
3-14Instruments and controls
&Rear differential oil 
temperature warninglight
CAUTION
Reduce vehicle speed and park the 
vehicle in a safe place as soon as
possible if the R.DIFF TEMP light
illuminates. Continued driving with
this light illuminated can damage
the rear differential and other parts
of the powertrain.
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the rear
differential oil temperature is too hot. 
If the light illuminates while driving, reduce 
vehicle speed and stop the vehicle at the
nearest safe place. 
Park the vehicle for several minutes. After 
the light turns off, you can start driving. 
If the light does not turn off, contact the 
nearest SUBARU dealer for service. NOTE . If the tire pressures are not correct
and/or the tires are not all the same 
size and brand, the rear differential will 
be heavily loaded when the vehicle is 
driven, resulting in an abnormally high
oil temperature. .
The rear differential oil will deterio-
rate if its temperature increases en-
ough for the rear differential oil tem-
perature warning light to illuminate. It is
advisable to have the rear differential
oil replaced as soon as possible.
& Low tire pressure 
warning light
When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”position, the low tire pressure warn-
ing light will illuminate for approximately 2
seconds to check that the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is functioning
properly. If there is no problem and all tires
are properly inflated, the light will turn off. 
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), 
should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for thosetires.) 
As an added safety feature, your vehicle 
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle
’s handling and
stopping ability. 
Please note that the TPMS is not a 
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached the level 
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire 
pressure telltale. 
Your vehicle has also been equipped with 
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the
malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS   

Ventilator.............................................................. 4-2
Airflow ................................................................ 4-2
Ventilator ............................................................ 4-4
Automatic climate control system ..................... 4-5
Control panel ...................................................... 4-5
Rear air conditioner ............................................. 4-9
Temperature sensors ........................................... 4-9
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner ....................................................... 4-10
Cleaning ventilator grille ..................................... 4-10
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-10 Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .............................................................. 4-10
Checking air conditioning system before summer season ............................................................ 4-10
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions ................. 4-10
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded .............................................. 4-10
Refrigerant for your climate control system ... ..... 4-10
Air filtration system ........................................... 4-11
Replacing the air filter ........................................ 4-11Climate control
4 

4-10Climate 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 conditions
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.  

especially metal ones such as 
coins or aluminum foil, into the
accessory power outlet. That
could cause a short circuit. Al-
ways put the cap on the acces-
sory power outlet when it is not
in use.
. Use only electrical appliances
which are designed for 12V DC. 
The maximum power rating of an 
appliance that can be connected
is shown in the following list. Do
not use an appliance which ex-
ceeds the indicated wattage for
each outlet. – The two outlets in the center
console: 120W or less (When 
using appliances connected
to two outlets simultaneously,
the total power consumed by
them must not exceed 120W.)
– The two outlets in the rear
cabin: 120W or less (When
using appliances connected
to two outlets simultaneously,
the total power consumed by
them must not exceed 120W.)
Overloading the accessory
power outlet can cause a short
circuit. Do not use dual adapters
or more than one electrical appli- ance.
. If the plug on your electric appli-
ance is either too loose or too
tight for the accessory power
outlet, this can result in a poor
contact or cause the plug to get
stuck. Only use plugs that fit
properly.
. Use of an electric appliance in the
accessory power outlet for a long
period of time while the engine is
not running can cause batterydischarge.
. Before driving your vehicle, make
sure that the plug and the cord
on your electrical appliance will
not interfere with your shifting
gears and operating the accel-
erator and brake pedals. If they
do, do not use the electrical
appliance while driving.
NOTE 
It is possible, when using the outlet in 
the center console (lower compart-
ment) with the lid closed, to pass the
electrical appliance ’s cord through a
gap between the center console (lower Interior equipment
6-11
– CONTINUED –   

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 and rear gate 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.
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
CAUTION
. Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 
seconds. If the engine fails to
start after operating the starter
for 5 to 10 seconds, wait for 10
seconds or more before tryingagain.
. 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 ” position.
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.
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, try the following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, 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 Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED – 

sing the brake pedal repeatedly will toggle 
the feature ON or OFF each time. 
7. To exit the remote transmitter and 
feature programming mode, turn the igni-
tion switch to the“LOCK ”position, remove
the key from the ignition switch and test
operation of the remote transmitter(s) and
horn confirmation feature. & System maintenance
! Changing the batteries
CAUTION
. Do not let dust, oil or water get on
or in the remote engine start 
transmitter when replacing the
battery.
. Be careful not to damage the
printed circuit board in the re-
mote engine start transmitter
when replacing the battery.
. Be careful not to allow children to
touch the battery and any re-
moved parts; children could
swallow them.
. There is a danger of explosion if
an incorrect replacement battery
is used. Replace only with the
same or equivalent type of bat-
tery. .
Batteries should not be exposed
to excessive heat such as sun-
shine, fire or the like.
The two 3-volt lithium batteries (modelCR-1220 ) supplied in your remote engine
start transmitter should last approximately
three years, depending on usage. When
the batteries begin to weaken, you will
notice a decrease in range (distance from
the vehicle that your remote engine start
system operates). Follow the instructions
below to change the remote controlbatteries.1. Carefully pry the remote engine start 
transmitter halves apart using a small flat-
head screwdriver.
Starting and operating 7-11
– CONTINUED –    

Gearshifts can be performed using the 
select lever.
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly 
pushing the select lever toward the“+ ”
end of the manual gate. 
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly 
pulling the select lever toward the “  ”
end of the manual gate. NOTE 
Please read the following points care- 
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode. . When the temperature of the engine
oil is higher than normal, warning 
beeps are emitted and the shift position
indicator shows “  ”. If these warnings
are issued, deselect the manual mode
to protect the engine from damage. .
The transmission does not automa-
tically shift up in the manual mode.
Perform gearshifts in accordance with
road conditions so that the tachometer
needle does not enter the red zone. If
the engine speed reaches a predeter-
mined level, a fuel-cut function will
operate. Shift up if this happens. Also,
the transmission may automatically
shift up to protect the engine.. If you attempt to shift down when
the engine speed is too high, i.e., when
a downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible. . If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis- 
sion will not respond.. You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the select lever twice in rapid succes-sion.. The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stopsmoving.. If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,the “AT OIL TEMP ”warning light will
illuminate and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and let the
engine idle until the warning light turns off.
& Driving tips
. On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or
gravel-covered road), you can pull away
from a standstill safely and easily by first
selecting the 2nd gear of the manualmode. . Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D ”or
“ R ”position.
. Always set the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the 
vehicle with only the transmission. . Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the “ D ”position. Use the brake instead.
. The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate aproblem. . A slight reduction in output torque may
occur before the engine warms up. Starting and operating
7-17
– CONTINUED –  

7-26Starting and operating
! Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
The warning light illuminates when the 
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and turns 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, we
recommend that you have an authorized
SUBARU dealer carry out an inspection of
the system at the first available opportu-
nity. . The warning light does not illuminate
when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. . The warning light illuminates while the
vehicle is being driven.. When a malfunction has occurred in
the Vehicle Dynamics Control electrical 
system, only the warning light will illumi- 
nate. In such an event, the ABS will still be 
operating normally. . The warning light will also illuminate
when a problem occurs with the ABS or 
Vehicle Dynamics Control electronic con-
trol systems. 
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 illuminates. 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 illuminates and 
turns off in the following way, it in-
dicates that the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is operating normally. .
Although illuminating after the en-
gine has been started, the warning light 
quickly turns off and remains off.. The warning light illuminates when
the vehicle is being driven; it then turns
off and remains off. !
Traction Control system OFF indica-
tor light
This light illuminates to indicate that the
Traction Control system is in non-opera-
tion mode. This does not constitute failure
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control system. NOTE . The indicator light may remain illu-
minated for a while after the engine has 
been started, especially in cold weath-
er. 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 operat-
ing temperature.. When an engine problem occurs
and the malfunction indicator lamp
illuminates, the indicator light will alsoilluminate. 
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
available opportunity. . The indicator light does not illuminate
when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. . The indicator light fails to turn off after
the engine is started, even when several 
minutes have passed to allow the engine