Driving Tips; Continuously Variable Transmission - Subaru Forester 2013 Owner's Manual

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Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
gear.
Before shifting down a gear, refer to the
allowable gear position for the current
vehicle speed on the speedometer dial.
& Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 5th, 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear
as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you "ride" (over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a problem. Continuously variable trans-
mission
The continuously variable transmission is
electronically controlled and provides an
infinite number of forward speeds and 1
reverse speed. For some models, it also
has a manual mode or an "L" position.
WARNING
Do not shift from the "P" or "N"
position into the "D" or "R" position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to lurch forward or backward.
CAUTION
. Shift into the "P" or "R" position
only after the vehicle is comple-
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more
than 5 seconds in any position
except the "N" or "P" position
when the brake is applied or
when chocks are used in the
wheels. This may cause the
transmission fluid to overheat.