How to Check Engine Fluids 2013-18 Subaru Forester
Created on: 2017-12-20
How to check and refill your fluids on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Subaru Forester
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step 1 :Checking the Brake Fluid
- Twist the brake fluid reservoir cap off counterclockwise
- Check the brake fluid level, using a flashlight if necessary
- Check that the brake fluid is between the minimum and maximum lines
- Check that the brake fluid is clear or an almost yellow color
- If the brake fluid is murky or dark, drain and refill it
- Twist the brake fluid reservoir cap on clockwise
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step 2 :Checking the Washer Fluid
- Pull off the washer fluid reservoir cap
- Check the reservoir has fluid above the MIN line
- Snap on the washer fluid reservoir cap
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step 3 :Checking the Coolant
- Wait for the engine to cool
- Twist the coolant reservoir cap off counterclockwise
- Check the coolant level, using a flashlight if necessary
- Remove the radiator cap with the engine cool
- Make sure the level is right at the top of the radiator
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step 4 :Checking the Oil
- Pull out the oil dipstick
- Clean off the oil dipstick
- Insert the oil dipstick
- Pull out the oil dipstick
- Check that the oil level is between the low and full marks
- Insert the oil dipstick
- Twist the oil fill cap off counterclockwise, to add oil
- Add oil as necessary
- Twist the oil cap on clockwise
Tools needed
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Windshield Washer Fluid
Brake Fluid
Anti-Freeze
Engine Oil
Hi, I’m Mike from 1A Auto. We’ve been selling auto parts for over 30 years!
All right, let's open the hood of this Forester. Release it from the safety. Doesn't have a hood prop rod, this has its own strut to hold it up.
This is our brake fluid reservoir. The level is marked, this line right here is the max full line, this line that goes all the way around, it says, "Max" on this side. And just wiping the dirt off here. The minimum line is down here on the bottom. There's another molded line. You get minimum, maximum. This fluid's nice and clear and clean, it's right at the maximum level, so it's perfect. If you needed to add some or change out the fluid, you just open up the cap, add the correct fluid, or remove your old, dirty fluid, and replace the cap.
Right here's the washer fluid tank, you can tell it's got the little symbol on here, the windshield with some water spouting up out of it. The tank is translucent, but it actually has a fill line on this one here, so when you fill it you can actually watch the washer fluid come up and touch this fill line. These tanks are pretty big. They usually hold about a gallon. I don't know what's in here right now. I'm just going to top it off. Try not to spill too much. Here it comes. Just going to fill it right up. Right there. I mean, it doesn't really matter, you could top it more if you wanted to.
Looking at our coolant overflow reservoir. There's two lines, there's a low and a full. This one's actually at the low mark, we'll have to add some coolant to it, right up to the full mark. When the engine is cool, the radiator is cool. This has still got some heat in it, it's still too warm. You can open this cap and check the level of the coolant in the radiator, but you have to do that after the engine's been sitting for a while and it's cold, because otherwise there's pressure in here and heat, and it will spray out hot coolant at you. So right now I'm going to leave it because the car's still warm, and we'll just top it off in the coolant overflow reservoir.
Want to check the oil level, the engine has been sitting for a little while, so we can check the level. Going to pull the dipstick right here. Wipe it off, and reinstall it. You can see it's pretty clean. There's a low mark there, and a high mark here, the oil is basically right at the full mark, so there's plenty of oil in this car right now. Don't need to add any. Just wipe it off and put it back in.
If you needed to add oil, come over to this side of the engine, turn off the oil cap, it just spins off. It's usually on here pretty tight. It's actually marked on it what kind of oil it takes, 5W-30. Also, the owner's manual will have the proper type of oil, if there's any question. Use a funnel and you can add the appropriate amount of oil in there, and then of course, replace your cap. There's no power steering reservoir because this vehicle's equipped with electric power steering.
Thanks for watching. Visit us at 1AAuto.com for quality auto parts, fast and free shipping, and the best customer service in the industry.
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