2016 SUBARU LEGACY tires

your vehicle in a safe location,
use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving
and contact your SUBARU deal-
er. For details, refer to“Electro-
nic parking brake”F7-42.
NOTE
.Even if the brake system warning
light illuminates, if the warning light
behavior is as described in the follow-
ing examples, the electronic parking
brake system is not malfunctioning.
–The warning light turns off when
the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied or released.
–The warning light turns off when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”position again.
.The brake system warning light may
illuminate immediately after the engine
is started. However, it is not malfunc-
tioning if the warning light turns off
after the electronic parking brake is
released.
.The brake system warning light may
illuminate after the electronic parking
brake is frequently applied and re-
leased. However, the electronic parking
brake system is not malfunctioning if
the light turns off after a short period oftime.
.When the engine is started while the
electronic parking brake is applied/
released, the system may judge an
abnormal situation and the warning
light may illuminate. If the warning light
illuminates, turn the ignition switch
once to the“LOCK”/“OFF”position
and then restart the engine. Then,
apply/release the electronic parking
brake. If the warning light turns off,
the system will be restored.
This light has the following functions.
!Brake fluid level warning
This light illuminates when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the“MIN”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the“ON”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
illuminate while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in“ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the“MIN”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have
the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair.!Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also
illuminates if a malfunction occurs in the
EBD system. In that event, it illuminates
together with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning if
the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are
applied harder than usual and the vehi-
cle’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights turn off, the EBD system
may be malfunctioning. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
4. If both warning lights illuminate again
and remain illuminated after the engine
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED–3-19

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
has been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN”mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
!Electronic parking brake system
warning
The brake system warning light illumi-
nates when the electronic parking brake
system is malfunctioning. If the warning
light illuminates, promptly park in a safe
location as soon as possible and contact
your SUBARU dealer.
The brake system warning light remains
illuminated when the parking brake cannot
be released even if the parking brake
switch is pushed. For details, refer to
“Electronic parking brake”F7-42.
!Frequent operation warning
The brake system warning light illumi-
nates and a chirp sound will be heard if
the parking brake switch is operated too
frequently. In this case, the operation ofthe parking brake switch is restricted to
protect the electronic parking brake sys-
tem.
&Electronic parking
brake indicator light
!Parking brake indicator
The light illuminates with the parking
brake applied while the ignition switch is
in the“ON”position. It turns off when the
parking brake is fully released.
!Electronic parking brake system
warning
WARNING
.When you release the electronic
parking brake while the engine is
running, the electronic parking
brake indicator light will turn off.
However, if the light still illumi-
nates, stop the vehicle in a safe
location immediately and have
the system inspected by a
SUBARU dealer.
.If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair..If the electronic parking brake
indicator light flashes, the elec-
tronic parking brake system may
be malfunctioning. Immediately
stop your vehicle in a safe loca-
tion, use tire stops under the
tires to prevent the vehicle from
moving and contact your
SUBARU dealer. For details, refer
to“Electronic parking brake”
F7-42.
NOTE
.When the ignition switch is turned to
the“LOCK”/“OFF”position with the
electronic parking brake applied, the
electronic parking brake indicator light
remains illuminated for approximately
30 seconds and then turns off.
.When the electronic parking brake
switch is pulled to apply the electronic
parking brake while the ignition switch
is in the“LOCK”/“OFF”position, the
electronic parking brake indicator light
illuminates, remains illuminated for
approximately 30 seconds and then
turns off.
.Even if the electronic parking brake
indicator light flashes, if the warning
light behavior is as described in the
following examples, the electronic
parking brake system is not malfunc-
3-20

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
&Door open indicator
When any of the doors, the rear gate
(Outback) or the trunk lid (Legacy) is not
fully closed, the door open indicator
appears. This function is effective even if
the ignition switch is in the“LOCK”/“OFF”
or“ACC”position (all models) or the key is
removed from the ignition switch (models
without“keyless access with push-button
start system”).
The open door is indicated by the corre-
sponding part of the door open indicator.
Always make sure this indicator does not
appear before you start to drive.
&Windshield washer
fluid warning indicator
This indicator appears when the fluid level
in the windshield washer fluid tank de-
creases to the lower limit (approximately
0.6 US qt, 0.6 liter, 0.5 Imp qt).
&All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (CVT models)
WARNING
Continued driving with the AWD
warning light flashing can lead to
powertrain damage. If the AWD
warning light flashes, promptly parkin a safe place then check whether
all four tires are the same diameter
and whether any of the tires has a
puncture or has lost air pressure for
some other reason.
NOTE
If the temporary spare tire is used, the
AWD warning light may flash. Use of
the temporary spare tire should there-
fore be restricted to the minimum time
necessary. Replace the temporary
spare tire with a conventional tire as
soon as possible.
This light flashes if the vehicle is driven
with tires of different diameters fitted on its
wheels or with the air pressure exces-
sively low in any of its tires.
&Power steering warn-
ing light
While the engine is running, this warning
light illuminates when a malfunction has
been detected in the electric power steer-
ing system.
CAUTION
When the power steering warning
light is illuminated, there may be
more resistance when the steeringwheel is operated. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and
have the vehicle inspected immedi-
ately.
NOTE
If the steering wheel is operated in the
following ways, the power steering
control system may temporarily limit
the power assist in order to prevent the
system components, such as the con-
trol computer and drive motor, from
overheating.
.The steering wheel is operated fre-
quently and turned sharply while the
vehicle is maneuvered at extremely low
speeds, such as while frequently turn-
ing the steering wheel during parallel
parking.
.The steering wheel remains in the
fully turned position for a long period
of time.
At this time, there will be more resis-
tance when steering. However this is
not a malfunction. Normal steering
force will be restored after the steering
wheel is not operated for a while and
the power steering control system has
an opportunity to cool down. However,
if the power steering is operated in a
non-standard way which causes power
3-22

Starting and operating/Preparing to drive
.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 proper
inflation.
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.
10. Check that no small animals enter the
engine compartment.
7-8

nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
.Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
.If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving–overconfidence because
you are driving with a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a ser-
ious accident.
CAUTION
.Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, winter tires should be
used when driving on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced
considerably. Simply having a
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem does not guarantee that the
vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.
.Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy-namics Control is no guarantee
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
performed by an authorized
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
Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
–CONTINUED–7-35

Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
flat tire. With a temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness
of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is reduced and
this should be taken into ac-
count when driving the vehi-
cle 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 slidesideways 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 noise from the en-
gine 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 withsnow tires or winter tires
.Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly
different compared to that for normal
conditions.
.It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with
Vehicle Dynamics Control.
.Always turn off the engine before
replacing a tire as failure to do so may
render the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system unable to operate correctly.
&Vehicle Dynamics Control
system monitor
Refer to“Vehicle Dynamics Control warn-
ing light/Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tion indicator light”F3-23 and“Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light”F3-
24.
7-36

Starting and operating/X–mode (Outback CVT models)
X-mode (Outback CVT mod-
els)
WARNING
.Always use the utmost care in
driving–overconfidence be-
cause you are driving a vehicle
with X-mode could easily lead to
a serious accident.
.Always use the utmost care in
driving–overconfidence be-
cause you are driving a vehicle
with hill descent control function
could easily lead to a serious
accident. Be especially careful,
and depress the brake pedal if
necessary when driving on ex-
tremely steep downhill, frozen,
muddy or sandy roads. Failure
to control the vehicle’s speed
may cause a loss of control and
result in a serious accident.
CAUTION
.Even if your vehicle is equipped
with X-mode, winter tires should
be used when driving on snow-
covered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reducedconsiderably. Simply having X-
mode does not guarantee that
the vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.
.Activating the X-mode should be
done when you encounter a very
slippery surface at low speed.
However, having X-mode is no
guarantee that full vehicle con-
trol will be maintained at all times
and under all conditions. When
activating X-mode, the speed of
the vehicle should be reduced
considerably.
.Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle, have the system in-
spected by an authorized
SUBARU dealer.
.The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the X-mode 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 theproper level as shown on the
label attached to the vehicle’s
door pillar.
–Use only the special tempor-
ary spare tire to replace a flat
tire. With a normal temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness of
the X-mode is reduced and
this should be taken into ac-
count when driving the vehi-
cle in such a condition.
.If the hill descent control function
has operated continuously for a
long time, the temperature of the
brake disc may increase and the
hill descent control function may
be temporarily disabled. In this
case, the hill descent control
indicator will disappear. When
the hill descent control indicator
disappears, the hill descent con-
trol function is disabled.
X-mode is the integrated control system of
the engine, AWD and Vehicle Dynamics
Control system, etc. for driving with bad
road conditions. Using X-mode, you can
drive more comfortably even in slippery
road conditions including uphill and down-
hill.
X-mode has the following functions.
7-38

WARNING
.If the low tire pressure warning
light illuminates while driving,
never brake suddenly. Instead,
perform the following procedure.
(1) Keep driving straight ahead
while gradually reducing
speed.
(2) Slowly pull off the road to a
safe place. Otherwise an acci-
dent involving serious vehicle
damage and serious personal
injury could occur.
(3) 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 the
driver’s side.
Even when the vehicle is driven a
very short distance, the tires get
warm and their pressures in-
crease accordingly. Be sure to
let the tires cool thoroughly be-
fore adjusting their pressures to
the standard values shown on
the tire placard. Refer to“Tires
and wheels”F11-24. The tire
pressure monitoring system
does not function when the ve-hicle is stationary. After adjusting
the tire pressures, increase the
vehicle speed to at least 20 mph
(32 km/h) to start the TPMS
rechecking of the tire inflation
pressures. If the tire pressures
are now above the severe low
pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should
turn off a few minutes later.
If this light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire
pressure, a tire may have signifi-
cant 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 as
possible.
.When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/trans-
mitter being transferred, the low
tire pressure warning light will
illuminate steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute.
This indicates the TPMS is un-
able to monitor all four road
wheels. Contact your SUBARU
dealer as soon as possible for
tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting.
.When a tire is repaired with liquidsealant, the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter may not
operate properly. If a liquid sea-
lant is used, contact your nearest
SUBARU dealer or other qualified
service shop as soon as possi-
ble. Make sure to replace the tire
pressure warning valve and
transmitter when replacing the
tire. You may reuse the wheel if
there is no damage to it and if the
sealant residue is properly
cleaned off. Do not inject any tire
liquid or aerosol tire sealant into
the tires, as this may cause a
malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors. If the light illuminates
steadily after blinking for ap-
proximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU
dealer to have the system in-
spected.
Starting and operating/Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
–CONTINUED–7-41