
Starting and operating/Hill start assist system (models without electronic parking brake system)
1) Starting forward facing uphill
2) Starting backward facing downhill
A) Brake pedal (both MT models and CVT
models)
B) Clutch pedal (MT models only)
In both these cases, the Hill start assist
system operates under the following con- ditions.
. when the clutch pedal is depressed
while the brake pedal is also depressed
(MT models)
. when the vehicle has stopped with the
brake pedal depressed (CVT models)
Braking power is maintained temporarily
(for approximately 2 seconds) by the Hill
start assist system after the brake pedal is
released. The driver is therefore able to
start the vehicle in the same way as on a
level grade, just using the clutch pedal
(MT models only) and accelerator pedal
(all models).
If the braking power of the Hill start assist
system is insufficient after the brake pedal
is released, apply more braking power by
depressing the brake pedal again.
The Hill start assist system may not
operate on slight grades. Also, the Hill
start assist system does not operate in the
following cases.
. when starting backward facing uphill
. when starting forward facing downhill
. while the parking brake is applied
. while the ignition switch is in the “ ACC ”
or “ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position
. while the Hill start assist warning light/7-50

Hill start assist OFF indicator light is
illuminated
When using the Hill start assist system, a
braking effect may be felt even after the
brake pedal has been released. However,
this braking effect should disappear once
the clutch pedal is released.
NOTE A slight jolt may be felt when the
vehicle begins to move forward after
being reversed.
& To activate/deactivate the Hill
start assist system
CAUTIONWhile the Hill start assist system is
deactivated, when starting on an
uphill grade, braking power is not
maintained if the brake pedal is
released. Start on an uphill grade
by using the parking brake.
You can activate/deactivate the Hill start
assist system according to the following
procedure.
NOTE
If you make an error when performing
any steps in the following procedure, place the ignition switch in the
“ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position once and then
start over again.
! To deactivate
1. Park your vehicle in a flat and safe
location and apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the “ LOCK ” /
“ OFF ” position.
3. Restart the engine.
4. Confirm the following items.
(1) The Brake system warning light
illuminates.
(2) The Vehicle Dynamics Control
warning light turns off.
(3) The Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF indicator light turns off.
(4) The ABS warning light turns off. Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch
5. Press the Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switch and hold it until the Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light “
”
on the combination meter illuminates for
several seconds and then turns off.
6. Within 5 seconds after the Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
turns off, release the Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF switch.Starting and operating/Hill start assist system (models without electronic parking brake system)
– CONTINUED –7-51

Starting and operating/Cruise control
Hill start assist OFF indicator light
7. Within 2 seconds after releasing the
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch,
press the Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF
switch once again. Then the Hill start
assist OFF indicator light illuminates.
8. Turn the ignition switch to the “ LOCK ” /
“ OFF ” position. The hill start assist system
has now been deactivated.
NOTE While the Hill start assist system is
deactivated, the Hill start assist OFF
indicator light illuminates continuously.
! To activate
When the procedure to deactivate the Hill
start assist system is performed again, the system is activated. When the Hill start
assist system is activated, the Hill start
assist OFF indicator light turns off.
& Hill start assist warning light/
Hill start assist OFF indicator
light Refer to “ Hill start assist warning light/Hill
start assist OFF indicator light (models
without electronic parking brake system) ”
F 3-24. Cruise control NOTE For models with EyeSight system:
Refer to the Owner ’ s Manual supple-
ment for the EyeSight system.
Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more.
WARNINGDo not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions.
These may cause loss of vehicle
control.
. driving up or down a steep grade
. driving on slippery or winding
roads
. driving in heavy traffic
NOTE . On uphill and downhill slopes, de-
pending on the degree of the slope and
the load of the vehicle, there may be
cases when a constant speed cannot
be guaranteed.
. If the cruise control indicator does7-52

Starting and operating/Cruise control
(S#) mode is selected, the select lever/
gear position indicator will change
from the current gear position indica-
tion to the “ D ” indication.
& To temporarily cancel the
cruise controlThe cruise control can be temporarily
canceled in the following ways.
. Press the “ CANCEL ” button.
. Depress the brake pedal.
. Depress the clutch pedal (MT models
only).
WARNING
For CVT models, you can cancel the
cruise control by shifting the select
lever into the “ N ” position. However, do not shift the lever into the “ N ”
position while driving except in case
of emergency. If the select lever is
shifted into the “ N ” position, the
engine brake will no longer work.
This could result in an accident.
The cruise control set indicator in the
combination meter disappears when the
cruise control is canceled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (30
km/h) or more, press the “ RES/SET ”
switch to the “ RES ” side to return to the
original cruising speed automatically.
The cruise control set indicator in the
combination meter will automatically ap-
pear at this time. & To turn off the cruise control There are two ways to turn off the cruise
control:
. Press the cruise control main button
again.
. Turn the ignition switch to the “ ACC ” or
“ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped).
& To change the cruising speed ! To increase the speed (by the “ RES/
SET ” switch)
Press the “ RES/SET ” switch to the “ RES ”
side and hold it until the vehicle reaches
the desired speed. Then, release the
switch. The vehicle speed at that moment
will be memorized and treated as the new
set speed.7-54

Starting and operating/BSD/RCTA
nation meter, and the BSD/RCTA is
deactivated.
Press the switch again to activate the
BSD/RCTA. The BSD/RCTA OFF indica-
tor disappears.
NOTE . In the following cases, press the
BSD/RCTA OFF switch to deactivate
the system. The system may not oper-
ate properly due to blocked radar
waves.
– When towing a trailer
– When a bicycle carrier or other
item is fitted to the rear of the
vehicle
– When using a chassis dynam-
ometer or free roller device, etc.
– When running the engine and
makingthewheelsrotatewhile
lifting up the vehicle
. If the ignition switch is turned to the
“ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position, the last known
status of the system is maintained. For
example, if the ignition switch is turned
to the “ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position with the
BSD/RCTA deactivated, the BSD/RCTA
remains deactivated the next time the
ignition switch is turned to the “ ON ”
position.
. If the vehicle battery is disconnected
due to situations such as battery terminal or fuse replacement, after the
battery is reconnected, the BSD/RCTA
will be activated.
& Certification for the BSD/
RCTA . U.S.-spec. models
FCC ID: OAYSRR2A
CAUTIONFCC WARNING
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party re-
sponsible for compliance could void
the user ’ s authority to operate the
equipment.
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
. Canada-spec. models
This device complies with Industry
Canada licence-exempt RSS standard
(s). Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux
CNR d ’ Industrie Canada applicables aux
appareils radio exempts de licence. L ’ ex-
ploitation est autorisée aux deux condi-
tions suivantes: (1) l ’ appareil ne doit pas
produire de brouillage, et (2) l ’ utilisateur
de l ’ appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage
est susceptible d ’ en compromettre le
fonctionnement.7-62

Driving tips/Driving precaution
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling,
however, during extremely sharp turns or
sudden braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an
ample distance from other vehicles.
. Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver ’ s side.
. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
steep hills or dusty roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of the follow-
ing items than that specified in the
“ Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ” .
– Engine oil
– Brake fluid
– Rear differential gear oil
– Manual transmission oil (MT mod-
els)
– Continuously variable transmission
fluid (CVT models)
– Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
. There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detailed information, refer to “ Towing ”
F 9-12. Driving precaution Water entering the engine air intake or the
exhaust pipe or water splashing onto
electrical parts may damage your vehicle
and may cause it to stall. Never attempt to
drive through rushing water; regardless of
its depth, it can wash away the ground
from under your tires, resulting in possible
loss of traction and even vehicle rollover. Winter driving & Operation during cold
weather Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand,
flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle.8-6

SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the following
table. Washer Fluid Con-
centration Freezing Temperature
30% 10.4 8 F( − 12 8 C)
50% − 4 8 F( − 20 8 C)
100% − 49 8 F( − 45 8 C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
thepipingistoolowfortheoutside
temperature, it may freeze and block the
nozzles.
CAUTION
. Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out- 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 severe winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically.
! Parking in cold weather
WARNINGSnow 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 snow Driving tips/Winter driving
– CONTINUED –8-7

Driving tips/Winter driving
or 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 on snowy and icy
roads 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 on braking on slippery sur-
faces, refer to “ ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ” F 7-36 and “ Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ” F 7-38.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control. CAUTIONAvoid 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.
! 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, use the defroster and the
temperature set for maximum warmth until
the wiper blades are completely thawed.
Refer to “ Climate control ” F 4-1.
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 ” F 3-112.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
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 ” F 3-103.8-8