2009 SUBARU FORESTER warning lights

are now above the severe low
pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should turn
off a few minutes later.
If this light still illuminates 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 tire
as 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 1 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 sys-
tem resetting.
Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of
the tire pressure sensors. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking for
approximately 1 minute, promptly
contact a SUBARU dealer to have
the system inspected.CAUTION
Do not place metal film or any metal
parts in the cargo room/trunk. This
may cause poor reception of the
signals from the tire pressure sen-
sors, and the tire pressure monitor-
ing system will not function prop-
erly.
NOTE
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void theuser ’s authority to operate the equip-
ment. Parking your vehicle &
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake
pedal firmly and hold it down until the
parking brake lever is fully pulled up.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever
up slightly, press the release button, then
lower the lever while keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the
engine is running, the parking brake
warning light illuminates. After starting
the vehicle, be sure that the warning light
has gone out before the vehicle is driven.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ”
section in chapter 3. Starting and operating
7-31
– CONTINUED –

2. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the
hitch receiver tube so that the pin passes
through the ball mount.
3. Insert the safety pin securely into the
hitch pin.
4. Pull the ball mount to make sure itdoes not come off the hitch receiver.
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate
for the ball mount and your trailer. The
hitch ball must be securely installed on the
ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with
safety chains that will hold the trailer ’s
maximum gross weight. The chains
should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping onto the
ground in case it should disconnect from
the hitch ball. Allow sufficient slack in the
chains taking tight-turn situations into
account; however, be careful not to let
them drag on the ground.
WARNING
Do not connect safety chains to part
of the vehicle other than the safety
chain hooks.
Hitch harness connector
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black
four-pin wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch
wire harness by individually activating the
brake, stop, and turn signal lights on the
trailer.
NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire har-
ness before launching or retrieving a Driving tips
8-15
– CONTINUED –

!Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors
provide a good rearward field of view
without significant blind spots. If significant
blind spots occur with the vehicle ’s stan-
dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors that
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. ! Trailer lights
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle ’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle ’s lighting system. Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle
’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to
increase its capacity and accommodate
wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights
are connected properly, please consult
your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper
operation of the brake lights and turn
signal lights each time you hitch up. ! Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the tem-
porary spare tire is used. The tem-
porary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated.
The recommended cold tire pressure
under trailer towing conditions is shown
in chapter 12, “Specifications ”and in
“ GAS STATION REFERENCE ”at the
end of this manual. Adjust the rear tire
pressure to the recommended pressure
when the tires are cold. Normal pressure
should be maintained in the front tires. Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in
accordance with the trailer manufacturer
’s
specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire
when towing a trailer, ask a commercial
road service to repair the flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your
vehicle or trailer as a precaution against
getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare
tire is firmly secured.
& Trailer towing tips
WARNING
. Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. Forsafety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never
speed. You should also keep the
following tips in mind: Driving tips
8-21
– CONTINUED –

8-22Driving tips
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. . Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable. . Check that the tire pressures are
correct.. Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
–the trailer tongue is connected
properly to the hitch ball. – the trailer lights connector is con-
nected properly and trailer ’s brake
lights illuminate when the vehicle ’s
brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s turn signal lights flash when
the vehicle ’s turn signal lever is oper-
ated. – the safety chains are connected
properly.– all cargo in the trailer is secured
safety in position.– the side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig- nificant blind spot.
. Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel ”of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up. ! Driving with a trailer
. You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may
result in skidding or jackknifing and loss ofcontrol. . Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accel-
erations. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, always start out in first gear
and release the clutch at moderate enginerevolution. . Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.. Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal turning radius because
the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. In
a tight turn, the trailer could hit yourvehicle. . Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradually. .
When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by
attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
. Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn. . If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed
immediately by the nearest SUBARU
dealer.

!Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts. . When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating. . When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the coolant temperature high
warning light (for all vehicles) and AT OIL
TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively
prone to overheating under these condi-
tions. If the coolant temperature high
warning light or the AT OIL TEMP warning
light illuminates, immediately switch off the
air conditioner and stop the vehicle at the
nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating ”section in chapter 9, and
“ Warning and indicator lights ”section in
chapter 3. . If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, avoid using the accelerator pedal
to stay stationary on an uphill slope
instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat. . If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the selector lever as follows:
Uphill slopes:
“D ”position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking ! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then
apply the parking brake; slowly release
the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission) or “P ” (automatic transmis-
sion) and shut off the engine. Driving tips
8-23

Wattage Bulb No.
1) High beam headlight 12V-60W 9005 (HB3)
2) Position light 12V-5W168 (W5W)
3) Low beam headlight 12V-55W H11
4) Front side marker light 12V-5W 168 (W5W)
5) Map light 12V-8W–
6) Dome light 12V-8W–
7) Front fog light 12V-51W 9006 (HB4)
8) Front turn signal light 12V-21W (WY21W)
9) Door step light 12V-5W–
10) Cargo area light 12V-13W–
11) Brake/tail light 12V-21W/5W 7443
12) Rear turn signal light 12V-21W (WY21W)
13) Back-up light 12V-21W 7440
14) Licence plate light 12V-5W 168 (W5W)CAUTION
Replace any bulb only with a new
bulb of the specified wattage. Using
a bulb of different wattage could
result in a fire.
& Headlights (vehicles with HID headlights)
WARNING
High-intensity-discharge (HID) bulbs
are used for the low beams of the
headlights. These HID bulbs use an
extremely high voltage. To avoid the
risk of an electric shock and result-
ing serious injury, you should not
attempt to replace them. Neither
should you attempt to replace the
high-beam bulbs, remove/refit the
headlight assemblies, or remove
any headlight-assembly compo-
nents. For replacement of the head-
light bulbs (low-beam and high-
beam), removal and installation of
the headlight assemblies, and re-
moval of headlight-assembly com-
ponents, contact your SUBARU
dealer. Maintenance and service
11-47
– CONTINUED –

Fuel........................................................................... 7-2
Economy hints ......................................................... 8-2
Filler lid and cap ...................................................... 7-3
Gauge .................................................................... 3-8
Requirements .......................................................... 7-2
Fuses ...................................................................... 11-44
Fuses and circuits ...................................................... 12-6
G
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) .............................. 8-13
Glove box ................................................................... 6-5
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) .......................... 8-13
H
Hazard warning flasher ........................................... 3-5, 9-2
Head restraint adjustment
Front seat ............................................................... 1-5
Rearseat ................................................................. 1-7
Headlight
Beam lever ........................................................... 3-26
Flasher ................................................................. 3-25
Indicator light ......................................................... 3-21
Headlights ........................................................ 3-24, 11-47
Heater operation (manual climate control system) ............ 4-5
High beam indicator light ............................................ 3-20
High/low beam change (dimmer) .................................. 3-25
Hill start assist (MT vehicles) .............................. 7-33, 11-29
Hill start assist warning light ................................ 3-17, 7-34
Horn ......................................................................... 3-38
Hose and connections ............................................... 11-12 I
Ignition switch
............................................................. 3-3
Light ...................................................................... 3-5
Illuminated entry .......................................................... 2-9
Illumination brightness control ...................................... 3-26
Immobilizer ................................................................. 2-2
Indicator light (security indicator light) ................. 2-3, 3-19
Indicator light Coolant temperature low .......................................... 3-13
Cruise control ................................................ 3-20, 7-37
Cruise control set ........................................... 3-21, 7-38
Front fog light ......................................................... 3-21
Headlight ............................................................... 3-21
High beam ............................................................. 3-20
Immobilizer ............................................................. 2-3
Security .......................................................... 2-3, 3-19
Selector lever/Gear position ..................................... 3-20
SPORT mode ........................................................ 3-20
Traction control system OFF .................................... 3-18
Turn signal ............................................................ 3-20
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF ......................... 3-19, 7-28
Vehicle Dynamics Control operation .................. 3-18, 7-27
Information display ...................................................... 3-22
Inside mirror .............................................................. 3-33
Interior lights ............................................................... 6-2
J
Jack handle ............................................................... 9-17
Jump starting .............................................................. 9-9 Index
14-5

TireChains .................................................................. 8-11
Inspection ............................................................ 11-33
Pressures and wear .............................................. 11-33
Replacement ........................................................ 11-37
Rotation ............................................................... 11-36
Types .................................................................. 11-31
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) .......................................... 3-14, 7-30, 9-8, 11-31
Tires ......................................................................... 12-5
Tires and wheels. ...................................................... 11-31
Top tether anchorages ........................................ 1-29, 1-32
Towing ...................................................................... 9-12
All wheels on the ground ........................................ 9-15
Flat-bed truck ........................................................ 9-15
Tie-down hooks ..................................................... 9-12
Weight.................................................................. 8-16
Traction Control system OFF indicator light .................................................. 3-18
Trailer
Connecting ............................................................ 8-14
Hitch .................................................................... 8-14
Hitches ................................................................. 8-19
Towing .................................................................. 8-16
Towing tips ............................................................ 8-21
Turn signal Indicator lights ....................................................... 3-20
Lever .................................................................... 3-26 U
Under-floor storage compartment
.................................. 6-14
V
Valet mode ................................................................ 2-16
Vanity mirror ............................................................... 6-4
Vehicle Capacity weight ...................................................... 8-12
Identification ........................................................ 12-10
Symbols .................................................................... 3
Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF indicator light .................................................. 7-28
OFF switch ............................................................ 7-29
Operation indicator light ................................... 3-18, 7-27
System .................................................................. 7-26
Warning light .................................................. 3-18, 7-28
Ventilator .................................................................... 4-2
W
Warning and indicator lights .......................................... 3-9
Warning light
ABS.............................................................. 3-15, 7-23
All-Wheel Drive ...................................................... 3-17
Anti-lock Brake System ........................................... 3-15
AT OIL TEMP ......................................................... 3-14
Brake system ......................................................... 3-16
Charge .................................................................. 3-13
CHECK ENGINE .................................................... 3-12
Coolant temperature high ........................................ 3-13
Door open ............................................................. 3-17
Hill start assist ............................................... 3-17, 7-33 Index
14-9