2005 SUBARU LEGACY suspension

1-37
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
– CONTINUED –
those areas or near the front seatbelt retrac-
tors, we recommend that you have an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer perform the work.
NOTE
If the front part of the vehicle is damaged in an ac-
cident to the extent that the seatbelt pretensioner
does not operate, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible. !Precautions against vehicle modifica- tion
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if you want to in-
stall any accessory parts to your vehicle.
Do not perform any of the following modifica-
tions. Such modifications can interfere with
proper operation of the seatbelt pertensioners. " Attachment of any equipment (bush bar,
winches, snow plow, skid plate, etc.) other than
genuine SUBARU accessory parts to the front
end." Modification of the suspension system or
front end structure. "
Installation of a tire of different size and con-
struction from the tires specified on the tire
placard attached to the door jamb.

1-74
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
the side of the seat. "
Ensure that the backward-forward position and
seatback of front passenger’s seat are locked into
place securely by moving the seat back and forth.
(Models equipped with manual seats only)" Next, turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position
and let the system complete the self check. Now, the
ON indicator should illuminate while the OFF indicator
remains extinguished.
If the OFF indicator still illuminates while the ON indi-
cator remains extinguished, ask the occupant to move
to the rear seat and immediately contact your SUBA-
RU dealer for an inspection. ! Effect vehicle modifications made for persons
with disabilities may have on Subaru advanced
frontal airbag system operation (U.S. only)
Changing or moving any parts of the front seats, seat
belts, front bumper, front side frame, instrument panel,
combination meter, steering wheel, steering column,
tire, suspension or floor panel can affect the operation of the Subaru advanced airbag system. If you have
any questions, you may contact the following Subaru
distributors: bia>
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Dealer Services Department P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)

Schuman Carriage Motors, Inc.
1234 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
808-592-4497

Triple J Enterprises, Inc.
P. O. Box 6066, Tamuning, Guam 96931
671-646-9126

Trebol Subaru of Puerto Rico, Inc.
P. O. Box 11204, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00910
787-793-2828
There are no Subaru distributors in any other U.S. ter-
ritories as of May 2004. If you are in such an area,
please contact the Subaru distributor or dealer from
which you bought your vehicle.

1-92
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
roof side (from the front pillar to a point over the
rear seat) is scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged. "
Either center pillar and rear wheel house or a
nearby area of the vehicle was involved in an acci-
dent in which the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag did not deploy. " The fabric or leather of either front seatback is
cut, frayed, or otherwise damaged. ! Precautions against vehicle modifica- tion
"To avoid accidental activation of the system
or rendering the system inoperative, which may
result in serious injury, no modifications
should be made to any components or wiring of
the SRS airbag system.
This includes following modifications: "Installation of custom steering wheels
" Attachment of additional trim materials to
the dashboard " Installation of custom seats
" Replacement of seat fabric or leather
" Installation of additional fabric or leather on the front seat "
Attachment of a hands-free microphone or
any other accessory to a front pillar, a center
pillar, a rear pillar, the windshield, a side win-
dow, an assist grip, or any other cabin sur-
face that would be near a deploying SRS cur-
tain airbag.
" Installation of additional electrical/electronic
equipment such as a mobile two-way radio on
or near the SRS airbag system components
and/or wiring is not advisable. This could inter-
fere with proper operation of the SRS airbag
system.
Do not perform any of the following modifica-
tions. Such modifications can interfere with
proper operation of the SRS airbag system. " Attachment of any equipment (bush bar,
winches, snow plow, skid plate, etc.) other than
genuine SUBARU accessory parts. " Modification of the suspension system or
front end structure. " Installation of a tire of different size and con-
struction from the tires specified on the vehicle

7-43
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
Vehicle Dynamics Control system (if
equipped)
Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving with a Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system equipped vehi-
cle could easily lead to a serious accident.
"Even if your vehicle is equipped with Vehicle
Dynamics Control, winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on snow-covered
or icy roads; in addition, vehicle speed should
be reduced considerably. Simply having a Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control system does not guaran-
tee that the vehicle will be able to avoid acci-
dents in any situation." Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is an indication that the road being trav-
elled on has a slippery surface; since having
Vehicle Dynamics Control is no guarantee that
full vehicle control will be maintained at all
times and under all conditions, its activation should be seen as a sign that the speed of the
vehicle should be reduced considerably."
Whenever suspension components, steering
components, or an axle are removed from a ve-
hicle equipped with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
have an authorized SUBARU dealer perform an
inspection of that system. " The following precautions should be ob-
served in order to ensure that the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is operating properly: – All four wheels should be fitted with tires of
the same size, type, and brand. Furthermore,
the amount of wear should be the same for all four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the proper level as
shown on the vehicle placard attached to the
driver’s side door pillar.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding on a slippery
road surface and/or during cornering and/or an eva-
sive maneuver, the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine’s output and the wheels’ respective
braking forces to help maintain traction and directional control. " Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to prevent

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.

8-13
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
!Parking in cold weather
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 po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmissionvehicles.
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.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may 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 andABS harness. !
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel sys-
tem and the risk of its freezing, use of an antifreeze ad-
ditive in the fuel tank is recommended 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 extend-
ed period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capac- ity. ! Driving on snowy and icy roads
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 brak-

8-17
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
!Tire chains
Tire chains cannot be used on tires listed below
because of lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body. "2.5-liter non-turbo models (except OUT-
BACK): P205/55R16 tires " 2.5-liter turbo models (except OUTBACK):
215/45ZR17 tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo models (OUTBACK): P225/
60R16 tires" 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P225/55R17 tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P225/60R16 winter (snow) tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P215/60R16 winter (snow) tires " 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P215/55R17 winter (snow) tires
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads may require the
use of tire chains, in which case put the chains on the
front wheels only. Use only SAE class S type chains
that are of the correct size for your tires so as not to
damage the vehicle body or suspension. When driving with tire chains, drive at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h). When a temporary spare tire is on
a front wheel, replace the temporary spare tire with the
rear tire on the same side of the vehicle, and then fit
chains on the front tires.
Always use the utmost care when driving with tire
chains – overconfidence because you are driving with
tire chains could easily lead to a serious accident. !
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow, 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 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).
Refer to the “Automatic transmission” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on holding the transmission in 2nd
position.

8-31
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed and intended to be used pri-
marily as a passenger-carrying vehicle. Towing a trail-
er puts additional loads on your vehicle’s engine, driv-
etrain, brakes, tires and suspension and has an ad-
verse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safety and satis-
faction depend upon proper use of correct equipment
and cautious operation of your vehicle. Seek the ad-
vice of your SUBARU dealer to assist you in purchas-
ing a hitch and other necessary towing equipment ap-
propriate for your vehicle. In addition, be sure to follow
the instructions on correct installation and use provid-
ed by the trailer and other towing equipment manufac-
turers.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for injuries or ve-
hicle damage that result from trailer towing equipment,
or from any errors or omissions in the instructions ac-
companying such equipment or for your failure to fol-
low the proper instructions. !Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to vehicle damage
or malfunction caused by trailer towing. If you use your
vehicle to tow a trailer, more frequent maintenance will
be required due to the additional load. (Refer to “Main- tenance schedule under severe driving conditions” in
the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer be towed with
a new vehicle or a vehicle with any new powertrain
component (engine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of
driving. !
Maximum load limits
Never exceed the maximum load limits ex-
plained below. Exceeding the maximum load
limits could cause personal injury and/or vehi-
cle damage.
"Adequate size trailer brakes are required
when the trailer and its cargo exceed 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) total weight. " Before towing a trailer, check the trailer total
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load. Make
sure the load and its distribution in your vehicle