2008 SUBARU TRIBECA maintenance

When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal
operation of the tire pressure monitoring
system. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not come on briefly after the
ignition switch is turned ON or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-
ing for approximately one minute,
you should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
If this light still comes on while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tireas soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
&
Tire inspectionCheck on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem.NOTE. When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle
’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and
approach the curbs as squarely as
possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle.
. If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the
vehicle in a straight line, one of the
tires and/or wheels may be damaged.
Drive slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicle
inspected.
& Tire pressures and wearMaintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires ’service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey.
Maintenance and service
11-25
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11-26
Maintenance and service
Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving the
vehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to
increase. Be careful not to mistakenly
release air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTE. The air pressure in a tire increases
by approximately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm
2) when the tire becomes warm.
. The tires are considered cold when
the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours or has been driven less
than one mile (1.6 km).
WARNING
Do not let air out of warm tires to
adjust pressure. Doing so will result
in low tire pressure.
Incorrect tire pressures detract from con-
trollability and ride comfort, and they
cause the tires to wear abnormally. .
Correct tire pressure (tread worn
evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is
responsive. Rolling resistance is low, so
fuel consumption is also lower.
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.Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con-
sumption is also higher. .
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)
Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire
magnifies the effects of road-surface
bumps and dips, possibly resulting in
vehicle damage.
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
& Wheel balanceEach wheel was correctly balanced when
your vehicle was new, but the wheels will
become unbalanced as the tires become
worn during use. Wheel imbalance causes
the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts from
the vehicle ’s straight-line stability. It can
also cause steering and suspension sys-
tem problems and abnormal tire wear. If
you suspect that the wheels are not
correctly balanced, have them checked
and adjusted by your SUBARU dealer.
Also have them adjusted after tire repairs
and after tire rotation.NOTELoss of correct wheel alignment*
causes the tires to wear on one side
and reduces the vehicle ’s running
stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer
if you notice abnormal tire wear.*: The suspension system is designed to hold
each wheel at a certain alignment (relative to
the other wheels and to the road) for optimum
straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance. Maintenance and service
11-27
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CONTINUED –
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11-28
Maintenance and service
&Wear indicators1) New tread
2) Worn tread
3) Tread wear indicatorEach tire incorporates a tread wear
indicator, which becomes visible when
the depth of the tread grooves decreases
to 0.071 in (1.8 mm). A tire must be
replaced when the tread wear indicator
appears as a solid band across the tread.
WARNING
When a tire ’s tread wear indicator
becomes visible, the tire is worn
beyond the acceptable limit and
must be replaced immediately. With
a tire in this condition, driving at
high speeds in wet weather can cause the vehicle to hydroplane.
The resulting loss of vehicle control
can lead to an accident.
NOTEFor safety, inspect the tire tread reg-
ularly and replace the tires before their
tread wear indicators become visible.&
Tire rotation direction markExample of tire rotation direction mark
1) FrontIf the tire has the rotation direction
specification, the tire rotation direction
mark is placed on its sidewall.
When you install a tire that has the tire
rotation direction mark, install the tire with the direction mark facing forward.
&
Tire rotationVehicles equipped with 4 non-unidirec-
tional tires
1) Front
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Vehicles equipped with unidirectional tires
1) FrontTire wear varies from wheel to wheel. To
maximize the life of each tire and ensure
that the tires wear uniformly, it is best to
rotate the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000
km). Move the tires to the positions shown
in the illustration each time they are
rotated.
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn
tire at the time of rotation. After tire
rotation, adjust the tire pressures and
make sure the wheel nuts are correctly
tightened.
After driving approximately 600 miles
(1,000 km), check the wheel nuts again
and retighten any nut that has become
loose.
&Tire replacementThe wheels and tires are important and
integral parts of your vehicle ’s design;
they cannot be changed arbitrarily. The
tires fitted as standard equipment are
optimally matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and were selected to give
the best possible combination of running
performance, ride comfort, and service
life. It is essential for every tire to have a
size and construction matching those
shown on the tire placard and to have a
speed symbol and load index matching
those shown on the tire placard.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle ’s ground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to
replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-
ment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU
recommends replacing all four tires at
the same time.
WARNING
. All four tires must be the same in
terms of manufacturer, brand
(tread pattern), construction, de-
gree of wear, speed symbol, load
index and size. Mixing tires of
different types, sizes or degrees
of wear can result in damage to
the vehicle ’s powertrain. Use of
different types or sizes of tires
can also dangerously reduce
controllability and braking per-
formance and can lead to an
accident.
. Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
an accident.& Wheel replacementWhen replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available
from SUBARU dealers.
Maintenance and service
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11-30
Maintenance and service
WARNING
Use only those wheels that are
specified for your vehicle. Wheels
not meeting specifications could
interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub
against the wheel well housing dur-
ing turns. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Aluminum wheels.Aluminum wheels can be scratched
and damaged easily. Handle them care-
fully to maintain their appearance, perfor-
mance, and safety.1) The length of the wheel nut wrench
CAUTION
There are 2 types of wheel nut
wrenches that apply to different
lengths.
For an aluminum wheel vehicle, the
11.2-inch (285 mm) wheel nut
wrench is equipped as a mainte-
nance tool. And for a chrome plated
wheel vehicle, the 13.2-inch (335
mm) wheel nut wrench is equipped as well. Always use a wheel nut
wrench for an aluminum wheel. If
youuseawrenchforachrome
plated wheel, you cannot tighten it
to the specified torque.
. When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to change
a flat tire, always check the tightness of
the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose,
tighten it to the following specified torque.
A tightening sequence specification for the
wheel nuts can be found in the “Flat tires”
in chapter 9.
Wheel nuts tightening torque for alu-
minum wheel:
74 to 89 lbf·ft (100 to 120 N·m, 10 to 12
kgf·m)
This torque is equivalent to applying
approximately 88 to 110 lbs (40 to 50 kg)
at the top of the wheel nut wrench.
. Never apply oil to the threaded parts,
wheel nuts, or tapered surface of the
wheel.
. Never let the wheel rub against sharp
protrusions or curbs.
. Be sure to fit tire chains on uniformly
and completely around the tire, otherwise
the chains may scratch the wheel.
. When wheel nuts, balance weights, or
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the center cap is replaced, be sure to
replace them with genuine SUBARU parts
designed for aluminum wheels.
Chrome plated wheels (if
equipped)1) The length of the wheel nut wrench
CAUTION
There are 2 types of wheel nut
wrenches that apply to different
lengths.
For an aluminum wheel vehicle, the
11.2-inch (285 mm) wheel nut
wrench is equipped as a mainte-
nance tool. And for a chrome plated
wheel vehicle, the 13.2-inch (335
mm) wheel nut wrench is equipped
as well. Always use a wheel nut
wrench for a chrome plated wheel. If
you use a wrench for an aluminumwheel, you cannot tighten it to the
specified torque.
. When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to change
a flat tire, always check the tightness of
the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose,
tighten it to the following specified torque.
A tightening sequence specification for the
wheel nuts can be found in the “Flat tires”
in chapter 9.
Wheel nuts tightening torque for
chrome plated wheel:
89 to 111 lbf·ft (120 to 150 N·m, 12 to 15
kgf·m)
This torque is equivalent to applying
approximately 86 to 108 lbs (39 to 49 kg)
at the top of the wheel nut wrench.
. Never apply oil to the threaded parts,
wheel nuts, or tapered surface of the
wheel.
. Never let the wheel rub against sharp
protrusions or curbs.
. Be sure to fit tire chains on uniformly
and completely around the tire, otherwise
the chains may scratch the wheel.
. When wheel nuts, balance weights, or
the center cap is replaced, be sure to
replace them with genuine SUBARU parts
designed for chrome plated wheels.
Maintenance and service
11-31
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11-32
Maintenance and service
Windshield washer fluid
CAUTION
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.If you spray washer fluid on the windshield
but the windshield washer fluid warning
light comes on or the supply of washer
fluid drops, check the level of washer fluid
in the tank.
Washer fluid level gaugeRemove 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
fluid until it reaches the “Hi”level on the level gauge.
After adding fluid, make sure the wind-
shield washer fluid warning light has gone
out.
Use windshield washer fluid. If windshield
washer fluid is unavailable use clean
water.
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 tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the following
table.
Washer Fluid
Concentration Freezing
Temperature
30% 10.48F( −12 8C)
50% −48F( −20 8C)
100% −498F( −45 8C)
CAUTION
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
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