Press the air inlet selection button to the
OFF position when the interior has cooled
to a comfortable temperature and the road
is no longer dusty. The indicator light will
turn off.
WARNING
Continued operation in the ON posi-
tion (recirculation) may fog up the
windows. Switch to the OFF position
(outside air) as soon as the outside
dusty condition clears.
NOTE
When driving on a dusty road or behind
a vehicle that emits unpleasant exhaust
gases, set the air inlet selection button
to the ON position (recirculation).
From time to time, return the air inlet
selection button to the OFF position
(outside air) to draw outside air into the
passenger compartment. &
Temperature sensors
1) Solar sensor
2) Interior air temperature sensor
The automatic climate control system
employs several sensors. These sensors
are delicate. If they are treated incorrectly and become damaged, the system may
not be able to control the interior tempera-
ture correctly. To avoid damaging the
sensors, observe the following precau-tions: –
Do not subject the sensors to impact.
– Keep water away from the sensors.
– Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are located as follows:– Solar sensor: beside windshield
defroster grille– Interior air temperature sensor: on the
side of the driver-side part of the center panel – Outside temperature sensor: behind
front grille. Climate control
4-13
4-14Climate control
Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner &Cleaning ventilator grille
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser. &Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to
allow outside air to circulate into the heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency.
& Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. & Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer. & Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning system.
& Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. & Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the meth-
od of adding, changing or checking the
refrigerant is different from the method for
CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty.
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.
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 including music, news,
sports, talk and children ’s programming.
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-
XMRADIO (1-800-967-2346) for U.S.
www.xmradio.ca or call 1-877-GET-XMSR
(1-877-438-9677) for Canada.
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.
6-4Interior equipment
.The ignition switch is turned from the
“ LOCK ”position to the “Acc ”or “ON ”
position. . The rear gate is locked using the
remote keyless entry transmitter.
The setting of the period for which the
lights remain on (OFF delay timer) can be
changed by a SUBARU dealer. Contact
your SUBARU dealer for details. Sun visors
To block out glare, swing down the visors.
To use the sun visor at a side window,
swing it down and move it sideways.&
Sun visor extension plateWith the sun visor positioned over the side
window, you can use the sun visor
extension plate to prevent glare through
the gap between the sun visor and center
pillar. To use the extension plate, pull it
toward the rear of the vehicle. When you
have finished using it, stow it by pushing it
toward the front of the vehicle.
7-4Starting and operating
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid
release lever up. The lever is on the floor
at the left of the driver ’s seat.
2. Open the fuel filler lid.
WARNING
Before opening the fuel filler cap,
first touch the vehicle body or a
metal portion of the fuel pump or
similar object to discharge any
static electricity that may be present
on your body. If your body is carry-
ing an electrostatic charge, there is
a possibility that an electric spark
could ignite the fuel, which could
burn you. To avoid acquiring a new
static electric charge, do not get
back into the vehicle while refueling
is in progress.
1) Open
2) Close
3. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it slowly counterclockwise.
WARNING
. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Refueling must be
performed outside. Quickly wipe
up any spilled fuel.
. When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to the
left. Do not remove the cap
quickly. Fuel may be under pres-
sure and spray out of the fuel
filler neck, especially in hot
weather. If you hear a hissing
sound while you are removing
the cap, wait for the sound to
stop and then slowly open the
cap to prevent fuel from spraying
out and creating a fire hazard.
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 –
&Starting your vehicle
NOTE
All vehicle doors, the engine hood and
trunk / rear gate must be closed prior to
activating the remote engine start sys-
tem. Any open entry point will prevent
starting or cause the system to shutdown.
The remote engine start function is acti-
vated by pressing the “
”button twice
within 3 seconds on your remote engine
start transmitter. Upon successful activa-
tion the remote start confirming transmitter
button will flash once* and the vehicle will
honk the horn and flash the side marker
lights, tail lights and front position lights
once. The system will check certain preconditions before starting, and if all
safety parameters are correct, the engine
will start within 5 seconds. Upon success-
ful engine start, the remote start confirma-
tion transmitter button will flash twice
every 5 seconds* and the vehicle will
honk the horn and flash the side marker
lights, tail lights and the front position
lights once, then the lights will illuminate
and remain illuminated, indicating that the
engine is running. While the vehicle is
operating via the remote engine start
function, the power window features will
be disabled. Also, the system has a timer
and will shut down after 15 minutes if you
do not operate the vehicle. Press and hold the
“
”button for 2 seconds to turn the
engine off. The remote start confirmation
transmitter button will flash three times*
indicating that the engine has shut down.
If the starter cranks but does not start or
starts and stalls, the remote engine start
system will power off and then attempt to
start the engine an additional three times
unless the remote engine start system
determines that a vehicle malfunction is
preventing the system from starting. If the
engine does not start after additional
attempts, the remote engine start system
will abort and return to a non-activatestate.
*: Provided that the remote engine start transmitter is within the operating range of
the system.
& Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
system will fail to start and honk the horn
twice or shut down the engine during
remote start operation if any of the
following occur: . Any of the doors or the trunk / rear gate
are open / opened (*the vehicle ’s horn will
honk six times and the side marker lights,
tail lights and the front position lights will
flash six times indicating that a vehicle
door or trunk / rear gate was open when
the remote engine start system wasactivated). . The brake pedal is depressed
. The key was already in the ignition
switch. The engine hood is opened
. The remote start system “Service
mode ”is engaged
. The vehicle ’s engine idle speed has
reached a level over 3,500 RPM. The alarm is triggered by opening a
door or the rear gate.. The select lever is not in the “P ”
position (AT and CVT models)
In addition to the items above, if the Starting and operating
7-11
– CONTINUED –
exhaust fumes are entering the
vehicle, have the problem
checked and corrected as soon
as possible. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive
only with all windows fully open.
. Keep the trunk lid (Legacy) or
rear gate (Outback) closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas
from entering the vehicle.
NOTE
Due to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound isnormal. Catalytic converter
WARNING
. Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive
or park the vehicle anywhere
near flammable materials (e.g.
grass, paper, rags or leaves),
because the catalytic converter
operates at very high tempera-tures.
. Keep everyone and flammable
materials away from the exhaust
pipe while the engine is running.
The exhaust gas is very hot.
2.5 L non-turbo models
2.5 L turbo models
3.6 L models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust
gases, thus providing cleaner exhaust. Driving tips
8-3
– CONTINUED –