2012 SUBARU FORESTER warning light

4-10Climate control
WARNING
Continued operation in the ON posi-
tion may fog up the windows. Switch
to the OFF position as soon as the
outside dusty condition clears. Defrosting
Select the desired
“
”mode or “”mode
to defrost or dehumidify the windshield
and front door windows by performing the
following procedures.
For types A and C: Turn the airflow control
dial and select the “
”mode or “”
mode.
For type B: Press the airflow mode
selection button to select the “
”mode
or press the defroster button to select the “
” mode.
NOTE . When the “
”mode or “”mode
is selected, the air conditioner com-
pressor automatically operates to more
quickly defog the windshield. (The air
conditioner indicator light does not
illuminate in this case.) At the same
time, the air inlet selection is automa-
tically set to the outside air mode. For
details, refer to “Airflow mode selec-
tion ”F 4-8.
. For type B, if the defroster button is
pressed while the “
”mode is se-
lected, it will return to the previous
mode before selecting the “
”mode. Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner &
Cleaning ventilation grille
Always keep the front ventilation inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser. &Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to
allow outside air to circulate into the

To use the cigarette lighter, push in the
knob and wait a few moments. It will
automatically spring up when ready foruse.
WARNING
To avoid being burned, never grasp
the lighter by the end with the
heating element. Doing so could
result in injury and could also
damage the heating element.
CAUTION
. Do not hold the lighter pushed in,
because it will overheat.
. Do not use non-genuine cigarette
lighter plugs in the socket. Doing
so may cause a short-circuit and
overheating, resulting in a fire.
. If the socket is ever used for a
plug-in accessory such as a cell
phone, that may damage the
portion of the socket ’s internal
mechanism that causes a cigar-
ette lighter plug to “pop out ”
after its heating element is
heated. Therefore, do not place
a cigarette lighter plug in a sock-
et that has been used, even once,
to power a plug-in accessory. Doing so may cause the plug to
stick and overheat, creating a
potential fire hazard.
Ashtray (if equipped)
CAUTION
. Do not use ashtrays as waste
receptacles or leave a lighted
cigarette in an ashtray. This
could cause a fire.
. Always extinguish matches and
cigarettes before putting them
into the ashtray, and then close
the ashtray securely. If you keep
the ashtray open, the fire on the
cigarette tip may spread to an-
other cigarette butt and start afire.
. Do not put flammable material in
the ashtray.
. Do not leave a lot of cigarette
butts in the ashtray. Interior equipment
6-11
– CONTINUED –

6-14Interior equipment
Cargo area cover (dealer op- tion)
The cargo area cover is provided for
covering the cargo area and to protect its
contents from direct sunlight. This cover is
detachable to make room for additionalcargo. &Using the cover
To extend the cover, pull the end of the
cover out of the housing, then insert its
hooks into the catches as shown. To
rewind it, unhook it from the catches and
it will rewind automatically. You should
hold the cover and guide it back into the
cover housing while it is rewinding.
Install the front cover behind the rear seatback.
WARNING
Do not place anything on the ex-
tended cover. Putting excessive
weight on the extended cover can
break it and an object on the cover
could tumble forward in the event of
a sudden stop or collision. This
could cause serious injury.
CAUTION
. Be careful not to scratch the rear
gate stays while extending and
rewinding the cover. Scratches
on the stays could cause leakage of gas from the stays, which may
result in their inability to hold the
rear gate open.
. If the vehicle is equipped with a
reclining rear seatback feature,
when reclining the rear seatback,
move the front cover backward
so that the cover is not damaged.
& To remove the cover
1. Rewind the cover.2. Push the button that is next to the right
end of the cover housing.
3. Take it off the retainer.

Fuel...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-3
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-6
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-7
Starting the engine .............................................. 7-7
MT models .......................................................... 7-7
AT models ........................................................... 7-8
Stopping the engine ............................................ 7-9
Remote engine start system (dealer option) ..... 7-9
Starting your vehicle .......................................... 7-10
Remote start safety features ............................... 7-10
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start ................................................................. 7-10
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown ......................................................... 7-10
Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the vehicle ............................................................. 7-11
Service mode ..................................................... 7-11
Remote transmitter programming and programmable feature option ............................ 7-11
System maintenance .......................................... 7-12
Manual transmission .......................................... 7-13
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-14
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Automatic transmission ..................................... 7-15
Select lever ........................................................ 7-16
Shift lock function .............................................. 7-17
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-19
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-20 SPORT mode
..................................................... 7-20
Power steering ................................................... 7-21
Braking ............................................................... 7-22
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-22
Brake system .................................................... 7-22
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-23
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-23
ABS system self-check ...................................... 7-23
ABS warning light .............................................. 7-23
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ............................................................. 7-24
Steps to take if EBD system malfunctions ..... ..... 7-24
Vehicle Dynamics Control system .................... 7-25
Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor..... ..... 7-26
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch ................ 7-27
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec. models). ........................................ 7-27
Parking your vehicle ......................................... 7-29
Parking brake .................................................... 7-29
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-29
Hill start assist system (MT models) ................ 7-31
Hill start assist warning light .............................. 7-32
Cruise control .................................................... 7-32
To set cruise control .......................................... 7-32
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-33
To turn off the cruise control .............................. 7-34
To change the cruising speed .. .......................... 7-34
Cruise control indicator light .............................. 7-35
Cruise control set indicator light ........................ 7-35
Starting and operating
7

7-2Starting and operating
Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel
additive may cause engine damage.
& Fuel requirements
! Non-turbo models
The engine is designed to operate using
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of 87 AKI (90 RON) or higher .
! Turbo models
The engine is designed to operate usingpremium unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of 91 AKI (95 RON) or
higher . If premium unleaded gasoline is
not available, regular unleaded gasoline
with an octane rating of 87 AKI (90 RON)
or higher may be temporarily used. For
optimum engine performance and drive-
ability, it is required that you use premium
grade unleaded gasoline. NOTE
Be sure to use premium unleaded
gasoline of 91 AKI (95 RON) or higher
for turbo engine models. If other gaso- line (lower than 91 AKI (95 RON)) is
used, knocking, reduced output and
poor acceleration will result. !
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane
numbers and is commonly referred to as
the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane
rating can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
It is normal if your vehicle sometimes
knocks lightly when you drive up a hill or
when you accelerate, but contact your
SUBARU dealer if your vehicle knocks
heavily or persistently even though you
are using a fuel with the specified octanerating. ! Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler
nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy. ! Gasoline for California-certified LEV
If your vehicle was certified to California ’s
low emission vehicle (LEV) standards as
indicated on the underhood tune-up label, it is designed to optimize engine and
emission performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur Cali-
fornia gasoline specifications. Gasoline
sold outside California is permitted to
have higher sulfur levels. It can be used
but it may affect the performance of your
vehicle
’s catalytic converter and may
produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell.
SUBARU recommends that you try a
different brand of unleaded gasoline hav-
ing lower sulfur to determine if the problem
is fuel related before returning your
vehicle to an authorized SUBARU dealer
for service. ! MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-
function indicator light may turn on. If this
happens, contact an authorized SUBARU
dealer for service. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel
used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty.

7-4Starting and operating
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid
release lever up. The lever is on the floor
at the left of the driver ’s seat.
WARNING
Before opening the fuel filler cap,
first touch the vehicle body or a
metal portion of the fuel pump or
similar object to discharge any
static electricity that may be present
on your body. If your body is carry-
ing an electrostatic charge, there is
a possibility that an electric spark
could ignite the fuel, which could
burn you. To avoid acquiring a new
static electric charge, do not get
back into the vehicle while refueling
is in progress.
1) Open
2) Close
2. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise.
WARNING
. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Only handle fuel out-
doors. Quickly wipe up any
spilled fuel. .
When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly counter-
clockwise. Do not remove the
cap quickly. Fuel may be under
pressure and spray out of the
fuel filler neck, especially in hot
weather. If you hear a hissing
sound while you are removing
the cap, wait for the sound to
stop and then slowly open the
cap to prevent fuel from spraying
out and creating a fire hazard.
3. Hook the cord that is attached to the
fuel filler cap onto the hook inside the fuel
filler lid.

WARNING
. When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop-
ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto-
matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from
the tank and create a fire hazard.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically stops. Do not add any
more fuel.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap whiletightening.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged.CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da-
mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap
clockwise until it clicks to ensure
that it is fully tightened. If the cap
is not securely tightened, fuel
may leak out while the vehicle is
being driven or fuel spillage
could occur in the event of an
accident, creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting and your fuel tank
and emission control system
may be damaged. It could also
lead to fuel spillage and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-gine.
NOTE . You will see the “
”sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator
light may illuminate. Refer to “CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator light ”F 3-16.
Starting and operating
7-5

7-6Starting and operating
State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive model
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
. At state inspection time, remem-
ber to tell your inspection or
service station in advance not to
place your SUBARU AWD vehicle
on a two-wheel dynamometer.
Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
. Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or
its contractors or licensees.
California and a number of federal states
have Inspection/Maintenance programs to inspect your vehicle
’s emission control
system. If your vehicle does not pass this
test, some states may deny renewal of
your vehicle ’s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer
that monitors the performance of the engine ’s emission control system. Certi-
fied emission inspectors will inspect the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as
part of the state emission inspection
process. The OBDII system is designed
to detect engine and transmission pro-
blems that might cause the vehicle emis-
sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII
inspections apply to all 1996 model year
and newer passenger cars and trucks.
Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-
bia have implemented emission inspec-
tion of the OBDII system. . The inspection of the OBDII system
consists of a visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/mal-
function indicator light (MIL) and an
examination of the OBDII system with an
electronic scan tool. . A vehicle
passes the OBDII system
inspection if proper operation of the “ CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is ob-
served, there are no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness
monitors are all complete. .
A vehicle
fails the OBDII inspection if
the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle ’s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT
READY ”is greater than one. If the
vehicle ’s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection. . Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result.