2006 SUBARU OUTBACK automatic transmission

7-12 Starting and operating
NOTE y When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, your vehicle’s automat-
ic transmission will up-shift at higher
engine speeds than when the coolant
temperature is sufficiently high in or-
der to shorten the warm-up time and
improve driveability. The gearshift tim-
ing will automatically shift to the nor-
mal timing after the engine has warmed
up.
y Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
which the on-board computer has col-
lected and stored in memory to allow the transmission to shift at the most
appropriate times for the current con-
dition of your vehicle. Optimized shift-
ing will be restored as the vehicle con-
tinues to be driven for a while.
„ Selector lever
: Shift possible with brake pedal de-
pressed
: Shift possible with brake pedal not
depressed
The selector lever has four positions, “P”,
“R”, “N”, “D” and also has manual gate for
using “SPORT” mode or manual mode.
T P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the “P”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to
any other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the selector
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started.
T R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the le-
ver to the “R” position.
T N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled en-
gine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, the
transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll
freely, even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neu-
tral.
During coasting, there is no engine brak-
ing effect.y Avoid shifting from one of the for-
ward driving positions into the
“R” position or vice versa until the
vehicle has completely stopped.
Such shifting may cause damage
to the transmission.
y When parking the vehicle, first se-
curely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the selector le-
ver in any other position as doing
so could result in a dead battery. 700107

Starting and operating
7-13
– CONTINUED –NOTE If the selector lever is in the “N” posi-
tion when you stop the engine for park-
ing, you may not subsequently be able
to move it to the “R” and “P” positions.
If this happens, turn the ignition switch
to the “ON” position. You will then be
able to move the selector lever to the
“P” position.
T D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automa tically shifts into
a suitable gear from 1st to 4th according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require.
When more acceleration is required in this
position, press the a ccelerator pedal fully
to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift
to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to
the original gear position.
To use the “SPORT” mode, move the le- ver from this position into the manual gate.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate
then move it toward the “+” and “–” ends.
V While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to
4th gear is prevented from taking place
when the accelerator is released. This
minimizes the chance of subsequent
downshifting to a lower gear when accel-
erating again. This prevents repeated up-
shifting and downshifting resulting in a
smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTE The transmission may downshift to
2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way
the accelerator pedal is pressed to ac-
celerate the vehicle again.
V While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any
other slope while braking with the
“SPORT” mode selected, the transmis-
sion may downshift to 3rd or 2nd gear de-
pending on how hard you depress the
brake pedal, causing engine braking to
work. Reacceleration for a short time will
cause the transmission to upshift normal-
ly. NOTE y A 4th-to-3rd automa tic downshift will
not occur at speeds above 50 mph (80
km/h) and a 3rd-to-2nd automatic
downshift will not occur at speeds
above 24 mph (38 km/h).
y Automatic downshifts to 3rd or 2nd
may occur even when driving on a level
road depending on conditions, such as
how hard you depress the brake pedal.
„ Selector lever reverse inhibit-
ing function This function prevents accidental move-
ment of the selector lever to the “R” posi-
tion while the vehicle is moving.
The function becomes operational when
the vehicle reaches a speed of approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h). Once operation-
al, it prevents the selector lever from being
moved from the “N” position to the “R” po-
sition. When the vehicle speed drops be-
low 6 mph (10 km/h), the function is can-
celed. The selector lever can then be
moved to the “R” and “P” positions.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “OFF” position, movement of the se-
lector lever from the “N ” position to the “R”
position is possible for a limited time peri-
od and then becomes impossible. Also,
the selector lever cannot be moved to theDo not drive the vehicle with the se-
lector lever in the “N” (neutral) posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
this condition and the risk of an ac-
cident is consequently increased.

Starting and operating
7-15
– CONTINUED –Gearshifts can be performed using the se-
lector lever.
Using the selector lever
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly
pushing the selector lever toward the “+”
end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly pull-
ing the selector lever toward the “–” end of
the manual gate.
NOTE Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode.
y The transmission does not automati-
cally shift up in the manual mode. Per-
form gearshifts in accordance with
road conditions so that the tachometer
needle does not enter the red zone. If the engine speed reaches a predeter-
mined level, a fuel-cut function will op-
erate. Shift up if this happens.
y If you attempt to sh ift 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.
y If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.
y You can perform a skip-shift (for ex-
ample, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the selector lever twice in rapid suc-
cession.
y The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving.
y If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,
the “AT OIL TEMP” warning light will
come on and upshifts to 4th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and let the en-
gine idle until the warning light goes
off. „ Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
When down shifting, it is important to con-
firm that the current vehicle speed is not in
excess of the Maximum Allowable Speed
of the gear which is about to be selected.700111
When down shifting, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed
exceeding the Maximum 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 braking caused by down
shifting when the vehicle is travel-
ling 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 in-
creased.

Starting and operating
7-17
– CONTINUED –To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the en-
gine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bucket.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver. 4. Insert the key into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector leve r from the “P” to the
“N” position.
6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start the en-
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired. Automatic transmission – 5-
speed The automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 5 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. Also, it has
a manual mode and a SPORT mode.
700346 700347
Do not shift from the “P” or “N” po-
sition into the “D ” or “R” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle to
jump forward or backward.
y Shift into the “P” or “R” position
only after the vehic le is complete-
ly stopped. Shifting while the ve-
hicle is moving may cause dam-
age to the transmission.
y Do not race the engine for more
than five seconds in any position
except the “N” or “P” position
when the brake is set or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.

7-18 Starting and operating
NOTE y When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, your vehicle’s automat-
ic transmission will up-shift at higher
engine speeds than when the coolant
temperature is sufficiently high in or-
der to shorten the warm-up time and
improve driveability. The gearshift tim-
ing will automatically shift to the nor-
mal timing after the engine has warmed
up.
y Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
which the on-board computer has col-
lected and stored in memory to allow the transmission to shift at the most
appropriate times for the current con-
dition of your vehicle. Optimized shift-
ing will be restored as the vehicle con-
tinues to be driven for a while.
„ Selector lever
: Shift possible with brake pedal de-
pressed
: Shift possible with brake pedal not
depressed
The selector lever has four positions, “P”,
“R”, “N”, “D” and also has manual gate for
using “SPORT” mode or manual mode.
T P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the “P”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to
any other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the selector
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started.
NOTE (3.0-liter models only) To protect the engine while the “P” po-
sition is selected, the engine is con-
trolled such that the engine speed
does not become too high even if the
accelerator pedal is pressed hard.
T R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the le-
ver to the “R” position.
T N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled en-
gine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, they Avoid shifting from one of the for-
ward driving positions into the
“R” position or vice versa until the
vehicle has completely stopped.
Such shifting may cause damage
to the transmission.
y When parking the vehicle, first se-
curely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the selector le-
ver in any other position as doing
so could result in a dead battery. 700107

Starting and operating
7-19
– CONTINUED –transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll
freely, even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neu-
tral.
During coasting, there is no engine brak-
ing effect.
NOTE (3.0-liter models only) To protect the engine while the “N” po-
sition is selected, the engine is con-
trolled such that the engine speed
does not become too high even if the
accelerator pedal is pressed hard.
NOTE If the selector lever is in the “N” posi-
tion when you stop the engine for park-
ing, you may not subsequently be able
to move it to the “R” and “P” positions.
If this happens, turn the ignition switch
to the “ON” position. You will then be
able to move the selector lever to the
“P” position. T D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into
a suitable gear from 1st to 5th according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require.
When more acceleration is required in this
position, press the accelerator pedal fully
to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift
to 4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you re-
lease the pedal, the transmission will re-
turn to the original gear position.
To use the SPORT mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate
then move it toward the “+” and “–” ends.
V While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to
4th or 5th gear is prevented from taking
place when the accelerator is released.
This minimizes the chance of subsequent
downshifting to a lower gear when accel-
erating again. This prevents repeated up-
shifting and downshifting resulting in a
smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTE The transmission may downshift to
2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal is pressed to ac-
celerate the vehicle again.
V While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any
other slope while braking with the
“SPORT” mode selected, the transmis-
sion may downshift to 4th or 3rd gear de-
pending on how hard you depress the
brake pedal, causing engine braking to
work. Reacceleration for a short time will
cause the transmission to upshift normal-
ly.
NOTE y A 5th-to-4th automa tic downshift will
not occur at speeds above 78 mph (126
km/h) and a 4th-to-3rd automatic down-
shift will not occur at speeds above 53
mph (86 km/h).
y Automatic down shifts to 4th or 3rd
may occur even when driving on a level
road depending on conditions, such as
how hard you depress the brake pedal.
„ Selector lever reverse inhibit-
ing function This function prevents accidental move-
ment of the selector lever to the “R” posi-
tion while the vehicle is moving.
The function becomes operational when
the vehicle reaches a speed of approxi-Do not drive the vehicle with the se-
lector lever in the “N” (neutral) posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
this condition and the risk of an ac-
cident is consequently increased.

7-22 Starting and operating
transmission will automatically switch
back from manual mode to normal mode.
NOTE Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode.
y When the temperature of the auto-
matic transmission fluid is higher than
normal, warning beeps are emitted and
the shift position in dicator shows “–”.
If these warnings are issued, deselect
the manual mode to protect the auto-
matic transmission from damage.
y When the temperature of the engine
oil is higher than normal, warning
beeps are emitted and the shift posi-
tion indicator shows “–”. If these warn-
ings are issued, deselect the manual
mode to protect th e engine from dam-
age. (3.0-liter models only)
y The transmission does not automati-
cally shift up in the manual mode. Per-
form gearshifts in accordance with
road conditions so that the tachometer
needle does not enter the red zone. If
the engine speed reaches a predeter-
mined level, a fuel-cut function will op-
erate. Shift up if this happens. (Also, in
the case of a 3.0-liter model, the trans-
mission may automatically shift up to
protect the engine.)
y 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.
y If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.
y You can perform a skip-shift (for ex-
ample, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the selector lever or a steering-wheel
switch twice in rapid succession.
y The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving.
y If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,
the “AT OIL TEMP” warning light will
come on and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and let the en-
gine idle until the warning light goes
off. „ Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
When down shifting, it is important to con-
firm that the current vehicle speed is not in
excess of the Maximum Allowable Speed
of the gear which is about to be selected. When down shifting, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed
exceeding the Maximum 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 braking caused by down
shifting when the vehicle is travel-
ling 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 in-
creased.

7-36 Starting and operating
cle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Re-
fer to the “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” (Re-
verse) for a downgrade for manual trans-
mission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) posi-
tion for automatic transmission vehicles.
Always set the parking 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 head-
ed 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. Cruise control Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more. Make sure the
main switch is turned “OFF” when the
cruise control is not in use to avoid unin-
tentionally setting the cruise control.
NOTE If you move the cruise control lever or
press the main switch button while
turning the ignition switch “ON”, the
cruise control function is deactivated
and the “CRUISE” indicator light flash-
es. To reactivate the cruise control
function, turn the ignition switch back
to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position, and
then turn it again to the “ON” position.
700117 700118
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions. This
may cause loss of vehicle control:
y driving up or down a steep grade
y driving on slippery or winding
roads
y driving in heavy traffic