Starting and operating/Hill start assist system (MT models)
Hill start assist system (MT
models)
WARNING
.The Hill start assist system is a
device only for helping the driver
to START the vehicle on an uphill
grade. To prevent accidents
when the vehicle is parked on a
slope, be sure to firmly set the
parking brake. When setting the
parking brake, make sure that the
vehicle remains stationary when
the clutch pedal and brake pedal
are released.
.Do not turn the ignition switch to
the“LOCK”/“OFF”position while
the Hill start assist system is
operating. The Hill start assist
system will be deactivated, caus-
ing an accident.
The Hill start assist system is a device to
make the following vehicle operations
easier.
1) Starting forward facing uphill
2) Starting backward facing downhill
In both these cases, when the clutch
pedal is depressed while the brake pedal
is also depressed, braking power is
maintained temporarily by the Hill startassist system when the brake pedal is
released. The driver is therefore able to
start the vehicle the same way as on a
level grade, just using the clutch and
accelerator pedal.
If the braking power of the Hill start assist
system is insufficient after the brake pedal
is released, apply more braking power by
depressing the brake pedal again.
The Hill start assist system may not
operate on slight grades. Also, the Hill
start assist system does not operate in the
following cases.
7-48
.when starting backward facing uphill
.when starting forward facing downhill
.while the parking brake is applied
.while the ignition switch is in the“ACC”
or“LOCK”/“OFF”position
.while the Hill Holder indicator light isOFF
When using the Hill start assist system, a
braking effect may be felt even after the
brake pedal has been released. However,
this braking effect should disappear once
the clutch pedal is released.
NOTE
A slight jolt may be felt when the
vehicle begins to move forward after
being reversed.
&To activate/deactivate the Hill
start assist system
When activating/deactivation the Hill
Holder function, the Hill start assist system
will also be activated/deactivated. For
details about activating/deactivating the
Hill Holder function, refer to“Hill Holder
switch”F7-45.
Cruise control
NOTE
For models with EyeSight system:
Refer to the Owner’s Manual supple-
ment for the EyeSight system.
Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions.
These may cause loss of vehicle
control.
.driving up or down a steep grade
.driving on slippery or winding
roads
.driving in heavy traffic
.towing a trailer
NOTE
Make sure the cruise control system is
turned off when the cruise control is
not in use to avoid unintentionally
setting of the cruise control.
Starting and operating/Cruise control
–CONTINUED–7-49
maintain the previous cruising speed.
&To temporarily cancel the
cruise control
The cruise control can be temporarily
canceled in the following ways.
.Press the“CANCEL”button.
.Press the X-mode switch to activate
the X-mode (models with X-mode).
.Depress the brake pedal.
.Depress the clutch pedal (MT models).
WARNING
For CVT models, do not place the
select lever in the“N”position while
driving. If the select lever is shifted
into the“N”position, cruise control
can be canceled but the enginebrake will no longer work. This
could result in an accident.
The cruise control set indicator in the
combination meter disappears when the
cruise control is canceled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (30
km/h) or more, press the“RES/SET”
switch to the“RES”side to return to the
original cruising speed automatically.
The cruise control set indicator in the
combination meter will automatically ap-
pear at this time.
&To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise
control:
.Press the cruise control main button
again.
.Turn the ignition switch to the“ACC”or
“LOCK”/“OFF”position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped).
&To change the cruising speed
!To increase the speed (by the“RES/
SET”switch)
Press the“RES/SET”switch to the“RES”
side and hold it until the vehicle reaches
the desired speed. Then, release the
switch. The vehicle speed at that moment
will be memorized and treated as the new
set speed.
Starting and operating/Cruise control
–CONTINUED–7-51
!System malfunction indicator
System malfunction indicator
1) At first, this message will appear
2) Then this message will appear
This indicator appears when a malfunction
occurs in the system. Contact a SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
&BSD/RCTA OFF switch
BSD/RCTA OFF switch
BSD/RCTA OFF indicator
If the BSD/RCTA OFF switch is pressed,
the BSD/RCTA OFF indicator appears on
the multi information display of the combi-nation meter, and the BSD/RCTA is
deactivated.
Press the switch again to activate the
BSD/RCTA. The BSD/RCTA OFF indica-
tor disappears.
NOTE
.In the following cases, press the
BSD/RCTA OFF switch to deactivate
the system. The system may not oper-
ate properly due to blocked radar
waves.
–When towing a trailer
–When a bicycle carrier or other
item is fitted to the rear of the
vehicle
–When using a chassis dynam-
ometer or free roller device, etc.
–When running the engine and
making the wheels rotate while
lifting up the vehicle
.If the ignition switch is turned to the
“LOCK”/“OFF”position, the last known
status of the system is maintained. For
example, if the ignition switch is turned
to the“LOCK”/“OFF”position with the
BSD/RCTA deactivated, the BSD/RCTA
remains deactivated the next time the
ignition switch is turned to the“ON”
position.
.If the vehicle battery is disconnected
due to situations such as battery
Starting and operating/BSD/RCTA
–CONTINUED–7-59
.Continuously variable transmis-
sion fluid (CVT models)
.Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
Remember that damage done to
your SUBARU while operating it
off-road and not using common
sense precautions such as those
listed above is not eligible for war-
ranty coverage.
Because of the AWD feature and higher
ground clearance, you can drive your
SUBARU on ordinary roads or off-road.
But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is
neither a conventional off-road vehicle
nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you do take
your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as those in the
following list should be taken.
!Before driving
.Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
.Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
.Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. Duringsudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over.
.Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.
!During driving
General precautions:
.Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
.Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
.Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
.Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead,
drive with your fingers and thumbs on
the outside of the rim..Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the
engine stops. This could create a fire
hazard.
Precautions when driving under espe-
cially dangerous situations:
.If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your
vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover.
.If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the shift lever/
select lever back and forth between“1”/
“D”and“R”repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
Driving tips/Off road driving
–CONTINUED–8-7
Driving tips/Winter driving
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
.When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and CVT). For
CVT models, refer to“Selection of manual
mode”F7-29.
!After driving
.Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
.After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
.Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.Winter driving
&Operation during cold
weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand,
flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle.SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the following
table.
Washer Fluid Con-
centrationFreezing Temperature
30% 10.48F(−128C)
50%−48F(−208C)
100%−498F(−458C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside
temperature, it may freeze and block the
nozzles.
CAUTION
.Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out-
8-8
Driving tips/Winter driving
&Driving on snowy and icy
roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle’s braking perfor-
mance on snowy and icy roads. For
information about braking on slippery
surfaces, refer to“ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System)”F7-33 and“Vehicle Dynamics
Control system”F7-35.
!Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the
windshield or rear window, perform the
following procedure.
.To thaw the windshield wiper blades,
use the defroster with the airflow selection
in“
”and the temperature set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed. Refer to“Climate
control”F4-1.
.If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper
deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blades. Refer to“Defog-
ger and deicer”F3-54.
.To thaw the rear wiper blade, use the
rear window defogger. Refer to“Defogger
and deicer”F3-54.When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow selection in“
”and the
temperature set for maximum warmth.
After the windshield gets warmed enough
to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away
using the windshield washer. Refer to
“Windshield washer”F3-52.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
Refer to“Hazard warning flasher”F3-7.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and freez-
ing temperatures. Blades of this type give
superior wiping performance in snowy
conditions. Be sure to use blades that
are suitable for your vehicle.
8-10
Driving tips/Trailer hitch (Outback—if equipped)
4. Install the bars into the holders.
5. Make sure that the latches are fitted
securely.
!Rope hook (attached to the roof rail)
Rope hook
CAUTION
.When you use the rope hooks,
always secure the rope at all four
hook points.
.Do not tighten the rope exces-
sively. Otherwise, it may lead to
damage to the vehicle body or
cargo.
.Check that the rope is not loose
before driving the vehicle.
.When you use the rope hooks,
never exceed the maximum load
limit.
Load limit:
Observe the load limit that is indicated on
the rope hook.
Trailer hitch (Outback—if
equipped)
WARNING
.Never exceed the maximum
weight specified for the trailer
hitch. Exceeding the maximum
weight could cause an accident
resulting in serious personal in-
juries. Permissible trailer weight
changes depending on the situa-
tion. For possible recommenda-
tions and limitations, refer to
“Trailer towing (Outback)”F8-
21.
.Trailer brakes are required when
the towing load exceeds 1,000
lbs (453 kg). Be sure your trailer
has safety chains and that each
chain will hold the trailer’s max-
imum gross weight. Towing trai-
lers without safety chains could
create a traffic safety hazard if
the trailer separates from the
hitch due to coupling damage or
hitch ball damage.
.Be sure to check the hitch pin
and safety pin for positive lock-
ing placement before towing a
trailer. If the ball mount comes off
8-18