2014 SUBARU TRIBECA suspension

The front tie-down hooks are locatedbetween each of the front tires and thefront bumper.
Rear tie-down hooks:
The rear tie-down hooks are located neareach of the jack-up reinforcements.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down hooks only fordownward anchoring. If they areused to anchor the vehicle in anyother direction, cables may slip offthe hooks,possibly causing a dan-gerous situation.
&Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport yourvehicle. Use the following procedures toensure safe transportation.
1. Shift the select lever into the“P”position.
2. Press the parking brake pedal firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrierproperly with safety chains. Each safetychain should be equally tightened andcare must be taken not to pull the chainsso tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
&Towing with all wheels on the
ground
WARNING
.Never turn the ignition switch tothe“LOCK”position while thevehicle is being towed becausethe steeringwheel and the direc-tion of the wheels will be locked.
.Remember that the brake boosterand power steering do not func-tion when the engine is notrunning. Because the engine isturned off, it will take greatereffort to operate the brake pedaland steering wheel.
In case of emergency9-17
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10-2Appearance care
Exterior care
&Washing
CAUTION
.When washing the vehicle, thebrakes may get wet. As a result,the brake stopping distance willbe longer. To dry the brakes,drive the vehicle at a safe speedwhile lightly pressing the brakepedal to heat up the brakes.
.Do not wash the engine compart-ment and areas adjacent to it. Ifwater enters the engine air in-take, electrical parts or the powersteering fluid reservoir, it willcause engine trouble or a mal-functionof the power steering.
.Do not use any organic solventswhen washing the surface of thebulb assembly cover. However, ifa detergent with organic solventsis used to wash the cover sur-face, completely rinse off thedetergent with water. Otherwise,the cover surface may be da-maged.
.Since your vehicle is equippedwith a rear wiper, automatic car-wash brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging thewiper arm and other compo-nents. Ask the automatic car-wash operator not to let thebrushes touch the wiper arm orto fix the wiper arm on the rearwindow glass with adhesive tapebefore operating the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed inan automatic car wash, make surebeforehand that the car wash is ofsuitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle’sbeauty is frequent washing. Wash thevehicleat least once a month to avoidcontamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plentyof lukewarm or cold water. Do not washthe vehicle with hot water and in directsunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, treesap, and bird droppings should be washedoff by using a light detergent, as required.If you use a light detergent, make certainthat it is a neutral detergent. Do not usestrong soap or chemical detergents. Allcleaning agents should be promptlyflushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughlywith plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe theremaining water off with a chamois or softcloth.
!Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used fordeicing road surfaces are extremely cor-rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-derbody components, such as the exhaustsystem, fuel and brake lines, brakecables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-side of the fenders with lukewarm or coldwater at frequent intervals to reduce theharmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbodycomponents may accelerate their corro-sion.
Afterdriving off-road or muddy or sandyroads, wash the mud and sand off theunderbody.
Carefully flushthe suspension and axleparts, as they are particularly prone tomud and sand buildup. Do not use asharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.
NOTE
Be careful not to damage brake hoses,sensor harnesses, and other partswhen washing suspension compo-

10-4Appearance care
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed andbuilt to resist corrosion. Special materialsand protective finishes have been used onmost parts of the vehicle to help maintainfine appearance, strength, and reliableoperation.
&Most common causes of
corrosion
The most common causes of corrosionare:
1. The accumulation of moisture retain-ing dirt and debris in body panel sections,cavities,and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protectivecoatings caused by gravel and stonechips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehiclewhen:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dustcontrol chemicals, or used in coastalareas where there is more salt in the air,or in areas where there is considerableindustrial pollution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity,especially when temperatures range justabove freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of thevehicle remainsfor a long time, even
though other parts of the vehicle may bedry.
4. High temperatures will cause corro-sion to parts of the vehicle which cannotdry quickly due to lack of proper ventila-tion.
&To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to preventcorrosion of the body and suspensioncomponents. Also, wash the vehiclepromptly after driving on any of thefollowing surfaces.
.roads that have been salted to preventthem from freezing in winter
.mud, sand, or gravel
.coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recom-mended that the underbody be given avery thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check thecondition of underbody components, suchas the exhaust system, fuel and brakelines, brake cables, suspension, steeringsystem, floor pan, and fenders. If any ofthem are found to be rusted, they shouldbe given an appropriate rust preventiontreatment or should be replaced. Contactyour SUBARU dealer to perform this kindof maintenance and treatment if you need
assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint assoon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for waterand dirt accumulation under the floor matsbecause that could cause corrosion.Occasionally check under the mats tomake sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park yourvehicle in a damp, poorly ventilatedgarage. In such a garage, corrosion canbe caused by dampness. If you wash thevehicle in the garage or put the vehicleinto the garage when wet or covered withsnow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weatherand/or in areas where road salts and othercorrosive materials are used, the doorhinges and locks, and hood latch shouldbe inspected and lubricated periodically.

&Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced whenyour vehicle was new, but the wheels willbecome unbalanced as the tires becomeworn during use. Wheel imbalance causesthe steering wheel to vibrate slightly atcertain vehicle speeds and detracts fromthe vehicle’s straight-line stability. It canalso cause steering and suspension sys-tem problems and abnormal tire wear. Ifyou suspect that the wheels are notcorrectly balanced, have them checkedand adjusted by your SUBARU dealer.Also have themadjusted after tire repairsand after tire rotation.
CAUTION
Loss of correct wheel alignmentcauses the tires to wear on one sideand reduces the vehicle’s runningstability. Contact your SUBARUdealer if you notice abnormal tirewear.
NOTE
The suspension system is designed toholdeach wheel at a certain alignment(relative to the other wheels and to theroad) for optimum straight-line stabilityand cornering performance.
&Wear indicators
1) New tread2) Worn tread3) Tread wear indicator
Each tire incorporates a tread wearindicator, which becomes visible whenthe depth of the tread grooves decreasesto 0.071 in (1.8 mm). A tire must bereplaced when the tread wear indicatorappears as a solid band across the tread.
WARNING
When a tire’s tread wear indicatorbecomes visible, the tire is wornbeyond the acceptable limit andmust be replaced immediately. Witha tire in this condition, driving athigh speeds in wet weather can
cause the vehicle to hydroplane.The resulting loss of vehicle controlcan lead to an accident.
NOTE
For safety, inspect the tire tread reg-ularly and replace the tires before theirtread wear indicators become visible.
&Tire rotation direction mark
Example of tire rotation direction mark1) Front
If the tire has the rotation directionspecification, the tire rotation directionmark is placed on its sidewall.
When you install a tire that has the tirerotationdirection mark, install the tire with
Maintenance and service11-25
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3.The total weight now exceeds
the capacity weight by 105 lbs (48
kg), so the cargo weight must be
reduced by 105 lbs (48 kg) or more.
&Determining compatibility of
tire and vehicle load capaci-
ties
The sum of four tires’maximum
load ratings must exceed the max-
imum loaded vehicle weight
(“GVWR”). In addition, sum of the
maximum load ratings of two front
tires and of two rear tires must
exceed each axle’smaximum
loaded capacity (“GAWR”). Original
equipment tires are designed to
fulfill those conditions.
The maximum loaded vehicle
weight is referred to Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). And each
axle’s maximum loaded capacity is
referred to Gross Axle Weight Rat-
ing (GAWR). The GVWR and each
axle’s GAWR are shown on the
vehicle certification label affixed to
the driver’s door.
The GVWR and front and rear
GAWRs are determined by not only
the maximum load rating of tires but
also loaded capacities of the vehi-
cle’s suspension, axles and other
parts of the body.
Therefore, this means that the
vehicle cannot necessarily be
loaded up to the tire’s maximum
load rating on the tire sidewall.
&Adverse safety conse-
quences of overloading on
handling and stopping and
on tires
Overloading could affect vehicle
handling, stopping distance, vehicle
and tire as shown in the following.
This could lead to an accident and
possibly result in severe personal
injury.
.Vehicle stability will deteriorate.
.Heavy and/or high-mounted
loads could increase the risk of
rollover.
.Stopping distance will increase.
.Brakes could overheat and fail.
.Suspension, bearings, axles and
other parts of the body could break
or experience accelerated wear
that will shorten vehicle life.
.Tires could fail.
.Tread separation could occur.
.Tire could separate from its rim.
&Steps for Determining Cor-
rect Load Limit
1.Locate the statement“The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.”on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects13-13
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