2011 SUBARU TRIBECA warning

3. Release the secondary hood release
located under the front grille by moving the
lever toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Lower the hood to a point approxi-
mately 20 in (50 cm) from the closed
position and then give the hood a strong
push down to make it drop.
2. After closing the hood, be sure the
hood is securely locked.
If this does not close the hood, release it
from a slightly higher position. Do not push
the hood forcibly to close it. It could
deform the metal.
WARNING
Always check that the hood is
properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open
while the vehicle is moving and
block your view, which may cause
an accident and serious bodily in-
jury.
CAUTION
When closing the hood, be careful
not to pinch your or other person ’s
hands or anything else in the hood. Maintenance and service
11-5

11-8Maintenance and service
.Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
If you check the oil level just after stopping
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil to
drain back into the oil pan before checking
the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not
add any additional oil above the full level
when the engine is cold. & Changing the oil and oil filter
Change the oil and oil filter according to
the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be
changed more frequently than listed in
the maintenance schedule when driving
on dusty roads, when short trips are
frequently made, or when driving in
extremely cold weather.
NOTE
Changing the engine oil and oil filter
should be performed by a properly-
trained expert. It is recommended that
you have this service performed by
your SUBARU dealer. 1. Warm up the engine by letting the
engine idle for approximately 10 minutes
to ease draining the engine oil.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
4. Drain out the engine oil by removing
the drain plug while the engine is still
warm. The used oil should be drained into
an appropriate container and disposed of
properly.
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself with
hot engine oil.
5. Wipe the seating surface of the drain
plug with a clean cloth and tighten it securely with a new sealing washer after
the oil has completely drained out.
6. Open the access cover by removing
the five clips and turning the access cover
counterclockwise. The oil filter will beexposed.

11-10Maintenance and service
Cooling system
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down
completely. Since the coolant is
under pressure, you may suffer
serious burns from a spray of boil-
ing hot coolant when the cap isremoved.
CAUTION
. Vehicles are filled at the factory
with SUBARU Super Coolant that
does not require the first change
for 11 years/137,500 miles (11
years/220,000 km). This coolant
should not be mixed with any
other brand or type of coolant
during this period. Mixing with a
different coolant will reduce the
life of the coolant. Should it be
necessary to top off the coolant
for any reason, use only
SUBARU Super Coolant.
If the SUBARU Super Coolant is
diluted with another brand or
type, the maintenance interval is shortened to that of the mixingcoolant.
. Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
& Hose and connections
Your vehicle employs an electric cooling
fan which is thermostatically controlled to
operate when the engine coolant reaches
a specific temperature.
If the radiator cooling fan does not operate
even when the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge exceeds the normal operating
range, the cooling fan circuit may be
defective. Check the fuse and replace it
if necessary. If the fuse is not blown, have
the cooling system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
If frequent addition of coolant is neces-
sary, there may be a leak in the engine
cooling system. It is recommended that
the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness. &
Engine coolant
! Checking the coolant level
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside
of the reservoir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the “LOW ”level mark, add coolant up to the
“ FULL ”level mark. If the reserve tank is
empty, remove the radiator cap and refill
as required.

3. After refilling the reserve tank and the
radiator, reinstall the caps and check that
the rubber gaskets inside the radiator cap
are in the proper position.
CAUTION
. Be careful not to spill engine
coolant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine coolant gets on
the exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe
it off. .
Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
! Changing the coolant
Always add genuine SUBARU cooling
system conditioner whenever the coolant
is replaced.
Change the engine coolant and add
genuine SUBARU cooling system condi-
tioner using the following procedures
according to the maintenance schedule
in the “Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let ”.
1. Remove the under cover.
2. Place a proper container under the
drain plug and loosen the drain plug. 3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the
coolant from the radiator. Then drain the
coolant from the reserve tank. Tighten the
drain plug securely.
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down
completely. Since the coolant is
under pressure, you may suffer
serious burns from a spray of boil-
ing hot coolant when the cap isremoved.
4. Install the under cover.
CAUTION
. Be careful not to spill engine
coolant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine coolant gets on
the exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe
it off.
. Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface. Maintenance and service
11-11
– CONTINUED –

Air cleaner element
WARNING
Do not operate the engine with the
air cleaner element removed. The air
cleaner element not only filters
intake air but also stops flames if
the engine backfires. If the air
cleaner element is not installed
when the engine backfires, you
could be burned.
CAUTION
When replacing the air cleaner ele-
ment, use a genuine SUBARU air
cleaner element. If it is not used,
there is the possibility of causing a
negative effect to the engine.
The air cleaner element functions as a
filter screen. When the element is perfo-
rated or removed, engine wear will be
excessive and engine life shortened.
It is unnecessary to clean or wash the element. &
Replacing the air cleaner element
Replace the air cleaner element according
to the maintenance schedule in the“ Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”. Un-
der extremely dusty conditions, replace it
more frequently. It is recommended that
you always use genuine SUBARU parts.
1) Connector
2) Clamp
3) Air intake boot
4) Clip
1. Unplug the connector that is attached
to the top of the air cleaner case.
2. Loosen the screw on the clamp and
pull the air intake boot out of the air
cleaner case.
3. Unsnap the two clips holding the air cleaner case cover.
4. Open the air cleaner case cover and
remove the air cleaner element.
5. Clean the inside of the air cleaner case
and case cover with a damp cloth and
install a new air cleaner element.
Maintenance and service
11-13
– CONTINUED –

&Recommended grade and viscosity
Each oil manufacturer has its own base
oils and additives. Never use different
brands together. For details, refer to “Front
differential and rear differential gear oil ”
F 12-6. Rear differential gear oil
There is no oil level gauge. To check the
rear differential gear oil level, consult your
SUBARU dealer for inspection. &
Recommended grade and viscosity
Each oil manufacturer has its own base
oils and additives. Never use different
brands together. For details, refer to “Front
differential and rear differential gear oil ”
F 12-6. Power steering fluid &
Checking the fluid level
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself
because the fluid may be hot.
CAUTION
. When power steering fluid is
being added, use only clean fluid,
and be careful not to allow any
dirt into the tank. And never use
different brands together.
. Be careful not to spill power
steering fluid when adding it. If Maintenance and service
11-17
– CONTINUED –

11-18Maintenance and service
power steering fluid touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
power steering fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff.
The power steering fluid expands greatly
as its temperature rises; the fluid level
differs according to fluid temperature.
Therefore, the reservoir tank has two
different checking ranges for hot and coldfluids.
Check the power steering fluid level
monthly.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface,
and stop the engine.
2. Check the fluid level of the reservoir tank.
When the fluid is hot after the vehicle has
been run: Check that the oil level isbetween “HOT MIN ”and “HOT MAX ”on
the surface of the reservoir tank.
When the fluid is cool before the vehicle is
run: Check that the oil level is between“ COLD MIN ”and “COLD MAX ”on the
surface of the reservoir tank.
3. If the fluid level is lower than the
applicable “MIN ”line, add the recom-
mended fluid as necessary to bring the
level between the “MIN ”and “MAX ”line. If the fluid level is extreme low, it may
indicate possible leakage. Consult your
SUBARU dealer for inspection.
& Recommended fluid
Refer to “Fluids ”F 12-7. Brake fluid &
Checking the fluid level
WARNING
. Never let brake fluid contact your
eyes because brake fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If brake
fluid gets in your eyes, immedi-
ately flush them thoroughly with
clean water. For safety, when
performing this work, wearing
eye protection is advisable.
. Brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause a dangerous loss
of braking performance.
. If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
. When adding brake fluid, be care-
ful not to allow any dirt into the
reservoir.
. Never splash the brake fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.

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 linings
When 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 moretimes. ! 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. 1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
SLOWLY and GENTLY. (Pressing with a
force of approximately 34 lbf [150 N, 15kgf].)
3. Drive the vehicle for approximately
220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking
brake to cool down. Repeat this proce-dure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the
parking brake stroke is out of the specified
range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut
located on the parking brake pedal.
Parking brake stroke: 5–6 notches / 67 lbf (300 N, 30 kgf) Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the“
Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
When the parking brake is properly
adjusted, braking power is fully applied
by depressing the pedal five to six notches
gently but firmly (approximately 67 lbf [300
N, 30 kgf]). If the parking brake pedal
stroke is not within the specified range,
have the brake system checked and
adjusted at your SUBARU dealer. Maintenance and service
11-21