
8
&Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified 
other than with genuine SUBARU
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its
performance, safety or durability,
and may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or
performance problems resulting
from modification may not be cov-
ered under warranties.
& Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
driving. In a collision or sudden stop,
unrestrained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for 
their own safety that pets should be 
properly restrained in your vehicle. Re-
strain a pet with a special traveling
harness which can be secured to the rear
seat with a seatbelt or use a pet carrier
which can be secured to the rear seat by
routing a seatbelt through the carrier ’s
handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriers in the front passenger
’s seat. For further
information, consult your veterinarian,
local animal protection society or petshop.
& Tire pressures
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces- 
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the spare)
at least once a month and before any long
journey. 
Check the tire pressure when the tires are 
cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust the
tire pressures to the values shown on the
tire placard. For detailed information, referto “Tires and wheels ”F 11-30. &
California proposition 65 warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its consti- 
tuents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
& California Perchlorate Advi- sory
Certain vehicle components such as air- 
bag modules, seatbelt pretensioners and
keyless entry transmitter batteries may
contain perchlorate material. Special
handling may apply for service or vehicle
end of life disposal. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. 

1-12Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
extended position. When the rear center 
seating position is not occupied, lower the
head restraint to improve rearward visibi-
lity. &Armrest
To lower the armrest, pull on the armrest ’s
top edge.
WARNING
To avoid serious injury, passengers 
must never be allowed to sit on the
center armrest while the vehicle is inmotion. Seatbelts &
Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE 
the vehicle starts to move. Other- 
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-dent.
. All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
. Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or morepersons –even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
. Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious. .
Put children in the rear seat
properly restrained at all times.
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, especially if they are not
restrained or improperly re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from
deployment is greater. Conse-
quently, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those
that have outgrown child re-
straint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all
times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is
appropriate for the child ’s height
and weight. 
Secure ALL types of child re- 
straint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) in the
REAR seats at all times. 
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD 
FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THECHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG.  

interval can be changed between 10 kHz 
in the AM mode and 0.2 MHz in the FMmode. !Stereo indicator (type A and B audio)
The stereo indicator “ST ”will illuminate
when an FM stereo broadcast is received. ! Seek tuning (SEEK)
Type A audio:
1) Seek up 
2) Seek down Type B audio:
Seek up
Seek down
Type C audio:Seek up
Seek down
If you press the indicated button briefly, 
the radio will automatically search for a
receivable station and stop at the first one 
it finds. This function may not be available 
when radio signals are weak. When this
happens, perform manual tuning to select
the preferred station. !
Scan tuning (SCAN)
Type A audio
Type B audio
Type C audio
If you press the “SCAN ”button, the radio
will switch to the scan mode. In this mode, 
the radio scans through the radio band
until a station is found. The radio will
briefly stop at the station while displaying
the frequency, after which scanning will
continue until the entire band has beenscanned. 
Press the “SCAN ”button again to cancel
the SCAN mode. If you press the “SCAN ”
button while the radio is stopped at a 
station, the radio stays stopped at that
station. If you press the button while the
radio is scanning, the radio stops at the
next receivable station (type A and C
audio)/The radio stops at a frequency
when the “SCAN ”button is pressed (type
B audio). 
Automatic tuning may not function prop- Audio
5-13
– CONTINUED –         

5-22Audio
!Category selection (type C audio)
Change the cate- 
gory up by one step
Change the cate- 
gory down by one step
To activate the category search mode, 
press the “”or “”button. When in the
category search mode, press the “”or
“” button to change the category up or
down. 
When a category is selected, turning the “ TUNE ”dial selects channels only within
the selected category. 
The control function returns to the normal 
mode after approximately 6 seconds. ! Channel scan (type C audio)
“ SCAN/A.S ”button
Press the “SCAN/A.S ”button to change
the radio to the SCAN mode. In this mode, 
under the selected category, the radio
scans through the channel until a station
is found. The radio will stop at the station
for 5 seconds while displaying the channel
number, after which scanning will continue
until the entire channel has been scanned. Press the
“SCAN/A.S ”button again to
cancel the SCAN mode and to stop on any
displayed channel.
& Channel preset
! How to preset channels
1. Press the “SAT ”button to select SAT1,
SAT2 and SAT3 reception. 
2. Select the desired channel.
3. Press and hold one of the preset 
buttons (from
to) to store the
channel. If the button is pressed briefly, 
the preceding selection will remain in the
memory.
NOTE . Up to six SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3
channels each may be preset. . If the connection between the radio
and battery is broken for any reason 
such as vehicle maintenance or radio 
removal, all channels stored in the
preset buttons are cleared. If this
occurs, it is necessary to reset the
preset channels. !
Selecting preset channels
1. Press the “SAT ”button to select SAT1,
SAT2 or SAT3 reception. 
2. Press the preferred preset button (from
to) briefly.
& When the following mes- 
sages are displayed (type C audio)
If one of the following messages is 
displayed when receiving XM signals,
determine the cause based on the follow-
ing information. If you cannot clear these
messages, contact your SUBARU dealer.    

5-36Audio
details, refer to “Fast-forwarding and
rewinding ”F 5-25.
NOTE 
When connecting iPod
®:
. When the end of a track is reached
while fast-forwarding, fast-forwarding 
ends and play begins from the begin-
ning of the next track.. When the beginning of a track is
reached while rewinding, rewinding
ends and play begins from the begin-
ning of the track. & Repeating
! When connecting USB storage de- vice
Repeating is operated in the same way as
for a CD. For details, refer to “Repeating ”
F 5-26.
! When connecting iPod
®
Repeat button:
Type B audio
Type C audio
Each time you briefly press the repeat 
button, the mode changes in the followingsequence. 
Type B audio:
Type C audio:
NOTE . The “ALL RPT ”(type B audio)/ “ALL ”
(type C audio) indication refers to the 
repeat playback of all tracks in the
entire iPod
®(type B audio)/playing list
(type C audio).. The “SONG RPT ”(type B audio)/
“ ONE ”(type C audio) indication refers
to the repeat playback of a single track.
It repeats the track that is playing. . When an audiobook is playing, the
mode does not change even if you 
press the repeat button. For type C
audio, refer to “Setting the playing
speed (only when the audiobook is
playing) (type C audio) ”F 5-39. &
Random playback
Random button:
Type B audio*
1
Type C audio*2
*1: Press and hold the button. 
*2: Press the button briefly. 
To playback a track at random, press the 
random button while the track is playing. 
Each time you press the button, the mode 
changes in the following sequences. 
When connecting USB storage device 
(type B audio):
When connecting USB storage device 
(type C audio):         

When connecting iPod®(type B audio):
When connecting iPod®(type C audio):
NOTE .The “FOLDER RDM ”(type B audio)/
“ Folder ”(type C audio) indication re-
fers to the random playback in the 
folders. It randomly repeats all of the
tracks in the folder.. The “ALL RDM ”(type B audio)/ “All ”
(type C audio) indication refers to the
random playback on the entire USB
storage device. It randomly repeats all 
of the tracks on the USB storage device.. The “ALBUM RDM ”(type B audio)/
“ Album ”(type C audio) indication re-
fers to the shuffle playback of the
album. It sequentially plays back all of
the tracks on the album.. The “SONG RDM ”(type B audio)/
“ Track ”(type C audio) indication refers
to the shuffle playback on the entireiPod
®. It randomly repeats all of the tracks on the iPod
®.
. When an iPod®is connected, the
files are played back at random by the
shuffle function of the iPod
®. There-
fore, iPod®operation may be different
depending on the model of the con-
nected iPod
®. Visit the Apple Inc.
website for details.. When an audiobook or a podcast is
playing, the mode does not change
even if you press the random button. 
To cancel the random playback mode, 
press the random button and select 
CANCEL. The “RDM ”indication will turn
off, and the normal playback mode willresume. & SCAN (only when connecting 
USB storage device)
Scan is operated in the same way as for a 
CD. For details, refer to “Scan ”F 5-28.
NOTE 
When an iPod
®is connected, you
cannot select the SCAN mode. &
Selecting category (only 
when connecting iPod
®)
! Type B audio
“ LIST ”button
“TUNE ”dial
When the “LIST ”button is pressed briefly,
the iPod®menu is displayed.
Each time you turn the “TUNE ”dial clock-
wise, the displayed category changes in 
the following sequence. Each time you
turn the dial counterclockwise, the dis-
played category changes in the oppositesequence. Audio
5-37
– CONTINUED –     

that full vehicle control will be 
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle equipped with the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system, have
an inspection of that system
performedbyanauthorized
SUBARU dealer.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly. – All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same 
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
– Use only the specified tem-
porary spare tire to replace a
flat tire. With a temporary spare tire, the effectiveness of
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this
should be taken into account
when driving the vehicle in
such a condition.
. If non-matching tires are used,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system may not operate cor-
rectly.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine ’s output and the
wheels ’respective braking forces to help
maintain traction and directional control. . Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to 
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is indicated by
flashing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light. . Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed 
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels ’tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti- vation of this function is indicated by
flashing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light.
NOTE . The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem may be considered normal when 
the following conditions occur.
–Slight twitching of the brake
pedal is felt. – The vehicle or steering wheel
shakes to a small degree.– An operating sound from the
engine compartment is heard 
briefly when starting the engine
and when driving off after starting
the engine. – The brake pedal seems to jolt
when driving off after starting the engine.
. In the following circumstances, the
vehicle may be less stable than it feels
to the driver. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control System may therefore operate.
Such operation does not indicate a
system malfunction.
–on gravel-covered or rutted
roads – on unfinished roads
– when the vehicle is towing a
trailer– when the vehicle is fitted with Starting and operating
7-27
– CONTINUED – 

blades. If this happens, reduce the 
vehicle speed.
NOTE 
When the season requiring non-freez- 
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades. & Corrosion protection
Refer to “Corrosion protection ”F 10-4.
& Snow tires
WARNING
. When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure 
you use only tires of the same
size, circumference, construc-
tion, brand (tread pattern), speed
symbol and load index as the
original tires listed on the tire
placard. Using tires of other sizes
and constructions may affect
speedometer/odom eter calibra-
tion and clearance between the
body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of
vehicle control.
. You must install four winter tires that are of the same size, circum-
ference, construction, manufac-
turer, brand (tread pattern), de-
gree of wear, speed symbol and
load index. Mixing tires of other
sizes or constructions may result
in severe mechanical damage to
the drive train of your vehicle and
may affect ride, handling, braking
and speedometer/odometer cali-
bration. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
. Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.
! Except 2.5 L turbo models
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires ”which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to
enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter drivingconditions. 
If you choose to install winter tires on your 
vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire size
and type. You must install four winter tires that are of the same size, construction,
brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough
clearance between the tire and vehicle
body. 
Remember to drive with care at all times 
regardless of the type of tires on yourvehicle. !
2.5 L turbo models
Your vehicle is equipped with “summer
tires ”as original equipment, which are
inadequate for driving on slippery roads 
such as on snow-covered or icy roads. 
Compared with winter and all-season 
tires, summer tires give significantly less
grip on snowy and icy road surfaces.
Therefore, use of winter tires is strongly
recommended when driving with such
road conditions. 
When you choose to install winter tires on 
your vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire
size and type. You must install four winter
tires that are of the same size, construc-
tion, brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough Driving tips
8-11
– CONTINUED –