2005 SUBARU OUTBACK transmission

7-32
Starting and operating
If you subsequently ease off the accelerator pedal and
then accelerate again, the transmission will automati-
cally switch back from manual mode to normal mode.
NOTE
Please read the following points carefully and bear
them in mind when using the manual mode. "
When the temperature of the automatic trans-
mission fluid is higher than normal, warning
beeps are emitted and the shift position indicator
shows “–”. If these warnings are issued, deselect
the manual mode to protect the automatic trans-
mission from damage. " When the temperature of the engine oil is higher
than normal, warning beeps are emitted and the
shift position indicator shows “–”. If these warn-
ings are issued, deselect the manual mode to pro-
tect the engine from damage. (3.0-liter models
only) " Automatic gearshifts do not take place in the
manual mode. Perform gearshifts in accordance
with road conditions so that the tachometer nee-
dle does not enter the red zone. If the engine
speed reaches a predetermined level, a fuel-cut
function will operate. Shift up if this happens. " If you attempt to shift down when the engine
speed is too high, i.e., when a downshift would
push the tachometer needle beyond the red zone, beeps will be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible."
If you attempt to shift up when the vehicle speed
is too low, the transmission will not respond." You can perform a skip-shift (for example, from
4th to 2nd) by operating the selector lever or a
steering-wheel switch twice in rapid succession. " The transmission automatically selects 1st gear
when the vehicle stops moving. " If the temperature of the automatic transmission
fluid becomes too high, the “AT OIL TEMP” warn-
ing light will come on and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and let the engine idle until the warning
light goes off. ! Maximum speeds
When down shifting, ensure that the vehicle is
not travelling at a speed exceeding the Maxi-
mum Allowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-revving and
this in turn can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine brak-

7-33
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
ing caused by down shifting when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can lead to
wheel locking; as a consequence, control of the
vehicle may be lost and the risk of an accident
increased.
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear.
When down shifting, it is important to confirm that the
current vehicle speed is not in excess of the Maximum
Allowable Speed of the gear which is about to be se-
lected. mph (km/h)
Never exceed posted speed limits.
NOTE " In order to prevent over-revving during acceler-
ation of the vehicle, the transmission will automat-
ically shift to the next highest gear if the Maximum
Allowable Speed for the current gear is exceeded. " Similarly, in order to prevent over-revving dur-
ing deceleration of the vehicle, the transmission
will remain in the current gear if the speed of the
vehicle is in excess of the Maximum Allowable
Speed for the gear to which the selector lever has
been moved. ! Driving tips
" On a road surface where there is a risk of wheelspin
(for example, a snow- or gravel-covered road), you
can pull away from a standstill safely and easily by first
selecting the 2nd gear of the manual mode. " Always apply the foot or parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped in the “D” or “R” position. " Always set the parking brake when parking your ve-
hicle. Do not hold the vehicle with only the transmis- sion. " Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary position on
an uphill grade by using the “D” position. Use the
brake instead. " The engine may, on rare occasions, knock when the
vehicle rapidly accelerates or rapidly pulls away from
Position 2.5-liter turbo models 3.0-liter
models
Except
OUTBACK OUTBACK
1 36 (59) 35 (57) 42 (68)
2 59 (92) 55 (90) 66 (107)
3 88 (142) 86 (139) 102 (165)

7-34
Starting and operating
a standstill. This phenomenon does not indicate a fault. !
SPORT mode
SPORT mode is used when power is needed for rapid
acceleration or for uphill driving. To select this mode,
move the selector lever from the “D” position to the
manual gate. When selected, the SPORT mode indicator light on
the instrument panel will turn on.
To deselect SPORT mode, move the selector lever to
the “D” position or select manual mode. To subse-
quently reselect SPORT mode, move the selector le-
ver to the “D” position and from there to the manual
gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up at higher vehi-
cle speeds and shifts down more responsively than in
normal mode.
UB7206DA
UB7507CA

7-52
Starting and operating
“Warning and indicator lights” section (chapter 3).
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for an
upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for manual
transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) position for
automatic transmission vehicles. Always set the park-
ing brake firmly when parking your vehicle. Never rely
on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
When parking on a hill, always turn the steering wheel.
When the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front
wheels should be turned away from the curb.
When facing downhill, the front wheels should be
turned into the curb.
UB7510AA
UB7511AA

7-55
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
At this time, the “ ” indicator light is illuminated in the combination meter.
The vehicle will maintain the desired speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily increased while
driving with the cruise control activated. Simply de-
press the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
When the accelerator pedal is released, the vehicle
will return to and maintain the previous cruising speed. !To temporarily cancel the cruise con- trol
There are four ways to cancel the cruise control tem-
porarily: "
Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction (if
so equipped). " Depress the brake pedal.
" Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission ve-
hicles only)." Shift the selector lever into the “N” position (auto-
matic transmission vehicles only).
The “ ” indicator light in the combination meter
goes off when the cruise control is cancelled.
To resume the cruise control after it has been tempo-
rarily canceled and with vehicle speed of about 20
mph (32 km/h) or more, push the control lever upward
in the “RES/ACC” direction to return to the original
UB7507IAUB7204BA

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
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!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.