2012 SUBARU FORESTER Owners Manual

6
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, especially if they are 12
years of age and under and are
not restrained or improperly re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from
deployment is greater.
. NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD
FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THECHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG.
. Always turn the child safety locks
to the “LOCK ”position when
children sit on the rear seat.
Serious injury could result if a
child accidentally opens the door
and falls out. Refer to “Child
safety locks ”F 2-19.
. Always lock the passenger ’s win-
dows using the lock switch when
children are riding in the vehicle.
Failure to follow this procedure
could result in injury to a child
operating the power window. Re-
fer to “Windows ”F 2-20. .
Never leave unattended children
in the vehicle. They could acci-
dentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, temperature
in a closed vehicle could quickly
become high enough to cause
severe or possibly fatal injuries
to them.
For instructions and precautions, carefully
read the following sections. . For the seatbelt system, refer to “Seat-
belts ”F 1-12.
. For the child restraint system, refer to
“ Child restraint systems ”F 1-22.
. For the SRS airbag system, refer to
“ *SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint
System airbag) ”F 1-34.
& 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
exhaust fumes are entering the
vehicle, have the problem
checked and corrected as soon
as possible. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive
only with all windows fully open.
. Keep the rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle.

&Drinking and driving
WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Alcohol in the blood-
stream delays your reactions and
impairs your perception, judgment
and attentiveness. If you drive afterdrinking –even if you drink just a
little –it will increase the risk of
being involved in a serious or fatal
accident, injuring or killing yourself,
your passengers and others. In
addition, if you are injured in the
accident, alcohol may increase the
severity of that injury.
Please don ’t drink and drive.
Drunken driving is one of the most
frequent causes of accidents. Since alco-
hol affects all people differently, you may
have consumed too much alcohol to drive
safely even if the level of alcohol in your
blood is below the legal limit. The safest
thing you can do is never drink and drive.
However if you have no choice but to
drive, stop drinking and sober up comple-
tely before getting behind the wheel. &
Drugs and drivingWARNING
There are some drugs (over the
counter and prescription) that can
delay your reactions and impair
your perception, judgment and at-
tentiveness. If you drive after taking
them, it may increase your, yourpassengers ’and other persons ’risk
of being involved in a serious or
fatal accident.
If you are taking any drugs, check with
your doctor or pharmacist or read the
literature that accompanies the medication
to determine if the drug you are taking can
impair your driving ability. Do not drive
after taking any medications that can
make you drowsy or otherwise affect your
ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. If
you have a medical condition that requires
you to take drugs, please consult with
your doctor.
Never drive if you are under the influence
of any illicit mind-altering drugs. For your
own health and well-being, we urge you
not to take illegal drugs in the first place
and to seek treatment if you are addicted
to those drugs. &
Driving when tired or sleepyWARNING
When you are tired or sleepy, your
reactions will be delayed and your
perception, judgment and attentive-
ness will be impaired. If you drive
when tired or sleepy, your, your
passengers ’and other persons ’
chances of being involved in a
serious accident may increase.
Please do not continue to drive but
instead find a safe place to rest if you
are tired or sleepy. On long trips, you
should make periodic rest stops to refresh
yourself before continuing on your journey.
When possible, you should share the
driving with others. 7
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8
&Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified
other than with genuine SUBARU
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its
performance, safety or durability,
and may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or
performance problems resulting
from modification may not be cov-
ered under warranties.
& Car phone/cell phone and driving
WARNING
Do not use a car phone/cell phone
while driving; it may distract your
attention from driving and can lead
to an accident. If you use a car
phone/cell phone, pull off the road
and park in a safe place before
using your phone. In some States/
Provinces, only hands-free phones
may legally be used while driving. &
Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
driving. In a collision or sudden stop,
unrestrained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for
their own safety that pets should be
properly restrained in your vehicle. Re-
strain a pet with a special traveling
harness which can be secured to the rear
seat with a seatbelt or use a pet carrier
which can be secured to the rear seat by
routing a seatbelt through the carrier ’s
handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriers
in the front passenger ’s seat. For further
information, consult your veterinarian,
local animal protection society or petshop. &
Tire pressures
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the spare)
at least once a month and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are
cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust the
tire pressures to the values shown on the
tire placard. For detailed information, referto “Tires and wheels ”F 11-29.
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 anaccident.

&California proposition 65 warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its consti-
tuents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
& California Perchlorate Advi- sory
Certain vehicle components such as air-
bag modules, seatbelt pretensioners and
keyless entry transmitter batteries may
contain perchlorate material. Special
handling may apply for service or vehicle
end of life disposal. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. &
On-road and off-road driving
This vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. Your vehicle has a higher ground
clearance and higher center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll over than
ordinary passenger cars. It also handles
and maneuvers differently from other
passenger cars. For this reason, please
read carefully the following section and
follow the instructions and precautions in
order to prevent serious injury or death
due to loss of control, rollover and other
accidents. Refer to “On-road and off-road
driving ”F 8-6. General information &
Noise from under the vehicle
NOTE
You may hear a noise from under the
vehicle approximately 5 hours after the
engine is turned off. However, this does
not indicate a malfunction. This noise
is caused by the operation of the fuel
evaporation leakage checking system
and the operation is normal. The noise
will stop after approximately 15 min-utes. 9

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Table of contents
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1
Keys and doors2
Instruments and controls
Climate control4
Audio5
Interior equipment6
Starting and operating7
Driving tips8
In case of emergency9
Appearance care10
Maintenance and service11
Specifications12
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects13
Index14
3

12
Illustrated index &Exterior1) Engine hood (page 11-5)
2) Headlight switch (page 3-30)
3) Replacing bulbs (page 11-45)
4) Wiper switch (page 3-34)
5) Moonroof (page 2-24)
6) Roof rail (page 8-14)
7) Door locks (page 2-4)
8) Tire pressure (page 11-31)
9) Flat tires (page 9-6)
10) Tire chains (page 8-11)
11) Front fog light switch (page 3-32)
12) Tie-down hooks (page 9-14)
13) Towing hook (page 9-14)

1) Rear window defogger button(page 3-45)
2) Fuel filler lid and cap (page 7-3)
3) Child safety locks (page 2-19)
4) Tie-down hook (page 9-14)
5) Rear gate (page 2-23)
6) Towing hook (page 9-14) 13
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