2008 SUBARU OUTBACK service

5-2Audio
Antenna system &Printed antenna
CAUTION
Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaner containing abra-
sives to clean the inner surface of
the window on which the antenna is
printed. Doing so may damage the
antenna printed on the window.
Sedan
Station wagon
The antenna is printed on the inner
surface of the rear window glass. & FM reception
Although FM is normally static free,
reception can be affected by the surround-
ing area, atmospheric conditions, station
strength and transmitter distance. Build-
ings or other obstructions may cause
momentary static, flutter or station inter-
ference. If reception continues to be
unsatisfactory, switch to a stronger station. XM
TMsatellite radio reception
(if equipped)
XM
TMis a continental U.S. based satellite
radio service that offers more than 160
coast to coast channels, including music,
news, sports, talk and children ’s program-
ming. XM
TMprovides digital quality audio
and text information, including song title
and artist name. A service fee is required
to receive the XM
TMservice. For more
information, contact XMTMatwww.xmradio.com or call 1-800-XM-
RADIO (1-800-967-2346).
The XM
TMsatellite radio receiver that is
fitted to your vehicle receives the neces-
sary signals from two specially designated
satellites that are in a geostationary orbit
over the equator. One satellite covers the
east coast and the other covers the west
coast. Both of them direct their signals
north. These signals are then relayed
throughout the USA by a network of
ground repeater stations. The satellite
radio signals are transmitted as “line of
sight ”signals. Line of sight signals can be
blocked by objects such as buildings, but
the network of repeater stations allows
signal coverage within urban areas such
as cities.
You may experience problems in receiving

5-12Audio
does not indicate a radio fault. !Selecting preset stations
Presetting a station with a preset button
allows you to select that station in a single
operation. Up to six AM, FM1 and FM2
stations each may be preset. Satellite radio operation (if equipped)
To receive satellite radio, it is necessary to
install the Subaru genuine satellite recei-
ver (dealer option) and to enter into a
contract. For details, please contact your
SUBARU dealer. &
XM
TMsatellite radio
XMTMis a continental U.S. based satellite
radio service that offers more than 160
coast to coast channels, including music,
news, sports, talk and children ’s program-
ming. XM
TMprovides digital quality audio
and text information, including song title
and artist name. A service fee is required
to receive the XM
TMservice. For more
information, contact XMTMatwww.xmradio.com or call 1-800-XM-
RADIO (1-800-967-2346). & Sirius satellite radio
Sirius satellite radio is a recent innovation
that allows the listener to experience
digital sound quality and to have a greater
variety of channels to choose from (more
than 160 channels with the relevantsubscription).
Use of satellite radio (Sirius) requires a
tuner, antenna and a service contract. For details, please contact your SUBARU
dealer or visit Sirius Satellite Radio at
www.sirius.com or call 1-888-539-SIRIUS
(7474) for more information. Sirius, the
Sirius dog logo, channel names and logos
are trademarks of SIRIUS Satellite RadioInc. &
Satellite radio reception
Satellite radio signals are best received in
areas with a clear view of the open sky. In
areas where there are tall buildings, trees,
tunnels or other structures that may
obstruct the signal of the satellites, there
may be signal interruptions. Other circum-
stances that may result in signal loss
include driving near a wall, steep cliff, hill
or driving on the lower level of a multi-
tiered road or inside of a parking garage.
To help reduce this condition, satellite
radio providers have installed ground-
based repeaters in heavily populated
areas. However, you may still experience
reception problems in some areas. & Displaying satellite radio ID
of tuner
When you activate satellite radio, you
should have your satellite radio tuner ID
ready because each tuner is identified by
its unique satellite radio tuner ID.

Sedan
Station wagon
Hang the hook provided on the underside
of the lid on the rear edge of the roof to
keep the lid open. HomeLink
®Wireless Control
System (if equipped)
1) HomeLink® buttons
2) Indicator light
3) Hand-held transmitter* * Not part of your vehicle ’s keyless entry
system but of a HomeLink®-compatible device.
The HomeLink® Wireless Control System,
located on the driver ’s sun visor, is a
handy way to operate, from inside of your
vehicle, up to three remote-controlled
indoor and outdoor devices, such as
garage door openers, entrance gates,
door locks, home lighting, and security
systems. There are three HomeLink®
buttons on the sun visor, each of which
you can program for operation of one desired device. For details on the device
types which can be operated by this
system, consult the HomeLink website at
www.homelink.com or call 1-800-355-3515.
Note the following about this system:
If your vehicle is equipped with the
HomeLink® Wireless Control System, it
complies with Part 15 of the Federal
Communication Commission Rules in the
U.S. and the RSS-210 of Industry Canada
in Canada. Its operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, includ-
ing interference that may cause undesiredoperation.
Changes and modifications to this system
by anyone other than an authorized
service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
HomeLink and the HomeLink house are
registered trademarks of Johnson Con-
trols, Inc.
WARNING
. When programming the
HomeLink ®Wireless Control
System, you may be operating a Interior equipment
6-17
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Fuel...................................................................... 7-3
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-3
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-5
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-7
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-8
Starting the engine .............................................. 7-9
Manual transmission vehicle ................................ 7-9
Automatic transmission vehicle ........................... 7-9
Stopping the engine ........................................... 7-10
Remote engine start system (dealer option) ................................................. 7-11
Starting your vehicle .......................................... 7-11
Remote start safety features ............................... 7-11
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start ................................................................. 7-12
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown ......................................................... 7-12
Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the vehicle ............................................................. 7-12
Service mode ..................................................... 7-12
Remote transmitter programming and programmable feature option ............................ 7-12
System maintenance .......................................... 7-13
Manual transmission –5 speeds ...................... 7-14
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-15
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-15
Manual transmission –6 speeds (2.5GT
spec.B) ............................................................. 7-16
Selecting reverse gear ........................................ 7-16
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-17
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-17 Automatic transmission
–4-speed ................... 7-18
Selector lever .................................................... 7-18
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ............ 7-20
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-21
Maximum speeds ............................................... 7-22
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-22
SPORT mode ..................................................... 7-23
Shift lock release ............................................... 7-23
Automatic transmission –5-speed ................... 7-24
Selector lever .................................................... 7-25
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ............ 7-26
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-27
Maximum speeds ............................................... 7-29
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-29
Shift lock release ............................................... 7-29
SI-DRIVE (Except 2.5-liter non-Turbo models) ............................................................ 7-30
Intelligent (I) mode ............................................. 7-31
Sport (S) mode .................................................. 7-31
Sport Sharp (S#) mode. ...................................... 7-32
SI-DRIVE selector .............................................. 7-32
SI-DRIVE Sport Sharp (S#) switch ...................... 7-32
Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .................................................... 7-33
Power steering ................................................... 7-33
Braking ............................................................... 7-34
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-34
Brake system .................................................... 7-34
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-34
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-35
Starting and operating
7

Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel
additive may cause engine damage.
& Fuel requirements
! 2.5-liter non-turbo models
The 2.5-liter non-turbo engine is designed
to operate using unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher. ! 2.5-liter turbo models
The 2.5-liter turbo engine is designed to
operate using premium unleaded gasoline
with an octane rating of 91 AKI or higher. If
premium unleaded gasoline is not avail-
able, regular unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of 87 AKI or higher may be
temporarily used. For optimum engine
performance and driveability, it is required
that you use premium grade unleadedgasoline. NOTE
Be sure to use premium unleaded
gasoline of 91 AKI or higher for a 2.5-
liter turbo engine model. If other gaso-
line (lower than 91 AKI) is used, knock-
ing, reduced output and poor accelera-
tor response will result. !
3.0-liter models
The 3.0-liter engine is designed to operate
using unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 91 AKI or higher. Regular
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of 87 AKI or higher may be used. However
for optimum engine performance and
driveability, it is recommended that you
use 91 AKI or higher grade unleaded
gasoline. You may experience reduced
output, poor accelerator response, and
reduced fuel economy when using gaso-
line with an octane rating lower than 91
AKI, depending on your driving habits and
conditions. If you experience any of these
conditions while using a lower octane
rated fuel, you may want to return to using
91 AKI octane rated fuel as soon as
possible. Additionally, if your vehicle
knocks heavily or persistently, or if you
are driving with heavy loads such as when
towing a trailer, the use of 91 AKI or higher
grade unleaded gasoline is required. !
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane
numbers and is commonly referred to as
the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane
rating can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle
sometimes knocks lightly when you drive
up a hill or when you accelerate. See your
dealer or a qualified service technician if
you use a fuel with the specified octane
rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or
persistently. ! Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler
nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy. ! California fuel
If your vehicle was certified to California
Emission Standards as indicated on the
underhood tune-up label, it is designed to
optimize engine and emission control
system performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur Cali-
fornia gasoline specifications. If you live in
any other state than California, your Starting and operating
7-3
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7-4Starting and operating
vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting
Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher
sulfur levels, which may affect the perfor-
mance of your vehicle ’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or
smell. SUBARU recommends that you try
a different brand of unleaded gasoline
having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service. The CHECK ENGINE warning
light/malfunction indicator lamp may also
turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized SUBARU dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty. ! MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/mal-
function indicator lamp may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is
determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not
be covered by your warranty. !
Gasoline for cleaner air
CAUTION
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Your use of gasoline with detergent
additives will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system.
This helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part
for cleaner air. If you continuously use a
high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never
need to add any fuel system cleaning
agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with
materials called oxygenates. Use of these
fuels can also help keep the air cleaner.
Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in
your vehicle, but should contain no more
than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station
operators if their gasolines contain deter-
gents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emis-sions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in thefollowing. .
Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual. . Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle
ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture ANDif it is accompanied by
sufficient quantities of the proper cosol-
vents and corrosion inhibitors required to
prevent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT
under these conditions. . If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a different brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer.

State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or its
contractors or licensees.
At state inspection time, remember to
tell your inspection or service station in
advance not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result.
Some states have started using dynam-
ometers in their state inspection programs in order to meet their obligation under
federal law to implement stricter vehicle
emission standards to reduce air pollution
from vehicles. A dynamometer is a tread-
mill or roller-like testing device that allows
your vehicle
’s wheels to turn while the
vehicle remains in one place. Depending
on the severity of a state ’s air pollution
problems, the states must adopt either a“ basic ”or “enhanced ”vehicle emission
inspection test. Normally, a portion of the
basic emission test consists of an emis-
sion inspector inserting an analyzer probe
into the exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle
for a short period of time. States with more
severe air pollution problems are required
to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission
test. This test simulates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits
more accurate measurement of tailpipe
emitted pollution than the basic emissiontest.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
programs have EXEMPTEDSUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel
dynamometers in their testing programs.
When properly used, that equipment will not damage an AWD SUBARU vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for
inspecting the On-Board Diagnostic
(OBD) system as part of the state emis-
sions inspection. The OBD system is
designed to detect engine and transmis-
sion problems that might cause vehicle
emissions to exceed allowable limits.
These inspections apply to all 1996 model
year and newer passenger cars and light
trucks. Over 30 states plus the District of
Columbia have implemented the OBD
system inspection. .
The inspection of the OBD system
consists of a visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/mal-
function indicator lamp (MIL) and an
examination of the OBD system with an
electronic scan tool while the engine isrunning. . Avehicle
passes the OBD system
inspection if proper the “CHECK ENGINE ”
warning light/MIL illumination is observed,
there is nostored diagnostic trouble
codes, and the OBD system readiness
monitors are complete. . A vehicle
fails the OBD inspection if the
“ CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/MIL is
Starting and operating
7-7
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7-8Starting and operating
not properly operating or there is one or
more diagnostic trouble codes stored invehicle ’s computer with the “CHECK
ENGINE ”warning light/MIL illuminated.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBD system readiness monitors “Not
Ready ”is greater than one. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to set the monitors and return for an
emission re-inspection. . Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for service. Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for properinflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk (Sedan)
and rear gate (Station wagon) are fullyclosed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the
“ON ”position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine. NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.