2017 SUBARU FORESTER Control arm

Safety precautions when
driving
&Seatbelt and SRS airbag
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-
dent.
. To obtain maximum protection in
the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers must
always wear seatbelts when in
the vehicle. The SRS (Supple-
mental Restraint System) airbag
does not do away with the need
to fasten seatbelts. In combina-
tion with the seatbelts, it offers
the best combined protection in
case of a serious accident.
Not wearing a seatbelt increases
the chance of severe injury or
death in a crash even when the
vehicle has the SRS airbag. .
The SRS airbags deploy with
considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper
position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious
injuries. Because the SRS airbag
needs enough space for deploy-
ment, the driver should always
sit upright and well back in the
seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control
and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as
possible and sit upright and well
back in the seat.
For instructions and precautions, carefully
read the following sections.
. For the seatbelt system, refer to “Seat-
belts ”F 1-16.
. For the SRS airbag system, refer to
“ *SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint
System airbag) ”F 1-42.
& Child safety
WARNING
. Never hold a child on your lap or
in your arms while the vehicle is
moving. The passenger cannot
protect the child from injury in a
collision, because the child will
be caught between the passen-
ger and objects inside the vehi-
cle.
. While riding in the vehicle, in-
fants and small children should
always be placed in the REAR
seat in an infant or child restraint
system which is appropriate for
the child’ s age, height and
weight. If a child is too big for a
child restraint system, the child
should sit in the REAR seat and
be restrained using the seatbelts.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Never allow a child
to stand up or kneel on the seat.
. Place children in the REAR seat
properly restrained at all times in
a child restraint device or in a
seatbelt. The SRS airbag deploys
4

&On-road and off-road driving
This vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. Your vehicle has a higher ground
clearance and higher center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll over than
ordinary passenger cars. It also handles
and maneuvers differently from other
passenger cars. For this reason, please
read carefully the following section and
follow the instructions and precautions in
order to prevent serious injury or death
due to loss of control, rollover and other
accidents. Refer to “On-road and off-road
driving ”F 8-6.
& Attaching accessories
WARNING
. Do not attach any accessories,
labels or stickers (other than
properly placed inspection stick-
ers) to the windshield. Such
items may obstruct your view.
. If it is necessary to attach an
accessory (such as an electronic
toll collection (ETC) device or
security pass) to the windshield,
consult your SUBARU dealer for
details on the proper location.
General information
& California proposition 65
warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its consti-
tuents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
&California Perchlorate Advi-
sory
Certain vehicle components such as air-
bag modules, seatbelt pretensioners and
keyless entry transmitter batteries may
contain perchlorate material. Special
handling may apply for service or vehicle
end of life disposal. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/
hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
8

Function settings
A SUBARU dealer can change the settings of the functions shown in the following table to meet your personal requirements. Contact
the nearest SUBARU dealer for details. If your vehicle is equipped with a multi function display, the settings for some of these functions
can be changed using the display. For details, refer to“Multi function display”F 3-44.
Item Function Possible settingsDefault setting
Alarm system Alarm system Operation/Non-operation Operation
Monitoring start delay time (after closure of doors) 0 seconds/30 seconds 30 seconds
Impact sensor operation (only models with shock
sensors (dealer option)) Operation/Non-operation Non-operation
Passive arming (models without “keyless access with
push-button start system ”) Operation/Non-operation Non-operation
Dome light and map lights illumination ON/OFFOFF
Keyless access (if equipped) Hazard warning flasher Operation/Non-operation Operation
Audible signal Operation/Non-operation Operation
Audible signal volume Level 1 to 7Level 5
Door unlock selection function (driver ’s door unlock) Driver ’s door only/All doors Driver ’s door only
Door unlock selection function (rear gate unlock) Rear gate only/All doors Rear gate only
Remote keyless entry system Hazard warning flasher Operation/Non-operation Operation
Audible signal Operation/Non-operation Operation
Audible signal volume Level 1 to 7Level 5
Key lock-in prevention Key lock-in prevention Operation/Non-operation Operation
Defogger and deicer system for models
with the automatic climate control system Rear window defogger, outside mirror defogger and
windshield wiper deicer Operation for 15 minutes/
Continuous operationOperation for 15
minutes
– CONTINUED –
25

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
the ELR mode, refer to“Installing child
restraint systems with ALR/ELR seatbelt ”
F 1-32.
&Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Refer to “Seatbelt warning light and
chime ”F 3-14.
& Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
. Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
. Keep the lap belt as low as
possible on your hips. In a colli-
sion, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones
instead of across the weaker
abdomen.
. Seatbelts provide maximum re-
straint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat.
To reduce the risk of sliding
under the seatbelt in a collision,
the front seatbacks should be
always used in the upright posi-
tion while the vehicle is running. If the front seatbacks are not
used in the upright position in a
collision, the risk of sliding under
the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen will
increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death.
. Do not put cushions or any other
materials between occupants
and seatbacks or seat cushions.
If you do so, the risk of sliding
under the lap belt and of the lap
belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result
in serious internal injury or
death.
WARNING
Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an
accident occurs, this can increase
the risk or severity of injury.
CAUTION
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can
become very hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weath-
er; they could burn an occupant. Do
not touch such hot parts until they
cool.
! Front seatbelts
1. Adjust the seat position according to
the following procedure.
Driver ’s seat: Adjust the seatback to the
upright position. Move the seat as far from
the steering wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control.
Front passenger ’s seat: Adjust the seat-
back to the upright position. Move the seat
as far back as possible.
2. Sit well back in the seat.
3. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted.
.If the belt stops before reaching the
1-18

Keys and doors/Remote keyless entry system
l’utilisateur de l ’appareil doit accepter
tout brouillage radioélectrique subi,
même si le brouillage est susceptible
d ’en compromettre le fonctionnement.
For models with “keyless access with
push-button start system ”, the access
key is used as the transmitter for the
remote keyless entry system. For models
without “keyless access with push-button
start system” , the transmitter for the
remote keyless entry system is located
inside the key head.
The remote keyless entry system has the
following functions.
. Locking and unlocking the doors (and
rear gate) without a key
. Unlocking the rear gate without a key
. Sounding a panic alarm
. Arming and disarming the alarm sys-
tem. For detailed information, refer to
“Alarm system ”F 2-25.
The operable distance of the remote
keyless entry system is approximately 30
feet (10 meters). However, this distance
will vary depending on environmental
conditions. The system ’s operable dis-
tance will be shorter in areas near a
facility or electronic equipment emitting
strong radio waves such as a power plant,
broadcast station, TV tower, or remote controller of home electronic appliances.
NOTE
.
For models with “keyless access
with push-button start system ”,the
remote keyless entry system will not
be activated when the push-button
ignition switch is in any position other
than the “OFF ”position.
. For models without “keyless access
with push-button start system ”,the
remote keyless entry system will not
be activated when the key is inserted in
the ignition switch.
Access key
1) Lock/arm button
2) Unlock/disarm button
3) Rear gate unlock button
4) PANIC button
2-22

turn off immediately. It may take several
driving trips. If the light does not turn off,
take your vehicle to your authorized
SUBARU dealer immediately.
!If the light is blinking
If the light is blinking while driving, an
engine misfire condition has been de-
tected which may damage the emission
control system.
To prevent serious damage to the emis-
sion control system, you should do the
following.
. Reduce vehicle speed.
. Avoid hard acceleration.
. Avoid steep uphill grades.
. Reduce the amount of cargo, if possi-
ble.
. If towing a trailer, stop doing so as soon
as possible.
The CHECK ENGINE warning light may
stop blinking and illuminate steadily after
several driving trips. You should have your
vehicle checked by an authorized
SUBARU dealer immediately.&Coolant temperature
low indicator light/Cool-
ant temperature high
warning light
CAUTION
. After turning the ignition switch
to the “ON ”position, if this
indicator light/warning light be-
haves in any of the following
ways, the electrical system may
be malfunctioning. Contact your
SUBARU dealer immediately for
an inspection.
– It remains blinking in RED.
– It remains illuminated in RED
for more than 2 seconds.
– It remains blinking in RED and
BLUE alternately.
. While driving, if this indicator
light/warning light behaves in
any of the following ways, take
the specified appropriate mea-
sure listed below.
– Blinking or illuminated in
RED:
Safely stop the vehicle as
soon as possible, and refer
to the emergency steps to
take in the case of engine overheating. After that, have
the system checked by your
nearest SUBARU dealer. Refer
to
“Engine overheating ”F9-
12.
– Blinking in RED and BLUE
alternately:
The electrical system may be
malfunctioning. Contact your
SUBARU dealer for an inspec-
tion.
This coolant temperature low indicator
light/coolant temperature high warning
light has the following three functions.
. Illumination in BLUEindicates insuffi-
cient warming up of the engine
. Blinking in REDindicates that the
engine is close to overheating
. Illumination in REDindicates overheat-
ing condition of the engine
For a system check, this indicator light/
warning light illuminates in REDfor
approximately 2 seconds when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON”position.
After that, this indicator light/warning light
changes to BLUEand maintains illumina-
tion in BLUE. This BLUE illuminated light
turns off when the engine is warmed up
sufficiently.
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED –3-17

!Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tion indicator light
The indicator light flashes during activa-
tion of the skid suppression function and
during activation of the traction control
function.
NOTE
. The light may remain illuminated for
a short period of time after the engine
has been started, especially in cold
weather. This does not indicate the
existence of a problem. The light
should turn off as soon as the engine
has warmed up.
. The indicator light illuminates when
the engine has developed a problem
and the CHECK ENGINE warning light/
malfunction indicator light is on.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably malfunctioning under the follow-
ing condition. Have your vehicle checked
at a SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
. The light does not turn off even after
the lapse of several minutes (the engine
has warmed up) after the engine has
started.
&Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF indicator
light
The light illuminates when the Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF switch is pressed
to deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably malfunctioning under any of the
following conditions. Have your vehicle
checked at a SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately.
. The light does not illuminate when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position.
. The light does not turn off even once
several seconds have elapsed after the
ignition switch has been turned to the
“ON ”position.
& Warning chimes and warning
light of the keyless access
with push-button start sys-
tem (if equipped)
Access key warning light (type A)
Access key warning light (type B)
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED –
3-25

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
&Security indicator light
This indicator light shows the status of the
alarm system. It also indicates operation
of the immobilizer system.
!Alarm system
It blinks to show the driver the operational
status of the alarm system. For detailed
information, refer to “Alarm system ”F 2-
25.
! Immobilizer system
The security indicator light starts blinking
in the following conditions.
For models with “keyless access with
push-button start system ”:
. Immediately after the push-button igni-
tion switch is turned to the “OFF”position.
. Immediately after the driver ’s door is
opened or closed when all of the following
conditions are met.
–The push-button ignition switch is in
the “ON ”or “ACC ”position.
– The access key is outside the
vehicle.
– The engine is not running.
In the event that the push-button ignition
switch is pressed to turn it on or to start
the engine carrying an unauthorized key
(for example, the key is unregistered or
the ID code does not match), the power is not switched to
“ON ”and the security
indicator light continues blinking.
For models without “keyless access
with push-button start system ”:
. Approximately 60 seconds after the
ignition switch is turned from the “ON ”
position to the “ACC”or “LOCK ”position.
. Immediately after the key is pulled out.
If the indicator light does not blink in the
above conditions, it may indicate that
immobilizer system may be malfunction-
ing. Contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.
In the event that an unauthorized key (for
example, an unauthorized duplicate) is
used to start the engine, the security
indicator light illuminates. For details
about the immobilizer system, refer to
“Immobilizer ”F 2-3.
NOTE
. The security indicator light remains
off in the following conditions. It means
that the matching of the ID code is
completed and the immobilizer system
is deactivated, and it does not indicate
a malfunction.
Models with “keyless access with
push-button start system ”:
– while the engine is running
– the push-button ignition switch
has been turned to the “ON ”or
“ ACC” position and the driver ’s
door has not been opened or closed
Models without “keyless access
with push-button start system ”:
– while the engine is running
– for approximately 60 seconds
after the ignition switch is turned
from the “ON ”position to the
“ ACC ”or “LOCK ”position
– when the ignition switch is in the
“ ON ”position
. Even if a malfunction occurs, such
as if the security indicator light flashes
irregularly, it will not affect the func-
tionality of the immobilizer system.
3-30