2005 SUBARU LEGACY check engine light

3-32
Instruments and controls
vehicle checked at a SUBARU dealer immediately. "
The light does not come on when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON” position. " 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. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control warn-
ing light (if equipped)/Vehicle Dy-
namics Control OFF indicator
light (if equipped)
This warning light has the function of indicating faults
in the Vehicle Dynamics Control system and the func-
tion of indicating that the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system has been deactivated.
It comes on in the event of a fault in the system and is
on when the system is not operating.
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 Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is in normal operation. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control warning light
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is probably in-
operative under any of the following conditions. Have
your vehicle checked at a SUBARU dealer immediate- ly."
The warning light does not come on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position. " The warning light comes on while the vehicle is run-
ning. " If the electrical circuit of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system itself becomes faulty, the warning light only
comes on. At this time, the ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem) remains fully operational. " The warning light comes on when the electronic
control system of the ABS/Vehicle Dynamics Control
system becomes faulty.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system provides its
ABS control through the electrical circuit of the ABS
system. Accordingly, if the ABS is inoperative, the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system becomes unable to
provide ABS control. As a result, the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system also becomes inoperative, causing
the warning light to come on. Though both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control and ABS systems are inoperative in
this case, the ordinary functions of the brake system
are still available. You will be safe while driving with
this condition, but have your vehicle checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as shown below,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system may be con-

3-33
Instruments and controls
– CONTINUED –
sidered normal. "The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off. " The warning light comes on after engine startup
and goes off while the vehicle is subsequently be-
ing driven. " The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
" It comes on when the Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switch is pressed. " It also comes on when the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is deactivated.
NOTE " 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. " The indicator light comes on when the engine
has developed a problem and the Malfunction in-
dicator light is on.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is probably
faulty under the following condition. Have your vehicle checked at a SUBARU dealer as soon as possible."
The light does not go out even after the lapse of sev-
eral minutes (the engine has warmed up) after the en-
gine has started. ! Security indicator light
This indicator light shows the status of the alarm sys-
tem. If your vehicle is equipped with an immobilizer, it
also indicates operation of the immobilizer system. ! Alarm system
It blinks to show the driver the operational status of the
alarm system. For detailed information, refer to the
“Alarm system” in Chapter 2. ! Immobilizer system (if equipped)
This light blinks about 60 seconds after the ignition
switch is turned from “ON” position to the “ACC” or
“LOCK” position or immediately after the key is pulled
out. (Refer to the “Door locks” section in chapter 2.)
If the indicator light does not flash, it may indicate that
immobilizer system may be faulty. Contact your near-
est SUBARU dealer immediately.
In the event that an unauthorized key (for example, an
unauthorized duplicate) is used, the security indicator
light comes on.

4-1
4
Climate control
Ventilator ....................................................... 4-2 Air flow selection .............................................. 4-2
Center and side ventilators .............................. 4-3
Manual climate control system (if equipped) ............................................... 4-4Control panel ..................................................... 4-4
Heater operation ............................................... 4-7
Air conditioner operation ................................. 4-9
Automatic climate control system (if equipped) ............................................... 4-10Temperature sensors ....................................... 4-16
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner ........................................... 4-17Cleaning ventilator grille .................................. 4-17
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-18
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .............................................................. 4-18
Checking air conditioning system before summer season .................................. 4-18
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather condition ...... 4-18
Air conditioner compressor shut-off
when engine is heavily loaded ...................... 4-18
Refrigerant for your climate control system .. 4-18
Air filtration system (if equipped) ................ 4-19

4-18
Climate control
!
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with the windows
open for a few minutes to allow outside air to circulate
into the heated interior. This results in quicker cooling
by the air conditioner. Keep the windows closed during
the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool- ing efficiency. ! Lubrication oil circulation in the refrig-
erant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low en-
gine speed (at idle or low driving speeds) a few min-
utes each month during the off-season to circulate its
oil. ! Checking air conditioning system be-
fore summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks,
hose conditions, and proper operation each spring.
Have your SUBARU dealer perform this check. !
Cooling and dehumidifying in high hu-
midity and low temperature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humid-
ity, low temperatures, etc.) a small amount of water
vapor emission from the air outlets may be noticed.
This condition is normal and does not indicate any
problem with the air conditioning system. ! Air conditioner compressor shut-off
when engine is heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air con-
ditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off
during air conditioner operation whenever the acceler-
ator is fully depressed such as during rapid accelera-
tion or when driving on a steep upgrade. ! Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, the method of adding, changing
or checking the refrigerant is different from the method
for CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU dealer for
service. Repairs needed as a result of using the wrong
refrigerant are not covered under warranty.

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) ............... 7-8
Preparing to drive ......................................... 7-10
Starting the engine ....................................... 7-10 Manual transmission vehicle ........................... 7-10
Automatic transmission vehicle ...................... 7-11
Stopping the engine ..................................... 7-12
Manual transmission .................................... 7-13 Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-14
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-15
Automatic transmission – 4 speed ............. 7-16 Selector lever .................................................... 7-17
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ...... 7-19
Selection of manual mode ............................... 7-20
Maximum speeds .............................................. 7-21
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-23
SPORT mode ..................................................... 7-23
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-24
Automatic transmission – 5 speed ............. 7-25 Selector lever .................................................... 7-26
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ...... 7-28
Selection of manual mode ............................... 7-30
Maximum speeds .............................................. 7-32
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-33
SPORT mode ..................................................... 7-34
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-35
Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .............................................. 7-36 Power steering .............................................. 7-36
Braking ........................................................... 7-37
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-37
Brake system .................................................... 7-37
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-38
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-38 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-39
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-39
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ........................................................ 7-41Steps to take if EBD system fails .................... 7-41
Vehicle Dynamics Control system (if equipped) ............................................... 7-43Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor .... 7-45
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch ........... 7-48
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ............................................... 7-49
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-51
Cruise control ................................................ 7-53 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-53
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-55
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-56
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-56
Cruise control indicator light ........................... 7-57
Cruise control set indicator light .................... 7-58

7-3
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
Standards as indicated on the underhood tune-up la-
bel. It is designed to optimize engine and emission
control system performance with gasoline that meets
the clean burning low-sulfur California gasoline speci-
fications. If you live in any other state than California,
your vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting Federal
specifications. Gasoline sold outside California is per-
mitted to have higher sulfur levels, which may affect
the performance of your vehicle’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell. SUB-
ARU recommends that you try a different brand of un-
leaded gasoline having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning your vehicle to
an authorized dealer for service. The CHECK EN-
GINE 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. !MMT
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. !
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.

7-7
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
"You will see the “ ” sign in the combination
meter. This indicates that the fuel filler door (lid) is
located on the right side of the vehicle. " 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.
(Turbo model only) Promptly put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning light comes on. If
the engine misfired as a result of an empty tank,
resulting catalyzer damage could cause damage
to the turbocharger.
" Never add any cleaning agents to the fuel
tank. The addition of a cleaning agent may
cause damage to the fuel system. " Make sure that the cap is tightened until it
clicks to prevent fuel spillage in the event of an
accident. " 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." 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.

7-9
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
jacked off the ground, nor should the driveshaft be dis-
connected for state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for inspecting the On-
Board Diagnostic (OBD) system as part of the state
emissions inspection. The OBD system is designed to
detect engine and transmission problems that might
cause vehicle emissions to exceed allowable limits.
These inspections apply to all 1996 model year and
newer passenger cars and light trucks. About 30
states plus the District of Columbia have implemented
the OBD system inspection. "The inspection of the OBD system consists of a vi-
sual operational check of the “ CHECK ENGINE” warn-
ing light/malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and an ex-
amination of the OBD system with an electronic scan
tool while the engine is running. " A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if
proper the “ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illumi-
nation is observed, there is no stored diagnostic trou-
ble codes, and the OBD system readiness monitors
are complete. " A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “ CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is not properly operating
or there is one or more diagnostic trouble codes stored
in vehicle’s computer with the “ CHECK ENGINE”
warning light/MIL illuminated. "
A state emission inspection may reject (not pass or
fail) a vehicle if the number of OBD system readiness monitors “ Not Ready ” is greater than three. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be instructed to
drive his/her vehicle for a few days to set the monitors
and return for an emission re-inspection. " Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should contact
their SUBARU Dealer for service.