2004 SUBARU OUTBACK warning

3-13
Instruments and controls
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„ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after
about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
If the warning light behaves as follows, the ABS
system may not work properly.
When the warning light is on, the ABS function
shuts down; however, the conventional brake
system continues to operate normally. y The warning light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position. y The warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, but it
does not go out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). y The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by your SUBARU
dealer.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described be-
low, the ABS system may be considered normal.y The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off.y The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the vehicle
speed reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h).y The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning
light may come on. This is due to the low battery volt-
age and does not indicate a malfunction. When the
battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out. „ VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control)
warning light (if equipped)
This warning light comes on when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after the
engine has started. It indicates that the VDC system is
operational.
The VDC system is probably inoperative under any of
the following conditions. Immediately have your vehi-
cle checked at a SUBARU dealer.(U.S.) (Canada)

3-14
Instruments and controls
y
The VDC warning light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position. y The VDC warning light remains on after the engine
has started and stays lit even when the vehicle speed
reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h).y The VDC warning light comes on while the vehicle
is running.y If the electrical circuit of the VDC system itself be-
comes faulty, the VDC warning light only comes on. At
this time, the ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) remains
fully operational.y The warning light comes on when the electronic
control system of the ABS/VDC system becomesfaulty.
The VDC system provides its ABS control through the
electrical circuit of the ABS system. Accordingly, if the ABS is inoperative, the VDC system also becomes un-
able to provide ABS control. As a result, the VDC sys-
tem becomes inoperative, causing the VDC warning
light to come on. Though both the VDC and ABS sys-
tems are inoperative in this case, the ordinary func-
tions of the brake system are still available. You will be
safe while driving with this condition, but you should
have your vehicle checked at a SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described be-
low, the VDC system may be considered normal.y The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off.y The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the vehicle
speed reaches 8 mph about (12 km/h).y The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off. „ Brake system warning light
yDriving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake sys-
tem may not be working properly. If the light re-
mains on, have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately. y If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are
operating properly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
(U.S.) (Canada)

3-15
Instruments and controls
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This light has the following two functions: TParking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake applied
while the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. It goes
out when the parking brake is fully released. T Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid level has
dropped to near the “MIN” level of the brake fluid res-
ervoir with the ignition switch in the “ON” position and
with the parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should come on while
driving (with the parking brake fully released and with
the ignition switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn brake pads.
If this occurs, immediately stop the vehicle at the near-
est safe place and check the brake fluid level. If the flu-
id level is below the “MIN” mark in the reservoir, do not
drive the vehicle. Have the vehicle towed to the near-
est SUBARU dealer for repair. „ Door open warning lights
The specific door open warning light comes on if any
door or the rear gate is not fully closed.
Always make sure this light is out before you start to drive. „
Low fuel warning light
The low fuel warning light comes on when the tank is
nearly empty about 2.6 US gal (10.0 liters, or 2.2 Imp
gal). It only operates when the ignition switch is in the
“ON” position.
NOTE
This light does not go out unless the tank is re-
plenished up to an internal fuel quantity of about
3.7 US gal (14 liters, 3.1 Imp gal). „ Front-wheel drive warning light
(for AT vehicles except GT and ve-
hicle with VDC)
This light comes on when All Wheel Drive is disen-
gaged and the drive mechanism is switched to Front
Wheel Drive for maintenance or similar purposes. „ VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control)
operation indicator light (if
equipped)
This light comes on when the ignition switch is ON and
goes out about 2 seconds later.

3-16
Instruments and controls
It blinks when the skid suppression function is activat-
ed. It illuminates when only the traction control func-
tion is operating.
The VDC system is probably faulty under any of the
following conditions. Have your vehicle checked at a
SUBARU dealer immediately. y
The light does not come on when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON” position. y The light does not go out even after a period of
about 2 seconds after the ignition switch has been
turned to the “ON” position. „ VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control)
OFF indicator light (if equipped)
y This indicator light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned ON and goes out about 6 seconds af-
ter the engine has started. y It comes on when the VDC system is deactivated
(by operating “VDC OFF” switch or in the standby state).
NOTE y The light may stay on for a while after the engine
has been started, especially in cold weather. This
does not indicate the existence of a problem. The
light should go out as soon as the engine has warmed up.y
The “VDC OFF” indicator light comes on when
the engine has developed a problem and the
CHECK ENGINE warning light is on.
The VDC system is probably faulty under any of the
following conditions. Have your vehicle checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible. y The VDC OFF indicator light does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position. y The light does not go out even after several minutes
have passed (the engine has warmed up) after the en-
gine has been started. „ Security system status indicator
light (if equipped)
This light is found at the bottom center of the combina-
tion meter panel.
On vehicles equipped with a security system, it blinks
to show the driver the operational status of the security
system. For detailed information, refer to the “Security
system (if equipped)” in Chapter 2.

3-19
Instruments and controls
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Light control switch
To prevent battery discharge resulting from ac-
cidentally leaving your lights on when your ve-
hicle is parked, the light switch operates only
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” posi-
tion. In any other position, the vehicle’s lights
will be out.
If you park your vehicle on a roadside at night,
use the hazard warning flasher to alert the other
drivers.
The light switch operates only when the ignition switch
is in the “ON” position. „
Headlights
To turn on the headlights, turn the knob on the end of
the turn signal lever. first position
Parking lights, instrument panel illumination, tail lights
and license plate light are on.
second position
Headlights, parking lights, instrument panel illumina-
tion, tail lights, and license plate light are on.HS3026BA

7-1
7
Starting and operating
Fuel ................................................................ 7-2 Fuel requirements ............................................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................ 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ............... 7-7
Preparing to drive ......................................... 7-9
Starting the engine ....................................... 7-10 Starting the engine for a manual transmission vehicle ...................................... 7-10
Starting the engine for an automatic transmission vehicle ...................................... 7-10
Starting the engine during cold weather
below –4 °F (–20 °C) ......................................... 7-11
Starting a flooded engine ................................. 7-11
Stopping the engine ..................................... 7-12
Manual transmission .................................... 7-12 Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-13
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Automatic transmission (L, L-S, OUTBACK) .................................... 7-15Selector lever .................................................... 7-16
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-20
Automatic transmission (with SPORTSHIFT mode – 2.5GT, 2.5GTLO) .. 7-21Selector lever .................................................... 7-22
Selection of SPORTSHIFT mode (manual mode) ................................................ 7-25
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-28
Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .............................................. 7-29 Power steering .............................................. 7-30
Braking ........................................................... 7-30
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-30
Brake system .................................................... 7-31
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-31
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-32 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-32
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-33
VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system (if equipped) ............................................... 7-34VDC system monitor ........................................ 7-36
VDC OFF switch ................................................ 7-38
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-40
Cruise control (if equipped) ......................... 7-42 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-43
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-44
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-44
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-45

7-3
Starting and operating
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and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell.
SUBARU recommends that you try a different brand of
unleaded gasoline having lower sulfur to determine if
the problem is fuel related before returning your vehi-
cle to an authorized dealer for service. The CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator lamp may
also turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
SUBARU dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel used, re-
pairs may not be covered by your warranty. TMMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-enhancing additive
called MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tri-
carbonyl). If you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and the CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on. If this happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty. T Gasoline for cleaner air
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces of
the vehicle. Fuels containing alcohol may cause paint damage, which is not covered un-
der the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system. This helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly, and is a
way of doing your part for cleaner air. If you continu-
ously use a high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never need to add any
fuel system cleaning agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials called
oxygenates. Use of these fuels can also help keep the
air cleaner. Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol (ethyl or grain
alcohol) may be used in your vehicle, but should con-
tain no more than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now produc-
ing reformulated gasolines, which are designed to re-
duce vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the use of reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasolines
contain detergents and oxygenates and if they have

7-7
Starting and operating
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yYou will see the “FUEL DOOR ” sign in the
combination meter. This indicates that the fuel fill-
er door (lid) is located on the right side of the ve-
hicle. y If the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks
or if the tether is caught under the cap, the CHECK
ENGINE warning light may come on. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section located in
chapter 3.
y Never add any cleaning agents to the fuel
tank. The addition of a cleaning agent may
cause damage to the fuel system. y Make sure that the cap is tightened until it
clicks to prevent fuel spillage in the event of an
accident. y Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces of
the vehicle. Fuels may cause paint damage,
which is not covered under the SUBARU Limit-
ed Warranty. y Always use a genuine SUBARU fuel filler cap.
If you use the wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting, and your fuel tank and emis-
sion control system might be damaged.
State emission testing (U.S. only)
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel dy-
namometer. Attempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons nearby.
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper test-
ing is not covered under the SUBARU Limited
Warranty and is the responsibility of the state
inspection program or its contractors or licens-
ees.
At state inspection time, remember to tell your in-
spection or service station in advance not to place
your SUBARU AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dyna-
mometer. Otherwise, serious transmission dam-
age will result.
Some states have started using dynamometers in
their state inspection programs in order to meet their