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EnglishDriving tips -> On-road and off-road driving for your Subaru Forester 2019-2024
On-road and off-road driving
400
conditions than a two wheel drive
vehicle. There is little difference in
handling, however, during extremely
sharp turns or sudden braking. There-
fore, when driving down a slope or
turning corners, be sure to reduce your
speed and maintain an ample distance
from other vehicles.
Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire inflation pressure label, which is
located under the door latch on the
driver’s side.
Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
steep hills or dusty roads will necessi-
tate more frequent replacement of the
following items than that specified in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
– Engine oil
– Brake fluid
– Rear differential gear oil
– Continuously variable transmission
fluid
– Front differential gear oil
There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehi-
cle. For detailed information, refer to
“Towing” �P435.
with its higher profile and center
of gravity, is more likely to be
affected by crosswinds than or-
dinary passenger cars.
8-9. On-road and off-road
driving
WARNING
.
.
Always use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive model could easily
lead to a serious accident.
.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wear-
ing a seatbelt. The driver and all
passengers should fasten their
seatbelts before starting to drive
in order to minimize the chance
of serious injury or death.
.
.
Never attempt to drive through
pools and puddles, or roads
flooded with water. Water enter-
ing the engine air intake or the
exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage
your vehicle and may cause it to
stall. In this case, contact your
SUBARU dealer immediately. Re-
gardless of its depth, it can wash
away the ground from under your
tires, resulting in possible loss of
traction and even vehicle roll-
over.
.
.
.
Do not make sharp turns or quick
maneuvers unless absolutely un-
avoidable. Such actions are dan-
gerous, as you may lose control,
possibly resulting in a rollover
which could cause death or ser-
ious injury.
Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-
tions.
CAUTION
.
.
After driving on gravel roads or
rough roads, check the under-
carriage of the vehicle body for
any damage, deformation, or
paint removal. If you notice any
Whenever strong crosswinds are
present, slow down sufficiently
to maintain control of your vehi-
cle. Remember that your vehicle,
On-road and off-road driving 401
ently from many passenger vehicles both
on-road and off-road, so take time to
become familiar with your vehicle. Note,
however, that your vehicle is not a con-
ventional off-road vehicle or an all-terrain
vehicle, and it should not be operated like
one. A higher center of gravity in relation to
the tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for high-
speed cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle could
roll over if you make a sharp turn at high
speed. If you do take your SUBARU off-
road, certain common sense precautions
such as those in the following list should be
taken.
.
.
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.
irregularities, contact a SUBARU
dealer for an inspection as soon
as possible.
.
Frequent driving of an AWD mod-
el under hard-driving conditions
such as rough roads or off roads
will necessitate more frequent
replacement of the following
items than that specified in the
maintenance schedule described
in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”.
Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this
manual.
–
–
Engine oil
Brake fluid
& During driving
General precautions:
.
Remember that damage done to
your SUBARU while operating it
off-road and not using common
sense precautions such as those
listed above is not eligible for
warranty coverage.
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.
.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. A utility vehicle features a high
ground clearance and may be equipped
with off-road tires (Subaru Forester
Wilderness models only), which enable
the vehicle to be used for a wider range of
applications. Because of the AWD feature
and higher ground clearance, you can
drive your SUBARU on ordinary roads or
off-road. It handles and maneuvers differ-
.
.
& Before driving
.
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.
Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
– CONTINUED –
On-road and off-road driving
402
cially at higher speeds.
and brake pedal at the same time
while the select lever is in a position
other than “P” or “N”.
while driving, contact a SUBARU deal-
er for an inspection as soon as possi-
ble.
.
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.
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 the engine stops. This could
create a fire hazard.
– Depressing the accelerator to hold
the vehicle in a stationary position
while on a slope and while the select
lever is in a position other than “P” or
“N”.
– Trying repeatedly to drive over a
bump that the vehicle cannot climb
over.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction
by starting the vehicle with the trans-
mission in 2nd than 1st. Refer to
“Selection of manual mode” �P326.
Do not rotate the tires at a high speed if
the vehicle is stuck due to muddy,
snowy, icy, or similar low-traction con-
ditions, or if any tire is not touching the
ground. Doing so may cause the tires to
burst or lead to an accident due to
abnormal overheating or damage to
drivetrain components.
.
.
.
Do not allow the vehicle tires to be
submerged in deep sand, a river, or
seawater. If you have to drive under
these conditions, thoroughly wash the
vehicle after driving. If you hear any
abnormal noise while driving, contact a
SUBARU dealer for an inspection as
soon as possible.
If the wheels are stuck, cutting the
steering wheel at a sharp angle may
cause the steering components to be
deformed. If you hear any abnormal
noise while driving or if you notice any
abnormalities due to rough running,
contact a SUBARU dealer for an
inspection as soon as possible.
Avoid driving over curbs. Tires, wheels,
suspensions, and the mechanical com-
ponents under the vehicle body may be
unnoticeably damaged by the impact of
striking a curb or driving on a rough
road. If driving over a curb is unavoid-
able, ride over it slowly and at a right
angle to the curb. When parking your
vehicle, make sure that the tires are not
pressed against the curb.
.
.
.
Precautions when driving under espe-
cially dangerous situations:
.
When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the
select lever back and forth between
“D” and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying
to free the vehicle.
.
.
On rough roads and roads with large
undulations, have a leader guide you,
or check the road surface in advance to
select a road where the ground will not
come in contact with the undercarriage
of the vehicle body.
.
Do not perform the following opera-
tions. Doing so may cause the trans-
mission to overheat or malfunction.
– Depressing the accelerator pedal
.
Do not drive for a long time while the
vehicle is tilted to the left or right.
Drive the vehicle at 6 mph (10 km/h) or
less. If you hear any abnormal noise
Winter driving 403
the vehicle.
& After driving
8-10. Winter driving
.
Always check your brakes for effective-
ness 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.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside
temperature, it may freeze and block the
nozzles.
& Operation during cold weath-
er
! Maintenance
Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares,
a small shovel and jumper cables.
.
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.
Check the battery and cables. Cold tem-
peratures reduce battery capacity. The
battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
CAUTION
.
Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out-
side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
.
Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components
are particularly prone to dirt buildup, so
they need to be washed thoroughly.
.
State or local regulations on
volatile organic compounds may
restrict the use of methanol, a
common windshield washer anti-
freeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol anti-
freeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging
your vehicle’s paint, wiper blades
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
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