2013 SUBARU FORESTER brake light

Hill start assist system (MT models)
CAUTION
The Hill start assist system is a
device only for helping the driver
to START the vehicle on an uphill
grade. To prevent accidents when
the vehicle is parked on a slope, be
sure to firmly set the parking brake.
When setting the parking brake,
make sure that the vehicle remains
stationary when the clutch pedal isreleased.
The Hill start assist system is a device to
make starting on an uphill grade easier.
On an uphill grade, when the clutch pedal
is depressed while the brake pedal is also
depressed, braking power is maintained
temporarily by the Hill start assist system
after the brake pedal is released. The
driver is therefore able to start the vehicle
the same way as on a level grade, just
using the clutch and accelerator pedal.The Hill start assist system does not
operate when the vehicle is facing down-
hill. And the Hill start assist system may
not operate on slight grades.
When starting in reverse and using the Hill
start assist system, a braking effect may
be felt even after the brake pedal has
been released. However, this braking
effect should disappear once the clutch
pedal is released.
A slight jolt may be felt when the vehicle
begins to move forward after being re-versed.
If the braking power of the Hill start assist
system is insufficient after the brake pedal
is released, apply more braking power by
pressing the brake pedal again. Starting and operating
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7-34Starting and operating
.Push the “CANCEL ”button.
. Depress the brake pedal.
. Depress the clutch pedal (MT models).
WARNING
For AT models, do not place the
select lever in the “N ” position while
driving. If the select lever is shifted
into the “N ” position, cruise control
can be canceled but the engine
brake will no longer work. This
could result in an accident.
The cruise control set indicator light on the
combination meter turns off when the
cruise control is canceled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled, push the“ RES/ACC ”button. The vehicle will return
to the original cruising speed automati-
cally and the cruise control set indicator
light on the combination meter will illumi-nate. NOTE
If the vehicle speed has decreased
below approximately 20 mph (32
km/h), the previously set cruising
speed is canceled completely and
resetting of the cruising speed isrequired. & To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: .
Push the “CRUISE ”main switch button
again. . Turn the ignition switch to the “Acc ”or
“ LOCK ”position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped). & To change the cruising speed
! To increase the speed (by button)
Push the “RES/ACC ”button and hold it
until the vehicle reaches the desired
speed. Then, release the button. The
vehicle speed at that moment will be
memorized and treated as the new setspeed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be increased 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time

by pressing the“RES/ACC ”button quickly.
! To increase the speed (by accel-
erator pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle to the desiredspeed.
2. Push the “SET/COAST ”button once.
Now the desired speed is set and the
vehicle will keep running at that speed.
NOTE
If the difference between the actual
vehicle speed when the button is
pushed and the speed last time you
set is less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the
vehicle speed will be lowered by 1 mph
(1.6 km/h). This occurs because the
cruise control system unit regards this
operation as that intended to decrease
the vehicle speed. !
To decrease the speed (by button)
Push the “SET/COAST ”button and hold it
until the vehicle reaches the desired
speed. Then, release the button. The
vehicle speed at that moment will be
memorized and treated as the new setspeed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be lowered 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time by
pressing the “SET/COAST ”button quickly.
! To decrease the speed (by brakepedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the
desired speed, press the “SET/COAST ”button once. Now the desired speed is set
and the vehicle will keep running at thatspeed.
& Cruise control indicator light
Refer to “Cruise control indicator light ”
F 3-24.
& Cruise control set indicator light
Refer to “Cruise control set indicator light ”
F 3-25. Starting and operating
7-35

common sense precautions such as those
in the following list should be taken. .Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio. . Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain. . Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. . Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep. . Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim. . If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and cross the stream without stopping.
The water should be shallow enough that
it does not reach the vehicle
’s under-
carriage. Water entering the engine air
intake or the exhaust pipe or water
splashing onto electrical parts may da-
mage your vehicle and may cause it to
stall. Never attempt to drive through
rushing water; regardless of its depth, it
can wash away the ground from under
your tires, resulting in possible loss of
traction and even vehicle rollover. . Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard. . After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. .
Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle ’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over. . If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the shift lever/
select lever back and forth between “1 ”/
“ D ” and “R ” repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle. . When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st. For AT models, refer to“ Selection of manual mode ”F 7-19.
. Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual. . Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly. Driving tips
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2. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the
hitch receiver tube so that the pin passes
through the ball mount.
3. Insert the safety pin securely into the
hitch pin.
4. Pull the ball mount to make sure itdoes not come off the hitch receiver.
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate
for the ball mount and your trailer. The
hitch ball must be securely installed on the
ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with
safety chains that will hold the trailer ’s
maximum gross weight. The chains
should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping onto the
ground in case it should disconnect from
the hitch ball. Allow sufficient slack in the
chains taking tight turn situations into
account; however, be careful not to let
them drag on the ground.
WARNING
Do not connect safety chains to part
of the vehicle other than the safety
chain hooks.
Hitch harness connector
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black
four-pin wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch
wire harness by individually activating the
brake, stop, and turn signal lights on the
trailer.
NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire har-
ness before launching or retrieving a Driving tips
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8-24Driving tips
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable. . Check that the tire pressures are
correct.. Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that:
–The trailer tongue is connected
properly to the hitch ball. – The trailer lights connector is con-
nected properly and trailer ’s stop lights
illuminate when the vehicle ’s brake
pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s
turn signal lights flash when the vehicle ’s turn signal lever is operated.
– The safety chains are connected
properly. – All cargo in the trailer is secured
safely in position.– The side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig-
nificant blind spot.
. Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel ”of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up. !
Driving with a trailer
. You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may
result in skidding or jackknifing and loss ofcontrol. . Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accel-
erations. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, always start out in first gear
and release the clutch at moderate enginerevolution. . Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.. Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal turning radius because
the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. In
a tight turn, the trailer could hit yourvehicle. . Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down
immediately but gradually. . When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by
attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
. Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn. . If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed
immediately by the nearest SUBARU
dealer.

!Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts. . When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating. . When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the following indicators be-
cause the engine and transmission are
relatively prone to overheating.
–Temperature gauge (if equipped)
– Coolant temperature high warning
light (if equipped) – AT OIL TEMP warning light (AT
models)
. If any of the following conditions occur,
immediately turn off the air conditioner and
stop the vehicle in the nearest safe
location. Refer to “If you park your vehicle
in case of an emergency ”F9-2 and
“ Engine overheating ”F 9-13.
– Temperature gauge needle ap-
proaches the OVERHEAT zone (if
equipped). Refer to “Temperature
gauge (models with type A combina-
tion meter) ”F 3-11.
– Coolant temperature high warning light illuminates (if equipped). Refer to“
Coolant temperature low indicator
light/Coolant temperature high warn-
ing light ”F 3-16.
– AT OIL TEMP warning light illumi-
nates (AT models). Refer to “AT OIL
TEMP warning light (AT models) ”F 3-
17.
. If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, avoid using the accelerator pedal
to stay stationary on an uphill slope
instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat. . If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the select lever as follows.
Uphill slopes: “D ”position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking ! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place chocks under
both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the chocks are in place, release
the brake pedal slowly until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Press the brake pedal fully and then
apply the parking brake; slowly release
the brake pedal.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission models) or the
“P ” position
(automatic transmission models) and shut
off the engine. Driving tips
8-25

16. Store the flat tire in the spare tire
compartment. Put in the spacer and tight-
en the attaching bolt firmly.
Also store the jack, jack handle and wheel
nut wrench in their storage locations.
WARNING
Never place a tire or tire changing
tools in the passenger compartment
after changing wheels. In a sudden
stop or collision, loose equipment
could strike occupants and cause
injury. Store the tire and all tools in
the proper place. &
Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec. models)
Type A
Type B
The tire pressure monitoring system pro- vides the driver with the warning message
indicated 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.
Also, this system may not react immedi-
ately to a sudden drop in tire pressure (for
example, a blow-out caused 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 vehicle
placard on the door pillar on thedriver ’s side. If this light still illumi-
nates while driving after adjusting
the tire pressure, 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 In case of emergency
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