2005 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

8-4
Driving tips
Catalytic converter
"
Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive or park the
vehicle anywhere near flammable materials
(e.g. grass, paper, rags or leaves), because the
catalytic converter operates at very high tem-
peratures." Keep everyone and flammable materials
away from the exhaust pipe while the engine is
running. The exhaust gas is very hot.
2.5-liter non-turbo models (other than California-
spec.)HS8002BA

8-5
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
2.5-liter turbo models 2.5-liter non-turbo models (California-spec.) and 3.0-
liter models
The catalytic converter is installed in the exhaust sys-
tem. 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 ve-
hicle. " Avoid racing the engine.
" Never turn off the ignition switch while the vehicle is
moving.
UG8501BAUB8029BA

8-6
Driving tips
"
Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel the engine
running rough (misfiring, backfiring or incomplete
combustion), have your vehicle checked and repaired
by an authorized SUBARU dealer. " Do not apply undercoating or rust prevention treat-
ment 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 schedule in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet” performed at the specified
time or mileage intervals.

8-7
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
Driving in foreign countries
When planning to use your vehicle in another country: "Confirm the availability of the correct fuel. (Refer to
the “Fuel requirements” section in chapter 7.) " Comply with all regulations and requirements of
each country.Driving tips for AWD vehicles
" Always maintain a safe driving speed accord-
ing to the road and weather conditions in order
to avoid having an accident on a sharp turn,
during sudden braking or under other similar
conditions." Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving an all
wheel drive vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.

8-8
Driving tips
All wheel drive distributes the engine power to all four
wheels. AWD vehicles provide better traction when
driving on slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand. By shifting
power between the front and rear wheels, SUBARU
AWD can also provide added traction during acceler-
ation, and added engine braking force during deceler-
ation.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle may handle
differently than an ordinary two wheel drive vehicle
and it contains some features unique to AWD. For
safety purposes as well as to avoid damaging the
AWD system, you should keep the following tips in mind:
"
An AWD vehicle is better able to climb steeper
roads under snowy or slippery conditions than a two
wheel drive vehicle. There is little difference in han-
dling, however, during extremely sharp turns or sud-
den braking. Therefore, when driving down a slope or
turning corners, be sure to reduce your speed and
maintain an ample distance from other vehicles. " When replacing a tire, make sure you use only the
same size, circumference, construction, brand, and
load range as the original tires listed on the tire plac-
ard. Using other sizes, circumferences or construction
may result in severe mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may affect ride, handling,
braking, speedometer/odometer calibration, and
clearance between the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. " If you use a temporary spare tire to replace a flat
tire, be sure to use the original temporary spare tire
stored in the vehicle. Using other sizes may result in
severe mechanical damage to the drive train of yourvehicle. " Always check the cold tire pressure before starting
to drive. The recommended tire pressure is provided
on the tire placard, which is located under the door
latch on the driver’s side. " Tire chains should always be placed on the front
wheels only.
HS8003BA

8-9
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
"There are some precautions that you must observe
when towing your vehicle. For detail information, see
“Towing” section in chapter 9.Off road driving
" Always maintain a safe driving speed accord-
ing to the road and weather conditions in order
to avoid having an accident on a sharp turn,
during sudden braking or under other similar
conditions." Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving an all
wheel drive vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
! All AWD models except OUTBACK
Your AWD vehicle is neither a conventional off-road
vehicle nor an all terrain vehicle. It is a passenger car
designed primarily for on-road use. The AWD feature
gives it some limited off-road capabilities in situations
in which driving surfaces a relatively level, obstruction-
free and otherwise similar to on-road driving condi-
tions. Operating it under other than those conditions
could subject the vehicle to excessive stress which
might result in damage not eligible for repair under
warranty. If you do take your SUBARU off road, you
should review the common sense precautions in the

8-10
Driving tips
next section (applicable to the OUTBACK) for general
guidance. But please keep in mind that your vehicle’s
off-road capabilities are more limited than those of the OUTBACK.
Never attempt to drive through pools and puddles, or
roads flooded with water. Water entering the engine
air intake or the exhaust pipe or water splashing onto
electrical parts may damage your vehicle and may
cause it to stall. !
OUTBACK
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, your SUBARU can be driven on ordinary roads
or off-road. But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you
do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as the following should be taken: " Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seatbelts. " Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and cell phone or citizens band radio. " Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain. " Slow down and employ extra caution at all times. When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit of
marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs andthe like. "
Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther straight up or straight down the slopes. A vehicle
can much more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down slopes
that are too steep." Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher
speeds. " Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad 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 com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s under-
carriage. Water entering 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; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover.

8-11
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
"Always check your brakes for effectiveness immedi-
ately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by
driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Re-
peat that process several times to dry out the brake
discs and brake pads." Do not drive or park over or near flammable materi-
als 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, rocks, 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 under-
body. If the vehicle is used with these materials
trapped or adhering 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
vehicle’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 pos-
sible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle. "
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you
can obtain better traction 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. " Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-road driving.
Suspension components are particularly prone to dirt
buildup, so they need to be washed thoroughly." Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driv-
ing conditions such as rough roads or off roads will ne-
cessitate more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that specified 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 pre-
cautions such as those listed above is not eligible forwarranty coverage.