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 tootight 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 battery
discharge.
.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/Accessory power outlets
–CONTINUED–6-11
1) Legacy
2) Outback
3. Open the fuel filler lid.
WARNING
Before opening the fuel filler cap,
first touch the vehicle body or a
metal portion of the fuel pump or
similar object to discharge any
static electricity that may be present
on your body. If your body is carry-
ing an electrostatic charge, there is
a possibility that an electric spark
could ignite the fuel, which could
burn you. To avoid acquiring a new
static electric charge, do not get
back into the vehicle while refueling
is in progress.
1) Open
2) Close
4. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise.
WARNING
.Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Refueling must be
performed outside. Quickly wipe
up any spilled fuel.
.When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to theleft. Do not remove the cap
quickly. Fuel may be under pres-
sure and spray out of the fuel
filler neck, especially in hot
weather. If you hear a hissing
sound while you are removing
the cap, wait for the sound to
stop and then slowly open the
cap to prevent fuel from spraying
out and creating a fire hazard.
5. Set the fuel filler cap on the cap holder
inside the fuel filler lid.
WARNING
.When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop-
Starting and operating/Fuel
–CONTINUED–7-5
as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-
gine. Continuing to operate your
vehicle at an extremely low fuel
level may result in a reduction of
engine performance.State emission testing (U.S.
only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive model
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
.At state inspection time, remem-
ber to tell your inspection or
service station in advance not to
place your SUBARU AWD vehicle
on a two-wheel dynamometer.
Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
.Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or
its contractors or licensees.
California and a number of federal stateshave Inspection/Maintenance programs to
inspect your vehicle’s emission control
system. If your vehicle does not pass this
test, some states may deny renewal of
your vehicle’s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer
that monitors the performance of the
engine’s emission control system. Certi-
fied emission inspectors will inspect the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as
part of the state emission inspection
process. The OBDII system is designed
to detect engine and transmission pro-
blems that might cause the vehicle emis-
sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII
inspections apply to all 1996 model year
and newer passenger cars and trucks.
Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-
bia have implemented emission inspec-
tion of the OBDII system.
.The inspection of the OBDII system
consists of a visual operational check of
the“CHECK ENGINE”warning light/mal-
function indicator light (MIL) and an
examination of the OBDII system with an
electronic scan tool.
.A vehicle
passes the OBDII system
inspection if proper operation of the
“CHECK ENGINE”warning light is ob-
served, there are no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness
monitors are all complete.
Starting and operating/State emission testing (U.S. only)
–CONTINUED–7-7
Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
1. Remove the small phillips screw lo-
cated on the back side of the transmitter.
2. Carefully pry the remote engine start
transmitter halves apart using a small flat-
head screwdriver.
3. Remove the circuit board from the
bottom half of the case and remove the
battery and replace with a new one. Be
sure to observe the (+) sign on the old
battery before removing it to ensure that
the new battery is inserted properly(battery“+”should be pointed away from
the transmitter circuit board on the bat-
tery).
4. Carefully snap the case halves back
together, reinstall the phillips screw and
test the remote engine start system.
NOTE
.This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party respon-
sible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equip-
ment and void warranty.
.To comply with the FCC RF expo-
sure compliance requirements, no
change to the antenna or the device is
permitted. Any change to the antenna
or the device could result in the device
exceeding the RF exposure require-
ments and void user’s authority to
operate the device.
7-22
!N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled
engine. In this position, the transmission is
neutral, meaning that the wheels and
transmission are not locked. Therefore,
the vehicle will roll freely, even on the
slightest incline unless the parking brake
or foot brake is applied.
Avoid coasting with the transmission in
neutral. Engine braking has no effect in
this condition.
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
select lever in the“N”(neutral)
position. Engine braking has no
effect in this condition and the risk
of an accident is consequently in-
creased.
NOTE
If the select lever is in the“N”position
when you stop the engine for parking,
you may not subsequently be able to
move it to the“R”and“P”positions. If
this happens, turn the ignition switch to
the“ON”position. You will then be able
to move the select lever to the“P”
position.!D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving. The
transmission shifts automatically and con-
tinuously into a suitable gear according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require. Also, while driving up and
down a hill, the transmission assists and
controls the driving performance and
engine braking while corresponding to
the road grade.
When more acceleration is required in“D”
position, depress the accelerator pedal
fully to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift.
In this case, the transmission will operate
like a conventional automatic transmis-
sion. When you release the pedal, the
transmission will return to the original gear
position.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate.
!While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift is
prevented from taking place when the
accelerator is released. This minimizes
the chance of subsequent downshifting to
a lower gear when accelerating again.
This prevents repeated upshifting and
downshifting resulting in a smoother op-
eration of the vehicle.
NOTE
The transmission may downshift, de-
pending on the way the accelerator
pedal is depressed to accelerate the
vehicle again.
&Shift lock function
The shift lock function helps prevent the
improper operation of the select lever.
.The select lever cannot be operated
unless the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
.The select lever cannot be moved from
the“P”position to any other position
before the brake pedal is depressed.
Depress the brake pedal first, and then
operate the select lever.
.Only the“P”position allows you to turn
the key from the“ACC”position to the
“LOCK”position and remove the key from
the ignition key cylinder (models without
“keyless access with push-button start
system”).
.Only the“P”position allows you to turn
the push-button ignition switch to the
“OFF”position (models with“keyless
access with push-button start system”).
.If the ignition switch is turned to the
“LOCK”/“OFF”position while the select
lever is in the“N”position, the select lever
Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
–CONTINUED–7-27
Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
shift paddle behind the steering wheel.
To upshift to the next higher gear position,
pull the shift paddle that has“+”indicated
on it. To downshift to the next lower gear
position, pull the shift paddle that has“–”
indicated on it.
To deselect the manual mode, return the
select lever to the“D”position from the“M”
position.
While driving with the select lever in the
“D”position, if you change gears by
operating the shift paddle, the gear posi-
tion indicator light illuminates and shows
the current gear condition.
CAUTION
Do not place or hang anything on
the shift paddles. Doing so may
result in accidental gear shifting.
NOTE
Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode.
.If you attempt to shift down when
the engine speed is too high, i.e., when
a downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible.
.If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.
.You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the shift paddle twice in rapid succes-
sion.
.The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving.
.If the temperature of the transmis-
sion fluid becomes too high, the“AT
OIL TEMP”warning light will illuminate.
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and let the engine idle until thewarning light turns off.
&Driving tips
.On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or
gravel-covered road), you can pull away
from a standstill safely and easily by first
selecting the 2nd gear of the manual
mode.
.Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the“D”or
“R”position.
.Always apply the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the
vehicle with only the transmission.
.Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the
“D”position. Use the brake instead.
.The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate a
malfunction.
.A slight reduction in output torque may
occur in the models with a 3.6 L engine
before the engine warms up.
7-30
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