2013 SUBARU FORESTER stop start

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 3-15.
Starting and operating
7-5

The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for properinflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood and rear gate are
fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the
“ON ”position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops. Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
NOTE
It may be difficult to start the engine
when the battery has been discon-
nected and reconnected (for mainte-
nance or other purposes). This diffi-
culty is caused by the electronically
controlled throttle ’s self-diagnosis
function. To overcome it, keep the
ignition switch in the “ON ”position
for approximately 10 seconds before
starting the engine. & MT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED –

While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the select lever is at the“P ” or
“ N ”position and that the parking brake is
applied.
CAUTION
If you need to restart the engine
while the vehicle is moving, shift the
select lever into the “N ” position. Do
not attempt to place the select lever
of a moving vehicle into the “P ”
position. Stopping the engine
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering
and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the steering lock, causing
the steering wheel to lock. Remote engine start system
(dealer option)
WARNING
. Do not remote start a vehicle in
an enclosed environment (e.g., in
a closed garage). Prolonged op-
eration of a motor vehicle in an
enclosed environment can cause
a harmful build-up of Carbon
Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is
harmful to your health. Exposure
to high levels of Carbon Monox-
ide can cause headaches, dizzi-
ness or in extreme cases uncon-
sciousness and/or death.
. Before performing any servicing
of the vehicle, temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent the
system from unexpectedly start-
ing the engine. Starting and operating
7-9
– CONTINUED –

7-10Starting and operating
&Starting your vehicle
The remote control start system is acti-
vated by pressing the “
”button twice
within 3 seconds on your remote control
transmitter. The system will check certain
pre-conditions before starting, and if all
safety parameters are correct, the engine
will start within 5 seconds. While the
vehicle is operating via remote engine
start, the vehicle ’s power window features
will be disabled. Also, the system has a
timer and will shut down after 15 minutes if
you do not operate the vehicle. Press and
hold the “
”button for 2 seconds again to
turn the vehicle off. If the vehicle ’s starter
cranks but does not start or starts and
stalls, the remote engine start system will
power off then attempt to start the vehicle an additional four times. If the vehicle fails
to start after the additional attempts, the
remote engine start system will abort and
return to a non-activated state. &
Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
system will fail to start and beep the horn
twice or shut down the engine during
remote start operation if any of the
following conditions occur. . The brake pedal is pressed before the
vehicle ignition switch is turned “on ”.
. The key was already in the ignition
switch.. The engine hood is opened.
. The vehicle ’s engine idle speed has
reached a level over 3,000 rpm.. The alarm is triggered by opening a
door or the rear gate. NOTE . The security indicator light on the
dashboard will stop flashing while
under remote engine start operation,
but the vehicle is still protected.. If the vehicle is entered during
remote engine start operation, the
security system will not record the
entry in the alarm history. &
Entering the vehicle while it
is running via remote start
1. Unlock the vehicle doors using the
keyless entry system. If the vehicle ’s
doors are unlocked manually using the
key, the vehicle ’s alarm system will trigger
and the remote engine start system will
turn off. Inserting the key into the ignition
switch and turning it to the “ON ”position or
pressing the unlock button “
”on the
remote keyless entry transmitter will dis-
arm the alarm system. Refer to “Alarm
system ”F 2-14.
2. Enter the vehicle. Do not depress the
brake pedal.
3. Insert the key into the ignition switch
and turn to the “ON ”position. If the ignition
switch is accidentally turned to the“ START ”position, the system ’s “starter
anti-grind ”feature will prevent the starter
from re-cranking.
4. Depress the brake pedal. The remote
starter disengages, the vehicle ’s power
window features are re-enabled and the
vehicle will operate normally. & Entering the vehicle follow-
ing remote engine start shut-down
An alarm trigger may occur if the vehicle is
opened by the remote keyless entry

7-14Starting and operating
position. Engine braking has no
effect in either of these condi-
tions and the risk of an accident
is consequently increased.
. Do not engage the clutch (i.e.,
release the clutch pedal) sud-
denly when starting the vehicle.
By doing so, the vehicle might
unexpectedly accelerate or the
transmission could malfunction.
CAUTION
Shift into reverse ONLY when the
vehicle has completely stopped. It
may cause damage to the transmis-
sion to try shifting into reverse when
the vehicle is moving. &
Shifting speeds
! Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel econ-
omy and vehicle performance during
normal driving is ensured by shifting up
at the speeds listed in the following table.
Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40) 3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
! Maximum allowable speeds
The following table shows the maximum
speeds that are possible with each gear.
The tachometer ’s needle will enter the red
area if these speeds are exceeded.
With the exception of cases where sudden
acceleration is required, the vehicle
should not be driven with the tachometer ’s
needle inside the red area. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
excessive engine wear and poor fuel
economy. mph (km/h)
1st 30 (49)
2nd 51 (83) 3rd 73 (118)
Never exceed the posted speed limit.
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the maximum al-
lowable speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
engine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accidentincreased.
& Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage.

Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear as
necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you“ride ”(over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a malfunc-tion. Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 4 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. Also, it has a
manual mode and a SPORT mode.
WARNING
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N ”
position into the “D ” or “R ” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION
. Shift into the “P ” or “R ” position
ONLY after the vehicle is comple-
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more
than 5 seconds in any position
except the “N ” or “P ” position
when the brake is set or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.
. Avoid shifting from one of the
forward driving positions into the “
R ” position or vice versa until
the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may
cause damage to the transmis-sion.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever inthe “P ” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the select
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the automatic transmis-
sion will upshift at higher engine
speeds than when the coolant tempera-
ture is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve
driveability. The gearshift timing will
automatically return to the normal tim-
ing after the engine has warmed up.. Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
which the on-board computer has
collected and stored in memory to Starting and operating
7-15
– CONTINUED –

7-16Starting and operating
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate timings for the cur-
rent condition of your vehicle. Opti-
mized shifting will be restored as the
vehicle continues to be driven for awhile. &Select lever
: Shifting is possible with the brake pedal
depressed.
: Shifting is possible whether the brakepedal is depressed or not. However,
while the ignition switch is in the “LOCK ”
or “Acc ”position, shifting is not possible
if the brake pedal is not depressed.
Depress the brake pedal and move the
select lever.
: Shifting is possible whether the brake
pedal is depressed or not.
The select lever has four positions, “P ”, “
R ”, “N ”, “D ”and also has manual gate for
using “SPORT ”mode or manual mode.
! P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine.
In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the “P ”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the select lever from the “P ”to any
other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the select
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started. ! R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N ”to “R ” position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the
lever to the “R ”position.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “LOCK ”position, movement of the
select lever from the “N ”position to the “R ”
position is possible for a limited time
period by depressing the brake pedal,
and then it becomes impossible. For
details, refer to “Shift lock function ”F 7-17. !
N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalledengine.
In this position, the transmission is neutral
and the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even on
the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or foot brake is applied.
Avoid coasting with the transmission in
neutral. During coasting, there is no
engine braking effect.
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
select lever in the “N ” (neutral)
position. Engine braking has no
effect in this condition and the risk
of an accident is consequently in-creased.
NOTE
If the select lever is in the “N ” position
when you stop the engine for parking,
you may not subsequently be able to
move it to the “R ” or “P ” position. If
this happens, turn the ignition switch tothe “ON ”position. You will then be able
to move the select lever to the “P ”
position. For details, refer to “Shift lock
function ”F 7-17.

7-18Starting and operating
. When the select lever cannot be
shifted from “P ” to “N ”:
Refer to “Shift lock release using the shift
lock release button ”F 7-18.
. When the select lever cannot be
shifted from “N ” to “R ” or “P ”:
Within 60 seconds after placing the igni-
tion switch in the “Acc ”position, move the
select lever to the “R ”or “P ” position with
the brake pedal depressed.
If you must perform the above procedure,
the shift lock system (or the vehicle control
system) may be malfunctioning. Contact a
SUBARU dealer for an inspection as soon
as possible.
If the select lever does not move after
performing the above procedure, refer to“ Shift lock release using the shift lock
release button ”F 7-18.
! Shift lock release using the shift
lock release button
Perform the following procedure to release
the shift lock.
1. Apply the parking brake and stop the engine.
2. Remove the shift lock cover using a
flat-head screwdriver. The shift lock re-
lease button is located under the shift lock
cover. NOTE
To prevent damage to the shift lock
cover, wrap the tip of the flat-head
screwdriver with vinyl tape or a cloth
before removing the cover.3. While depressing the brake pedal,
insert the screwdriver into the hole, press
the shift lock release button using the
screwdriver, and then move the select
lever.
If the select lever does not move after
performing the above procedure, the shift
lock system may be malfunctioning. Con-
tact a SUBARU dealer for an inspection
as soon as possible.