2012 SUBARU OUTBACK engine

Automatic climate control
system (type B) NOTE .Operate the automatic climate con-
trol system when the engine is running. . The blower fan rotates at a low
speed when the engine coolant tem-
perature is low.. For efficient defogging or dehumidi-
fying in cold weather, press the “A/C ”
button.
When the automatic climate control mode
is selected, the following items are auto-
matically controlled. . Outlet air temperature
. Fan speed
. Airflow distribution
. Air inlet control
. Air conditioner compressor operation
To activate this mode, perform the follow-
ing procedure.
1. Set the preferred temperature using
the temperature control button.
2. Press the “AUTO ”button. The FULL
AUTO mode is selected and the “FULL
AUTO ”indicator light on the display
illuminates. NOTE .
When the “DUAL ”button is pressed,
separate temperature settings for the driver ’s side and passenger ’s side can
be enabled (DUAL mode). To cancel the
DUAL mode, press the “DUAL ”button
again. The temperature setting for thepassenger ’s side becomes the same as
the setting for the driver ’s side.
. If you operate any of the buttons on
the control panel other than the “OFF ”
button, rear window defogger button
and temperature control buttons during
FULL AUTO mode operation, the“ FULL ”indicator light on the control
panel will turn off and the “AUTO ”
indicator light will remain illuminated.
You can then manually control the
system as desired. To change the
system back to the FULL AUTO mode,
press the “AUTO ”button.
3. To turn off the climate control system,
press the “OFF ”button. &
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 Climate control
4-5
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both side windows to prevent fogging.)
(Heat-def): Windshield defroster outlets,
foot outlets and both side outlets of the
instrument panel
(Defrost): Windshield defroster outlets and
both side outlets of the instrument panel&
Temperature control
! Type A
Turn the temperature control dial over a
range from the blue side (cool) to red side
(warm) to regulate the temperature of
airflow from the air outlets. ! Type B
To increase the temperature setting, press the “
”side of the temperature control
button. To decrease the temperature
setting, press the “
”side of the tempera-
ture control button.
Each temperature setting is shown on the
display. When “LO ”is shown, the system
provides maximum cooling performance.When “HI ”is shown, the system provides
maximum heating performance.
NOTE
When the “DUAL ”button is pressed,
separate temperature settings for the driver ’s side and passenger ’s side can
be enabled (DUAL mode). To cancel the
DUAL mode, press the “DUAL ”button
again. The temperature setting for thepassenger ’s side becomes the same as
the setting for the driver ’s side.
& Fan speed control
The fan operates only when the ignition switch is in the
“ON ”position. Select the
preferred fan speed by turning the fan
speed control dial (type A), or by pressing
the fan speed control buttons (type B).
& Air conditioner control
The air conditioner operates only when
the engine is running.
Press the air conditioner button while the
fan is in operation to turn on the air
conditioner. When the air conditioner is
on, the indicator light on the air conditioner
button (type A)/ “A/C ”indicator light (type
B) illuminates.
To turn off the air conditioner, press the
button again. The indicator light will turnoff. NOTE
For efficient defogging or dehumidify-
ing in cold weather, turn on the air
conditioner. & Air inlet selection
Select the air inlet by pressing the air inlet
selection button.
ON position (recirculation) : Interior air is
recirculated inside the vehicle. Press the
air inlet selection button to the ON position
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or
when driving on a dusty road. When the Climate control
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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. Air filtration system
Your vehicle
’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system.
Replace the air filter element according
to the replacement schedule shown in the
following table. This schedule should be
followed to maintain the filter ’sdust
collection ability. Under extremely dusty
conditions, the filter should be replaced
more frequently. Have your filter checked
or replaced by your SUBARU dealer. For
replacement, use only a genuine
SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 15 months or 15,000 miles (24,000
km) whichever comes first
CAUTION
Contact your SUBARU dealer if the
following occurs, even if it is not yet
time to change the filter. . Reduction of the airflow through
the vents.
. Windshield gets easily fogged or
misted. Climate control
4-9
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CAUTION
Do not pull out the extension plate
with the sun visor positioned over
the windshield. The extension plate
would obstruct your view of the
rearview mirror. &
Vanity mirror with light
CAUTION
Keep the vanity mirror cover closed
while the car is being driven to avoid
being blinded by glare.
To use the vanity mirror, swing down the
sun visor and open the vanity mirror cover.
The lights beside the vanity mirror illumi-
nate when the mirror cover is opened. NOTE
Use of the vanity mirror light for a long
period of time while the engine is not
running can cause battery discharge. Storage compartment
CAUTION
. Always keep the storage com-
partment closed while driving to
reduce the risk of injury in the
event of sudden stops or anaccident.
. Do not store spray cans, contain-
ers with flammable or corrosive
liquids or any other dangerous
items in the storage compart-ment. Interior equipment
6-5
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CAUTION
. Do not attempt to use a cigarette
lighter in the accessory power outlet.
. Do not place any foreign objects,
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 120W. Do not use an appliance
which exceeds the indicated wat-
tage for each outlet.
When using appliances con-
nected to two or more 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
double adapters or more than
one electrical appliance.
. 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.
Upper compartment
Lower compartment
NOTE
When the lid of the center console is
closed, a gap remains between the
center console and the lid to allow the Interior equipment
6-11
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6-20Interior equipment
different rating may result in a malfunction.
. If the rear view camera is used for
a long time while the engine is
not operated, the battery may
become completely discharged.
NOTE . Do not wipe the camera with alcohol,
benzine or paint thinner. Otherwise,
discoloration may occur. To remove
contamination, wipe the camera with a
cloth moistened with a diluted neutral
detergent and then wipe it with a soft,
dry cloth.. When waxing the vehicle, be careful
not to apply the wax to the camera. If it
comes in contact with the camera,
moisten a clean cloth with a diluted
neutral detergent to remove the wax. . The camera lens has hard coating to
help prevent scratches. However, when
washing the vehicle or cleaning the
camera lens, be careful not to scratch
the camera lens. Do not use a washing
brush directly on the camera lens. The
monitor screen may be adversely af-fected.. Strong light shined on the camera
lens may develop white light stripes
around the light source. This is not a malfunction..
Under fluorescent lighting, the dis-
play may flicker. However, this is not amalfunction.. The image of the rear view camera
may be slightly different from the
actual color of the objects.
& How to use the rear view camera
When the shift lever or select lever is set to “R ”, the rear view camera automatically
displays the rear view image from the
vehicle. When the lever is set to other
positions, the image before setting to “R ”
is displayed.
1. Set the ignition switch to “ON ”.
2. Set the shift lever or select lever to “R ”.
NOTE . For models with the genuine
SUBARU navigation system, the image
of the rear view camera has priority
over other screen displays. To operate
other screens, set the shift lever (MT
models) or select lever (AT and CVT
models) to a position other than “R ”.
. The image of the rear view camera is
horizontally reversed as is the case
with the vehicle rearview mirror or the
side view mirror. .
It may be difficult to see the image of
the rearview camera in the following
cases. This is not a malfunction of thecamera.
–The vehicle is in a dark place (at
night, in a tunnel, etc.). – The vehicle is in an extremely hot
or cold place.– An object (such as raindrops,
snow, dirt, etc.) that disturbs the
view of the rear view camera sticks
to the lens of the camera. – Strong light shined directly on
the camera lens (occasionally, there
are vertical lines on the screen).

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