
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 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 (Legacy)
and rear gate (Outback) are fully closed.
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. Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED –

7-8Starting and operating
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops. Starting the engine &
MT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine. The starter motor will only
operate when the clutch pedal is de-
pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to“ Warning and indicator lights ”F 3-9.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START ”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, perform the
following procedure. (1) Turn the ignition switch to the“
LOCK ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly applied, turn the
ignition switch to the “START ”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START ”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this does not start the engine,
turn the ignition switch again to the“ LOCK ”position. After waiting for 10
seconds or longer, turn the ignition
switch to the “START ”position without
depressing the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.

6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
NOTE (2.5 L non-turbo models)
To protect the engine while the shift
lever is in the neutral position, the
engine is controlled so that the engine
speed may not become too high even if
the accelerator pedal is depressedhard. &AT and CVT models
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the select
lever into the “N ” position. Do not
attempt to place the select lever of a
moving vehicle into the “P ” posi-
tion.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Shift the select lever to the “P ” or “N ”
position (preferably “P ” position). The
starter will only operate when the select
lever is at the “P ”or “N ”position. 4. Turn the ignition switch to the
“ON ”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to“ Warning and indicator lights ”F 3-9.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START ”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, perform the
following procedure.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly applied, turn the
ignition switch to the “START ”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10 seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the
“START ”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the“ START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the select lever is at the “P ” or
“ N ”position and that the parking brake is
applied.
NOTE (2.5 L non-turbo and 3.6 L models)
To protect the engine while the select
lever is in the “P ” or “N ” position, the
engine is controlled so that the engine
speed may not become too high even if
the accelerator pedal is depressed Starting and operating
7-9
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7-10Starting and operating
hard.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering
and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the “LOCK ”position on the
ignition switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling. Remote engine start system
(dealer option)
WARNING
. Do not remote start a vehicle in
an enclosed environment (e.g.
closed garage). Prolonged opera-
tion of a motor vehicle in an
enclosed environment can cause
a harmful build-up of Carbon
Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is
harmful to your health. Exposure
to high levels of Carbon Monox-
ide can cause headaches, dizzi-
ness or in extreme cases uncon-
sciousness and/or death.
. Before performing any servicing
of the vehicle, temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent the
system from unexpectedly start-
ing the engine.

7-16Starting and operating
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 and void warranty.. To comply with the FCC RF expo-
sure compliance requirements, no
change to the antenna or the device is
permitted. Any change to the antenna
or the device could result in the device
exceeding the RF exposure require-
ments and void user ’sauthorityto
operate the device. Manual transmission
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
clutch disengaged (i.e., when the
clutch pedal is depressed) or with
the shift lever in the neutral position.
Engine braking has no effect in
either of these conditions and the
risk of an accident is consequentlyincreased.
The manual transmission is a fully syn-
chromeshed, 6-forward-speed and 1-re-
verse-speed transmission.
The shift pattern is shown on the shift
lever knob. &
Selecting reverse gear
CAUTION
Shift into reverse ONLY when the
vehicle has completely stopped. It
may cause damage to the transmis-
sion to try shifting into reverse when
the vehicle is moving.
1) Slider
You must raise the slider and hold it in that
position before you can move the shift
lever to the “R ”position.
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, move the shift lever, and gradually
let up on the clutch pedal.
If it is difficult to shift into gear, put the

transmission in neutral, release the clutch
pedal momentarily, and then try again. &Shifting speeds
! Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel econ-
omy and vehicle performance during
normal driving is ensured by shifting up
at the speeds listed in the following table.
Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40) 3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
5th to 6th 50 (80)
! Maximum allowable speeds
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
engine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accidentincreased.
The following table shows the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear. The tachometer ’s needle will
enter the red area if these speeds areexceeded.
With the exception of cases where sudden
acceleration is required, the vehicle
should not be driven with the tachometer ’s
needle inside the red area. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
excessive engine wear and poor fuel
economy. mph (km/h)
Gear Legacy
Outback
Non-turbo
models Turbo
models
1st 32 (52) 35 (56) 32 (52)
2nd 57 (92) 62 (100) 57 (92) 3rd 86 (139) 94 (151) 86 (139)4th 114 (184) 125 (201) 115 (185)NOTE
Never exceed posted speed limits. &
Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 5th, 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear
as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you “ride ”(over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a problem. Starting and operating
7-17

7-18Starting and operating
Automatic transmission/Con-
tinuously variable transmis-sion
The automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 5 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. The con-
tinuously variable transmission is electro-
nically controlled and provides an infinite
number of forward speeds and 1 reversespeed.
Both the automatic transmission and
continuously variable transmission have
a manual mode.
WARNING
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N ”
position into the “D ” or “R ” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION
. Shift into the “P ” or “R ” position
only after the vehicle is comple-
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more than 5 seconds in any position
except the
“N ” or “P ” position
when the brake is applied or
when chocks are used in the
wheels. This may cause the
transmission fluid to overheat.
. Avoid shifting from one of the
forward driving positions into the“ R ” position or vice versa until
the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may
cause damage to the transmis-sion.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever inthe “P ” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the select
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
NOTE . For AT models, when the engine
coolant temperature is still low, the
transmission will upshift to higher
engine speeds than when the coolant
temperature is sufficiently high in order
to shorten the warm-up time and
improve driveability. The gearshift tim-
ing will automatically shift to the nor- mal timing after the engine has warmedup..
Immediately after transmission fluid
is replaced, you may feel that the
transmission operation is somewhat
unusual. This results from invalidation
of data which the on-board computer
has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current
condition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.. When driving a vehicle that is
equipped with CVT under continuous
heavy load conditions such as towing a
camper or climbing a long, steep hill,
the engine speed or the vehicle speed
may automatically be reduced. This is
not a malfunction. This phenomenon
results from the engine control func-
tion maintaining the cooling perfor-
mance of the vehicle. The engine and
vehicle speed will return to a normal
speed when the engine is able to
maintain the optimum cooling perfor-
mance after the heavy load decreases.
Driving under a heavy load must be
performed with extreme care. Do not
try to pass a vehicle in front when
driving on an uphill slope while towing.. The continuously variable transmis-
sion is a chain type system that

provides superior transmission effi-
ciency for maximum fuel economy. At
times, depending on varying driving
conditions, a chain operating sound
may be heard that is characteristic of
this type of system. &Select lever
: With the brake pedal depressed, shift
while pressing the button in
: Shift while pressing the button in: Shift without pressing the button
The select lever has four positions, “P ”,
“ R ”, “N ”, “D ”and also has a manual gate
for using the manual mode. ! P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first apply the
parking brake fully, then shift into the
“P ”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the select lever from the “P ”to any
other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the select
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started.
NOTE
To protect the engine while the “P ”
position is selected, the engine is
controlled such that the engine speed
may not become too high even if the
accelerator pedal is depressed hard. ! R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N ”to “R ”position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the
lever to the “R ”position.
! N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalledengine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, the transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll
freely, even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or foot brake is applied.
Avoidcoastingwiththetransmission neutral.
During coasting, there is no engine brak-
ing effect.
NOTE . To protect the engine while the “N ”
position is selected, the engine is
controlled such that the engine speed
may not become too high even if the
accelerator pedal is depressed hard.. If the select lever is in the “N ”
position when you stop the engine for
parking, you may not subsequently be
able to move it to the “R ” and “P ”
positions. If this happens, turn the
ignition switch to the “ON ”position.
You will then be able to move the select
lever to the “P ” position.WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
select lever in the “N ” (neutral)
position. Engine braking has no
effect in this condition and the risk
of an accident is consequently in-creased. Starting and operating
7-19
– CONTINUED –