2008 SUBARU LEGACY sport mode

7-20Starting and operating
! 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
upshifting 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 accel-
erate the vehicle again. ! While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any
other slope while braking with the“ SPORT ”mode selected, the transmission
may downshift to 3rd or 2nd gear depend-
ing on how hard you depress the brake
pedal, causing engine braking to work.
Reacceleration for a short time will cause
the transmission to upshift normally.
NOTE . A 4th-to-3rd automatic downshift
will not occur at speeds above 50
mph (80 km/h) and a 3rd-to-2nd auto-
matic downshift will not occur at
speeds above 24 mph (38 km/h). .
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 inhi-
biting function
This function prevents accidental move-
ment of the selector lever to the “R ”
position while the vehicle is moving.
The function becomes operational when
the vehicle reaches a speed of approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h). Once opera-
tional, it prevents the selector lever from
being moved from the “N ” position to the
“ R ” position. When the vehicle speed
drops below 6 mph (10 km/h), the function
is canceled. The selector lever can then
be moved to the “R ”and “P ”positions.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “LOCK ”position, movement of the
selector lever from the “N ”position to the
“ R ” position is possible for a limited time
period by depressing the brake pedal and
then becomes impossible. Also, the se-
lector lever cannot be moved to the “R ”
position after it has been placed in the “P ”
position and then placed again in the “N ”
position.
When the movement of the selector lever
from the “N ” position to the “R ” position has become impossible, turn the ignition
switch back to the
“ON ”position then
move the selector lever to the “P ”position.
Pressing the selector lever release button
alsomakesitpossibletomovethe
selector lever to the “P ” position at this
time. ! Selector lever release button
If you inadvertently have turned the igni-
tion switch to the “LOCK ”position with the
selector lever in the “N ”position, proceed
as follows. By referring to the “Shift lock
release ”section in this chapter, remove
the shift lock release cover. Then, with the
screwdriver inserted into the hole, move
the selector lever to the “P ”position. If the
selector lever reverse inhibiting function
fails, have the vehicle inspected by the
nearest SUBARU dealer.

“D ”position. Use the brake instead.
. The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate afault.
& 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 indica-
tor light on the instrument panel will turnon.
To deselect SPORT mode, move the
selector lever to the “D ”position or select
manual mode.
To subsequently reselect SPORT mode,
move the selector lever to the “D ”position
and from there to the manual gate.
In this mode, the transmission shifts up at
higher vehicle speeds and shifts down
more responsively than in normal mode. & Shift lock release
If the selector lever does not move from
the “P ” position with the brake pedal
depressed and the ignition switch in the“ ON ”position, perform the following steps: To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the engine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool bucket.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver.
Starting and operating
7-23
– CONTINUED –

7-26Starting and operating
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
selector lever in the “N ” (neutral)
position. Engine braking has no
effect in this condition and the risk
of an accident is consequently in-creased.
! 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
release the pedal, the transmission will
return to the original gear position.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate. ! 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
upshifting 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 accel-
erate the vehicle again. ! While going down a hill
When you are descending a hill or any
other slope while braking with the Sport
Sharp (S#) mode selected, the transmis-
sion may downshift to 4th or 3rd gear
depending on how hard you depress the
brake pedal, causing engine braking to
work. Reacceleration for a short time will
cause the transmission to upshift normally. NOTE . A 5th-to-4th automatic 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). . Automatic downshifts 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 inhi-
biting function
This function prevents accidental move-
ment of the selector lever to the “R ”
position while the vehicle is moving.
The function becomes operational when
the vehicle reaches a speed of approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h). Once opera-
tional, it prevents the selector lever from
being moved from the “N ”position to the
“ R ” position. When the vehicle speed
drops below 6 mph (10 km/h), the function
is canceled. The selector lever can then
be moved to the “R ”and “P ”positions.
When the ignition switch has been turned
to the “LOCK ”position, movement of the
selector lever from the “N ”position to the
“ R ” position is possible for a limited time
period by depressing the brake pedal and
then becomes impossible. Also, the se-
lector lever cannot be moved to the “R ”
position after it has been placed in the “P ”
position and then placed again in the “N ”
position.
When the movement of the selector lever
from the “N ” position to the “R ” position
has become impossible, turn the ignition
switch back to the “ON ”position then
move the selector lever to the “P ”position.
Pressing the selector lever release button
alsomakesitpossibletomovethe

7-30Starting and operating
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver.
4. Insert the screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector lever from the “P ”to the
“ N ”position. 6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start theengine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the systemrepaired.
SI-DRIVE (Except 2.5-liter
non-Turbo models)
SI-DRIVE (Subaru Intelligent Drive) works
to maximize engine performance, control
and efficiency.
This system consists of three modes:
Intelligent (I), Sport (S), and Sport Sharp
(S#). By adjusting the SI-DRIVE selector,
the character of the power unit changes.
The multi-information display located in
the tachometer provides the driver with
the ability to monitor both vehicle perfor-
mance and the current SI-DRIVE mode.
To change the multi-information display,
refer to the
“Multi-information display
(Vehicle with SI-DRIVE) ”in chapter 3.

&Intelligent (I) mode
For smooth, efficient performance driv- ing
The Intelligent (I) mode provides well-
balanced performance with greater fuel
efficiency and smooth driveability without
stress. Power delivery is moderate during
acceleration for maximum fuel efficiency.
This is ideal for around-town driving and
situations that do not require full power
output. It provides better control in difficult
driving conditions, such as slippery roads
or loose surfaces, due to gentler throttleresponse.
When Intelligent (I) mode is selected in
vehicles equipped with a manual trans-
mission, a shift-up indicator “
”in the
tachometer will blink to signal the best
time to shift gears for maximum fuel
efficiency. &
Sport (S) mode
For all-around performance drivingThe Sport (S) mode provides the engine
power desired by those who want to make
the driving experience their own personaladventure.
The linear acceleration characteristic of
this versatile mode is ideal for driving on
freeways and suburban streets or for
climbing mountain roads. Starting and operating
7-31
– CONTINUED –

7-32Starting and operating
& Sport Sharp (S#) mode
For maximum performance driving
For sports-minded drivers, the Sport
Sharp (S#) mode offers an exhilarating
level of engine performance and control.
The throttle becomes more responsive
regardless of the engine speed. Delivering
maximum driving enjoyment, this mode is
ideal for tackling twisting roads and for
merging or overtaking other vehicles on
the freeway with confidence. & SI-DRIVE selector
When you rotate the SI-DRIVE selector to
the left, it changes to Sport (S) mode, and
when you rotate it to the right, it changes
to Sport Sharp (S#) mode, and when you
push it, it changes to Intelligent (I) mode. After performing this operation, the switch
returns to its original location.NOTE .
While the engine is cool, the S#
PREP indicator light of the temperature
gauge comes on. In this case, you
cannot change to Sport Sharp (S#)mode. . The next time you turn on the
engine, after you turned off the engine
in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode, the SI-
DRIVE mode changes to the Sport (S)mode.. The next time you turn on the
engine, after you turned off the engine
in the Sport (S) mode or Intelligent (I)
mode, the SI-DRIVE mode will stay in
the same mode as when the engine
was turned off. .
While the engine is running, if the
CHECK ENGINE warning light/malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes on, the SI-
drive mode changes to the Sport (S)
mode. In this case, it is not possible to
change to the Sport Sharp (S#) mode or
Intelligent (I) mode.. If there is a possibility that the
engine could overheat because of a
temperature increase of the engine
coolant, it is not possible to change to
the Sport Sharp (S#) mode. While the
vehicle is in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
it changes to the Sport (S) mode when
the engine coolant temperature in-creases. & SI-DRIVE Sport Sharp (S#) switch
While driving in the Sport (S) mode or
Intelligent (I) mode, when you push the
steering wheel switch, it changes to the
Sport Sharp (S#) mode.

NOTE
While driving in Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
when you push the switch, it changes
to the former mode before Sport Sharp
(S#) mode.Rear viscous limited slip dif-
ferential (LSD) (if equipped)
CAUTION
. Never start the engine while a tire
on one side is jacked up, as the
vehicle may move.
. If one rear tire is spinning in mud,
avoid continued spinning at high
speed as this could adversely
affect the LSD.
. If a different size rear tire is
temporarily used (as in an emer-
gency), it will adversely affect the
LSD. Always replace it with a
regularsizetireassoonaspossible.
The LSD provides optimum distribution of
power according to the difference in
revolutions between the right and left rear
wheels that may be caused by certain
driving conditions, thereby improving driv-
ing stability on snow-covered, muddy or
other slippery roads. Power steering
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than 5 seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
The power steering system operates only
when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort. NOTE
Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is
normal. It does not indicate power
steering system trouble. Starting and operating
7-33

14-2Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................................... 7-35
Warning light ................................................. 3-34, 7-35
Accessories ....................................................... 5-4, 11-50
Accessory power outlet ................................................. 6-8
Active head restraint ..................................................... 1-7
Air cleaner element ................................................... 11-17
Air conditioner ............................................................. 4-7
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-13
Air flow selection .......................................................... 4-2
Alarm system ............................................................ 2-15
All-Wheel Drive warning light ....................................... 3-36
Aluminum wheel cleaning ............................................ 10-3
Aluminum wheels ...................................................... 11-41
Antenna system ........................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ..................................... 7-35
Arming the system ..................................................... 2-16
Armrest ..................................................................... 1-12
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light ............................... 3-32
Audio control button ................................................... 5-26
Audio set .................................................................... 5-5
Auto-dimming mirror/compass ...................................... 3-55
Automatic climate control system ................................... 4-8
Automatic transmission 4-speed ................................................................ 7-18
5-speed ................................................................ 7-24
Capacities ............................................................. 12-4
Fluid .................................................................... 11-23
Manual mode ................................................ 7-21, 7-27
Selector lever ................................................ 7-18, 7-25
Shift lock release ........................................... 7-23, 7-29 SPORT
................................................................. 7-23
Temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP) ................. 3-32
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ........... 1-14
B Battery .................................................................... 11-47
Jump starting ......................................................... 9-10
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) .............. 2-8
Booster seat .............................................................. 1-33
Brake Booster ....................................................... 7-34, 11-31
Fluid ................................................................... 11-29
Pad and lining ...................................................... 11-33
Parking ....................................................... 7-45, 11-33
Pedal .................................................................. 11-31
System .................................................................. 7-34
Brake pedal
Free play ............................................................. 11-31
Reserve distance .................................................. 11-31
Brake system ............................................................. 7-34
Warning light .......................................................... 3-35
Braking ..................................................................... 7-34
Tips ...................................................................... 7-34
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ................... 11-33
Bulb Chart .................................................................... 12-9
Replacing ............................................................ 11-51
C Capacities ................................................................. 12-4