
&Canceling the Reverse Auto-
matic Braking system opera-
tion
The Reverse Automatic Braking system
can be temporarily canceled by any of the
following operation.
. While automatic braking is in operation,
the brake pedal is depressed
. While automatic braking is in operation,
the accelerator pedal is depressed
. The accelerator pedal is depressed
hard (in this case, limited acceleration will
be canceled and the vehicle will continue
reversing)
. The select lever is shifted to a position
other than the “R”position
NOTE
Thesystemwillbecanceledifthe
object is no longer detected.
& RAB warning indicator
If the Reverse Automatic Braking System
malfunctions, the above indicator illumi-
nates on the combination meter. Contact
the nearest SUBARU dealer for details.
&Reverse Automatic Braking
system ON/OFF setting
While the select lever is shifted to the “R”
position, the below functions of the Re-
verse Automatic Braking system can be
set by operating the audio/navigation
monitor.
1) ON setting key of Reverse Automatic Braking
2) OFF setting key of Reverse Automatic Braking
3) ON setting key of the object detection warning beeping sound
4) OFF setting key of the object detection warning beeping sound
When the ON setting key is shown, the
corresponding setting is ON.
Touch and hold the ON setting key to turn
the setting OFF.
Starting and operating/Reverse Automatic Braking System
–CONTINUED –7-69

Starting and operating/Reverse Automatic Braking System
When the OFF setting is shown, the
corresponding setting is OFF.
Touch and hold the OFF setting key to turn
the setting ON.
When the Reverse Automatic Braking
system and/or the object detection warn-
ing beeping sounds are turned OFF, the
following indicator(s) will illuminate.
1) RAB OFF indicator: illuminates when theReverse Automatic Braking system is
turned OFF.
2) Sonar audible alarm OFF indicator: illuminates when the object detection
warning beeping sound is turned OFF.
Each indicator will turn off when the
corresponding function is turned ON.
NOTE
.When the settings cannot be chan-
ged, the ON/OFF setting key will be
grayed out.
. The settings cannot be changed for
approximately 14 seconds after turning
the ignition switch to the “ON ”posi-
tion.
. The ON/OFF setting key may be
greyed out if the Reverse Automatic
Braking system malfunctions, etc. In
this case, turn the ignition switch to the
“ LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position and then turn it
to the “ON ”position again. If the
setting cannot be changed even after
turning the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position again, consult your SUBARU
dealer.
. The settings will be restored as
follows when the select lever is shifted
to the “R ” position next time.
– Reverse Automatic Braking sys-
tem settings: default (ON setting)
– Object detection warning beep-
ing sound: the setting selected by
operating the multi function display
Also, the following settings can be chan-
ged by operating the multi information
display.
. Warning volume
. Sonar audible alarm For details, refer to
“RAB”F 3-45.& Handling of the sonar sen-
sors
The 4 sonar sensors are located in the
rear bumper. To ensure the proper opera-
tion of the Reverse Automatic Braking
system, observe the following precau-
tions.
. Do not affix any stickers or other items
on the bumper surface near the sonar
sensors.
. Always keep the rear bumper surface
near the sonar sensors clean.
. Do not modify the rear bumper.
. Do not paint the bumper near the sonar
sensors.
. Do not apply strong impacts to the rear
7-70

.Continuously variable transmis-
sion fluid (CVT models)
. Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
Remember that damage done to
your SUBARU while operating it
off-road and not using common
sense precautions such as those
listed above is not eligible for war-
ranty coverage.
Because of the AWD feature and higher
ground clearance, you can drive your
SUBARU on ordinary roads or off-road.
But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is
neither a conventional off-road vehicle
nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you do take
your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as those in the
following list should be taken.
! Before driving
. Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
. Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle’
s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over.
. Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.
! During driving
General precautions:
. Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
. Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
. Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead,
drive with your fingers and thumbs on
the outside of the rim. .
Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the
engine stops. This could create a fire
hazard.
Precautions when driving under espe-
cially dangerous situations:
. If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams:
–First, check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the stream bed for
firmness.
– Next, ensure that the bed of the
stream is flat.
– Then, drive slowly and completely
through the stream. The water should
be shallow enough that it does not
reach the vehicle’ s undercarriage.
. 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 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.
. If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the shift lever/
Driving tips/Off road driving
–CONTINUED –8-7

Driving tips/Winter driving
–When the vehicle has been left
parked during a snowstorm
Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc brakes and
brake hoses underneath the ve-
hicle. 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
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 ’sintakesystemandmay
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-
manceonsnowyandicyroads.For
information about braking on slippery
surfaces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-33 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-35.
! Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blade rubbers are not frozen to
the windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blade rubbers are frozen to the
windshield or rear window, perform the
following procedure.
. To thaw the windshield wiper blade
rubbers, use the defroster with the airflow
selection in “
”and the temperature set
for maximum warmth until the wiper blade
rubbers 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 blade rubbers. Refer to
“Defogger and deicer ”F 3-61.
. To thaw the rear wiper blade rubbers,
use the rear window defogger. Refer to
“Defogger and deicer ”F 3-61.
8-10

Driving tips/Winter driving
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.& Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on your
vehicle because of the lack of
clearance between the tires and
vehicle body.
NOTE
When tire chains cannot be used, use
of another type of traction device (such
as spring chains) may be acceptable if
use on your vehicle is recommended
by the device manufacturer, taking into
account tire size and road conditions.
Follow the device manufacturer ’s in-
structions, especially regarding max-
imum vehicle speed.
To help avoid damage to your vehicle,
drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle,
and do not spin your wheels. Damage
caused to your vehicle by use of a
traction device is not covered under
warranty.
Make certain that any traction device
you use is an SAE class S device, and
use it on the front wheels only. Always
use the utmost care when driving with
a traction device. Overconfidence be- cause you are using a traction device
could easily lead to a serious accident.
&
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the shift
lever/select lever back and forth between
“1”/“D ”and “R ”repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (for MT and CVT).
For information on holding the transmis-
sion in 2nd position, refer to “Selection of
manual mode ”F 7-29.
8-12

In case of emergency/Flat tires
.Always turn off the engine before
raising the flat tire off the ground
using the jack. Never swing or
push the vehicle supported with
the jack. The jack can come out
of the jacking point due to a jolt
and this can result in a serious
accident.
1. Park on a hard, level surface, when-
ever possible, then stop the engine.
2. Apply the parking brake and shift the
shift lever in reverse (MT models) or the
select lever in the “P”(Park) position (CVT
models).
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher
and unload all occupants and luggage
from the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear of the tire diagonally opposite the flat tire.
5. Take out the jack, jack handle and
wheel nut wrench.
The tools and the spare tire are stored
under the floor of the trunk (Legacy) or the
cargo area (Outback). Refer to
“Mainte-
nance tools ”F 9-3.
NOTE
Make sure that the jack is well lubri-
cated before using it.
6. Take out the under-floor storage com-
partment and turn the attaching bolt
counterclockwise, then take the spare tire
out.
NOTE
Carefully read “Temporary spare tire ”
F 9-2 and strictly follow the instruc- tions.
1) Notch
2) Valve hole
7. If your vehicle has wheel covers, insert
a flat-head screwdriver into the notch on
the opposite side of the valve hole and pry
the wheel cover to remove it.
9-6

In case of emergency/Towing
shut off function when the vehi-
cle is struck from behind.
Front tie-down hooks:
The front tie-down hooks are located
between each of the front tires and the
front bumper.
Front Tie-down Hooks are for tying down
the vehicle. They are
not for towing. Rear tie-down holes:
1) Rear tie-down hole
The rear tie-down holes are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
There is a plug in each rear tie-down hole.
To use the rear tie-down holes, remove the plugs. After using the rear tie-down
holes, return the plugs to their original
places.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down holes only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip out
of the holes, possibly causing a
dangerous situation.
&
Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. For CVT models, shift the select lever
into the “P”position. For MT models, shift
9-16

the shift lever into the“1st”position.
2. Apply the parking brake firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier
properly with safety chains. Each safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
& Towing with all wheels on the
ground
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position while
the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the
direction of the wheels will be
locked. .
Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is
turned off, it will take greater
effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
CAUTION
. If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
. For CVT models, the traveling
speed must be limited to less
than 20 mph (30 km/h) and the
traveling distance to less than 31
miles (50 km). For greater speeds
and distances, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck.
1. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
2. The ignition switch should be in the
“ON ”position while the vehicle is being
towed.
3. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Electronic parking brake –if
the electronic parking brake
cannot be released
Contact your SUBARU dealer and have
your SUBARU dealer release the electro-
nic parking brake.
In case of emergency/Electronic parking brake –if the electronic parking brake cannot be released9-17