2014 SUBARU TRIBECA ECO mode

7-18Starting and operating
&SPORT mode
SPORT mode is used when power isneeded for rapid acceleration or for uphilldriving. To select this mode, move theselect lever from the“D”position to themanual gate.
When selected, the SPORT mode indica-tor light on the combination meter willilluminate.
To d e s e l e c t S P O R T m o d e , m o v e t h eselect lever to the“D”position or selectmanual mode. To subsequently reselectSPORT mode, move the select lever tothe“D”position and from there to themanual gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up athigher vehicle speeds and shifts downmore responsivelythan in normal mode.
Power steering
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel at thefully locked position left or right formore than 5 seconds. This maydamage thepower steering pump.
The power steering system operates onlywhen the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist becausethe engine stops or the system fails tofunction, you can steer but it will takemuch more effort.
NOTE
Right after the engine has been startedand before it has warmed up, you mayhear a noise coming from areas adja-centto the power steering pump whichis located at the right-front area of theengine compartment. This noise isnormal. It does not indicate powersteering system trouble.

7-26Starting and operating
Tr a c t i o n C on t r o l s y s t e m O F F i nd i c a t o rlight (Latin America-spec. models)
Traction Control system OFF switch
Pressing the switch to deactivate theTraction Control system can facilitate thefollowing operations.
.a standing start on a steeply slopingroad with a snowy, gravel-covered, orotherwise slippery surface
.extrication of the vehicle when itswheels are stuck in mud or deep snow
When the switch is pressed during engineoperation, the Traction Control systemOFF indicator light on the combinationmeter illuminates. The Traction Controlsystem willbe deactivated and the vehiclewill behave like a model not equipped withthe Traction Control system. When theswitch is pressed again to reactivate theTraction Control system OFF indicatorlight turns off.
With the Traction Control system deacti-vated, traction enhancement offered byTraction Control system is unavailable.Therefore you should not deactivate theTraction Control system except underabove-mentioned situations.
NOTE
.When the switch has been pressedto deactivate the Traction Control sys-tem, the Traction Control system auto-matically reactivates itself the next timethe ignition key is turned to the“LOCK”position and the engine is restarted..If the switch is held down for 10seconds or longer, the indicator lightturns off,the Traction Control system
is activated, and the system ignoresany further pressing of the switch. Tomake the switch usable again, turn theignition key to the“LOCK”position andrestart the engine..When the switch is pressed todeactivate the Traction Control system,the vehicle’s running performance iscomparable with that of a vehicle thatdoes not have a Traction Controlsystem. Do not deactivate the TractionControl system except when absolutelynecessary.

New vehicle break-in driving–the first1,000 miles (1,600 km)..................................... 8-2
Fuel economy hints............................................ 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)............ 8-2
Catalytic converter.............................................. 8-3
Periodic inspections........................................... 8-4
Driving in foreign countries............................... 8-4
Driving tips for AWD models.............................. 8-4
On-road and off-road driving.............................. 8-6
Winter driving...................................................... 8-8Operation during cold weather............................. 8-8Driving on snowy and icy roads.......................... 8-9Corrosion protection.......................................... 8-10Snow tires......................................................... 8-10Tire chains......................................................... 8-11Rockingthe vehicle............................................ 8-11
Loading your vehicle......................................... 8-12Vehicle capacity weight...................................... 8-12GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratingand Gross Axle Weight Rating)........................ 8-13Roof rails and crossbar (if equipped).................. 8-14Roof molding and crossbar (if equipped)............ 8-17
Trailer hitch (if equipped).................................. 8-18Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-19When you do not tow a trailer ............................ 8-20
Trailer towing..................................................... 8-21Warranties and maintenance.............................. 8-21Maximum load limits.......................................... 8-21Trailer hitches.................................................... 8-24Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-25Trailer towing tips.............................................. 8-26
Driving tips
8

8-4Driving tips
Periodic inspections
To keep your vehicle in the best conditionat all times, always have the recom-mended maintenance services listed inthe maintenance schedule in the“War-ranty and Maintenance Booklet”per-formed at the specified time or mileageintervals.
Driving in foreign countries
When planning to use your vehicle inanother country:
.Confirm the availability of the correctfuel. Refer to“Fuel requirements”F7-2.
.Comply with all regulations and re-quirements of each country.
Driving tips for AWD models
WARNING
.Always maintain a safe drivingspeed according to the road andweather conditions in order toavoidhaving an accident on asharp turn, during sudden brak-ing or under other similar condi-tions.
.Always use the utmost care indriving–overconfidence be-cause you are driving an All-Wheel Drive model could easilylead to a serious accident.
.When replacing a tire, you mustuse a tire that is of the same size,circumference, speed symboland load index as the originaltires listed on the tire placard.Using tires of other sizes, cir-cumferences or constructionsmay result in severe mechanicaldamage to the drive train of yourvehicle and may affect ride,handling,braking, speedometer/odometer calibration, and clear-ance between the body and tires.It also may be dangerous andlead to loss of vehicle control.

.You must install four tires that areof the same size, circumferences,construction, manufacturer,brand (tread pattern), degree ofwear, speed symbol and loadindex. Mixing tires of other sizes,circumferences or constructionsmay result in severe mechanicaldamage to the drive train of yourvehicle and may affect ride,handling, braking and speed-ometer/odometer calibration. Italso may be dangerous and leadto loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION
If you use a temporary spare tire toreplace a flat tire, be sure to use theoriginaltemporary spare tire storedin the vehicle. Using other sizes mayresult in severe mechanical damageto the drive train of your vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive distributes the enginepower to all four wheels. AWD modelsprovidebetter traction when driving onslippery, wet or snow-covered roads andwhen moving out of mud, dirt or sand. Byshifting power between the front and rearwheels, SUBARU AWD can also provideadded traction during acceleration, andadded engine braking force during decel-eration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehiclemay handle differently than an ordinarytwo wheel drive vehicle and it containssome features unique to AWD. For safetypurposes as well as to avoid damagingthe AWD system, you should keep thefollowing tips in mind.
.An AWD model is better able to climbsteeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.There is little difference in handling,however, during extremely sharp turns orsudden braking. Therefore, when drivingdown a slope or turning corners, be sureto reduce your speed and maintain anample distance from other vehicles.
.Always check the cold tire pressurebefore starting to drive. The recom-mended tire pressure is provided on thetire placard, which is located under thedoor latch on the driver’s side.
.There are some precautions that youmust observe when towing your vehicle.For detailed information, refer to“Towing”F9-14.
Driving tips8-5

8-6Driving tips
On-road and off-road driving
WARNING
.In a rollover crash, an unbeltedperson is significantly morelikely to die than a person wear-ing a seatbelt. You the driver andall your passengers should fas-ten the seatbelts before startingto drive in order to minimize thechance of serious injury or death.
.Do not make sharp turns andquick maneuvers unless abso-lutely unavoidable. Such actionsare dangerous as you may losecontrol, possibly resulting in arolloverwhich could cause deathor serious injury.
.Always maintain a safe drivingspeed according to the road andweather conditions in order toavoid havingan accident on asharp turn, during sudden brak-ing or under other similar condi-tions.
.Whenever strong crosswinds arepresent, slow down sufficientlyto maintain control of your vehi-cle. Remember that your vehicle,with its higher profile and center
of gravity, is more likely to beaffected by crosswinds than or-dinary passenger cars.
.Always use the utmost care indriving–overconfidence be-cause you are driving an All-Wheel Drive model could easilylead to a serious accident.
Yo u r v e h i c l e i s c l a s s i f i e d a s a u t i l i t yvehicle. Utilityvehicles feature a higherground clearance which enables them tobe used for wide applications including off-road driving. But please keep in mind thatyour vehicle is neither a conventional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. Ahighercenter of gravity in relation to thetread width as compared with ordinarypassenger cars makes vehicles of thistype more likely to roll over. In reality, utilityvehicles have a significantly higher roll-over rate thanother types of vehicles. Thehigh ground clearance of this vehicle is areal advantage, giving you a better view ofthe road and allowing you to anticipateproblems earlier. However, remember thatyour utility vehicleis not designed for high-speed cornering comparable to ordinarypassenger cars and that your vehiclecould roll over if you make a sharp turnat high speed. If you do take yourSUBARU off-road, certain common sense
precautions such as those in the followinglist should be taken.
.Make certain that you and all of yourpassengers are wearing seatbelts.
.Carry some emergency equipment,such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone orcitizens band radio.
.Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-sary risks by driving in dangerous areas orover rough terrain.
.Slow down and employ extra caution atall times. When driving off-road, you willnot have the benefit of marked trafficlanes, banked curves, traffic signs andthe like.
.Do not drive across steep slopes.Instead, drive either straight up or straightdown the slopes. A vehicle can muchmore easily tip over sideways than it canend over end. Avoid driving straight up ordown slopes that are too steep.
.Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-cially at higher speeds.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of thesteering wheel. A bad bump could jerk thewheel andinjure your hands. Instead drivewith your fingers and thumbs on theoutside of the rim.
.If driving through water, such as whencrossing shallow streams, first check the

.Do not use a combination ofradial, belted bias or bias tiressince it may cause dangeroushandling characteristics and leadto an accident.
Your vehicle is equipped with“all seasontires”which are designed to provide anadequate measure of traction, handlingand braking performance in year-rounddriving. In winter, it may be possible toenhance performance through use of tiresdesigned specifically for winter drivingconditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on yourvehicle, be sure to use the correct tire sizeand type. You must install four winter tiresthat areof the same size, construction,brand and load range and you shouldnever mix radial, belted bias or bias tiressince this may result in dangerous hand-ling characteristics. When you choose atire, make sure that there is enoughclearance between the tire and vehiclebody.
Remember to drive with care at all timesregardless of the type of tires on yourvehicle.
Your vehicle comes with P255/55R18“all season tires”as original equip-ment. You should be aware that some
winter tires with that same size desig-nation may actually be too large for thevehicle and may cause rubbing onsharp turns. Listed in the following isthe winter tire size that we recommend.
Recommended winter (snow) tire size
P255/55R18 stud less
&Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on yourvehicle because of the lack ofclearance between the tires andvehicle body.
&Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it fromsnow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-erator pedal slightly and move the selectlever back and forth between“D”and“R”repeatedly. Do not race the engine. Forthe best possible traction, avoid spinningthe wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremelyslippery, you can obtain better traction bystartingthe vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st.
For information about holding the trans-mission in the 2nd position, refer to“Selection of manual mode”F7-16 and“Driving tips”F7-17.
Driving tips8-11

WARNING
Do not use oil or grease on thewheel studs or nuts when the sparetire is installed. This could cause thenuts to become loose and lead to anaccident.
15. Turn the jack handle counterclockwiseto lower the vehicle.
CAUTION
There are 2 types of wheel nutwrenches that apply to differentlengths.
For models with silver-colored alu-minumwheels, the 10.8-inch (275mm) wheel nut wrench is equippedas a maintenance tool. And formodels with optional chrome-fin-ished wheels, the 13.2-inch (335mm) wheel nut wrench is equippedas well. Confirm the equipped wheelnut wrench type when you replace atire. If the wheel nut wrench is thedifferent type, it cannot be tightenedto the specified torque.
1) The length of the wheel nut wrench
16. Confirm the length of the equippedwheel nut wrench and wheel nut tighten-ing torque. Refer to“Tires”F12-8.
17. Use the wheel nut wrench to securelytighten thewheel nuts to the specified
torque, following the tightening order in theillustration.
Never use your foot on the wheel nutwrench or a pipe extension on the wrenchbecause you may exceed the specifiedtorque. Have the wheel nut torquechecked at the nearest automotive servicefacility.
WARNING
Do not use the extension whenturning the wheel nuts. If you did,you would not be able to achievesufficient tightening torque. Thewheel nuts could then come loose,resulting in a serious accident.
18. Store the flat tire in the spare tire
In case of emergency9-9
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