Appearance care/Exterior 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 couldbecome 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 direct
sunlight.
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 allowedto dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or soft
cloth.
!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
10-2
Maintenance and service/Brake booster
Check the fluid level monthly.
Check the fluid level on the outside of the
reservoir. Because this reservoir is used
for both the brake and clutch systems and
has chambers for each system, be sure to
check the fluid level for the clutch system
at theinboard side of the reservoir
(shaded area in the illustration). If the fluid
level is below“MIN”, add the recom-
mended clutch fluid to“MAX”.
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed
container.
&Recommended clutch fluid
Refer to“Fluids”F12-8.
CAUTION
Never use different brands of clutch
fluid together. Also, avoid mixing
DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids even if
they are the same brand.
Brake booster
If the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following procedure, have
it checked by your SUBARU dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake
pedal several times, applying the same
pedal force each time. The distance the
pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start
the engine. The pedal should move
slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop
the engine and keep the pedal depressed
for 30 seconds. The pedal height should
not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for
approximately 1 minute then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times to
check the brake booster. The brake
booster operates properly if the pedal
stroke decreases with each depression.
Brake pedal
Check the brake pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet”.
&Checking the brake pedal
free play
1) 0.02–0.11 in (0.5–2.7 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the
brake pedal several times. Lightly pull the
brake pedal up with one finger to check
the free play with a force of less than 2 lbf
(10 N, 1 kgf).
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er.
11-22
&Checking the brake pedal
reserve distance
1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbf (294 N, 30 kgf) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact with your
SUBARU dealer.
Clutch pedal (MT models)
Check the clutch pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet”.
&Checking the clutch function
Check the clutch engagement and disen-
gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and
transmission smoothly couple without
any sign of slippage.
&Checking the clutch pedal
free play
1) 0.19–0.44 in (5–11 mm)
Lightly press the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er.
Maintenance and service/Clutch pedal (MT models)11-23
Maintenance and service/Replacement of brake pad
Replacement of brake pad
CAUTION
.If you continue to drive despite
the scraping noise from the audi-
ble brake pad wear indicator, it
will result in the need for costly
brake rotor repair or replace-
ment.
.It is recommended that you dis-
connect the vehicle battery be-
fore replacing the brake pad.
However, it is dangerous to dis-
connect the vehicle battery. We
recommend that you have your
SUBARU dealer replace the
brake pad.
The disc brakes have audible wear
indicators on the brake pads. If the brake
pads wear close to their service limit, the
wear indicator makes a very audible
scraping noise when the brake pedal is
applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time
you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
&Breaking-in of new brake
pads
When replacing the brake pad, use only
genuine SUBARU parts. After replace-
ment, the new parts must be broken in as
follows:
!Brake pad
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40
mph (50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake
pedal lightly. Repeat this five or more
times. Also, apply and release the electro-
nic parking brake five or more times.
Tires and wheels
&Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
!All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new
vehicle are all season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by“ALL
SEASON”and/or“M+S”(Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall.
!Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-
covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to
11-24
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
System resetting is necessary when the
wheels are changed (for example, a
switch to snow tires) and new TPMS
valves are installed on the newly fitted
wheels. Have this work performed by a
SUBARU dealer following wheel replace-
ment.
It may not be possible to install TPMS
valves on certain wheels that are on the
market. Therefore, if you change the
wheels (for example, a switch to snow
tires), use wheels that have the same part
number as the standard-equipment
wheels. Without four operational TPMS
valve/sensors on the wheels, the TPMS
will not fully function and the warning light
in the instrument panel will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approximately
one minute.
When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal
operation of the tire pressure monitoring
system. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not illuminate briefly after the
ignition switch is turned ON or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-ing for approximately one minute,
you should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
If this light illuminates while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
If this light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, 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 as possible.
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. If the lightilluminates steadily after blinking for
approximately one minute, promptly
contact a SUBARU dealer to have
the system inspected.
&Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem.
NOTE
.When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and
approach the curbs as squarely as
possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle.
.If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the
11-26
Specifications/Specifications
&Fluids
Fluid
Fluid type*1Fluid capacity*2Remarks*3
Continuously variable transmission
fluid (CVT models)Consult your SUBARU dealer.2.5 L models: 12.0 US qt (11.4 liters,
10.0 Imp qt)
3.6 L models: 13.4 US qt (12.7
liters, 11.2 Imp qt)“Continuously variable trans-
mission fluid”F11-19
Brake fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4
brake fluid–“Brake fluid”F11-19
Clutch fluid (MT models)
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4
brake fluid–“Clutch fluid (MT models)”F11 -
21
*1: Use one of the indicated types of fluid.
*2: The indicated fluid quantity is only a guideline. The necessary quantity for replacement may differ slightly depending on the temperature and other
factors.
*3: For more details about maintenance and service, refer to the indicated section.
&Engine coolant
Vehicle model Coolant capacity Coolant type
2.5 L models
MT models 8.0 US qt (7.6 liters, 6.7 Imp qt)
SUBARU Super Coolant CVT models 8.2 US qt (7.8 liters, 6.9 Imp qt)
3.6 L models7.4 US qt (7.0 liters, 6.2 Imp qt)
The indicated coolant quantity is only a guideline. The necessary quantity for replacement may differ slightly depending on the temperature and other
factors. For more details about maintenance and service, refer to“Cooling system”F11-14.
12-8
14-2Index
A
Abbreviation................................................................... 3
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)..................................... 7-33
Warning light......................................................... 3-18
Access key............................................................... 2-10
Warning indicator................................................... 3-24
Accessories.............................................................. 11-40
Accessory power outlet............................................... 6-10
Air cleaner element................................................... 11-15
Air conditioner
Automatic climate control system............................... 4-5
Manual climate control system................................... 4-6
Air filtration system..................................................... 4-10
Airflow selection........................................................... 4-6
Alarm system............................................................ 2-28
All-Wheel Drive warning light....................................... 3-22
Aluminum wheel....................................................... 11-31
Cleaning............................................................... 10-3
Antenna...................................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)..................................... 7-33
Arming the system..................................................... 2-29
Armrest..................................................................... 1-15
Ashtray..................................................................... 6-12
AT OIL TEMP warning light......................................... 3-16
Audio
aha
TMby HARMAN................................................ 5-44
AM/FM radio......................................................... 5-28
AUX ..................................................................... 5-61
Base display audio set.............................................. 5-4
Basic operation...................................................... 5-18
Bluetooth audio...................................................... 5-58CD ....................................................................... 5-53
iPod...................................................................... 5-56
Pandora
®.............................................................. 5-50
SiriusXM Satellite Radio.......................................... 5-37
STARLINK............................................................. 5-26
Steering switches for audio...................................... 5-63
SUBARU STARLINK
TMMultimedia Plus audio set ....... 5-6
Unit setting............................................................ 5-19
USB memory......................................................... 5-55
Auto on/off headlights................................................. 3-44
Sensor.................................................................. 3-45
Vehicle setting........................................................ 3-42
Automatic climate control system................................... 4-5
Automatic headlight beam leveler
Warning light.......................................................... 3-30
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR)........... 1-17
B
Battery
Drainage prevention function..................................... 2-8
Jump starting......................................................... 9-11
Replacement (access key)..................................... 11-50
Replacement (remote engine start transmitter)........... 7-21
Replacement (transmitter)...................................... 11-51
Vehicle battery..................................................... 11-37
Bluetooth
®
Audio.................................................................... 5-58
Hands-free phone system........................................ 5-71
Settings................................................................. 5-66
Troubleshooting...................................................... 5-88
Bluetooth
®settings..................................................... 5-66
Booster seat.............................................................. 1-34
Bottle holder................................................................ 6-9
Brake
Assist................................................................... 7-32
Booster........................................................ 7-32, 11-22
Disc..................................................................... 12-9
Fluid............................................................ 11-19, 12-8
Pad ..................................................................... 11-24
Parking................................................................. 7-42
Pedal.................................................................. 11-22
System................................................................. 7-32
Brake pedal
Free play............................................................. 11-22
Reserve distance.................................................. 11-23
Brake system............................................................ 7-32
Warning light......................................................... 3-18
Braking..................................................................... 7-32
Tips...................................................................... 7-32
Breaking-in of new brake pads................................... 11-24
BSD/RCTA................................................................ 7-53
Approach indicator light/warning buzzer.................... 7-56
OFF indicator........................................ 3-31, 3-38, 7-56
OFF switch........................................................... 7-59
Warning indicator................................... 3-31, 3-38, 7-58
Warning volume..................................................... 3-42
Bulb
Chart.................................................................. 12-14
Replacing............................................................. 11-40C
Cargo area
Cover.................................................................... 6-16
Light............................................................. 6-3, 11-49
Tie-down hooks...................................................... 6-19
Catalytic converter....................................................... 8-3
Center
Console................................................................. 6-6
Changing
Coolant............................................................... 11-15
Flat tire.................................................................. 9-5
Oil and oil filter..................................................... 11-13
Charge warning light................................................... 3-15
CHECK ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator
light....................................................................... 3-15
Checking
Brake pedal free play............................................ 11-22
Brake pedal reserve distance................................. 11-23
Clutch function..................................................... 11-23
Clutch pedal free play........................................... 11-23
Coolant level........................................................ 11-14
Fluid level (brake fluid).......................................... 11-19
Fluid level (clutch fluid).......................................... 11-21
Fluid level (washer fluid)........................................ 11-32
Oil level (engine oil).............................................. 11-11
Child restraint systems................................................ 1-27
Installation of a booster seat.................................... 1-34
Installation with A/ELR seatbelt................................ 1-30
Lower and tether anchorages
................................... 1-35
Top tether anchorages............................................ 1-38
Child safety................................................................... 4
Index14-3