2016 SUBARU OUTBACK Wiper control

Windshield washer fluid warning indicator
NOTE
The windshield washer fluid warning
indicator appears when the washer
fluid level in the tank has dropped to
the lower limit. If the warning indicator
appears, refill the tank with fluid. For
the tank refilling method, refer to
“Windshield washer fluid”F11-32.
&Rear window wiper and
washer switch (Outback)
:Washer (accompanied by wiper op-
eration)
: Continuous
: Intermittent
: Off
:Washer (accompanied by wiper op-
eration)
!Rear wiper
To turn the rear wiper on, turn the knob
switch upward.
To turn the wiper off, return the knob
switch to the“
”position.
With the switch turned to the“
”posi-tion, the rear wiper will operate intermit-
tently at intervals corresponding to the
vehicle speed. In this position, when you
move the select lever to the“R”position
(CVT models) or the shift lever to the
reverse position (MT models), the rear
wiper will switch to continuous operation.
When you move the select lever/shift lever
from the“R”(reverse) position to another
position, the rear wiper will return to
intermittent operation.
Reverse gear interlocked rear wiper:
Even if the rear wiper switch is in the off
“
”position, if the front windshield wiper is
operating continuously, the rear wiper will
operate intermittently when you move the
select lever/shift lever to the“R”(reverse)
position.
The factory setting (default setting) of the
reverse gear interlocked rear wiper is as
follows.
.U.S.-spec. models: Non-operational
.Other models: Operational
This setting can be changed by a
SUBARU dealer. Consult your SUBARU
dealer for details.
CAUTION
Do not attach anything that disturbs
the rear wiper operation on the rear
Instruments and controls/Wiper and washer
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Instruments and controls/Defogger and deicer
gate. Doing so may damage the rear
wiper when it operates.
!Washer
To wash the rear window while the rear
wiper is operating, turn the knob switch
upward to the“
”position. The washer
fluid sprays until you release the knob.
To wash the rear window when the rear
wiper is not in use, turn the knob switch
downward to the“
”position. The washer
fluid sprays and the wiper operates until
you release the knob.
NOTE
When the amount of washer fluid is
getting low, the rear washer fluid will
first be stopped. This means that the
amount of washer fluid is low, and it
should be added immediately.
Defogger and deicer
1) Rear window defogger
2) Outside mirror defogger (if equipped)
3) Windshield wiper deicer (if equipped)
The defogger and deicer system is acti-vated only when the ignition switch is in
the“ON”position.
Control switch (type A)
1) Models without outside mirror defogger
2) Models with outside mirror defogger
3-54

Control switch (type B)
1) Models without outside mirror defogger
2) Models with outside mirror defogger
To activate the defogger and deicer
system, press the control switch. The rear
window defogger, outside mirror defogger
and windshield wiper deicer are activated
simultaneously. The indicator light on the
control switch illuminates while the defog-
ger and deicer system is activated.
To turn them off, press the control switch
again. They also turn off when the ignition
switch is turned to the“ACC”or“LOCK”/
“OFF”position.
The defogger and deicer system will
automatically shut off after approximately
15 minutes. If the rear window and outside
mirrors have been cleared and the wind-shield wiper blades have been deiced
completely before that time, press the
control switch to turn them off. If defrost-
ing, defogging or deicing is not complete,
you have to press the control switch to
turn them on again.
It is possible to set the defogger and
deicer system for the continuous opera-
tion mode by operating the multi informa-
tion display. For details, refer to“Defog-
ger”F3-42.
CAUTION
.To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not operate the
defogger and deicer system con-
tinuously for any longer than
necessary.
.Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaner containing abra-
sives to clean the inner surface
of the rear window. They may
damage the conductors printed
on the window.
NOTE
.Turn on the defogger and deicer
system if the wipers are frozen to the
windshield.
.If the windshield is covered withsnow, remove the snow so that the
windshield wiper deicer works effec-
tively.
.While the defogger and deicer sys-
tem is in the continuous operation
mode, if the vehicle speed remains at
9 mph (15 km/h) or lower for 15
minutes, the windshield wiper deicer
automatically stops operating, though
the rear window defogger and outside
mirror defogger maintain continuous
operation in this condition.
.While the defogger and deicer sys-
tem is in the continuous operation
mode, if the battery voltage drops
below the permissible level, continu-
ous operation of the defogger and
deicer system is canceled and the
system stops operating.
Instruments and controls/Defogger and deicer3-55

side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.
.State or local regulations on
volatile organic compounds may
restrict the use of methanol, a
common windshield washer anti-
freeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol anti-
freeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging
your vehicle’s paint, wiper blades
or washer system.
!Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and
driving dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before
driving, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has
accumulated under the fenders to avoid
making steering difficult. During severewinter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically.
!Parking in cold weather
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
CAUTION
.Do not use the parking brake
when parking for long periods in
cold weather since it could freeze
in that position.
.When the vehicle is parked in
snow or when it snows, raise the
wiper blades off the glass to
prevent damage to them.
.When the vehicle has been left
parked after use on roads heavily
covered with snow, or has been
left parked during a snowstorm,
icing may develop on the brake
system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snowor ice buildup on the suspension,
disc brakes and brake hoses
underneath the vehicle. If there
is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the
disc brakes and brake hoses and
ABS harness.
When parking for long periods in cold
weather, you should observe the following
tips.
1. For MT models, place the shift lever in
the“1”or“R”position. For CVT models,
place the select lever in the“P”position.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
!Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically
designed for this purpose. When an
antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used
for an extended period, it is best to have
the fuel tank filled to capacity.
Driving tips/Winter driving
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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

CAUTION
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
&Corrosion protection
Refer to“Corrosion protection”F10-4.
&Snow tires
WARNING
.When replacing or installing win-
ter tire(s), all four tires must be
the same for the following items.
(a) Size
(b) Circumference
(c) Speed symbol
(d) Load index
(e) Construction
(f) Manufacturer(g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degrees of wear
For items (a) to (d), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
driver’s door pillar.
If all four tires are not the same in
items (a) to (h), it may lead to
serious mechanical damage to
the drive train of your car and
affect the following factors.
—Ride
—Handling
—Braking
—Speedometer/Odometer
calibration
—Clearance between the body
and the tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
.Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.Your vehicle is equipped with“all season
tires”which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to
enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving
conditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on your
vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire size
and type. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, construction,
brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough
clearance between the tire and vehicle
body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on your
vehicle.
Driving tips/Winter driving
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