2006 SUBARU OUTBACK engine

7-30 Starting and operating
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system ad-
justs the engine’s output and the wheels’
respective braking forces to help maintain
traction and directional control.
y Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control operation indicator light.
y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels’ tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.
NOTE
y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system operates; a small de-
gree of vehicle or st eering wheel shak-
ing may also be noticed in this situa-
tion. These are normal characteristics
of Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
and are no cause for alarm.
y When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short-lived oper-
ation noise may be noticed coming
from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a
check being performed on the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and is nor-
mal.
y Depending on the timing of activa-
tion of the brakes, certain situations
may occur just after driving off where
the brake pedal seems to exhibit a jolt-
ing motion. This too is a consequence
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tional check and is normal.
y In the circumstances listed in the fol-
lowing, the vehicle may be more unsta-
ble than it feels to the driver. The Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system fault.
y on gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with snow tires or winter tires
y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly dif-
ferent compared to that for normal con-
ditions.
y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Dynamics Control system, it is
important that winter tires be used
when driving on snow-covered or icy
roads. (All four wheels should be fitted
with tires of the same size and brand).
Furthermore, if snow chains are to be
used, they should be fitted on the front
wheels. When a vehicle is fitted with
snow chains, however, the effective-
ness of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this should be
taken into account when driving the ve-
hicle in such a condition.
y It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control.
y All four wheels shou ld be fitted with
tires of the same size, type, and brand;
furthermore, the amount of wear
should be the same for all four tires. If
these precautions are not observed
and non-matching tires are used, it is
quite possible that the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system will be unable to op-– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the
driver’s side door pillar.

Starting and operating
7-31
– CONTINUED –erate correctly as intended.
y Always turn off the engine before re-
placing a tire as failure to do so may
render the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system unable to operate correctly.
„ Vehicle Dynamics Control
system monitorT Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light
The indicator light turns on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the ON position; it
turns off approximately two seconds later.
This indicator light flashes during activa-
tion of the skid suppression function and is
illuminated steadily during activation of
the traction cont rol function. The following two situations could indicate
a malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system; if either should occur,
have an authorized SUBARU dealer carry
out an inspection of that system at the first
available opportunity.
y The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position.
y The indicator light does not turn off ap-
proximately two seconds after the ignition
switch has been turned to the ON position.
T Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light/Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF
indicator light
This single light has the function of indicat-
ing malfunctions in the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the function of indicat- ing that the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is not operating. It comes on in the
event of a malfunction in the system and is
illuminated whenever the system is not
operating.
V Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position
and goes off several seconds after engine
startup. This lighting pattern indicates that
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
operating normally.
The following situations could indicate a
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if any should occur, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer carry out an
inspection of the system at the first avail-
able opportunity.
y The warning light does not turn on when
the ignition switch is turned to the ON po-
sition.
y The warning light turns on while the ve-
hicle is being driven.
y When a malfunction has occurred in the
Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical sys-
tem, only the warning light will turn on. In
such an event, the ABS will still be operat-
ing normally.
y The warning light will also turn on when
a problem occurs with the ABS or Vehicle
Dynamics Control electronic control sys-700350
700351

7-32 Starting and operating
tems.
Because the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system controls each brake through the
ABS, whenever the ABS stops operating
due to a malfunction in that electrical sys-
tem, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will
also become unable to control all four
brakes. Thus Vehicle Dynamics Control
system operation halt s and the warning
light turns on. Although both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the ABS
will be inoperable in this situation, it will
still be possible to stop the vehicle using
normal braking. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system and the ABS do not ad-
versely affect operation of the vehicle in
any way when they are inoperable; how-
ever should such a situation occur, drive
with care and have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
those systems at the first available oppor-
tunity.
NOTE When the warning light turns on and
off in the following way, it indicates
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is operating normally.
y Although turning on after the engine
has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off.
y The warning light turns on when the vehicle is being driven; it then turns off
and stays off.
V Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indi-
cator light
This light comes on to indicate that the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system is in non-
operation mode. This does not constitute
failure of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system.
NOTE y The indicator light may stay on for a
while after the engine has been started,
especially in cold weather. This occurs
because the engine has not yet
warmed up and is completely normal.
The light will turn off when the engine
has reached a suitable operating tem-
perature.
y When an engine problem occurs and
the malfunction indicator lamp turns
on, the indicator light will also come
on.
The following two situations could indicate
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system; if either should occur, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer carry out an
inspection of that syst em at the first avail-
able opportunity.
y The indicator light does not turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
y The indicator light fail s to turn off after
the engine is started, even when several
minutes have passed to allow the engine
to heat up sufficiently.
„ Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switch
Pressing the switch to deactivate the Ve-
hicle Dynamics Contro l system can facili-
tate the following operations:
y a standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, grav el-covered, or oth-
erwise slippery surface
y extrication of the vehicle when its
wheels are stuck in mud or deep snow
When the switch is pressed during engine
operation, the indicator light illuminates. 700114

Starting and operating
7-33
– CONTINUED –The Vehicle Dynamics Control system will
be deactivated and the vehicle will behave
like a model not equipped with the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system. When the
switch is pressed again to reactivate the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the in-
dicator light goes off.
With the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem deactivated, traction and stability en-
hancement offered by Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is unavailable. Therefore
you should not deactivate the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control syst em except under
above-mentioned situations.
NOTE y When the switch has been pressed
to deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system, the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system automatically reacti-
vates itself the next time the ignition
switch is turned to the OFF position
and the engine is restarted.
y If the switch is held down for 10 sec-
onds or longer, the indicator light goes
off, the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem is activated, and the system ig-
nores any further pressing of the
switch. To make the switch usable
again, turn the igni tion switch to the
OFF position and restart the engine.
y When the switch is pressed to deac- tivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, the vehicle’s running perfor-
mance is comparable with that of a ve-
hicle that does not have a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system. Do not deacti-
vate the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem except when absolutely neces-
sary.
Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (if equipped)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message
by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low.
The tire pressure mo nitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). Also,
this system may not react immediately to
a sudden drop in tire pressure (for exam-
ple, a blow-out caused by running over a
sharp object). 700352

Starting and operating
7-35
– CONTINUED –NOTE This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of In-
dustry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two co nditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including in-
terference that may cause undesired
operation.
Changes or modifications not express-
ly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment. Parking your vehicle To set the parking brake, press the brake
pedal firmly and hold it down while fully
pulling up the parking brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the le-
ver up slightly, press the release button,
then lower the lever while keeping the but-
ton pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the
engine is running, the parking brake warn-
ing light comes on. After starting the vehi-Do not place metal film or any metal
parts under the driver’s seat. This
may cause poor reception of the sig-
nals from the tire pressure sensors,
and the tire pressure monitoring
system will not function properly. y Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot or
sunny days, the temperature in a
closed vehicle could quickly be-
come high enough to cause se-
vere or possibly fatal injuries to
them.
y Do not park the vehicle over flam-
mable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
y Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If engine
exhaust gas enters the passenger
compartment, occupants in the
vehicle could die from carbon
monoxide (CO) contained in the
exhaust gas. Never drive while the parking brake
is set because this will cause unnec-
essary wear on the brake linings.
Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake
has been fully released.
700116

8Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000
miles (1,600 km) ............. ................................. 8-2
Fuel economy hints ............. .......................... .... 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ......... 8-2
Catalytic converter ............................................. 8-3
Periodic inspections .......................................... 8-4
Driving in foreign countries .............................. 8-4
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ........................... 8-5
Off road driving .................................................. 8-6
Winter driving ..................................................... 8-7 Operation during cold weather .............................. 8-7
Driving on snowy and icy roads ............................ 8-9
Corrosion protection .............................................. 8-10
Snow tires ............................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ............................................................... 8-11
Rocking the vehicle ................................................ 8-12
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-12 Vehicle capacity weight ......................................... 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................... 8-14
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ..................... 8-14
Trailer hitch (if equipped) .................................. 8-18
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-19
When you do not tow a trailer ............................... 8-20
Trailer towing ...................................................... 8-20
Warranties and maintenance ................................. 8-20
Maximum load limits .............................................. 8-21 Trailer hitches ......................................................... 8-24
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-25
Trailer towing tips ................................................... 8-26

8-2 Driving tips Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving
– the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km) The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent on how you handle
and care for your vehicle while it is new.
Follow these instructions during the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km):
y Do not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency.
y Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.
y Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency.
y Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to a newly installed or overhauled
engine or when brake pads or brake lin-
ings are replaced with new ones. Fuel economy hints The following suggestions will help to
save your fuel.
y Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.
y Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain that speed for as long as possible.
y Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.
y Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
y Keep the engine properly tuned.
y Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire placard, which
is located under the door latch on the driv-
er’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.
y Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.
y Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.
y Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo. Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide) y Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.
y Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
y Never run the engine in a closed
space, such as a garage, except
for the brief time needed to drive
the vehicle in or out of it.
y Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy ti me while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use th e ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
y Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.

Driving tips
8-3
– CONTINUED –NOTE Due to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a sh ort time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal. Catalytic converter
2.5-liter non-turbo models 2.5-liter turbo models
3.0-liter models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst toy If at any time you suspect that ex-
haust fumes are entering the vehi-
cle, have the problem checked
and corrected as soon as possi-
ble. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all win-
dows fully open.
y Keep the trunk lid (Sedan) or rear
gate (Station wagon) closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle. y 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 temperatures.
y Keep everyone and flammable
materials away from the exhaust
pipe while the engine is running.
The exhaust gas is very hot.
800235 800013
800014