCarManuals.com

6-8
Interior equipment
&Front passenger ’s cup holder! Center consoleThe dual cup holder is built into the center
console near the parking brake lever.To access the cup holder, push the release button.
!
Door pocket
The door pockets can be used to hold
beverage bottles and other items.
CAUTION
When placing a beverage in a door
pocket, make sure it is capped.
Otherwise, the beverage could spill
when opening/closing the door or
while driving and, if the beverage is
hot, it could scald you.
&Rear seat (5-seater models)/
Second-row seat (7-seater
models) passenger ’s cup
holder! ArmrestA dual cup holder is built in the armrest.
CAUTION
When a cup containing a beverage
is in the cup holder, do not slide or
recline any seat. Otherwise, the
beverage could spill while driving
and, if the beverage is hot, it could
scald you.
ProCarManuals.com

6-10
Interior equipment
Electrical power (12V DC) from the battery
is available at any of the outlets when the
ignition switch is either in the“Acc”or “ON ”
position.
You can use an in-vehicle use electrical
appliance by connecting it to an outlet.
When both outlets are used at the same
time, the total power consumption of the
electric appliances must be 120W or less.
CAUTION
. Do not attempt to use a cigarette
lighter in the accessory power
outlet.
. Do not place any foreign objects,
especially metal ones such as
coins or aluminum foil, into the
accessory power outlet. That
could cause a short circuit. Al-
ways put the cap on the acces-
sory power outlet when it is not
in use.
. Use only electrical appliances
which are designed for 12V DC
and which consume less than
120W. Overloading the accessory
power outlet can cause a short
circuit. Do not use double adap-
ters or more than one electrical
appliance.
. If the plug on your electric appli- ance is either too loose or too
tight for the accessory power
outlet, this can result in a poor
contact or cause the plug to get
stuck. Only use plugs that fit
properly.
. Use of an electric appliance in the
accessory power outlet for a long
period of time while the engine is
not running can cause battery
discharge.
. Before driving your vehicle, make
sure that the plug and the cord
on your electrical appliance will
not interfere with your shifting
gears and operating the accel-
erator and brake pedals. If they
do, do not use the electrical
appliance while driving.
NOTEIt is possible, when using the outlet in
the center console (lower compart-
ment) with the lid closed, to pass the
electrical appliance ’s cord through a
gap between the center console (lower
ProCarManuals.com

Fuel................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ............................................ 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................ 7-3
State emission testing (U.S. only) ................... 7-5
Preparing to drive ............................................ 7-7
Starting the engine ........................................... 7-7
Stopping the engine ......................................... 7-8
Remote engine start system (dealer option) ............................................... 7-8
Starting your vehicle ........................................ 7-9
Remote start safety features ............................. 7-9
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start ............................................................... 7-9
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown ....................................................... 7-9
Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the vehicle ......................................................... 7-10
Service mode ................................................. 7-10
Remote transmitter programming and programmable feature option ........................ 7-10
System maintenance ....................................... 7-11
Automatic transmission ................................. 7-12
Selector lever................................................. 7-13
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function . ....... 7-14
Selection of manual mode .............................. 7-15
Maximum speeds ........................................... 7-16
Driving tips .................................................... 7-16
SPORT mode ................................................. 7-17 Shift lock release
............................................ 7-17
Power steering............................................... 7-18
Braking ........................................................... 7-18
Braking tips .................................................... 7-18
Brake system ................................................. 7-19
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators .......... 7-19
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)...................... 7-20
ABS system self-check................................... 7-20
ABS warning light ........................................... 7-21
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
system ......................................................... 7-22
Steps to take if EBD system fails .................... 7-22
Vehicle Dynamics Control system ................ 7-23
Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor....... 7-25
Traction Control system OFF switch ................ 7-26
Tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) ......................................................... 7-27
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-29
Parking brake................................................. 7-29
Parking tips .................................................... 7-29
Cruise control ................................................ 7-30
To set cruise control ....................................... 7-30
To temporarily cancel the cruise control .......... 7-31
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-31
To change the cruising speed .. ....................... 7-32
Cruise control indicator light ........................... 7-33
Cruise control set indicator light ..................... 7-33
Starting and operating
7
ProCarManuals.com

Preparing to driveYou should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
4. Check that the hood and rear gate are
fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the“ON”position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.NOTEEngine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.
Starting the engine
CAUTION
. Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10
seconds. If the engine fails to
start after operating the starter
for 5 to 10 seconds, wait for 10
seconds or more before trying
again.
. If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the se-
lector lever into the “N ” position.
Do not attempt to place the
selector lever of a moving vehicle
into the “P ” position.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P”or “N”
position (preferably “P ” position). The
starter will only operate when the select
lever is at the “P”or “N”position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to the
“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”position
without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the
following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “START”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4)

If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED –
ProCarManuals.com

7-8
Starting and operating
lights have gone out after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the selector lever is at the“P”or
“N ”position and that the parking brake is
applied.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering
and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the “LOCK ”position on the
ignition switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
Remote engine start system
(dealer option)
WARNING
. Do not remote start a vehicle in
an enclosed environment (e.g.
closed garage). Prolonged opera-
tion of a motor vehicle in an
enclosed environment can cause
a harmful build-up of Carbon
Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is
harmful to your health. Exposure
to high levels of Carbon Monox-
ide can cause headaches, dizzi-
ness or in extreme cases uncon-
sciousness and/or death.
. Before performing any servicing
of the vehicle, temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent the
system from unexpectedly start-
ing the engine.
ProCarManuals.com