3-16
Instruments and controls
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
.The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position.
. 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).
. The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If any of these conditions occur,
have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by
your SUBARU dealer.
The ABS warning light comes on together
with the brake system warning light if the
EBD system becomes faulty. For further
details of the EBD system fault warning,
refer to “Brake system warning light ”.NOTEIf the warning light behavior is as
described in the following, the ABS
system may be considered normal.
.The warning light comes on right after the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.
.
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).
. The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately and
remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
&
Brake system
warning light
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle. Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
This light has the following three functions:
! Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the
“ ON ”position. It goes out when the
parking brake is fully released.
! Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN ”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have
the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair.
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7-18
Starting and operating
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
engine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system
repaired.
Power steering
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than 5 seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
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.NOTERight 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 which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is
normal. It does not indicate power
steering system trouble.
Braking& Braking tips
WARNING
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.
! When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a
result, brake stopping distance will be
longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle
at a safe speed while lightly depressing
the brake pedal to heat up the brakes.
! 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.
! Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly
when a tire is punctured. This could cause
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a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep
driving straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place.&Brake system! Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has a dual circuit brake
system. Each circuit works diagonally
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.
! 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 boos-
ter. Do not turn off the engine while driving
because that will turn off the brake
booster, resulting 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.
NOTESome sound accompanying operation
of the vacuum pump may be heard
from the engine compartment during
driving. This does not indicate a fault.
!
Brake assist system
WARNING
Do not be overconfident about the
brake assist. It is not a system that
brings more braking ability to the
vehicle beyond its braking capabil-
ity. Always use the utmost care
when driving regarding vehicle
speed and safe distance.
CAUTION
When you need to brake suddenly,
continue depressing the brake pedal
strongly to bring the effect of the
brake assist.NOTEWhen you depress the brake pedal
suddenly, the brake pedal might wig- gle. This is a normal operation phe-
nomenon, and it is not a malfunction.
Brake assist is a driver assistance system.
It assists the brake power when the driver
cannot depress the brake pedal strongly
and the brake power is insufficient.
Brake assist generates the brake power
according to the speed at which the driver
depresses the brake pedal.
&
Disc brake pad wear warning
indicatorsThe 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, im-
mediately have your vehicle inspected by
Starting and operating
7-19
–CONTINUED –
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8-2
Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving
–the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km)The performance and long life of your
vehicle 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):
. Do not race the engine. And do not
allow engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm
except in an emergency.
. Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.
. Avoid starting suddenly and rapid
acceleration, except in an emergency.
. Avoid hard braking, except in an
emergency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to a newly installed or overhauled
engine or when brake pads or brake
linings are replaced with new ones.
Fuel economy hintsThe following suggestions will help to save
your fuel.
. Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.
. Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to
maintain that speed for as long as
possible.
. Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.
. Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
. Keep the engine properly tuned.
. Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire placard, which
is located under the door latch on the
driver ’s side. Low pressure will increase
tire wear and fuel consumption.
. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
. Keep the front and rear wheels in
proper alignment.
. Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
WARNING
. Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains
carbon monoxide, a colorless
and odorless gas which is dan-
gerous, or even lethal, if inhaled.
. Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from enter-
ing the vehicle.
. Never 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.
. Avoid remaining in a parked
vehicle for a lengthy time while
the engine is running. If that is
unavoidable, then use the venti-
lation fan to force fresh air into
the vehicle.
. Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system al-
ways works properly.
. If at any time you suspect that
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8-6
Driving tipswith its higher profile and center
of gravity, is more likely to be
affected by crosswinds than or-
dinary passenger cars.
. Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive vehicle could easily
lead to a serious accident.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including off-
road driving. But please keep in mind that
your vehicle is neither a conventional off-
road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. A
higher center of gravity in relation to the
tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for high-
speed cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle
could roll over if you make a sharp turn
at high speed. If you do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common sense
precautions such as the following should
be taken:
.
Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
. Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
. Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
. Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim.
. If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle’
s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your
vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover.
. Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
. Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
. After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
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Maintenance schedule................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions............................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment ................................................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running ....... 11-4
Engine hood................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview ...................... 11-6
Engine oil ........................................................ 11-7
Checking the oil level ...................................... 11-7
Changing the oil and oil filter ........................... 11-8
Recommended grade and viscosity ................. 11-9
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions ....................................... 11-10
Cooling system............................................ 11-11
Hose and connections ................................... 11-11
Engine coolant .............................................. 11-11
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-14
Replacing the air cleaner element .................. 11-14
Spark plugs.................................................. 11-15
Recommended spark plugs ........................... 11-15
Drive belts.................................................... 11-15
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-15
Checking the fluid level................................. 11-15
Recommended fluid ...................................... 11-16
Front differential gear oil ............................. 11-17
Checking the oil level.................................... 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-17
Rear differential gear oil.............................. 11-18
Checking the gear oil level ............................ 11-18 Recommended grade and viscosity
............... 11-18
Power steering fluid..................................... 11-19
Checking the fluid level ................................. 11-19
Recommended fluid ...................................... 11-20
Brake fluid..................................................... 11-20
Checking the fluid level ................................. 11-20
Recommended brake fluid ............................ 11-21
Brake booster............................................... 11-21
Brake pedal ................................................... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal free play ............... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ..................................................... 11-22
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-22
Breaking-in of new brake pads and
linings ........................................................ 11-22
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-23
Tires and wheels ........................................... 11-23
Types of tires................................................ 11-23
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) ....... 11-24
Tire inspection .............................................. 11-25
Tire pressures and wear ............................... 11-25
Wheel balance .............................................. 11-27
Wear indicators ............................................ 11-28
Tire rotation direction mark ........................... 11-28
Tire rotation .................................................. 11-28
Tire replacement ........................................... 11-29
Wheel replacement ....................................... 11-29
Aluminum wheels......................................... 11-30
Chrome plated wheels (if equipped) ........... 11-31
Windshield washer fluid ............................... 11-32
Maintenance and service
11
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11-22
Maintenance and service
&Checking the brake pedal
reserve distance1) More than 2.16 in (55 mm)Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbs (294 N, 30 kg) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact with your
SUBARU dealer.
Replacement of brake pad
and lining
CAUTION
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
brake pad wear indicator, it will
result in the need for costly brake
rotor repair or replacement.The front disc brake and the right rear disc
brake have audible wear indicators on the
brake pads. If the brake pads wear close
to their service limit, the wear indicator
makes a very audible scraping noise
when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
&
Breaking-in of new brake
pads and liningsWhen replacing the brake pad or lining,
use only genuine SUBARU parts. After
replacement, the new parts must be
broken in as follows:
! Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40
mph (50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake
pedal lightly. Repeat this five or more
times.
! Parking brake lining
WARNING
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
CAUTION
Pressing the parking brake pedal
too forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be
certain to press the pedal slowly
and gently.
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14-2
Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)..................................... 7-20
Warning light ................................................. 3-15, 7-21
Accessories ....................................................... 5-4, 11-40
Accessory power outlet ................................................ 6-9
Active head restraint .................................................... 1-5
Air cleaner element .................................................. 11-14
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-11
Air flow ...................................................................... 4-2
Air flow mode selection ................................................ 4-3
Alarm system ............................................................ 2-15
All-Wheel Drive warning light ....................................... 3-18
Aluminum wheel cleaning ............................................ 10-3
Aluminum wheels ..................................................... 11-30
Antenna system .......................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ..................................... 7-20
Arming the system ..................................................... 2-15
Armrest ..................................................................... 1-12
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light ............................... 3-13
Audio control button ................................................... 5-27
Audio input terminal ................................................... 5-29
Audio set ................................................................... 5-4
Auto-dimming mirror/compass ...................................... 3-38
Automatic climate control system .................................. 4-5
Automatic transmission ............................................... 7-12
Capacities ............................................................. 12-3
Fluid ................................................................... 11-15
MANUAL mode ..................................................... 7-15
Selector lever ........................................................ 7-13
Shift lock release ................................................... 7-17
Temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP) ................. 3-13Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR)
.......... 1-17
B
Battery .................................................................... 11-37
Jump starting ........................................................ 9-11
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) .............. 2-7
Booster seat ............................................................. 1-36
Brake Assist ................................................................... 7-19
Booster ....................................................... 7-19, 11-21
Fluid ................................................................... 11-20
Pad and lining ...................................................... 11-22
Parking ....................................................... 7-29, 11-23
Pedal .................................................................. 11-21
System ................................................................. 7-19
Brake pedal Free play ............................................................. 11-21
Reserve distance .................................................. 11-22
Brake system ............................................................ 7-19
Warning light ......................................................... 3-16
Braking .................................................................... 7-18
Tips ..................................................................... 7-18
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ................... 11-22
Bulb
Chart ...................................................................
12-8
Replacing ............................................................ 11-41
C
Capacities ................................................................ 12-3
Cargo area Cover ................................................................... 6-13
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