
Fuel...................................................................... 7-3
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-3
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-7
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-8
Starting and stopping the engine (models without push-button ignition switch) .............. 7-9
General precautions when starting/stopping
engine .............................................................. 7-9
Starting engine ................................................... 7-10
Stopping the engine ........................................... 7-11
Steering lock ...................................................... 7-11
Starting and stopping engine (models with
push-button start system) .............................. 7-12
Safety precautions............................................. 7-12
Operating range for push-button start system ............................................................. 7-12
Starting engine ................................................... 7-12
Stopping engine ................................................. 7-14
When access key does not operate properly ....... 7-14
Steering lock ...................................................... 7-14
Remote engine start system (dealer
option) .............................................................. 7-15
Models with “keyless access with push-button
start system ”................................................... 7-16
Models without “keyless access with push-button
start system ”................................................... 7-17
Entering the vehicle while it is running via remote start ................................................................. 7-20
Entering the vehicle following remote engine start shutdown ......................................................... 7-20 Pre-heating or pre-cooling the interior of the
vehicle ............................................................ 7-20
Service mode (models without “keyless access
with push-button start system ”) ....................... 7-20
Remote transmitter program (models without “keyless access with push-button start
system ”).......................................................... 7-20
System maintenance .......................................... 7-21
Manual transmission ......................................... 7-23Selecting reverse gear ....................................... 7-23
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-24
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-24
Continuously variable transmission ................. 7-25Select lever....................................................... 7-26
Shift lock function ............................................. 7-28
Selection of manual mode .................................. 7-29
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-31
Power steering ................................................... 7-31
Braking ............................................................... 7-32
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-32
Brake system .................................................... 7-32
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-33
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System).......................... 7-33
ABS self-check.................................................. 7-34
ABS warning light .............................................. 7-34
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
system ............................................................. 7-34
Steps to take if EBD system malfunctions .......... 7-34
Vehicle Dynamics Control system.................... 7-35Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor .......... 7-37
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch ................ 7-37
Starting and operating
7

Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push–button ignition switch)
& 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.
! MT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine. The starter motor will only operate when the clutch pedal is de-
pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the
“ON”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to
“ Warning and indicator lights ”F 3-13.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, perform the
following procedure.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK” position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is applied, turn the
ignition switch to the “START”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this does not start the engine,
turn the ignition switch again to the
“ LOCK” position. After waiting for 10 seconds or longer, turn the ignition
switch to the
“START”position without
depressing the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
! CVT models
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the select
lever into the “N ” position. Do not
attempt to place the select lever of a
moving vehicle into the “P ” posi-
tion.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Shift the select lever to the “P”or “N”
position (preferably “P ” position). The
starter will only operate when the select
lever is at the “P”or “N”position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and check the operation of the
7-10

warning and indicator lights. Refer to
“Warning and indicator lights”F 3-13.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, perform the
following procedure.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“LOCK” position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is applied, turn the
ignition switch to the “START”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still does not start, contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the select lever is at the “P”or
“N ”position and that the parking brake is
applied.
& Stopping the engine
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering
and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the “LOCK ”position on the
ignition switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
& Steering lock
After stopping the engine and the key is
removed from ignition switch, 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
When you cannot restart the engine due to
the steering lock, perform the following
steps.
!MT models
1. Check that the parking brake is ap-
plied.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position while turning the steering wheel
left and right.
5. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights.
6. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal.
Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push –button ignition switch)
–CONTINUED –7-11

NOTE
.When pressing the push-button igni-
tion switch while depressing the brake
pedal:
–The engine starter operates for a
maximum of 10 seconds and after
starting the engine, the starter
stops automatically.
– The engine can be started re-
gardless of the power status.
. If the engine does not start, check
the security indicator light. Then press
the push-button ignition switch without
depressing the brake pedal to switch
the power to “OFF ”.
– If the light had illuminated, try to
start the engine again.
– If the light had been off, press the
push-button ignition switch while
depressing the brake pedal more
forcefully.
. The engine start procedures may
not function depending on the radio
wave conditions around the vehicle. In
such a case, refer to “Starting engine ”
F 9-19.
. If the vehicle battery is discharged,
the steering cannot be unlocked.
Charge the battery.
1) Operation indicator
2) Push-button ignition switch
When the push-button ignition switch is
pressed while depressing the brake pedal,
the engine will start. The starting proce-
dure for the engine is as follows.
1. Carry the access key, and sit in the
driver ’s seat.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Shift the select lever into the “P ”
position. The engine can also start when
the select lever is in the “N ” position,
however, for safety reasons, start in the
“ P ”position.
4. Depress the brake pedal until the
operation indicator on the push-button
ignition switch turns green. When starting
with the select lever in the “N”position, the indicator does not turn green.
5. While depressing the brake pedal,
press the push-button ignition switch.
NOTE
.
While pressing the select lever but-
ton in, the indicator on the push-button
ignition switch will not turn green even
when the select lever is in the “P ”
position.
. In case the engine does not start by
the normal engine start procedure,
move the select lever to the “P ” posi-
tion, and switch the power to “ACC ”.
Depress the brake pedal, and press the
push-button ignition switch for at least
15 seconds. The engine may start. Only
use this engine start procedure in case
of emergency.
. When the engine is not started, the
brake pedal may feel stiff. In such a
case, depress the brake pedal more
forcefully than usual. Check that the
operation indicator on the push-button
ignition switch turns green, and press
the push-button ignition switch to start
the engine.
Starting and operating/Starting and stopping engine (models with push –button start system)
–CONTINUED –7-13

Manual transmission
WARNING
.Do not drive the vehicle with the
clutch disengaged (i.e., when the
clutch pedal is depressed) or
with the shift lever in the neutral
position. Engine braking has no
effect in either of these condi-
tions and the risk of an accident
is consequently increased.
. Do not engage the clutch (i.e.,
release the clutch pedal) sud-
denly when starting the vehicle.
By doing so the vehicle might
unexpectedly accelerate or the
transmission could malfunction.
The manual transmission is a full synchro-
mesh, 6-forward-speed and 1-reverse-
speed transmission.
The shift pattern is shown on the shift
lever knob.
& Selecting reverse gear
CAUTION
Shift into reverse ONLY when the
vehicle has completely stopped. It
may cause damage to the transmis-
sion to try shifting into reverse when
the vehicle is moving.
1) Slider
You must raise the slider and hold it in that
position before you can move the shift
lever to the “R ”position.
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, move the shift lever, and gradually
let up on the clutch pedal.
If it is difficult to shift into gear, put the
transmission in neutral, release the clutch
pedal momentarily, and then try again.
Starting and operating/Manual transmission
–CONTINUED –7-23

Starting and operating/Manual transmission
&Shifting speeds
! Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel econ-
omy and vehicle performance during
normal driving is ensured by shifting up
at the speeds listed in the following table.
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 6th 50 (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 will
enter 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
NOTE
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
7-24

rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a problem.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
. Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to observe these
precautions could cause damage
to the transmission.
– Shift into the “P ” or “R ” posi-
tion only after the vehicle has
completely stopped.
– Do not shift from the “D ”
position into the “R ” position
or vice versa until the vehicle
has completely stopped.
. 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.
. Never move the vehicle rearward
by inertia with the select lever set
in a forward driving position or
move the vehicle forward by
inertia with the select lever set
in the “R ” position. Doing so may
result in an unexpected accident
or malfunction.
. 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.
Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
–CONTINUED –7-25

Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
.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 current
condition 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, vehicle speed and air
conditioning system cooling perfor-
mance may automatically be reduced.
This is not a malfunction. This phe-
nomenon results from the engine con-
trol function maintaining the cooling
performance of the vehicle. The engine
and vehicle speed will return to a
normal speed when the engine is able
to maintain the optimum cooling per-
formance after the heavy load de-
creases. 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.
&
Select lever
1) Select lever button
: With the brake pedal depressed, shift
while pressing the select lever button
in
: Shift while pressing the select leverbutton in
: Shift without pressing the select leverbutton
The select lever has four positions, “P”,
“R ”,“N ”,“D ”and also has a manual gate
for using the manual mode.
NOTE
For some models, to protect the engine
while the select lever is in the “P ” or
“ N ” position, the engine is controlled
sothattheenginespeedmaynot
become too high even if the accelerator
pedal is depressed hard.
7-26