2012 SUBARU OUTBACK brake

9-6In case of emergency
Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never
brake suddenly; keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing speed.
Then slowly pull off the road to a safeplace. &Changing a flat tire
WARNING
. Do not jack up the vehicle on an
incline or a loose road surface.
The jack can come out of the
jacking point or sink into the
ground and this can result in a
serious accident.
. Use only the jack provided with
your vehicle. The jack supplied
with the vehicle is designed only
for changing a tire. Never get
under the vehicle while support-
ing the vehicle with this jack. .
Always turn off the engine before
raising the flat tire off the ground
using the jack. Never swing or
push the vehicle supported with
the jack. The jack can come out
of the jacking point due to a jolt
and this can result in a seriousaccident.
1. Park on a hard, level surface, when-
ever possible, then stop the engine.
2. Apply the parking brake and shift the
shift lever in reverse (MT models) or the
select lever in the “P ” (Park) position (AT
and CVT models).
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher
and have everyone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire diagonally opposite the flat tire. 5. Take out the jack, jack handle and
wheel nut wrench.
The tools and the spare tire are stored
under the floor of the trunk (Legacy) or the
cargo area (Outback). Refer to
“Mainte-
nance tools ”F 9-3.
NOTE
Make sure that the jack is well lubri-
cated before using it.
Legacy

15. Store the flat tire in the spare tire compartment.
Put the spacer and tighten the attaching
bolt firmly.
Also store the jack and jack handle in their
storage locations.
WARNING
Never place a tire or tire changing
tools in the passenger compartment
after changing wheels. In a sudden
stop or collision, loose equipment
could strike occupants and cause
injury. Store the tire and all tools in
the proper place. &
Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (if equipped)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with the warning message
indicated by sending a signal from a
sensor that is installed in each wheel
when tire pressure is severely low.
The tire pressure monitoring system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven.
Also, this system may not react immedi-
ately to a sudden drop in tire pressure (for
example, a blow-out caused running over
a sharp object).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, never
brake suddenly and keep driving straight ahead while gradually redu-
cing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place. Otherwise an
accident involving serious vehicle
damage and serious personal injury
could occur.
Check the pressure for all four tires
and adjust the pressure to the COLD
tire pressure shown on the vehicle
placard on the door pillar on thedriver
’s side. If this light still illumi-
nates while driving after adjusting
the tire pressure, a tire may have
significant damage and a fast leak
that causes the tire to lose air
rapidly. If you have a flat tire, replace
it with a spare tire as soon aspossible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting.
Do not inject any tire liquid or
aerosol tire sealant into the tires, In case of emergency
9-9
– CONTINUED –

9-16In case of emergency
Rear tie-down holes:
1) Rear tie-down hole
The rear tie-down holes are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down holes only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip out
of the holes, possibly causing a
dangerous situation.
& Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. Shift the select lever into the “P ”
position for AT and CVT models or the
shift lever into “1st ”for MT models.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier properly with safety chains. Each safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out. &
Towing with all wheels on the ground
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ”position while the
vehicle is being towed because
the steering wheel and the direc-
tion of the wheels will be locked.
. Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is

turned off, it will take greater
effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
CAUTION
. If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
. Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the
engine running.
. For AT and CVT models, the
traveling speed must be limited
to less than 20 mph (30 km/h) and
the traveling distance to less
than 31 miles (50 km). For greater
speeds and distances, transport
your vehicle on a flat-bed truck.
1. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
2. The ignition switch should be in the “ Acc ”position while the vehicle is being
towed.
3. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle. Electronic parking brake
–if
the electronic parking brake
cannot be releasedWARNING
. When the electronic parking
brake cannot be released, the
electronic parking brake system
may malfunction. Driving in such
conditions may cause an unex-
pected accident. Contact your
SUBARU dealer for inspection
as soon as possible.
. You can release the electronic
parking brake by using the elec-
tronic parking brake release tool
in case of an emergency. How-
ever, after releasing the electro-
nic parking brake by using the
electronic parking brake release
tool, contact your SUBARU deal-
er for inspection as soon aspossible.
. Release the electronic parking
brakebyusingtheelectronic
parking brake release tool on a
level road. Otherwise, the vehicle
may move, which could cause anaccident. .
When releasing th e electronic
parking brake by using the elec-
tronic parking brake release tool,
always perform the followingitems. – Shift the shift lever in the “1 ”
or “R ” position (MT models).
– Shift the select lever in the “P ”
position (AT and CVT models).
– Use tire stops under the tires.
. When releasing th e electronic
parking brake by using the elec-
tronic parking brake release tool,
make sure that the ignition
switch is in the “LOCK ”position.
Otherwise, the electronic parking
brake system may operate and
the electronic parking brake re-
lease tool may rotate and unex-
pected accident may occur.
CAUTION
. Under certain weather conditions
(rain, snow, sandstorm, etc.), do
not release the electronic parking
brakebyusingtheelectronic
parking brake release tool. If
water or dust enters the device,
the device may malfunction. In case of emergency
9-17
– CONTINUED –

9-18In case of emergency
.If the cap cannot be removed,
contact your SUBARU dealer for inspection.
. After releasing the electronic
parking brake by using the elec-
tronic parking brake release tool,
make sure that the cap is rein-
stalled to the parking brake re-
lease device. If the cap is not
reinstalled, water or dust enters
the device and the device maymalfunction.
NOTE
It may be difficult to release the elec-
tronic parking brake by using the
electronic parking brake release tool.
Have your SUBARU dealer release the
electronic parking brake if necessary.
In the event that you cannot release the
electronic parking brake by pulling the
electronic parking brake switch or by
depressing the accelerator pedal, you
can release the electronic parking brake
manually by using the electronic parking
brake release tool.
1. Shift the shift lever in the “1 ” or “R ”
position (MT models) or the select lever in the “P ”position (AT and CVT models).
2. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK ”
position. 3. Make sure that the brake system
warning light and the indicator light on
the parking brake switch have turned off.
4. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
5. Take out the electronic parking brake
release tool. Refer to
“Maintenance tools ”
F 9-3.
6. Insert the electronic parking brake
release tool into the cap of the parking
brake release device.
7. Remove the cap of the parking brake
release device by turning the electronic
parking brake release tool counterclock-

wise.
8. Break the white film and insert the
electronic parking brake release tool into
the parking brake release device.
9. Turn the electronic parking brake
release tool clockwise approximately 200
to 250 rotations.
10. To confirm that the electronic parking
brake is released, shift the shift lever or
the select lever to the“N ”position, slightly
move the tire stops and have someone
push the vehicle slightly while you remain
in the driver ’s seat. If the vehicle moves,
the electronic parking brake has beenreleased.
11. Readjust the tire stops.
12. Reinstall the cap to the parking brake
release device.
CAUTION
. Do not turn the electronic parking
brake release tool counterclock-
wise or turn it around more than
300 times. Doing so may result in
a malfunction of the electronic
parking brake.
. Do not use electric power tools to
turn the electronic parking brake
release tool. Doing so may result
in a malfunction of the electronic
parking brake. Trunk lid (Legacy)
–if the
trunk lid cannot be opened
The trunk lid can also be opened using the
key.
To open the trunk lid, insert the key into
the key cylinder and turn it clockwise. In case of emergency
9-19

10-2Appearance care
Exterior care &Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes.
. Do not wash the engine compart-
ment and areas adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air in-
take, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will
cause engine trouble or a mal-
function of the power steering.
. Do not use any organic solvents
when washing the surface of the
bulb assembly cover. However, if
a detergent with organic solvents
is used to wash the cover sur-
face, completely rinse off the
detergent with water. Otherwise,
the cover surface may be da-maged.
. Outback: Since your vehicle is
equipped with a rear wiper, auto-
matic car-wash brushes could become tangled around it, dama-
ging the wiper arm and other
components. Ask the automatic
car-wash operator not to let the
brushes touch the wiper arm or
to fix the wiper arm on the rear
window glass with adhesive tape
before operating the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle ’s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in directsunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree
sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required.
If you use a light detergent, make certain
that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All
cleaning agents should be promptly
flushed from the surface and not allowed to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or softcloth. !
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-
rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-
derbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-sion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
the underbody.
Carefully flush the suspension and axle
parts, as they are particularly prone to
mud and sand buildup. Do not use a
sharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.
CAUTION
. Be careful not to damage brake
hoses, sensor harnesses, and

10-4Appearance care
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed and
built to resist corrosion. Special materials
and protective finishes have been used on
most parts of the vehicle to help maintain
fine appearance, strength, and reliableoperation. &Most common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retain-
ing dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust
control chemicals, or used in coastal
areas where there is more salt in the air,
or in areas where there is considerable
industrial pollution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity,
especially when temperatures range just
above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the
vehicle remains for a long time, even though other parts of the vehicle may be
dry.
4. High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to parts of the vehicle which cannot
dry quickly due to lack of proper ventila-tion.
& To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent
corrosion of the body and suspension
components. Also, wash the vehicle
promptly after driving on any of the
following surfaces. . roads that have been salted to prevent
them from freezing in winter. mud, sand, or gravel
. coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recom-
mended that the underbody be given a
very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the
condition of underbody components, such
as the exhaust system, fuel and brake
lines, brake cables, suspension, steering
system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of
them are found to be rusted, they should
be given an appropriate rust prevention
treatment or should be replaced. Contact
your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind
of maintenance and treatment if you need assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as
soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion.
Occasionally check under the mats to
make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. In such a garage, corrosion can
be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle
into the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and hood
latch should be inspected and lubricated
periodically.