2008 SUBARU OUTBACK light

11-32Maintenance and service
Clutch pedal (MT models)
Check the clutch pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”.
& Checking the clutch function
Check the clutch engagement and disen-gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and
transmission smoothly couple without
any sign of slippage. &
Checking the clutch pedal
free play
1) 0.02 –0.08 in (0.5 –2.0 mm)
Lightly press the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. Replacement of brake pad
and lining
CAUTION
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
brake pad wear indicator, it will
result in the need for costly brake
rotor repair or replacement.
The right front disc brake and the right rear
disc brake have audible wear indicators
on the brake pads. If the brake pads wear
close to their service limit, the wear
indicator makes a very audible scraping
noise when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time

you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible. &Breaking-in of new brake
pads and linings
When replacing the brake pad or lining,
use only genuine SUBARU parts. After
replacement, the new parts must be
broken in as follows: ! Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40
mph (50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake
pedal lightly. Repeat this five or moretimes. ! Parking brake lining
WARNING
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
CAUTION
Pulling the parking brake lever too
forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be
certain to pull the lever up slowly
and gently. 1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button
pushed in, pull the parking brake lever
SLOWLY and GENTLY. (Pulling with a
force of approximately 33 lbs [147 N, 15kg].)
3. Drive the vehicle for approximately
220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking
brake to cool down. Repeat this proce-dure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the
parking brake stroke is out of the specified
range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut
located on the parking brake lever.
Parking brake stroke: 5–6 notches / 44 lbs (196 N, 20 kg) Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the“
Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
When the parking brake is properly
adjusted, braking power is fully applied
by pulling the lever up five to six notches
gently but firmly (approximately 44 lbs,
196 N, 20 kg). If the parking brake lever
stroke is not within the specified range,
have the brake system checked and
adjusted at your SUBARU dealer. Maintenance and service
11-33

11-34Maintenance and service
Tires and wheels &Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle. ! All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new
vehicle except 2.5GT spec.B are all
season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON ”and/or “M+S ”(Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall. ! Summer tires
The factory-installed tires on your new
2.5GT spec.B vehicle are summer tires.
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-
covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to
replace all four tires. !
Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as
summer tires and all season tires on roads
other than snow-covered and icy roads.
& 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 monitor-
ing system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven. Also, this system may
not react immediately to a sudden drop in
tire pressure (for example, a blow-out
caused by running over a sharp object).
If you adjust the tire pressures in a warm
garage and will then drive the vehicle in
cold outside air, the resulting drop in tire
pressures may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to come on. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to
pressures higher than those shown on the tire placard. Specifically, inflate them by an
extra 1 psi (6.9 kPa, 0.07 kgf/cm2) for
every difference of 10 8F (5.6 8C) between
the temperature in the garage and the
temperature outside. By way of example,
the following table shows the required tire
pressures that correspond to various out-
side temperatures when the temperature
in the garage is 60 8F (15.6 8C).
Example:
Tire size: P225/55R17 95V, P225/60R16 97H
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 60 8F (15.6 8C)
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm
2)]
front rear
30 8F( 18C) 35 (240, 2.4) 33 (230, 2.3)
10 8F( 12 8C) 37
(255, 2.55) 35
(240, 2.4)
10 8F
( 23 8C) 39 (270, 2.7) 37 (255, 2.55)
Example:
Tire size: 215/45R17 91W
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm2)

Garage temperature: 608F (15.6 8C)
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm
2)]
front rear
30 8F( 18C) 38 (265, 2.65) 36 (250, 2.5)
10 8F( 12 8C) 40
(280, 2.8) 38
(265, 2.65)
10 8F
( 23 8C) 42 (295, 2.95) 40 (280, 2.8)
Example:
Tire size: 215/45R18 89Y, P215/45R18
89W, P205/50R17 88V
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 60 8F (15.6 8C)
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm
2)]
front rear
30 8F( 18C) 36 (250, 2.5) 35 (240, 2.4)
10 8F( 12 8C) 38
(265, 2.65) 37
(255, 2.55)
10 8F
( 23 8C) 40 (280, 2.8) 39 (270, 2.7)
If the low tire pressure warning light
comes on when you drive the vehicle in
cold outside air after adjusting the tire pressures in a warm garage, re-adjust the
tire pressures using the method described
above. Then, increase the vehicle speed
to at least 20 mph (32 km/h) and check to
see that the low tire pressure warning light
goes off a few minutes later. If the low tire
pressure warning light does not go off, the
tire pressure monitoring system may not
be functioning normally. In this event, go
to a SUBARU dealer to have the system
inspected as soon as possible.
While the vehicle is driven, friction be-
tween tires and the road surface causes
the tires to warm up. After illumination of
the low tire pressure warning light, any
increase in the tire pressures caused by
an increase in the outside air temperature
or by an increase in the temperature in the
tires can cause the low tire pressure
warning light to go off.
System resetting is necessary when the
wheels are changed (for example, a
switch to snow tires) and new TPMS
valves are installed on the newly fitted
wheels. Have this work performed by a
SUBARU dealer following wheel replace- ment.
It may not be possible to install TPMS
valves on certain wheels that are on the
market. Therefore, if you change the
wheels (for example, a switch to snowtires), use wheels that have the same part
number as the standard-equipment
wheels. Without four operational TPMS
valve/sensors on the wheels, the TPMS
will not fully function and the warning light
in the instrument panel will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approximately
one minute.
When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal
operation of the tire pressure monitoring
system. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not come on briefly after the
ignition switch is turned ON or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-
ing for approximately one minute,
you should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-ble.
If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving Maintenance and service
11-35
– CONTINUED –

11-36Maintenance and service
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
If this light still comes on while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
& Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem.
NOTE . When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle ’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and
approach the curbs as squarely as
possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle.. If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the
vehicle in a straight line, one of the
tires and/or wheels may be damaged.
Drive slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicleinspected.
& Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires ’service lives
and is essential for good running perfor- mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver
’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving thevehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to

11-38Maintenance and service
.Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)
Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con-
sumption is also higher. .
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire
magnifies the effects of road-surface
bumps and dips, possibly resulting in
vehicle damage.
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident. &
Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced when
your vehicle was new, but the wheels will
become unbalanced as the tires become
worn during use. Wheel imbalance causes
the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts from
the vehicle ’s straight-line stability. It can
also cause steering and suspension sys-
tem problems and abnormal tire wear. If
you suspect that the wheels are not
correctly balanced, have them checked
and adjusted by your SUBARU dealer.
Also have them adjusted after tire repairs
and after tire rotation. NOTE
Loss of correct wheel alignment*
causes the tires to wear on one side
and reduces the vehicle ’s running
stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer
if you notice abnormal tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold
each wheel at a certain alignment (relative to
the other wheels and to the road) for optimum
straight-line stability and cornering perfor- mance.

Battery
WARNING
. Before beginning work on or near
any battery, be sure to extinguish
all cigarettes, matches, and light-
ers. Never expose a battery to an
open flame or electric sparks.
Batteries give off a gas which is
highly flammable and explosive.
. For safety, in case an explosion
does occur, wear eye protection
or shield your eyes when work-
ing near any battery. Never lean
over a battery.
. Do not let battery fluid contact
eyes, skin, fabrics, or paint be-
cause battery fluid is a corrosive
acid. If battery fluid gets on your
skin or in your eyes, immediately
flush the area with water thor-
oughly. Seek medical help imme-
diately if acid has entered theeyes.
If battery fluid is accidentally
swallowed, immediately drink a
large amount of milk or water,
and seek medical attention im-
mediately.
. To lessen the risk of sparks, remove rings, metal watchbands,
and other metal jewelry. Never
allow metal tools to contact the
positive battery terminal and any-
thing connected to it WHILE you
are at the same time in contact
with any other metallic portion of
the vehicle because a short cir-
cuit will result.
. Keep everyone including children
away from the battery.
. Charge the battery in a well-
ventilated area.
. Battery posts, terminals, and re-
lated accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Batteries also contain
other chemicals known to the
State of California to cause can-
cer. Wash hands after handling.
CAUTION
Never use more than 10 amperes
when charging the battery because
it will shorten battery life.
It is unnecessary to periodically check the
battery fluid level or periodically refill with distilled water.
Maintenance and service
11-47

1) Good
2) Blown
If any lights, accessories or other electrical
controls do not operate, inspect the
corresponding fuse. If a fuse has blown,
replace it.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK ”
position and turn off all electrical acces- sories.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Determine which fuse may be blown.
The back side of each fuse box cover andthe “Fuses and circuits ”section in chapter
12 in this manual show the circuit for eachfuse.4. Pull out the fuse with the fuse puller.
5. Inspect the fuse. If it has blown,
replace it with a spare fuse of the samerating.
6. If the same fuse blows again, this
indicates that its system has a problem.
Contact your SUBARU dealer for repairs. Main fuse
Main fuse box
The main fuses are designed to melt
during an overload to prevent damage to
the wiring harness and electrical equip-
ment. Check the main fuses if any
electrical component fails to operate (ex-
cept the starter motor) and other fuses are
good. A melted main fuse must be
replaced. Use only replacements with the
same specified rating as the melted main
fuse. If a main fuse blows after it is
replaced, have the electrical system
checked by your nearest SUBARU dealer. Maintenance and service
11-49