2003 SUBARU OUTBACK check engine

8
Driving tips8-5
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The catalytic converter is installed in the exhaust system. It serves as
catalyst to reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust gases, thus providing
cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic converter:
Use only unleaded gasoline. Even a small amount of leaded gasoline
will damage the catalytic converter. Never start the engine by pushing or pulling the vehicle.
Avoid racing the engine.
Never turn off the ignition switch while the vehicle is moving.
Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel the engine running rough (mis-
firing, backfiring or incomplete combustion), have your vehicle checked
and repaired by an authorized SUBARU dealer. Do not apply undercoating or rust prevention treatment to the heat
shield of catalytic converter and the exhaust system.
Periodic inspections
To keep your vehicle in the best condition at all times, always have the
recommended maintenance services listed in the maintenance schedulein the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ” performed at the specified
time or mileage intervals.
Driving in foreign countries
When planning to use your vehicle in another country: Confirm the availability of the correct fuel. (Refer to the “Fuel require-
ment” section in chapter 7.)
Comply with all regulations and requirements of each country.

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Driving tips8-9
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bump could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive with your fingers and thumbs on the outside of the rim.
If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water and the bottom of the stream bed
for firmness and ensure that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The water should be shallow
enough that it does not reach the vehicle ’s undercarriage. Water en-
tering the engine air intake or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your vehicle and may cause it to
stall. Never attempt to drive through rushing water; regardless of its
depth, it can wash away the ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle rollover. Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driv-
ing in sand, mud or water. Do this by driving slowly and stepping on
the brake pedal. Repeat that process several times to dry out thebrake discs and brake pads. 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 engine stops. This
could create a fire hazard. After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, 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 ad-
hering to the underbody, a mechanical breakdown or fire could occur. 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 ve-
hicle’ s center of gravity and make it more prone to tip over.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from sand or mud, depress
the accelerator pedal slightly and move the selector 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 freethe vehicle. When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can obtain better

8-10traction by starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st
(both for MT and AT).
Never equip your vehicle with tires larger than those specified in
this manual. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driving conditions
such as rough roads or off roads will necessitate more frequent re-
placement of engine oil, brake fluid and transmission oil than that spe-
cified in the maintenance schedule described in the “Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your Subaru while operating it off-
road and not using common sense precautions such as those listedabove is not eligible for warranty coverage.
Winter driving
HB3010AA
Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such as tire chains, a window
scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a small shovel, and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce battery ca-
pacity. The battery must be in good condition to provide enough pow-
er for cold winter starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and viscosity for cold weather.
Heavy summer oil will cause harder starting.

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Driving tips8-11
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Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
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 contains an antifreeze solution. Do
not use engine antifreeze or other substitutes because they may dam-age the paint of the vehicle. n
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice from your shoes
because that could make the pedals slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelera-
tor pedal, brake pedal, and all other controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under the fenders to
avoid making steering difficult. During severe winter driving, stop
when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders peri-
odically. n Parking in cold weather
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust pipe and from around your
vehicle if you park the vehicle in snow with the engine running.
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long periods in cold
weather since it could freeze in that position. Instead, observe the fol-lowing:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual transmission vehicles,
and in “P” for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows, raise the wiper
blades off the glass to prevent damage to them.

8-12When the vehicle has been left parked after use on roads heavily cov-
ered with snow, or has been left parked during a snowstorm, icingmay develop on the brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful not to damage
the disc brakes and brake hoses and ABS harness. n
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel system and the risk
of its freezing, use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel tank is recom-
mended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for this purpose.
When an antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts longer if the tank is
refilled whenever the fuel level reaches half empty. If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extended period, it is
best to have the fuel tank filled to capacity. Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt ac-
celeration, high-speed driving, and sharp turning when driving on
snowy or icy roads.Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicleahead of you to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake effectively to con-
trol the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can cause the wheels to
lock, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehicle ’s braking per-
formance on snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS (Anti-Lock Brake
System)” and “VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system ” section in
chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery surfaces.

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In case of emergency9-15
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Engine overheating
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until the engine has been shut off and has fully cooled down. When the engine is hot,the coolant is under pressure. Removing the cap while the engineis still hot could release a spray of boiling hot coolant, which
could burn you very seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the road and stop the vehicle in asafe place. If steam is coming from the engine compartment
Turn the engine off and get everyone away from the vehicle until itcools down. If no steam is coming from the engine compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If the fan is not turning, im-
mediately turn the engine off and contact your authorized dealer for
repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature has dropped, turn off the en-gine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the overheated zone, turn the en-
gine off.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down, check the coolant level in
the reserve tank.If the coolant level is below the “MIN” mark, add coolant up to the
“MAX” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve tank, add coolant to the reserve
tank. Then remove the radiator cap and fill the radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot radiator, first wrap a thick
cloth around the radiator cap, then turn the cap counterclockwise
slowly without pressing down until it stops. Release the pressure from

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In case of emergency9-23
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CAUTION
If transmission failure occurs, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck. Do not run the engine while being towed in this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if the vehicle is towed with theengine running. For vehicles with automatic transmission, the traveling speed
must be limited to less than 20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling
distance to less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds and
distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-bed truck.
HB8010AA
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels and add oil to
bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position while the ve-
hicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent damage to the ve-hicle.

10-4wax to restore the original luster. Frequent polishing with a compound or
an incorrect polishing technique will result in removing the paint layer
and exposing the undercoat. When in doubt, it is always best to contactyour SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specialist.
Cleaning aluminum wheels
Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels clean of any kind of grime or
agent. If dirt is left on too long, it may be difficult to clean off. Do not use soap containing grit to clean the wheels. Be sure to use a
neutral cleaning agent, and later rinse thoroughly with water. Do not
clean the wheels with a stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed wash-ing device. Clean the vehicle (including the aluminum wheels) with water as soon
as possible when it has been splashed with sea water, exposed to sea
breezes, or driven on roads treated with salt or other agents. Cleaning fog light lens (for OUTBACK)
HBA017BB
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
2. Stop the engine and turn off the fog lights.
3. Check that the fog lights are not hot. Then, grasp the protector and
turn it approximately 10  counter-clockwise.
4. Pull the protector off the fog light.
5. Wash the lens with water.
6. Apply the protector to the lens at an angle of approximately 10  from