2009 SUBARU OUTBACK ESP

SI-DRIVE (turbo and 3.0 L 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. Starting and operating
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7-32Starting and operating
& Sport (S) mode
For all-around performance driving
The 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 normal
driving use. &
Sport Sharp (S#) mode
For maximum performance drivingFor 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, the current SI-DRIVE mode
changes to Sport (S) mode. When you
rotate it to the right, the mode changes to
Sport Sharp (S#) mode, and when you
push it, the mode 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 illuminates. In this case, you
cannot change to Sport Sharp (S#)mode.. Thenexttimeyouturnonthe
engine, after you turned off the engine
in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode, the SI-
DRIVE mode changes to the Sport (S)

spare tire, the effectiveness of
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this
should be taken into account
when driving the vehicle in
such a condition.
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
adjusts the engine ’s output and the
wheels ’respective braking forces to help
maintain traction and directional control. . 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 Dy-
namics Control operation indicator light. . 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 .
Slight twitching of the brake pedal
may be felt when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system operates; a small de-
gree of vehicle or steering 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.. When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short-lived opera-
tion 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 normal.. Depending on the timing of activa-
tion of the brakes, the brake pedal may
seem to jolt when you drive off after
starting the engine. This is a conse-
quence of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol operational check and is normal.. In the circumstances shown in the
following list, the vehicle may be more
unstable than it feels to the driver. The
Vehicle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system fault.
–on gravel-covered or rutted
roads – on unfinished roads
– when the vehicle is towing a trailer–
when the vehicle is fitted with
snow tires or winter tires
. Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly
different compared to that for normalconditions. . 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
vehicle in such a condition. . It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with
Vehicle Dynamics Control. . All four wheels should 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 Starting and operating
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This single light has the function of
indicating malfunctions in the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and the function
of indicating that the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is not operating. It illumi-
nates in the event of a malfunction in the
system and is illuminated whenever the
system is not operating. !Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and goes off several seconds
after engine startup. This lighting pattern
indicates that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating normally.
The following situations could indicate a
malfunction of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system; if any should occur, have
an authorized SUBARU dealer carry out
an inspection of the system at the first
available opportunity. . The warning light does not turn on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position. . The warning light turns on while the
vehicle is being driven.. When a malfunction has occurred in
the Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical
system, only the warning light will turn on.
In such an event, the ABS will still be
operating normally. .
The warning light will also turn on when
a problem occurs with the ABS or Vehicle
Dynamics Control electronic control sys-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
system, the Vehicle Dynamics Control will
also become unable to control all four
brakes. Thus Vehicle Dynamics Control
system operation halts 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
adversely affect operation of the vehicle
in any way when they are inoperable;
however 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 system
is operating normally. . Although turning on after the engine has been started, the warning light
quickly turns off and stays off..
The warning light turns on when the
vehicle is being driven; it then turns off
and stays off. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF in-
dicator light
This light illuminates to indicate that the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system is in
non-operation mode. This does not con-
stitute failure of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system. NOTE . 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.. When an engine problem occurs
and the CHECK ENGINE warning light/
malfunction indicator lamp turns on,
the indicator light will also illuminate.
The following two situations could indicate
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 Starting and operating
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7-44Starting and operating
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting.
Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires,
as this may cause a malfunction of
the tire pressure sensors. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking for
approximately one minute, promptly
contact a SUBARU dealer to have
the system inspected.
CAUTION
Do not place metal film or any metal
parts under the driver ’s seat. This
may cause poor reception of the
signals from the tire pressure sen-
sors, and the tire pressure monitor-
ing system will not function prop-
erly.
NOTE
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, in- cluding interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void theuser
’s authority to operate the equip-
ment. Parking your vehicle
WARNING
. Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to them.
. Do not park the vehicle over
flammable 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.
. Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occu-
pants in the vehicle could die
from carbon monoxide (CO) con-
tained in the exhaust gas.

7-48Starting and operating
& To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: . Push the “CRUISE ”main switch button
again.. Turn the ignition switch to the “Acc ”or
“ LOCK ”position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped). & To change the cruising speed
! To increase the speed (by button)
Push the “RES/ACC ”button and hold it
until the vehicle reaches the desired
speed. Then, release the button. The
vehicle speed at that moment will be
memorized and treated as the new setspeed. When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be increased 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time
by pressing the
“RES/ACC ”button quickly.
! To increase the speed (by accel-
erator pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle to the desiredspeed.
2. Push the “SET/COAST ”button once.
Now the desired speed is set and the
vehicle will keep running at that speed
without depressing the accelerator pedal.
NOTE
If the difference between the actual
vehiclespeedwhenthebuttonis
pushed and the speed last time you
set is less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the
vehicle speed will be lowered by 1 mph
(1.6 km/h). This occurs because the
cruise control system unit regards this
operation as that intended to decrease
the vehicle speed. !
To decrease the speed (by button)
Push the “SET/COAST ”button and hold it
until the vehicle reaches the desired
speed. Then, release the button. The
vehicle speed at that moment will be
memorized and treated as the new setspeed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be lowered 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time by
pressing the “SET/COAST ”button quickly.

.Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain. . Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. . Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep. . Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds. . Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim. . If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle ’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover. .
Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard. . After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. . Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle
’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over. . If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the selector lever
back and forth between “D ” and “R ”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle. . When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT). . Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.. Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly. . Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and Driving tips
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8-10Driving tips
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine ’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could
result in engine shutdown or evenbreakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle ’s braking perfor-
mance on snowy and icy roads. Refer tothe “ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ”and
“ Vehicle Dynamics Control system ”sec-
tion in chapter 7 for information on braking
on slippery surfaces. !
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button/dial in the “
”position and
the temperature control dial set for max-
imum warmth until the wiper blades are
completely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow control button/dial in “
”
and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth. After the windshield
gets warmed enough to melt the frozen
snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades. & Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection ”section
in chapter 10.