2016 SUBARU LEGACY wheel

&Steering lock (models with
“keyless access with push-
button start system”)
After stopping the engine and the driver’s
door is open, the steering wheel will be
locked due to the steering lock function.
When the engine is restarted, the steering
lock will be automatically canceled.
!When the steering lock cannot be
released
1) Operation indicator
2) Push-button ignition switch
When you cannot restart the engine due to
the steering lock, check the status of
operation indicator and perform the follow-
ing steps.!Operation indicator flashing in
green
1. Check that the select lever is set in the
“P”position.
2. Depress the brake pedal and keep it.
3. Press the push-button ignition switch
while turning the steering wheel left and
right.
!Operation indicator flashing in
orange
There may be a malfunction in the
steering lock function. Immediately con-
tact your nearest SUBARU dealer.
Remote engine start system
(dealer option)
WARNING
.There are some general precau-
tions when starting the engine.
Carefully read the precautions
described in“General precau-
tions when starting engine”F7-
9.
.Do not remote start a vehicle in
an enclosed environment (e.g.
closed garage). Prolonged opera-
tion of a motor vehicle in an
enclosed environment can cause
a harmful build-up of Carbon
Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is
harmful to your health. Exposure
to high levels of Carbon Monox-
ide can cause headaches, dizzi-
ness or in extreme cases uncon-
sciousness and/or death.
.Before performing any servicing
of the vehicle, temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent the
system from unexpectedly start-
ing the engine.
The remote engine start system allows
Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
–CONTINUED–7-15

Starting and operating/Manual transmission
Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
5th to 6th50 (80)
!Maximum allowable speeds
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
engine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accident
increased.
The following table shows the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear. The tachometer’s needle willenter the red area if these speeds are
exceeded.
With the exception of cases where sudden
acceleration is required, the vehicle
should not be driven with the tachometer’s
needle inside the red area. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
excessive engine wear and poor fuel
economy.
mph (km/h)
Gear Legacy Outback
1st 30 (49) 30 (48)
2nd 57 (92) 56 (90)
3rd
Legal speed limit
(Posted limit speed) 4th
5th
6th
NOTE
Never exceed posted speed limits.
&Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on thetransmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 5th, 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear
as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you“ride”(over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a problem.
7-24

Continuously variable trans-
mission
The continuously variable transmission is
electronically controlled and provides an
infinite number of forward speeds and 1
reverse speed. It also has a manual mode.
WARNING
Do not shift from the“P”or“N”
position into the“D”or“R”position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to lurch forward or backward.
CAUTION
.Shift into the“P”or“R”position
only after the vehicle is comple-
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
.Do not race the engine for more
than 5 seconds in any position
except the“N”or“P”position
when the brake is applied or
when chocks are used in the
wheels. This may cause the
transmission fluid to overheat.
.Do not shift from the“D”positioninto the“R”position or vice
versa until the vehicle has com-
pletely stopped. Such shifting
may cause damage to the trans-
mission.
.When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever in
the“P”position. Do not park for
a long time with the select lever
in any other position as doing so
could result in a dead battery.
NOTE
.When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the transmission will
upshift to higher engine speeds than
when the coolant temperature is suffi-
ciently high in order to shorten the
warm-up time and improve driveability.
The gearshift timing will automatically
shift to the normal timing after the
engine has warmed up.
.Immediately after transmission fluid
is replaced, you may feel that the
transmission operation is somewhat
unusual. This results from invalidation
of data which the on-board computer
has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the currentcondition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
.When driving under continuous hea-
vy load conditions such as towing a
camper or climbing a long, steep hill,
the engine speed or the vehicle speed
may automatically be reduced. This is
not a malfunction. This phenomenon
results from the engine control func-
tion maintaining the cooling perfor-
mance of the vehicle. The engine and
vehicle speed will return to a normal
speed when the engine is able to
maintain the optimum cooling perfor-
mance after the heavy load decreases.
Driving under a heavy load must be
performed with extreme care. Do not
try to pass a vehicle in front when
driving on an uphill slope while towing.
.The continuously variable transmis-
sion is a chain type system that
provides superior transmission effi-
ciency for maximum fuel economy. At
times, depending on varying driving
conditions, a chain operating noise
may be heard that is characteristic of
this type of system.
Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
–CONTINUED–7-25

!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

Power steering
Power steering warning light
The vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering system. When the ignition
switch is turned to the“ON”position, the
power steering warning light on the
combination meter illuminates to inform
the driver that the warning system is
functioning properly. Then, if the engine
started, the warning light turns off to inform
the driver that the steering power assist is
operational.
CAUTION
While 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 powerassist limitation to occur too fre-
quently, this may result in a malfunc-
tion of the power steering control
system.
Starting and operating/Power steering7-31

cate any malfunctions, and the brake
assist system is operating properly.
.You might feel that the brake pedal
is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force.
.You might hear the sound of ABS
operating from the engine compart-
ment.
&Disc brake pad wear warning
indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, im-
mediately have your vehicle inspected by
the nearest SUBARU dealer.
ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem)
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving–overconfidence because
youaredrivingwithanABS
equipped vehicle could easily lead
to a serious accident.
CAUTION
.The ABS does not always de-
crease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe
following distance from other
vehicles.
.When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy road, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be long-
er for a vehicle with the ABS than
one without. When driving under
these conditions, therefore, re-
duce your speed and leave ample
distance from other vehicles.
.When you feel the ABS operating,
you should maintain constant
brake pedal pressure. Do notpump the brake pedal since
doing so may defeat the opera-
tion of the ABS.
The ABS prevents the lock-up of wheels
which may occur during sudden braking or
braking on slippery road surfaces. This
helps prevent the loss of steering control
and directional stability caused by wheel
lock-up.
When the ABS is operating, you may hear
a chattering noise or feel a slight vibration
in the brake pedal. This is normal when
the ABS operates.
The ABS will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph (10
km/h).
&ABS self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake
pedal and hear the operating noise of the
ABS from the engine compartment just
after the vehicle is started. This is caused
by an automatic functional test of the ABS
being carried out and does not indicate
any abnormal condition.
&ABS warning light
Refer to“ABS warning light”F3-18.
Starting and operating/ABS (Anti–lock Brake System)7-33

Starting and operating/Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system
Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS and uses some of the ABS compo-
nents to perform its function of optimizing
the distribution of braking force. If any of
the ABS components used by the EBD
function fails, the EBD system also stops
working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.
&Steps to take if EBD system
malfunctions
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously.
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 location.
2. Apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine.
3. Restart the engine.
4. 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.
If both warning lights illuminate again
and remain illuminated after restarting
the engine:
1. Turn off the engine again.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Check the brake fluid level. For details
about checking the brake fluid level, refer
to“Checking the fluid level”F11-19.
.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.
.If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
7-34