
&Fuel filler lid and cap
! Refueling
Only one person should be involved in
refueling. Do not allow others to approach
the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler
pipe while refueling is in progress.
Be sure to observe any other precautions
that are posted at the service station.
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid
release lever up. The lever is on the floor
at the left of the driver ’s seat.
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
2. 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. Only handle fuel out-
doors. Quickly wipe up any
spilled fuel.
. When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to the
Starting and operating/Fuel
–CONTINUED –7-5

Starting and operating/Fuel
left. 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.
3. 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- ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto-
matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from
the tank and create a fire hazard.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically stops. Do not add any
more fuel.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap while
tightening.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged.
NOTE
. You will see the “”sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.
. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE warning light/malfunction indicator
light may illuminate. Refer to
“CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator light ”F 3-16.
CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da-
mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap to the
right until it clicks to ensure that
it is fully tightened. If the cap is
not securely tightened, fuel may
leak out while the vehicle is being
driven or fuel spillage could
occur in the event of an accident,
creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting and your fuel tank
and emission control system
may be damaged. It could also
7-6

lead to fuel spillage and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires
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 states have 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

CAUTION
Trapping small animals in the cool-
ing fan and belts of the engine may
result in a malfunction. Check that
no small animal enters the engine
compartment and under the vehicle
before starting the engine.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.
Starting and stopping the
engine (models without
push-button start system)
&Starting engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
NOTE
It may be difficult to start the engine
when the battery has been discon-
nected and reconnected (for mainte-
nance or other purposes). This diffi-
culty is caused by the electronically
controlled throttle ’s self-diagnosis
function. To overcome it, keep the
ignition switch in the “ON ”position
for approximately 10 seconds before
starting the engine. !
General precautions when starting
engine
WARNING
.Never start the engine from out-
side the vehicle. It may result in
an accident.
. Do not leave the engine running
in locations with poor ventilation,
such as a garage and indoors.
The exhaust gas may enter the
vehicle or indoors, and it may
result in carbon monoxide poi-
soning.
. Do not start the engine near dry
foliage, paper, or other flam-
mable substances. The exhaust
pipe and exhaust emissions can
create a fire hazard at high
temperatures.
CAUTION
. If the engine is stopped during
driving, the catalyst may over-
heat and burn.
Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push –button start system)
–CONTINUED –7-9

Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
operating range of the system and the
start request is received, the following
phenomena will occur.
.The fob flashes and beeps once.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
If the fob is not within range (the user is
too far away from the vehicle), the fob will
indicate two long flashes without beeping.
The system will check certain safety
preconditions before starting, and if all
conditions are met, the engine will start
within 5 seconds. After the engine starts,
the following phenomena will occur.
. The fob flashes and beeps twice.
. The horn sounds once.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights flash once.
While the engine is idling via the remote
engine start system, the following phe-
nomena will occur.
. The side marker lights, tail lights, and
parking lights remain illuminated.
. The fob button flashes once every 3
seconds.
. The power windows are disabled.
If the engine turns over but does not start
(or starts and stalls) the remote engine start system will power off and then
attempt to start the engine 3 additional
times. The system will not attempt to
restart the engine if it determines a vehicle
malfunction is preventing starting. If the
engine does not start after 3 additional
attempts, the remote engine start request
will be aborted.
!
Stopping the engine
Press and hold the fob button for at least 2
seconds to stop the engine. The fob will
flash and beep three times, indicating the
engine has stopped. If the stop request is
not received (for example, if the user is too
far away from the vehicle), the fob will
continue to flash once every 3 seconds.
The system will automatically stop the
engine after 15 minutes.
! Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
remote engine start system will prevent
starting (or stop the engine if running) and
sound the horn twice if any of the following
conditions is detected. In addition, the fob
will flash and beep 3 times.
. The brake pedal is depressed
. A key is in the ignition switch
. The engine hood is open
. The remote start system “Service
mode ”is engaged
. The engine idle speed exceeds 3,500 RPM
.
The security alarm is triggered
. The select lever is not in the “P ”
position
If the system detects any door (including
the rear gate) open during operation, it will
prevent starting or stop the engine, and
sound the horn and flash side marker
lights, tail lights, and parking lights 6
times.
In addition to the items above, if the
vehicle’ s engine management system
determines there is a safety risk due to a
vehicle-related problem, the vehicle will
power down and the horn will sound 3
times.
NOTE
. If the alarm system is armed at the
time of remote engine starter activation
(the security indicator light on the
combination meter is flashing), the
alarm system will remain armed
throughout the remote start run cycle.
. If the alarm system is disarmed at
the time of remote engine starter
activation (the security indicator light
on the combination meter is not flash-
ing), the alarm system will remain
disarmed throughout the remote start
run cycle.
7-16

!Remote start operation - fob con-
firmation
Your remote engine starter fob is a
bidirectional transceiver that can confirm
system operation with several different
visual and audible indications. The fob ’s
LED-backlit button and internal piezo
buzzer will indicate status of the system
using the following flash and beep se-
quences, provided the fob is within opera-
tional range of the system.
Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
–CONTINUED –7-17

&Entering the vehicle while it
is running via remote start
1. Unlock the vehicle doors using the
keyless access function (if equipped) or
remote keyless entry system. If the vehi-
cle’s doors are unlocked manually using
the key, the vehicle’ s alarm system will
trigger (if the alarm system is armed prior
to activating the remote engine start
system) and the engine will turn off.
Perform either of the following procedures
to disarm the alarm system. Refer to
“Alarm system ”F 2-25.
. Insert the key into the ignition switch
and turn it to the “ON”position (models
without “keyless access with push-
button start system ”)
. Turn the push-button ignition switch
to the “ACC”or “ON ”position (models
with “keyless access with push-button
start system ”)
. Press any button on the access key/
remote keyless entry transmitter.
2. Enter the vehicle.
3. The engine will shut down when any
door or rear gate is opened.
4. For models without “keyless access
with push-button start system ”, insert the
key into the ignition switch and turn to the
“START ”position to restart the engine. For
models with “keyless access with push- button start system
”, press the push-
button ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal to restart the engine.
& Entering the vehicle follow-
ing remote engine start shut-
down
An alarm trigger may occur if the vehicle is
opened by the remote keyless entry
transmitter within a few seconds immedi-
ately following remote engine start shut-
down.
&Pre-heating or pre-cooling
the interior of the vehicle
Before exiting the vehicle, set the tem-
perature controls to the desired setting
and operation. After the system starts the
engine, the heater or air conditioning will
activate and heat or cool the interior to
your setting.
&Service mode (models with-
out “keyless access with
push-button start system ”)
In service mode, the remote engine start
function is temporarily disabled to prevent
the system from unexpectedly starting the
engine while being serviced. To engage or disengage service mode:
1. Enter the vehicle and close all vehicle
doors and the rear gate.
2. Verify that the select lever is in the
“P ”
position (CVT models)
3. Depress and hold the brake pedal
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position
5. Press and release the remote engine
start transmitter “
”button three times.
The system will honk the vehicle ’s horn
each time the button is pressed.
6. The system will pause for 1 second
then honk the vehicle’ s horn three times to
indicate that the service mode has been
engaged or honk one time to indicate that
the service mode has been disengaged.
NOTE
When taking your vehicle in for service,
it is recommended that you inform the
service personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with a remote engine start
system.
Starting and operating/Remote engine start system (dealer option)
–CONTINUED –7-19

Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
&Driving tips
CAUTION
If the accelerator and brake pedals
are depressed at the same time,
driving torque may be restrained.
This is not a malfunction.
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 the
transmission 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 is not an indication of a
problem in your vehicle.
Continuously variable trans-
mission
The continuously variable transmission is
electronically controlled and provides an
infinite number of forward speeds and 1
reverse speed. For some models, it also
has a manual mode or an
“L ” position.
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 jump 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.
7-24