2012 SUBARU OUTBACK check engine

Fuel...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-3
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-6
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-7
Starting the engine .............................................. 7-8
MT models .......................................................... 7-8
AT and CVT models ............................................. 7-9
Stopping the engine ........................................... 7-10
Remote engine start system (dealer option) .............................................................. 7-10
Starting your vehicle .......................................... 7-10
Remote start safety features ............................... 7-11
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start ................................................................. 7-11
Remote start confirmation transmitter feature ............................................................. 7-12
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown ......................................................... 7-13
Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the vehicle ............................................................. 7-13
Service mode ..................................................... 7-13
Remote transmitter program ............................... 7-13
System maintenance .......................................... 7-14
Manual transmission .......................................... 7-15
Selecting reverse gear ........................................ 7-16
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-16
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-17
Automatic transmission/Continuously variable transmission ..................................... 7-17
Select lever ........................................................ 7-18 Shift lock function
............................................. 7-20
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-21
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-22
Power steering ................................................... 7-23
Braking ............................................................... 7-23
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-23
Brake system .................................................... 7-23
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-24
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-24
ABS system self-check ...................................... 7-25
ABS warning light .............................................. 7-25
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ............................................................. 7-25
Steps to take if EBD system malfunctions ..... ..... 7-25
Vehicle Dynamics Control system .................... 7-26
Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor..... ..... 7-28
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch ................ 7-28
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) .................................................... 7-29
Parking your vehicle ......................................... 7-30
Electronic parking brake .................................... 7-31
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-34
Cruise control .................................................... 7-35
To set cruise control .......................................... 7-35
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-36
To turn off the cruise control .............................. 7-36
To change the cruising speed .. .......................... 7-37
Cruise control indicator light .............................. 7-38
Cruise control set indicator light ........................ 7-38
Starting and operating
7

7-2Starting and operating
Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel
additive may cause engine damage.
& Fuel requirements
! Non-turbo models
The non-turbo engine is designed to
operate using unleadedgasoline with an
octane rating of 87 AKI (90 RON) or
higher .
! Turbo models
The engine is designed to operate at
maximum performance using premium
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of 93 AKI (98 RON) or higher . If 93 AKI
(98 RON) fuel is not readily available in
your area, unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of 91 AKI (95 RON) may
be used with no detriment to engine
durability or driveability. However, you
may notice a slight decrease in maximum
engine performance while using 91 AKI
(95 RON) fuel. Use of 91 AKI (95 RON)
fuel will not affect your warranty coverage.
If premium unleaded gasoline is not available, regular unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87 AKI (90 RON) or
higher may be temporarily used. For
optimum engine performance and drive-
ability, it is required that you use premium
grade unleaded gasoline.
NOTE
Be sure to use premium unleaded
gasoline of 91 AKI (95 RON) or higher
for a turbo engine model. If other
gasoline (lower than 91 AKI (95 RON))
is used, knocking, reduced output and
poor accelerator response will result. ! Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane
numbers and is commonly referred to as
the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane
rating can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle
sometimes knocks lightly when you drive
up a hill or when you accelerate. See your
dealer or a qualified service technician if
you use a fuel with the specified octane
rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or
persistently. !
Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler
nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy. ! California fuel
If your vehicle was certified to California
Emission Standards as indicated on the
underhood tune-up label, it is designed to
optimize engine and emission control
system performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur Cali-
fornia gasoline specifications. If you live in
any other state than California, your
vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting
Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher
sulfur levels, which may affect the perfor-
mance of your vehicle ’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or
smell. SUBARU recommends that you try
a different brand of unleaded gasoline
having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service. The CHECK ENGINE warning
light/malfunction indicator light may also
turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized SUBARU dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is

caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty. !MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/mal-
function indicator light may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is
determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not
be covered by your warranty. ! Gasoline for cleaner air
CAUTION
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Your use of gasoline with detergent
additives will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system.
This helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part
for cleaner air. If you continuously use a high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never
need to add any fuel system cleaning
agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with
materials called oxygenates. Use of these
fuels can also help keep the air cleaner.
Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in
your vehicle, but should contain no more
than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station
operators if their gasolines contain deter-
gents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emis-sions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in thefollowing. .
Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual. .
Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle
ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture ANDif it is accompanied by
sufficient quantities of the proper cosol-
vents and corrosion inhibitors required to
prevent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT
under these conditions. . If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a different brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer. . Fuel system damage or driveability
problems which result from the use of
improper fuel are not covered under the
SUBARU Limited Warranty.
& Fuel filler lid and cap
! Refueling
Only one person should be involved in
refueling. Do not allow others to approach
the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler
pipe while refueling is in progress.
Be sure to observe any other precautions
that are posted at the service station. Starting and operating
7-3
– CONTINUED –

4. Hook the cord that is attached to the
fuel filler cap onto the hook inside the fuel
filler lid.
WARNING
. When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop-
ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto-
matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from the tank and create a fire hazard.
5. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically turns off. Do not add
any more fuel.
CAUTION
Make sure that the cap is tightened
until it clicks to prevent fuel spillage
in the event of an accident.
6. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap whiletightening.
7. Close the fuel filler lid completely. If
you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged. NOTE
.
You will see the “”sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator
light may illuminate. Refer to “CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator light ”F 3-12.
CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da- Starting and operating
7-5
– CONTINUED –

7-6Starting and operating
mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap to the
right until it clicks to ensure that
it is fully tightened. If the cap is
not securely tightened, fuel may
leak out while the vehicle is being
driven or fuel spillage could
occur in the event of an accident,
creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit, and
your fuel tank and emission con-
trol system may be damaged. It
could also lead to fuel spillage
and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires
as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-gine. State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive model
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
. At state inspection time, remem-
ber to tell your inspection or
service station in advance not to
place your SUBARU AWD vehicle
on a two-wheel dynamometer.
Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
. Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or
its contractors or licensees.
California and a number of federal states
have Inspection/Maintenance programs to inspect your vehicle
’s emission control
system. If your vehicle does not pass this
test, some states may deny renewal of
your vehicle ’s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer
that monitors the performance of the engine ’s emission control system. Certi-
fied emission inspectors will inspect the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as
part of the state emission inspection
process. The OBDII system is designed
to detect engine and transmission pro-
blems that might cause the vehicle emis-
sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII
inspections apply to all 1996 model year
and newer passenger cars and trucks.
Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-
bia have implemented emission inspec-
tion of the OBDII system. . The inspection of the OBDII system
consists of a visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/mal-
function indicator light (MIL) and an
examination of the OBDII system with an
electronic scan tool. . A vehicle
passes the OBDII system
inspection if proper operation of the “ CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is ob-
served, there are no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness
monitors are all complete.

.A vehiclefails the OBDII inspection if
the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle ’s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT
READY ”is greater than one. If the
vehicle ’s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection. . Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
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
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.
& 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.
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 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.
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 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 depressedhard. Starting and operating
7-9