2005 SUBARU OUTBACK ABS

8-14
Driving tips
ing, abrupt acceleration, high-speed driving, and
sharp turning when driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle ahead of you to avoid the need for sud-
den braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake
effectively to control 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 vehi-
cle’s braking performance on snowy and icy roads.
Refer to the “ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)” and “Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system (if equipped)” section
in chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery sur- faces. !
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure the wiper
blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow control but-
ton/dial in the “ ” position and the temperature
control dial set for maximum warmth until the wiper
blades are completely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To thaw out the rear wiper
blade, use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts to stick on
the surface of the windshield despite wiper operation,
use the defroster with the airflow control button/dial in
“ ” and the temperature control dial set for maxi-
mum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed
enough to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away us-
ing the windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the wiper from
working effectively. If snow is stuck on the wiper arm,
pull off the road to a safe place, then remove it. If you
stop the vehicle at road side, use the hazard warning
flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades
(winter blades) during the seasons you could have
snow and sub-zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions.
Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehi- cle. !
Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section (chapter
10).

8-41
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
"Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of
the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out on a
trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping
and backing up. ! Driving with a trailer
" You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking because it may result in skidding or jackknifing and
loss of control." Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution. " Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. " Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal turning radius because the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. " Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswinds
can be due to weather conditions or the passing of large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the
steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradu-
ally. " When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
A) Left turn
B) Right turn
" Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate
or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to the left
for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn. " If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal- er.
A B
UB8502BB

8-42
Driving tips
!
Driving on grades
" Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts." When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating." When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all vehicles)
and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively prone to
overheating under these conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3.
NOTE
With AT vehicles, the temperature of engine cool-
ant is less likely to rise to the OVERHEAT zone in
the “D” position than in the manual mode position. " If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. !
Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehicle and trailer
when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly. You
should not park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you should take the
following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the
vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release the
regular brakes slowly until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the park-
ing brake; slowly release the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual transmission)
or “P” (automatic transmission) and shut off the en-
gine.

11 - 4 2
Maintenance and service
!
Recommended fluid
“Dexron III” Type Automatic Transmission Fluid
Brake fluid !Checking the fluid level
"Never let brake fluid contact your eyes be-
cause brake fluid can be harmful to your eyes.
If brake fluid gets in your eyes, immediately
flush them thoroughly with clean water. For
safety, when performing this work, wearing eye
protection is advisable. " Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause a dangerous
loss of braking performance. " If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there
may be a leak. If you suspect a problem, have
the vehicle checked at your SUBARU dealer.
" Never use different brands of brake fluid to-
gether. " When adding brake fluid, be careful not to al-
low any dirt into the reservoir." Never splash the brake fluid over painted sur-

11 -4 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
faces or rubber parts. Alcohol contained in the
brake fluid may damage them.
Check the fluid level monthly.
Check the fluid level on the outside of the reservoir. If
the level is below “MIN”, add the recommended brake
fluid to “MAX”.
Use only brake fluid from a sealed container. ! Recommended brake fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) !Checking the fluid level
Never let clutch fluid contact your eyes be-
cause clutch fluid can be harmful to your eyes.
If clutch fluid gets in your eyes, immediately
flush them thoroughly with clean water. For
safety, when performing this work, wearing eye
protection is advisable.
"Clutch fluid absorbs moisture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause improper
clutch operation." If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there
may be a leak. If you suspect a problem, have
the vehicle checked at your SUBARU dealer." Never use different brands of clutch fluid to-
gether. " When clutch fluid is added, be careful not to
allow any dirt into the tank.
UBB565BA

12-8
Specifications
!
Fuse panel located in the engine com- partment
A) FWD socket (AT vehicles – except Turbo models and 3.0-liter models)
B) Main fuse
327.5" Headlight left side relay
337.5"ABS/Vehicle dynamics control unit
Fuse panelFuse ratingCircuit
12
B
3 45
67
8
910
11 12
13 14 1516
A
UBC500BB

12-9
Specifications
– CONTINUED –
Fuse panelFuse ratingCircuit
130"ABS unit
" Vehicle dynamics con- trol unit
225"Main fan
325"Sub fan (Except 3.0-li- ter models)
425"Main fan (3.0-liter mod- els)
520
615"Headlight (right side)
715"Headlight (left side)
820"Backup light
915"Horn
1025"Rear window defogger
1115"Fuel pump
1215"Automatic transmis- sion control unit
137.5"Engine control unit
1415"Turn and hazard warn-
ing flasher
1520"Parking switch
167.5"Alternator
Fuse panelFuse ratingCircuit

14-2
Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ........................... 7-38
Warning light ........................................ 3-28, 7-39
Accessories ..................................................... 11-72
Accessory power outlet ..................................... 6-14
Active head restraint ............................................ 1-8
Air cleaner element ......................................... 11-24
Air conditioner ..................................................... 4-9
Air filtration system ............................................ 4-19
Air flow selection ................................................. 4-2
Alarm system ..................................................... 2-23
All-wheel drive warning light (AT vehicles) ........ 3-31
Aluminum wheels ............................................ 11-57
Antenna system .................................................. 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ........................... 7-38
Arming the system ............................................. 2-24
Armrest .............................................................. 1-14
Ashtray .............................................................. 6-19
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light ................... 3-27
Audio control button .......................................... 5-56
Audio set ............................................................. 5-3
Auto-dimming mirror/compass .......................... 3-59
Automatic climate control system ...................... 4-10
Automatic transmission 4 speed ......................................................... 7-16
5 speed ......................................................... 7-25
Capacities ..................................................... 12-4 Fluid ............................................................ 11-33
Manual mode ....................................... 7-20, 7-30
Selector lever ...................................... 7-17, 7-26
Shift lock release ................................. 7-24, 7-35
Temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP) .. 3-27
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) .......................................................... 1-18
B
Battery ............................................................. 11-67 Jump starting ................................................ 9-17
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) ...................................................... 2-16
Brake Booster ....................................................... 11-44
Fluid ............................................................ 11-42
Pad and lining ............................................. 11-47
Pedal .......................................................... 11-45
Brake pedal
Free play .................................................... 11-45
Reserve distance ........................................ 11-45
Brake system .................................................... 7-37
Warning light ................................................ 3-29
Braking .............................................................. 7-37
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....................................................... 11-47
Tips ............................................................... 7-37