Driving tips/Winter driving
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 (both for MT and CVT). For
CVT models, refer to “Selection of manual
mode ”F 7-29.
! After driving
. Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
. After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. .
Wash the vehicle’ s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.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.
8-8
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
Appearance care/Exterior care
Exterior care
&Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes.
. Do not wash the engine compart-
ment and areas adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air intake
or electrical parts, it will cause
engine trouble or a malfunction
of the power steering.
. When washing inner fenders,
underbody, bumpers and pro-
truding objects such as exhaust
pipes and exhaust finishers, be
careful to prevent injuries from
contacting sharp ends.
. Do not use any organic solvents
when washing the surface of the
bulb assembly cover. However, if
a detergent with organic solvents
is used to wash the cover sur-
face, completely rinse off the
detergent with water. Otherwise, the cover surface may be da-
maged.
. Outback: Since your vehicle is
equipped with a rear wiper, auto-
matic car-wash brushes could
become tangled around it, dama-
ging the wiper arm and other
components. Ask the automatic
car-wash operator not to let the
brushes touch the wiper arm or
to fix the wiper arm on the rear
window glass with adhesive tape
before operating the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle’ s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in direct
sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree
sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required. If you use a light detergent, make certain
that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All
cleaning agents should be promptly
flushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or soft
cloth. Wear rubber gloves and use a hand
brush when washing down underbody,
inner fenders and suspension to effec-
tively remove mud and dirt off.
!
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-
rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-
derbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-
pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-
sion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
the underbody.
Carefully flush the suspension and axle
10-2
assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as
soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion.
Occasionally check under the mats to
make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated
garage. In such a garage, corrosion can
be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle
into the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and hood
latch should be inspected and lubricated
periodically.Cleaning the interior
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches. (Do not use
organic solvents.)
&Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a
vacuum cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the
fabric or hard to remove with a vacuum
cleaner, use a soft brush then vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly
wrung cloth and dry the seat fabric
thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty, wipe
using a solution of mild soap and luke-
warm water then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a
commercially available fabric cleaner. Use
the cleaner on a hidden place and make
sure it does not affect the fabric adversely.
Use the cleaner according to its instruc-
tions.
CAUTION
When cleaning the seat, do not use
benzine, paint thinner, or any similar
materials. Doing so could damage
the surface and cause the color to
deteriorate.
&Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high
quality natural product which will retain its
distinctive appearance and feel for many
years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the
surface can cause the material to become
brittle and to wear prematurely. Regular
cleaning with a soft, moist, natural fiber
cloth should be performed monthly, taking
care not to soak the leather or allow water
to penetrate the stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning
woolen fabrics may be used to remove
difficult dirt spots, rubbing with a soft, dry
cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If
your SUBARU is to be parked for a long
time in bright sunlight, it is recommended
that the seats and headrests be covered,
or the windows shaded, to prevent fading
or shrinkage.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches
may be treated with a commercial leather
Appearance care/Cleaning the interior
–CONTINUED –10-5
Appearance care/Cleaning the interior
spray lacquer. You will discover that each
leather seat section will develop soft folds
or wrinkles, which is characteristic of
genuine leather.
&Synthetic leather upholstery
The synthetic leather material used on the
SUBARU may be cleaned using mild soap
or detergent and water, after first vacuum-
ing or brushing away loose dirt. Allow the
soap to soak in for a few minutes and wipe
off with a clean, damp cloth. Commercial
foam-type cleaners suitable for synthetic
leather materials may be used when
necessary.
CAUTION
Strong cleaning agents such as
solvents, paint thinners, window
cleaner or gasoline must never be
used on leather or synthetic interior
materials. Doing so could damage
the surface and cause the color to
deteriorate.
&Climate control panel, audio
panel, instrument panel,
console panel, switches,
combination meter, and other
plastic surface
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate
control panel, audio equipment, instru-
ment panel, center console, combination
meter panel, and switches.
CAUTION
. Do not use organic solvents such
as paint thinners or gasoline, or
strong cleaning agents that con-
tain those solvents. Doing so
could damage the surface and
cause the color to deteriorate.
. Do not use chemical solvents
that contain silicone on the vehi-
cle audio system, electrical com-
ponents of the air-conditioner or
any switches. If silicone adheres
to these parts, it may cause
damage to electrical compo-
nents.
& Monitor (if equipped)
To clean the audio/navigation monitor,
wipe it with a silicone cloth or with a soft
cloth. If the monitor is extremely dirty,
clean it with a soft cloth moistened with
neutral detergent then carefully wipe off
any remaining detergent.
CAUTION
. Do not spray neutral detergent
directly onto the monitor. Doing
so could damage the monitor ’s
components.
. Do not wipe the monitor with a
hard cloth. Doing so could
scratch the monitor.
. Do not use cleaning fluid that
contains thinner, gasoline, or any
other volatile substance. Such
cleaning fluid could erase the
lettering on the switches at the
bottom of the monitor.
10-6
Maintenance and service
Wheel replacement........................................... 11-31
Aluminum wheels............................................. 11-32
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-32
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-33
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-34
Windshield wiper blade rubber ......................... 11-34
Rear window wiper blade assembly (Outback) ....................................................... 11-35
Rear window wiper blade rubber (Outback) ... .... 11-36
Battery............................................................... 11-37
Fuses ................................................................ 11-38
Installation of accessories ............................... 11-40
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-40
HID headlights (if equipped) ............................. 11-40
Halogen headlights .......................................... 11-41 Front turn signal light
...................................... 11-42
Front side marker light ..................................... 11-42
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-42
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-44
Backup light .................................................... 11-46
License plate light ........................................... 11-47
Dome light ....................................................... 11-48
Map light ......................................................... 11-48
Door step light ................................................. 11-49
Cargo area light (Outback) ............................... 11-49
Trunk light (Legacy) ......................................... 11-49
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-49
Replacing battery ............................................. 11-50Replacing battery of access key ....................... 11-50
Replacing battery of transmitter ....................... 11-51
Washer Fluid
Concentration Freezing
Temperature
30% 10.48F( −12 8C)
50% −48F( −20 8C)
100% −49 8F( −45 8C)
CAUTION
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.
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.
Replacement of wiper blades
Grease, wax, insects, or other materials
on the windshield or the wiper blade
results in jerky wiper operation and streak-
ing on the glass. If you cannot remove the
streaks after operating the windshield
washer or if the wiper operation is jerky,
clean the outer surface of the windshield
(or rear window) and the wiper blades
using a sponge or soft cloth with a neutral
detergent or mild abrasive cleaner. After
cleaning, rinse the windshield and wiper
blades with clean water. The windshield is
clean if beads do not form when you rinse
the windshield with water.
CAUTION
. Do not clean the wiper blades
with gasoline or a solvent, such
as paint thinner or benzine. This
will cause deterioration of the
wiper blades.
. When you wish to raise the
passenger-side wiper arm, first
raise the driver-side wiper arm.
Otherwise, the passenger-side
wiper assembly and driver-side
wiper assembly will touch each
other, possibly resulting in
scratches.
Maintenance and service/Replacement of wiper blades
–CONTINUED –11-33
1) Metal spines
2. If the new blade rubber is not provided
with two metal spines, remove the metal
spines from the old blade rubber and
install them in the new blade rubber.
3. Align the claws of the support with thegrooves in the rubber and slide the blade
rubber assembly into the support until it
locks.
1) Claw
2) Stopper
4. Be sure to position the claws at the
end of the support between the stoppers
on the rubber as shown. If the rubber is
not retained properly, the wiper blade may
scratch the windshield.
&
Rear window wiper blade
assembly (Outback)
1. Raise the wiper arm off the rear
window.
2. Turn the wiper blade assembly coun-
terclockwise.
Maintenance and service/Replacement of wiper blades
–CONTINUED –11-35