Subaru Forester: Parking your vehicle / Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always perform
the following items.
- Apply the parking brake firmly.
- Put the select lever in the “P” position.
Never rely on the mechanical friction of the
transmission alone to hold the vehicle.

When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel. When the vehicle is
headed up the hill, the front wheels should
be turned away from the curb.

When facing downhill, the front wheels
should be turned into the curb.
WARNING
- Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent operation
of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the temperature
in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to people.
- Do not park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust system
parts.
- Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If engine
exhaust gas enters the passenger
compartment, occupants in
the vehicle could die from carbon
monoxide (CO) contained in the
exhaust gas.
CAUTION
- If your vehicle has a bumper
under guard (optional), pay attention
to blocks and other obstructions
on the ground when parking.
The underspoiler could be
damaged by contact with them.
- The braking power of the parking
brake may not be sufficient when
stronger braking power is
needed (e.g., when parking on a
steep slope while towing a trailer).
The Auto Start Stop system is designed to
automatically stop and restart the engine
when the vehicle is stationary for a short
period of time (while waiting for a traffic
light or in a traffic jam) after the engine has
warmed up...
Other information:
Check on a daily basis that the
tires are free from serious damage,
nails, and stones. At the same time,
check the tires for abnormal wear.
Inspect the tire tread regularly
and replace the tires before their
tread wear indicators become visible...
After stopping the engine and any door
including the rear gate is opened, the
steering wheel will be locked due to the
steering lock function.
When the engine is restarted, the steering
lock will be automatically released.
When the steering lock cannot be
released
Operation indicator
Push-button ignition switch
When you cannot restart the engine due to
the steering lock, check the status of
operation indicator and perform the following
steps...