Subaru Forester (2023 year). Manual in english

(159,1)

3-11. Light control switch...................................... 227

Precautions and tips........................................... 227
Headlights .......................................................... 228
High/low beam change (dimmer) ......................... 230
Headlight flasher ................................................ 230
High beam assist function .................................. 231
Daytime running light system ............................. 233

3-12. Steering Responsive Headlight (SRH) ........ 234
3-13. Headlight beam leveler................................. 235
3-14. Fog light switch (if equipped)...................... 235
3-15. Turn signal lever ........................................... 236

One-touch lane changer...................................... 237

3-16. Wiper and washer..........................................237

Windshield wiper and washer switches .............. 238
Rear window wiper and washer switch ............... 240

3-17. Mirrors ............................................................241

Inside mirror ...................................................... 241
Auto-dimming mirror/compass with HomeLink

(if equipped)..................................................... 241

Outside mirrors.................................................. 249

3-18. Defogger and deicer (if equipped) ...............251
3-19. Tilt/telescopic steering wheel.......................252

Heated Steering Wheel system (if equipped) ....... 253

3-20. Horn................................................................254

Instruments and controls

Instruments

and

controls

(160,1)

3-1. Ignition switch (models
without “keyless access with
push-button start system”)

WARNING

Never turn the ignition switch to

the “LOCK” position while the
vehicle is being driven or towed
because that will lock the steer-
ing wheel, preventing steering
control. And when the engine is
turned off, it takes a much greater
effort than usual to steer.

Before leaving the vehicle, al-

ways remove the key from the
ignition switch for safety and
never allow an unattended child
to remain in the vehicle. Failure to
follow this procedure could re-
sult in injury to a child or others.
Children could operate the power
windows, the moonroof or other
controls or even make the vehicle
move.

CAUTION

Do not attach a large key holder or
key case to either key. If it banged
against your knees or hands while
you are driving, it could turn the
ignition switch from the “ON” posi-
tion to the “ACC” or “LOCK” posi-
tion, thereby stopping the engine.
Also, if the key is attached to a key
holder or to a large bunch of other
keys, centrifugal force may act on it
as the vehicle moves, resulting in
unwanted turning of the ignition
switch.

The ignition switch has four positions:
LOCK, ACC, ON and START.

NOTE

Keep the ignition switch in the
“LOCK” position when the engine
is not running.

Using electrical accessories for a
long time with the ignition switch in
the “ON” or “ACC” position can
cause the battery to go dead.

If the ignition switch will not move
from the “LOCK” position to the
“ACC” position, turn the steering
wheel slightly to the left and right as
you turn the ignition switch.

Key positions

Position

Description

LOCK

The key can only be inserted
or removed in this position.
The ignition switch will lock
the steering wheel when you
remove the key.

ACC

In this position the electrical
accessories (audio, acces-
sory power outlet, etc.) can be
used.

This is the normal operating
position after starting the en-
gine.

START

The engine is started in this
position.

Ignition switch (models without “keyless access with push-button start system”)

158

(161,1)

CAUTION

Do not turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position while the engine
is running.

NOTE

To turn the key from the “ACC” to
“LOCK” position, the select lever
must be in the “P” position and the
key must be pushed in and turned.

If your registered key fails to start
the engine, pull out the key once (the
security indicator light will blink),
and then insert the key again and
turn it to the “START” position again
to restart the engine.

The engine may not start in the
following cases:

– The key grip is touching another

key or a metallic key holder.

– The key is near another key that

contains an immobilizer trans-

ponder.

– The key is near or touching

another transmitter.

Key reminder chime

The reminder chime sounds when the
driver’s door is opened and the ignition
switch is in the “LOCK” or “ACC” position.

The chime stops under the following
conditions.

The ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position.

The key is removed from the ignition
switch.

The driver’s door is closed.

Ignition switch light

For easy access to the ignition switch in
the dark, the ignition switch light illumi-
nates when the driver’s door is opened or
when the driver’s door is unlocked using
the remote keyless entry transmitter.

The light remains illuminated for several
tens of seconds and then gradually turns
off under the following conditions.

The driver’s door is closed.

The doors are unlocked using the
remote keyless entry transmitter.

– CONTINUED –

Ignition switch (models without “keyless access with push-button start system”)

159

Instruments

and

controls

(162,1)

The light turns off immediately under the
following conditions.

The ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position.

All doors and the rear gate are locked
using the remote keyless entry trans-
mitter.

3-2. Push-button ignition
switch (models with “keyless
access with push-button start
system”)

Safety precautions

Refer to “Safety precautions”

�

P112.

Operating range for push-
button start system

Antennas

Operating range

NOTE

If the access key fob is not detected
within the operating range of the
antennas inside the vehicle, the
push-button ignition switch and the

engine start cannot be operated.

Even when the access key fob is
outside the vehicle, if it is placed too
close to the glass, it may be possible
to switch the power or to start the
engine.

Do not leave the access key fob in
the following places. It may become
impossible to operate the push-
button ignition switch and the en-
gine start. It may also cause a false
warning to issue although no mal-
function actually occurs, or not to
issue a warning when any malfunc-
tion occurs.

– On the instrument panel
– On the floor
– Inside the glove box
– Inside the door trim pocket
– On the rear seat
– In the cargo area

When operating the push-button
ignition switch or starting the en-
gine, if the access key fob battery is
discharged, perform the procedure
described in “Access key fob – if
access key fob does not operate
properly”

�

P433. In such a case,

replace the battery immediately. Re-
fer to “Replacing battery of access
key fob”

�

P490.

Push-button ignition switch (models with “keyless access with push-button start system”)

160

(163,1)

Switching power status

Operation indicator

Push-button ignition switch

The power is switched every time the
push-button ignition switch is pressed.
1. Carry the access key fob, and sit in the

driver’s seat.

2. Shift the select lever into the “P”/“N”

position.

3. Press the push-button ignition switch

without depressing the brake pedal.
Every time the button is pressed, the
power is switched in the sequence of
“OFF”, “ACC”, “ON” and “OFF”. When
the engine is stopped and the push-
button ignition switch is in “ACC” or
“ON”, the operation indicator on the
push-button ignition switch illuminates

in orange.

Power

status

Indicator color

Operation

OFF

Turned off

Power is turned

off.

ACC

Orange

The following

systems can be

used:

audio and ac-

cessory power

outlet.

Orange

(while engine is

stopped)

All electrical

systems can be

used.

Turned off

(while engine is

running)

CAUTION

When the push-button ignition

switch is left in “ON” (while the
engine is not running) or “ACC”
for a long time, it may result in
vehicle battery discharge.

Do not spill drinks or other liquids

on the push-button ignition
switch. It may cause a malfunc-
tion.

Do not touch the push-button

ignition switch with a hand soiled
with oil or other contaminants. It

may cause a malfunction.

If the push-button ignition switch

does not operate smoothly, stop
the operation. Contact a SUBARU
dealer immediately.

If the push-button ignition switch

does not illuminate even when
the instrument panel illumination
is turned on, have the vehicle
inspected at a SUBARU dealer.

If the vehicle was left in the hot

sun for a long time, the surface of
the push-button ignition switch
may get hot. Be careful not to
burn yourself.

NOTE

When operating the push-button
ignition switch, firmly press it all
the way.

If the push-button ignition switch is
pressed quickly, the power may not
turn on or off.

If the indicator light on the push-
button ignition switch flashes in
green when the push-button ignition
switch is pressed, steering is
locked. When this occurs, press the
push-button ignition switch while
turning the steering wheel left and
right.

– CONTINUED –

Push-button ignition switch (models with “keyless access with push-button start system”)

161

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and

controls

(164,1)

Battery drainage prevention func-
tion

The push-button ignition switch automati-
cally switches to the “OFF” position to
prevent the battery from going dead under
either of the following conditions:

The push-button ignition switch is left in
the “ACC” position for about 20 minutes
when the select lever is in the “P”
position.

The push-button ignition switch is left in
the “ON” position for about 1 hour when
the select lever is in the “P” position.

When access key fob does
not operate properly

Refer to “Access key fob – if access key
fob does not operate properly”

�

P433.

3-3. Hazard warning flasher

The hazard warning flasher is used to warn
other drivers when you have to park your
vehicle under emergency conditions. The
hazard warning flasher works regardless
of the position of the ignition switch.

To turn on the hazard warning flasher,
push the hazard warning flasher switch on
the instrument panel. All the turn signal
lights and the turn signal indicator lights
will flash. To turn off the flasher, push the
switch again.

NOTE

When the hazard warning flasher is on,
the turn signals do not work.

3-4. Meters and gauges

NOTE

Some of the meters and gauges on the
combination meter use liquid-crystal
displays. You will find their indications
hard to see if you wear polarized
glasses.

Speedometer

The speedometer shows the vehicle
speed.

Tachometer

The tachometer shows the engine speed
in thousands of revolutions per minute.

CAUTION

Do not operate the engine with the
pointer of the tachometer in the red
zone. In this range, fuel injection will
be cut by the engine control module
to protect the engine from overrev-
ving. The engine will resume run-
ning normally after the engine speed
is reduced below the red zone.

Hazard warning flasher

162

(165,1)

Odometer

TRIP RESET switch

Odometer

This meter displays the odometer when
the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
The odometer shows the total distance
that the vehicle has been driven.

NOTE

If you press the TRIP RESET switch
when the ignition switch is in the
“LOCK”/“OFF” or “ACC” position, the
odometer/trip meter will light up.
The indicators will turn off when:

The TRIP RESET switch is not oper-
ated for approximately 10 seconds.

The driver’s door is opened and then
closed.

Double trip meter

TRIP RESET switch

Trip meter

This meter displays the two trip meters
when the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position.
The trip meter shows the distance that the
vehicle has been driven since you last set
it to zero.

The display can be switched as shown in
the following sequence by pressing the
TRIP RESET switch.

To set the trip meter to zero, select the A
trip or B trip meter by pressing the TRIP
RESET switch and keep the knob pressed
for more than 2 seconds.

CAUTION

To ensure safety, do not attempt to
change the function of the indicator
during driving, as an accident could
result.

NOTE

If the connection between the com-
bination meter and battery is broken
for any reason such as vehicle
maintenance or fuse replacement,
the data recorded on the trip meter
will be lost.

If you press the TRIP RESET switch
when the ignition switch is in the
“LOCK”/“OFF” or “ACC” position,
the odometer/trip meter will light up.
It is possible to switch between the A
trip meter and B trip meter indica-
tions while the odometer/trip meter
is lit up.

– CONTINUED –

Meters and gauges

163

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and

controls

(166,1)

In addition, it is possible to reset the trip
meter by pressing and holding the TRIP
RESET switch.

The indicators will turn off when:

–

The TRIP RESET switch is not oper-
ated for approximately 10 seconds.

–

The driver’s door is opened and then
closed.

Fuel gauge

TRIP RESET switch

Fuel gauge

The fuel gauge is displayed when the
ignition is in the “ON” position, and it shows
the approximate amount of fuel remaining
in the tank.

The gauge indication may change slightly
during braking, turning or acceleration due
to fuel level movement in the tank.

NOTE

You will see the “

” sign in the fuel

gauge. This indicates that the fuel
filler lid is located on the right side of
the vehicle.

If you press the TRIP RESET switch
while the ignition switch is in the
“LOCK”/“OFF” or “ACC” position,
the fuel gauge will light up and
indicate the amount of fuel remain-
ing in the tank.

The indicators will turn off when:

–

The TRIP RESET switch is not oper-
ated for approximately 10 seconds.

–

The driver’s door is opened and then
closed.

ECO gauge

The ECO gauge shows the difference
between the current rate of fuel consump-
tion and the average rate of fuel consump-
tion since the trip meter was last reset.

If the ECO gauge moves towards the +
side, this indicates better fuel efficiency.

NOTE

The ECO gauge shows only an
approximate indication of fuel effi-
ciency.

After resetting the trip meter, the
average rate of fuel consumption is
not shown until you have driven for 1
mile (or 1 km). Before that time, the
ECO gauge does not operate.

Meters and gauges

164

(167,1)

Combination meter settings

Meter and vehicle settings can be set on
the combination meter display (color
LCD). Refer to “Menu screens”

�

P196.

3-5. Illumination brightness
control

The illumination brightness of the instru-
ment panel illuminates under the following
conditions.

The light switch is in the “

” or “

”

position when the ambient light is dark.

The light control switch is in the “AUTO”
position and the headlights illuminate
automatically.

You can adjust the illumination brightness
for better visibility.

To brighten, turn the control dial upward.
To darken, turn the control dial downward.

NOTE

When the control dial is turned fully
upward, the illumination brightness
becomes the maximum and the
automatic dimming function does
not work at all.

The brightness setting is not can-
celed even when the ignition switch
is turned to the “LOCK”/“OFF” posi-
tion.

Auto dimmer cancel function

When the ambient light is bright, the
illumination brightness is set to the max-
imum regardless of the position of the
control dial. In this case, you cannot adjust
the illumination brightness by using the
control dial. When the ambient light is dark,
you can dim the illumination brightness as
described above.

The operational/non-operational setting
and sensitivity of the auto dimmer cancel
function can be changed by your SUBARU
dealer. Contact your SUBARU dealer for
details.

Illumination brightness control

165

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(168,1)

3-6. Warning and indicator

Initial illumination for system
check

Several of the warning and indicator lights
illuminate when the ignition switch is
initially turned to the “ON” position. This
permits checking the operation of the
bulbs.

Apply the parking brake and turn the
ignition switch to the “ON” position. For
the system check, several of the following
lights illuminate and then turn off after
several seconds or after the engine has
started.

: Seatbelt warning light (The seatbelt

warning light turns off only when the
driver fastens the seatbelt.)/Front pas-
senger’s seatbelt warning light (The
seatbelt warning light turns off only
when the front seat passenger fastens
the seatbelt.)

: Rear seatbelt warning light

: SRS airbag system warning light

: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON

indicator light

: Front passenger’s frontal airbag

OFF indicator light

: CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-

function indicator light

: Coolant temperature low indicator

light/Coolant temperature high warn-
ing light

: Charge warning light

: Oil pressure warning light

: AT OIL TEMP warning light

: Low tire pressure warning light (U.S.-

spec. models)

: ABS warning light

: Brake system warning light

: Electronic parking brake light

: Low fuel warning light

: AWD warning light

: Power steering warning light

: Vehicle Dynamics Control warning light/

Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light

: Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indicator

light

If any lights fail to illuminate, it indicates a
burned-out bulb or a malfunction of the
corresponding system.

Consult your authorized SUBARU dealer
for repair.

Seatbelt warning light
and chime

Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt
warning device at the driver’s and passen-
ger’s seats, as required by current safety
standards.

Driver’s and front passenger’s seats

With the ignition switch turned to the “ON”
position, this device reminds the driver and
front passenger to fasten their seatbelts by
illuminating the warning lights in the loca-
tions indicated in the following illustration
and sounding a chime.

Driver’s seat

Warning and indicator

166

(169,1)

Front passenger’s seat

Operation

When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, the driver’s and/or front
passenger’s warning light will illuminate,
then it will blink for several seconds. If the
seatbelt of the driver’s seat is not fastened,
the warning chime may make a peep
sound.

NOTE

If the driver’s and/or front passen-
ger’s seatbelt(s) are/is not fastened
while driving, the seatbelt warning
system operates as follows accord-
ing to the vehicle speed.

– The warning light will illuminate

when driving approximately 4
mph (6 km/h) or less.

– The warning light will blink, and

the warning chime will make a
peep sound when driving be-
tween approximately 4 mph (6
km/h) and 13 mph (20 km/h). The
warning chime will stop when the
vehicle stops.

– The warning light will blink, and

the warning chime will sound
loudly when 15 seconds have
elapsed while driving between
approximately 4 mph (6 km/h)
and 13 mph (20 km/h).

– The warning light will blink, and

the warning chime will sound
loudly when driving approxi-
mately more than 13 mph (20
km/h).

The warning light will turn off and the
warning chime will stop when the
seatbelt is fastened.

If there is no passenger on the front
passenger’s seat, the seatbelt warning
system for the front passenger’s seat will
be deactivated. The front passenger’s
seatbelt warning system monitors whether
or not there is a passenger on the front
passenger’s seat.

CAUTION

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the
device from functioning correctly or
cause the device to fail.

Do not install any accessory such

as a table or TV onto the seat-
back.

Do not store a heavy load in the

seatback pocket.

Do not allow the rear seat occu-

pant to place his/her hands or
legs on the front passenger’s
seatback, or allow him/her to pull
the seatback.

Do not use front seats with their

backward-forward position and
seatback not being locked into
place securely. If any of them are
not locked securely, adjust them
again. For adjusting procedure,
refer to “Manual seat”

�

P33.

If the seatbelt warning system for the front
passenger’s seat does not function cor-
rectly (e.g., it is activated even when the
front passenger’s seat is empty or it is
deactivated even when the front passen-
ger has not fastened his/her seatbelt), take
the following actions.

– CONTINUED –

Warning and indicator

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Ensure that no article is placed on the
seat other than a child restraint system
and its child occupant, although we
strongly recommend that all children sit
in the rear seat properly restrained.

Ensure that there is no article left in the
seatback pocket.

Ensure that the backward-forward po-
sition and seatback of front passen-
ger’s seat are locked into place se-
curely by moving the seat back and
forth.

If still the seatbelt warning system for front
passenger’s seat does not function cor-
rectly after taking relevant corrective ac-
tions described above, immediately con-
tact your SUBARU dealer for an inspec-
tion.

Rear passenger’s seats

Rear left seat

Rear center seat

Rear right seat

With the ignition switch turned to the “ON”
position, the seatbelt warning light and
chime reminds the rear passenger to
fasten their seatbelt by illuminating the
warning lights in the locations indicated in
the above illustration and sounding a
chime.

WARNING

The driver must check that all the

passengers have fastened their
seatbelts properly since the seat-
belt warning system may not
detect passengers under the fol-

lowing circumstances.

– When cushions or child re-

straint systems, etc., are used

– When a child or small adult is

sitting in the seat

Observe the following precau-

tions

– Do not apply any strong im-

pact to the rear seat.

– Do not fold the seatback for-

ward when objects are on the
seat.

– Do not spill liquid on the rear

seat. If liquid is spilled, wipe it
off immediately.

– Do not remove or disassemble

the rear seat.

NOTE

The seatbelt warning system of the
rear seat detects if the seat is
occupied by a passenger. Heavy
cargo or large pets on the rear seat
may result in the activation of the
passenger seatbelt warning light
and chime. Fastening the rear seat-
belt prior to loading cargo or large
pets will avoid activating the pas-
senger seatbelt warning light and
chime.

Warning and indicator

168

(171,1)

When folding the rear seat, ensure
that the seat is empty prior to fold-
ing. Items caught between the seat
bottom and seatback, when folded,
may damage the seat surface or
activate the passenger seatbelt
warning light and chime.

Operation

If passengers in the rear seats do not
fasten their seatbelts while the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, the
seatbelt warning lights will illuminate or
blink to indicate that their seatbelts are not
fastened.

NOTE

If the rear passenger’s seatbelt(s)
are/is still not fastened while driving,
the seatbelt warning system oper-
ates as follows according to the
vehicle speed.

– The warning light will illuminate

when driving approximately 4
mph (6 km/h) or less.

– When driving approximately be-

tween 4 mph (6 km/h) and 13 mph
(20 km/h), if the seatbelts are not
fastened for 50 seconds, the
seatbelt warning lights will blink
and a warning chime will sound.
The chime will make a peep

sound for 15 seconds, and it then
will become louder and continue
for 35 seconds. The warning light
will blink for 50 seconds, then it
will illuminate steadily and the
chime will stop.

– When driving more than approxi-

mately 13 mph (20 km/h), if seat-
belts are not fastened for 35
seconds, the warning lights of
the unfastened seatbelts will
blink and a chime will sound
loudly. If the rear seatbelts are
not fastened after 35 seconds,
the blinking warning light will
illuminate steadily and the chime
will stop. The warning lights will
continue to illuminate until their
seatbelts are fastened.

The warning light will turn off and the
warning chime will stop when the
seatbelt is fastened.

SRS airbag system
warning light

WARNING

If the warning light exhibits any of
the following conditions, immedi-
ately stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and consult a SUBARU dealer. Un-

less a technician checks and repairs
the system as needed, the seatbelt
pretensioners and/or the SRS airbag
will not operate properly in the event
of a collision, which may result in
injury.

Flashing or flickering of the warn-

ing light

No illumination of the warning

light when the ignition switch is
first turned to the “ON” position

Continuous illumination of the

warning light

Illumination of the warning light

while driving

For details about the components mon-
itored by the warning light, refer to “SRS
airbag system monitors”

�

P104.

– CONTINUED –

Warning and indicator

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Front passenger’s frontal air-
bag ON and OFF indicators

: Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON

indicator

: Front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF

indicator

The front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
and OFF indicators show you the status of
the front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag.
The indicator is displayed near the map
lights.
When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, both the ON and OFF
indicators illuminate for 6 seconds during
which time the system is checked. Follow-
ing the system check, both indicators turn
off for 2 seconds. After that, one of the
indicators illuminates depending on the
status of the front passenger’s SRS frontal

airbag determined by the SUBARU ad-
vanced frontal airbag system monitoring.
If the front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
is activated, the passenger’s frontal airbag
ON indicator will illuminate while the OFF
indicator will remain off.
If the front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
is deactivated, the passenger’s frontal
airbag ON indicator will remain off while
the OFF indicator will illuminate.
With the ignition switch turned to the “ON”
position, if both the ON and OFF indicators
remain illuminated or off simultaneously
even after the system check period, the
system is malfunctioning. Contact your
SUBARU dealer immediately for an in-
spection.

CHECK ENGINE warn-
ing light/Malfunction
indicator light

CAUTION

If the CHECK ENGINE warning light/
Malfunction indicator light illumi-
nates while you are driving, have
your vehicle checked/repaired by
your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible. Continued vehicle opera-
tion without having the emission
control system checked and re-

paired as necessary could cause
serious damage, which may not be
covered by your vehicle’s warranty.

If this light illuminates steadily or blinks
while the engine is running, it may indicate
that there is at least one problem or
potential problem somewhere in the emis-
sion control system.

If the light illuminates steadily

If the light illuminates steadily while driving
or does not turn off after the engine starts,
an emission control system malfunction
has been detected.
You should have your vehicle checked by
an authorized SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately.

NOTE

This light also illuminates when the fuel
filler cap is not tightened until it clicks.

If you have recently refueled your vehicle,
the cause of the CHECK ENGINE warning
light/malfunction indicator light illuminating
could be a loose or missing fuel filler cap.
Remove the cap and retighten it until it
clicks. Make sure nothing is interfering with
the sealing of the cap. Tightening the cap
will not make the CHECK ENGINE warn-
ing light turn off immediately. It may take
several driving trips. If the light does not

Warning and indicator

170

(173,1)

turn off, take your vehicle to your author-
ized 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.

Stop towing a trailer 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/
Coolant 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 overheat-

ing. After that, have the sys-
tem checked by your nearest
SUBARU dealer. Refer to “En-
gine overheating”

�

P428.

– 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

BLUE

indicates insuffi-

cient warming up of the engine.

Blinking in

RED

indicates that the

engine is close to overheating.

Illumination in

RED

indicates overheat-

ing condition of the engine.

For a system check, this indicator light/
warning light illuminates in

RED

for ap-

proximately 2 seconds when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position. After
that, this indicator light/warning light
changes to

BLUE

and maintains illumina-

tion in

BLUE

. This

BLUE

illuminated light

turns off when the engine is warmed up
sufficiently.

– CONTINUED –

Warning and indicator

171

Instruments

and

controls

(174,1)

If the engine coolant temperature in-
creases over the specified range, the
indicator light/warning light blinks in

RED

At this time, the engine is close to over-
heating.

If the engine coolant temperature in-
creases further, the indicator light/warning
light illuminates in

RED

continuously. At

this time, the engine may be overheating.

When the indicator light/warning light
blinks in

RED

or illuminates in

RED

, safely

stop the vehicle as soon as possible, and
refer to the emergency steps to take in the
case of engine overheating. Refer to
“Engine overheating”

�

P428. After that,

have the system checked by your nearest
SUBARU dealer.

Also, if the indicator light/warning light
often blinks in

RED

, the electrical system

may be malfunctioning. Contact your
SUBARU dealer for an inspection.

NOTE

If the engine is restarted after a certain
driving condition, this indicator light/
warning light may illuminate in RED.
However, this is not a malfunction if the
indicator light/warning light turns off
after a short time.

Charge warning light

If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the charging
system is not working properly.

If the light illuminates while driving or does
not turn off after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the drive belt. If the belt is loose,
broken or if the belt is in good condition but
the light remains illuminated, contact your
nearest SUBARU dealer immediately.

Oil pressure warning
light

If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the engine oil
pressure is low and the lubricating system
is not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or does
not turn off after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.

CAUTION

Do not operate the engine with the
oil pressure warning light illumi-
nated. This may cause serious en-
gine damage.

Engine low oil level
warning light

This light illuminates when the engine oil
level decreases to the lower limit.
If the warning light illuminates, check the
engine oil level on a level surface. When
the engine oil level is not within the normal
range, refill with engine oil. Refer to
“Engine oil”

�

P456. After adding or chan-

ging the engine oil, warm up the engine
and stop it on a level surface, then start the
engine after a lapse of 1 minute or more.
Confirm that the warning light has turned
off after the engine has started. If the
warning light does not turn off after refilling
the engine oil, or the light illuminates even
though the engine oil level is within the
normal range, have the vehicle checked by
a SUBARU dealer.

NOTE

The oil level will be detected by the
system just after turning the ignition
switch to the OFF position. If the oil
level is below the lower limit when
the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, the engine low oil level
warning light will turn on.

When the vehicle is parked on a
steep slope, the engine low oil level
warning light may not illuminate
even if the oil level is below the

Warning and indicator

172

Subaru Forester (2023 year). Manual in english - page 10