2017 SUBARU OUTBACK power steering

Starting and operating/Braking
assist limitation to occur too fre-
quently, this may result in a malfunc-
tion of the power steering control
system.Braking
&Braking tips
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.
! When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a
result, brake stopping distance will be
longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle
at a safe speed while lightly depressing
the brake pedal to heat up the brakes.
! Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
help prevent this, shift into a lower gear to
get stronger engine braking.
! Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly
when a tire is punctured. This could cause a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep
driving straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place.&
Brake system
! Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has a dual circuit brake
system. Each circuit works diagonally
across the vehicle. If one circuit of the
brake system should fail, the other half of
the system still works. If one circuit fails,
the brake pedal will go down much closer
to the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the
vehicle.
! Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. Do not
turn off the engine while driving because
that will turn off the brake booster, result-
ing in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to depress the pedal much
harder than normal and the braking dis-
tance will increase.
7-32

snow tires or winter tires
. Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly
different compared to that for normal
conditions.
. It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with
Vehicle Dynamics Control.
. Always turn off the engine before
replacing a tire as failure to do so may
render the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system unable to operate correctly.
& Vehicle Dynamics Control
system monitor
Refer to “Vehicle Dynamics Control warn-
ing light/Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tion indicator light ”F 3-24 and “Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light ”F 3-
25.
& Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switch
Pressing the Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF switch deactivates the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system.
Creating an adequate driving wheel slip by
deactivating the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system temporarily may help to escape
from the following situations. Use the
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch as
necessary.
. a standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, gravel-covered, or
otherwise slippery surface
. extrication of the vehicle when its
wheels are stuck in mud or deep snow
When the switch is pressed during engine operation, the Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF indicator light on the combination
meter illuminates. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will be deactivated. When
the switch is pressed again to reactivate
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indicator
light turns off.
You should not deactivate the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system except under
the above-mentioned situations.
CAUTION
The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem helps prevent unstable vehicle
motion such as skidding using con-
trol of the brakes and engine power.
Do not turn off the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system unless it is abso-
lutely necessary. If you must turn off
the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem, drive very carefully based on
the road surface condition.
NOTE
.
When the switch has been pressed
to deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system, the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system automatically reacti-
vates itself the next time the ignition
switch is turned to the “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”
Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
–CONTINUED –7-37

Driving tips/Trailer towing (Outback)
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent when compared to normal
operation. You should never
drive at excessive speeds but
always employ extra caution
when towing a trailer. You should
also keep the following tips in
mind.
. When parking on a steep slope
with a trailer attached to your
vehicle, the braking power of the
electronic parking brake may not
be sufficient since strong brak-
ing power is needed.
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check the towing regulations for trailer
or caravan vehicles that vary by state/
region. Failure to comply with the proce-
dures set forth will not only compromise
your safety, but will also negate your
insurance coverage and/or may violate
the state road and traffic acts and regula-
tions.
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. .
Check that the vehicle rests horizon-
tally with the trailer attached. If the vehicle
is tipped sharply up at the front and down
at the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable.
. Check that the tire pressures are
correct.
. Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
–the trailer tongue is connected
properly to the hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is con-
nected properly and trailer ’s stop lights
illuminate when the vehicle’ s brake
pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s
turn signal lights flash when the
vehicle’ s turn signal lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected
properly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured
safely in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig-
nificant blind spot.
. Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel ”of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up. !
Driving with a trailer
. You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may
result in skidding or jackknifing and loss of
control.
. Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accel-
erations. For MT models, always start out
in first gear and release the clutch pedal at
moderate engine revolution.
. Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.
. Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal turning radius because
the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. In
a tight turn, the trailer could hit your
vehicle.
. Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and promptly begin
decelerating your vehicle at a gradual
pace.
. When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by
attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
8-28

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

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

The vehicle placard shows original
tire size, recommended cold tire
inflation pressure on each tire at
maximum loaded vehicle weight,
seating capacity and loading infor-
mation.
!Adverse safety consequences
of under-inflation
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to flex severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and failure of the
tire(s). Possible resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
!Measuring and adjusting air
pressure to achieve proper in-
flation
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month and
before any long journey. Check the
tire pressures when the tires are
cold. Use a pressure gauge to
adjust the tire pressures to the specific values. Driving even a
short distance warms up the tires
and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected
by the outside temperature. It is
best to check tire pressure out-
doors before driving the vehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air
inside it expands, causing the tire
pressure to increase. Be careful not
to mistakenly release air from a
warm tire to reduce its pressure.
&
Glossary of tire terminology
.Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of
those standard items which may be
replaced) of automatic transmis-
sion, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio,
and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in-
stalled equipment (whether in-
stalled or not).
.Bead
The part of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit
the rim.
.Bead separation
A breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
.Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at alternate angles substantially
less than 90 degrees to the center-
line of the tread.
.Carcass
The tire structure, except tread and
sidewall rubber which, when in-
flated, bears the load.
.Chunking
The breaking away of pieces of the
tread or sidewall.
.Cold tire pressure
The pressure in a tire that has been
driven less than 1 mile or has been
standing for three hours or more.
.Cord
The strands forming the plies in the
tire.
.Cord separation
The parting of cords from adjacent
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
–CONTINUED –13-5

14-2Index
A
Abbreviation................................................................... 3
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................................... 7-33
Warning light ......................................................... 3-19
Access key ............................................................... 2-10
Warning indicator ................................................... 3-25
Accessories .............................................................. 11-40
Accessory power outlet ............................................... 6-10
Air cleaner element ................................................... 11-15
Air conditioner Automatic climate control system ............................... 4-5
Manual climate control system ................................... 4-6
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-10
Airflow selection ........................................................... 4-6
Alarm system ............................................................ 2-28
All-Wheel Drive warning light ....................................... 3-23
Aluminum wheel ....................................................... 11-32
Cleaning ............................................................... 10-3
Antenna ...................................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ..................................... 7-33
Arming the system ..................................................... 2-30
Armrest ..................................................................... 1-15
Ashtray ..................................................................... 6-12
AT OIL TEMP warning light ......................................... 3-17
Audio aha
TMby HARMAN ................................................ 5-44
AM/FM radio ......................................................... 5-28
AUX ..................................................................... 5-61
Base display audio set. ............................................. 5-4
Basic operation ...................................................... 5-18
Bluetooth audio ...................................................... 5-58 CD ....................................................................... 5-53
iPod
...................................................................... 5-56
Pandora
®.............................................................. 5-50
SiriusXM Satellite Radio .......................................... 5-37
Steering switches for audio ...................................... 5-63
SUBARU STARLINK ............................................... 5-26
SUBARU STARLINK
TMMultimedia Plus audio set ... .... 5-6
Unit setting ............................................................ 5-19
USB memory ......................................................... 5-55
Auto on/off headlights ................................................. 3-47
Sensor .................................................................. 3-49
Vehicle setting ........................................................ 3-46
Auto-dimming mirror .................................................... 3-69
Automatic climate control system ................................... 4-5
Automatic headlight beam leveler Warning light .......................................................... 3-32
Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) ................................................ 1-17
B
Battery Drainage prevention function ..................................... 2-8
Jump starting ......................................................... 9-11
Replacement (access key) ..................................... 11-50
Replacement (remote engine start transmitter) ........... 7-21
Replacement (transmitter) ...................................... 11-51
Vehicle battery ..................................................... 11-37
Bluetooth
®
Audio .................................................................... 5-58
Hands-free phone system ........................................ 5-71
Settings ................................................................. 5-66

Winter.................................................................... 8-8
E
ECO gauge ............................................................... 3-12
Electrical system ........................................................ 12-9
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system .......... 7-34
Warning ................................................................ 3-20
Electronic parking brake. ............................................. 7-43
Automatic release function by accelerator pedal ......... 7-45
Hill Holder ............................................................. 7-45
Indicator light ......................................................... 3-21
Warning ........................................................ 3-21, 7-47
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ............................. 1-17
Engine Compartment overview ........................................... 11-9
Coolant ........................................................ 11-15, 12-8
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ............................. 6, 8-2
Hood .................................................................... 11-7
Low oil level warning indicator ................................. 3-17
Oil............................................................... 11-11, 12-4
Overheating .......................................................... 9-13
Starting & stopping ........................................... 7-9, 7-12
Event data recorder ......................................................... 9
Exterior care .............................................................. 10-2
F
Flat tires ..................................................................... 9-5
Floor mat .................................................................. 6-15
Fluid level Brake .................................................................. 11-20
Clutch .................................................................. 11-21 Continuously variable transmission
......................... 11-19
Fog light Bulb .......................................................... 11-42, 12-14
Indicator light ......................................................... 3-32
Steering responsive fog lights system ....................... 3-56
Switch ................................................................... 3-56
Front Differential gear oil ........................................ 11-19, 12-7
Seatbelt pretensioners ............................................ 1-24
Side marker light .................................................. 11-42
Turn signal light .................................................... 11-42
Front seats ................................................................. 1-2
Forward and backward adjustment ............................ 1-4
Head restraint adjustment ......................................... 1-8
Memory function ...................................................... 1-6
Power seat ............................................................. 1-5
Reclining ................................................................ 1-4
Seat height adjustment (driver ’s seat) ........................ 1-4
Fuel ........................................................................\
... 7-3
Consumption indicator ............................................. 3-38
Economy hints ........................................................ 8-2
Filler lid and cap ...................................................... 7-4
Gauge ................................................................... 3-11
Requirements ................................................. 7-3, 12-3
Fuses .....................................................................
11-38
Fuses and circuits .................................................... 12-10
G
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) .. ............................. 8-14
Glove box ................................................................... 6-6
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) ........................... 8-14
Index14-5