2009 SUBARU FORESTER temporary spare

7-26Starting and operating
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving –overconfidence because
you are driving with a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a ser-
ious accident.
CAUTION
. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on
snow-covered or icy roads; in
addition, vehicle speed should
be reduced considerably. Simply
having a Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system does not guarantee
that the vehicle will be able to
avoid accidents in any situation.
. Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy-
namics Control is no guarantee that full vehicle control will be
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle equipped with Vehicle
Dynamics Control, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer per-
form an inspection of that sys-tem.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly: – All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
– Use only the specified tem-
porary spare tire to replace a
flat tire. With a temporary spare tire, the effectiveness of
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this
should be taken into account
when driving the vehicle in
such a condition.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine ’s output and the
wheels ’respective braking forces to help
maintain traction and directional control. . Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation indicator light. . Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels ’tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.

Driving tips for AWD vehicles
All-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD vehicles
provide better traction when driving on
slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand.
By shifting power between the front and
rear wheels, SUBARU AWD can also
provide added traction during acceleration
and added engine braking force duringdeceleration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle
may handle differently than an ordinary
two wheel drive vehicle and it contains
some features unique to AWD. For safety
purposes as well as to avoid damaging
the AWD system, you should keep the
following tips in mind:.
An AWD vehicle is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling,
however, during extremely sharp turns or
sudden braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an
ample distance from other vehicles. . When replacing a tire, make sure you
use only the same size, construction,
brand, and load range as the original tires
listed on the tire placard. Using other
sizes, circumference or construction may
result in severe mechanical damage to the
drive train of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking, speedometer/od-
ometer calibration, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of vehiclecontrol. . If you use a temporary spare tire to
replace a flat tire, be sure to use the
original temporary spare tire stored in the
vehicle. Using other sizes may result in
severe mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle. . Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver ’s side. .
Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only. . There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detail information, refer to the “Towing ”
section in chapter 9.
WARNING
. Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-tions.
. 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. Driving tips
8-5

!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 –

If you park your vehicle in case of anemergency ........................................................ 9-2
Temporary spare tire (if equipped) .................... 9-2
Precautions for AWD vehicles with automatic transmission ..................................................... 9-3
Flat tires ............................................................... 9-4
Changing a flat tire .............................................. 9-4
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec. models) ........................................... 9-8
Jump starting ...................................................... 9-9
How to jump start ............................................... 9-10
Engine overheating ............................................ 9-11
If steam is coming from the engine compartment .................................................... 9-11 If no steam is coming from the engine
compartment ................................................... 9-11
Towing ................................................................ 9-12
Towing and tie-down hooks. ............................... 9-12
Using a flat-bed truck. ........................................ 9-15
Towing with all wheels on the ground ................. 9-15
Rear gate –if the rear gate cannot be
opened ............................................................. 9-16
Moonroof –if the moonroof cannot be
closed .............................................................. 9-17
Maintenance tools ............................................. 9-17
Jack handle ....................................................... 9-17
Jack and other maintenance tools ...................... 9-18
In case of emergency
9

9-2In case of emergency
If you park your vehicle in
case of an emergency
The hazard warning flasher should be
used in day or night to warn other drivers
when you have to park your vehicle under
emergency conditions.
Avoid stopping on the road. It is best to
safely pull off the road if a problem occurs.
The hazard warning flasher can be acti-
vated regardless of the ignition switchposition.
Turn on the hazard warning by pushing
the hazard warning flasher switch. Turn it
off by pushing the switch again. NOTE
When the hazard warning flasher is on,
the turn signals do not work.
Temporary spare tire (if
equipped)
WARNING
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 tire pressure monitoring system
(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.
CAUTION
Never use any temporary spare tire
other than the original. Using other
sizes may result in severe mechan-
ical damage to the drive train of yourvehicle.
The temporary spare tire is smaller and
lighter than a conventional tire and is
designed for emergency use only. Re-
move the temporary spare tire and re-

install the conventional tire as soon as
possible because the spare tire is de-
signed only for temporary use.
Check the inflation pressure of the tem-
porary spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. The correct pressure is
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kg/cm
2).
When using the temporary spare tire, note
the following. . Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
. Do not put a tire chain on the temporary
spare tire. Because of the smaller tire size,
a tire chain will not fit properly. . Do not use two or more temporary
spare tires at the same time.. Do not drive over obstacles. This tire
has a smaller diameter, so road clearance
is reduced.
1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
. When the wear indicator appears on
the tread, replace the tire. . The temporary spare tire must be used
only on a rear wheel. If a front wheel tire
gets punctured, replace the wheel with a
rear wheel and install the temporary spare
tire in place of the removed rear wheel. &
Precautions for AWD vehi-
cles with automatic trans- mission
Your vehicle is equipped with the AWD
(All-Wheel Drive) system. In addition, if
your vehicle is an AT model, before driving
your vehicle with the temporary spare tire,
deactivate the AWD capability of the
vehicle as follows:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK ”
position.
2. Pull any one spare fuse out of the
spare fuse holder in the engine compart-
ment. Spare fuses are attached on the
back side of the fuse holder cover. You
may pick up any one fuse in the spare
fuse holder. In case of emergency
9-3
– CONTINUED –

9-6In case of emergency
1) Screwdriver
2) Wheel nut wrench
3) Tool bag
4) Lever
5) Hex-head wrench (only vehicles with
moonroof)
Take out the jack from the tool bucket, and
take out the wheel nut wrench from tool bag. NOTE
Make sure that the jack is well lubri-
cated before using it. To take out the spare tire:
Turn the attaching bolt counterclockwise,
then take the spare tire out. NOTE
If the spare tire provided in your vehicle
is a temporary spare tire, carefully readthe
“Temporary spare tire ”section in
this chapter and strictly follow the instructions.6. Loosen the wheel nuts using the wheel
nut wrench but do not remove the nuts.
7. Place the jack under the side sill at the
front or rear jack-up point closest to the flattire.
Turn the jackscrew by hand until the jack

&Tires
Tire size P215/65R16 96H P225/55R17 95H
Wheel size 16 66
1/2J1 66 61/2JJ 17 67JJ
Pressure Front 30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm2) 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm2)
Rear 29 psi (200 kPa, 2.0 kgf/cm2) 30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm2)
Temporary
spare tire Size
T155/70 D17
Pressure 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2)
NOTE
For the Latin American models, there is a conventional tire installed under the floor of the cargo area. & Wheel alignment
Item 2.5-liter non-turbo 2.5-liter turbo
2.5X 2.5X Premium 2.5X Touring 2.5X LLBean 2.5X Limited 2.5XT 2.5XT Limited
Drive system AWD
Toe Front 0 in (0 mm)
Rear 0 in (0 mm)
Camber Front 0800 ’
Rear 0
800 ’ Specifications
12-5