2013 SUBARU FORESTER warning

7-22Starting and operating
Braking &Braking tips
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.
! When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a
result, brake stopping distance will be
longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle
at a safe speed while lightly depressing
the brake pedal to heat up the brakes. ! Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
prevent this, shift into a lower gear to get
stronger engine braking. ! Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly
when a tire is punctured. This could cause a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep
driving straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place.
& Brake system
! Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has two separate circuit
brake systems. Each circuit works diag-
onally across the vehicle. If one circuit of
the brake system should fail, the other half
of the system still works.
If one circuit fails, the brake pedal will go
down much closer to the floor than usual
and you will need to press it down much
harder. And a much longer distance will be
needed to stop the vehicle. ! Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. Do not
turn off the engine while driving because
that will turn off the brake booster, result-
ing in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to push the pedal much harder
than normal and the braking distance willincrease. !
Brake assist system
WARNING
Do not be overconfident about the
brake assist. It is not a system that
brings more braking ability to the
vehicle beyond its braking capabil-
ity. Always use the utmost care
when driving regarding vehicle
speed and safe distance.
CAUTION
When you need to brake suddenly,
continue depressing the brake pedal
strongly to bring the effect of the
brake assist.
Brake assist is a driver assistance system.
It assists the brake power when the driver
cannot depress the brake pedal strongly
and the brake power is insufficient.
Brake assist generates the brake power
according to the speed at which the driver
depresses the brake pedal. NOTE
When you depress the brake pedal
strongly or suddenly, the following
phenomena occur. Even if they occur,
they do not indicate any malfunctions,

and the brake assist system is operat-
ing properly. .You might feel that the brake pedal
is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force.. You might hear clicking (knocking)
sounds around brake pedal. & Disc brake pad wear warning indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, im-
mediately have your vehicle checked by
your SUBARU dealer. ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys- tem)
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road sur-
faces. This helps prevent the loss of
steering control and directional stability
caused by wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h).
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving –overconfidence because
you are driving a vehicle with the
ABS system could easily lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
. The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe
following distance from other vehicles.
. When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be long-
er for a vehicle with the ABS
system than one without. When
driving under these conditions,
therefore, reduce your speed and
leave ample distance from othervehicles.
. When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the
operation of the ABS system.
& ABS system self-check
Just after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
the ABS system being carried out and
does not indicate any abnormal condition. & ABS warning light
Refer to “ABS warning light ”F 3-19.
Starting and operating
7-23

7-24Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle ’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS system ’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD system malfunction, the
EBD system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction. &
Steps to take if EBD system malfunctions
Type A
Type B
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning if
the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system malfunctions, the
conventional braking system will still func-
tion. However, the rear wheels will be
more prone to locking when the brakes
are applied harder than usual and thevehicle
’s motion may therefore become
somewhat harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat location.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake, and then restart the engine.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights turn off, the EBD system
may be malfunctioning. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
4. If both warning lights illuminate again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level. Refer to “Brake fluid ”
F 11-23.

5. If the brake fluid level is not below the “MIN ”mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “ MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light illuminated is dan-
gerous. This indicates your brake
system may not be working
properly. If the light remains on,
have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair. Vehicle Dynamics Control system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving –overconfidence because
you are driving a vehicle with the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
could easily lead to a serious acci-dent.
CAUTION
. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, winter tires should be
used when driving on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced
considerably. Simply having a
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem 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 your
vehicle, have an inspection of
that system performed by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
. 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 Con- Starting and operating
7-25
– CONTINUED –

7-28Starting and operating
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message
by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). Also,
this system may not react immediately to a
sudden drop in tire pressure (for example,
a blow-out caused by running over a
sharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, never
brake suddenly and keep driving
straight ahead while gradually redu-
cing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place. Otherwise an
accident involving serious vehicle
damage and serious personal injury
could occur.
Check the pressure for all four tires
and adjust the pressure to the COLD
tire pressure shown on the tire
placard on the door pillar on thedriver ’s side.
Even when the vehicle is driven a
very short distance, the tires get
warm and their pressures increase accordingly. Be sure to let the tires
cool thoroughly before adjusting
their pressures to the standard
values shown on the tire placard.
Refer to
“Tires and wheels ”F 11-29.
The tire pressure monitoring system
does not function when the vehicle
is stationary. After adjusting the tire
pressures, increase the vehicle
speed to at least 20 mph (32 km/h)
to start the TPMS re-checking of the
tire inflation pressures. If the tire
pressures 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.
This may cause poor reception of
the signals from the tire pressure
sensors, and the tire pressure
monitoring system will not func-
tion properly.
. FCC WARNING
Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance
could void the user ’s authority
to operate the equipment.

NOTE
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and RSS-Gen of IC
Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this de-
vice may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesiredoperation.Parking your vehicle &
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, depress 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 brake system
warning light illuminates. After starting
the vehicle, be sure that the warning light
has turned off before the vehicle is driven.
Refer to “Brake system warning light ”F 3-
20.
CAUTION
Never drive while the parking brake
is set because this will cause un-
necessary wear on the brake lin-
ings. Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake
has been fully released.
& Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always per-
form the following procedure. . Apply the parking brake firmly.
. For MT models , put the shift lever in
the “1 ” (1st) position when on an upgrade
or the “R ” (Reverse) position when on a
downgrade.. For AT models , put the select lever in
the “P ”(Park) position.
. When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel as follows. Starting and operating
7-29
– CONTINUED –

7-30Starting and operating
When the vehicle is facing uphill, the front
wheels should be turned away from thecurb.
When the vehicle is facing downhill, the
front wheels should be turned into thecurb.
WARNING
. Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to people.
. Do not park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
. Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occu-
pants in the vehicle could die
from carbon monoxide (CO) con-
tained in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION
. Always set the parking brake
firmly when parking your vehicle.
Never rely on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
. If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (if
equipped), pay attention to
blocks and other obstructions
on the ground when parking.
The underspoilers could be da-
maged by contact with them.

7-32Starting and operating
&Hill start assist warning light
Refer to “Hill start assist warning light (MT
models) ”F 3-21. Cruise control
Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal. It is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions. This
may cause loss of vehicle control. . Driving up or down a steep grade
. Driving on slippery or winding
roads
. Driving in heavy traffic
. Towing a trailer
NOTE . If you press the “CRUISE ”main
switch button while turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the cruise control func-
tion is deactivated and the cruise
control indicator light flashes. To re-
activate the cruise control function,
turn the ignition switch back to the“ Acc ”or “LOCK ”position, and then
turn it again to the “ON ”position.
. Make sure the “CRUISE ”main
switch is turned off when the cruise control is not in use to avoid uninten-
tionally setting the cruise control.
& To set cruise control
1. Push the “CRUISE ”main switch but-
ton.