steering SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owner's Manual

7-32
Starting and operating
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving with an
ABS equipped vehicle could easily lead to a se-
rious accident.
y
The ABS system does not always decrease
stopping distance. You should always maintain
a safe following distance from other vehicles. y When driving on badly surfaced roads, gravel
roads, icy road, or over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be longer for a vehicle
with the ABS system than one without. When
driving under these conditions, therefore, re-
duce your speed and leave ample distance from
other vehicles. y When you feel the ABS system operating,
you should maintain constant brake pedal pres-
sure. Do not pump the brake pedal since doing
so may defeat the operation of the ABS system. The ABS system prevents the lock-up of wheels which
may occur during sudden braking or braking on slip-
pery road surfaces. This helps prevent the loss of
steering control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you may hear a
chattering noise or feel a slight vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). „
ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine com-
partment just after the vehicle is started. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS sys-
tem being carried out and does not indicate any abnor-
mal condition.

7-35
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
yWhenever suspension components, steering
components, or an axle are removed from a ve-
hicle equipped with VDC, have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform an inspection of that
system.y The following precautions should be ob-
served in order to ensure that the VDC system
is operating properly:
– All four wheels should be fitted with tires of
the same size, type, and brand. Furthermore,
the amount of wear should be the same for allfour tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the proper level as
shown on the placard attached to the vehi-
cle’s door pillar.
– Use only the special temporary spare tire to
replace a flat tire. With a temporary spare tire,
the effectiveness of the VDC system is re-
duced and this should be taken into account
when driving with vehicle.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding on a slippery
road surface and/or during cornering and/or an eva-
sive maneuver, the VDC system adjusts the engine’s
output and the wheels’ respective braking forces to
help maintain traction and directional control. y
Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to prevent
spinning of the driving wheels on slippery road surfac-
es, thereby helping to maintain traction and directional
control. Activation of this function is shown by steady
illumination of the VDC operation indicator light. y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed to help
maintain directional stability by suppressing the
wheels’ tendency to slide sideways during steering op-
erations. Activation of this function is shown by flash-
ing of the VDC operation indicator light.
NOTE y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt
when the VDC-system operates; a small degree of
vehicle or steering wheel shaking may also be no-
ticed in this situation. These are normal character-
istics of VDC operation and are no cause for
alarm. y When driving off immediately after starting the
engine, a short-lived operation noise may be no-
ticed coming from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a check being per-
formed on the VDC system and is normal.y Depending on the timing of activation of the
brakes, certain situations may occur just after

7-36
Starting and operating
driving off where the brake pedal seems to exhibit
a jolting motion. This too is a consequence of the
VDC operational check and is normal. y
In the circumstances listed below, the vehicle
may be more unstable than it feels to the driver.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control System may there-
fore operate. Such operation does not indicate a
system fault.
yon gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with snow tires or
winter tires
y Activation of the VDC system will cause opera-
tion of the steering wheel to feel slightly different
compared to that for normal conditions. y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a VDC sys-
tem, it is important that winter tires be used when
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. (All four
wheels should be fitted with tires of the same size
and brand). y It is always important to reduce speed when ap-
proaching a corner, even if the vehicle is equipped with VDC. y All four wheels should be fitted with tires of the
same size, type, and brand; furthermore, the
amount of wear should be the same for all four tires. If these precautions are not observed and
non-matching tires are used, it is quite possible
that the VDC system will be unable to operate cor-
rectly as intended. y
Always turn off the engine before replacing a
tire as failure to do so may render the VDC system
unable to operate correctly. „ VDC system monitor
T V D C O F F i n d i c a t o r l i g h t
y The VDC OFF indicator light turns on initially when
the ignition key is turned to the ON position; it subse-
quently turns off 6 seconds after the engine is started.
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7-41
Starting and operating
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make sure that the parking brake has been fully
released.
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firmly
and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly,
press the release button, then lower the lever while
keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is run-
ning, the parking brake warning light comes on. After
starting the vehicle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section (chapter 3).
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for an
upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for manual
transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) position for
automatic transmission vehicles. Always set the park-
ing brake firmly when parking your vehicle. Never rely
on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
When parking on a hill, always turn the steering wheel.
When the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front
wheels should be turned away from the curb.
UB4001BA
UB4014AA

8-9
Driving tips
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next section (applicable to the OUTBACK) for general
guidance. But please keep in mind that your vehicle’s
off-road capabilities are more limited than those of the
OUTBACK.
Never attempt to drive through pools and puddles, or
roads flooded with water. 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. TOUTBACK
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, your SUBARU can be driven on ordinary roads
or off-road. But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you
do take your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as the following should be taken: y Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seat belts. y Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and portable phone or citizens band radio. y Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain. y 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. y
Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther 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.y Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher
speeds. y 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.y 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 and ensure
that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s under-
carriage. 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 attempt to drive through rushing water; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover.

8-11
Driving tips
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Winter driving „Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such as tire
chains, a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a
small shovel, and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures re-
duce battery capacity. The battery must be in good
condition to provide enough power for cold winterstarts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and viscosity for
cold weather. Heavy summer oil will cause harder starting.
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 afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other
substitutes because they may damage the paint of the
vehicle. T
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the pedals
slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check
that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all other
controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under
the fenders to avoid making steering difficult. During
severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe
to do so and check under the fenders periodically.
UB3010AA

8-37
Driving tips
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cal system and cause a malfunction of your ve-
hicle’s lighting system.
Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle’s electrical
system requires modifications to the vehicle’s lighting
circuit to increase its capacity and accommodate wir-
ing changes. To ensure the trailer lights are connected
properly, please consult your SUBARU dealer. Check
for proper operation of the turn signals, the brake
lights and parking lights each time you hitch up. T Tires
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare
tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not de-
signed to sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing can result in
failure of the spare tire and/or less stability of
the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are properly
inflated.
The recommended cold tire pressure under trailer tow-
ing conditions is shown in chapter 12, “Specifications” and in “GAS STATION REFERENCE” at the end of
this manual. Adjust the rear tire pressure to the recom-
mended pressure when the tires are cold. Normal
pressure should be maintained in the front tires.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper infla-
tion pressure should be in accordance with the trailer
manufacturer’s specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire when towing a
trailer, ask a commercial road service to repair the flat
tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your vehicle or
trailer as a precaution against getting a flat tire, be
sure that the spare tire is firmly secured. „
Trailer towing tipsyNever exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing
a trailer in hilly country on hot days. y When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performance
will be different from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ extra caution
when towing a trailer and you should never

8-38
Driving tips
speed. You should also keep the following tips
in mind:
T Before starting out on a trip
y Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are appar-
ent, do not tow the trailer.y Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the trail-
er 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 con-
firm that the load and its distribution are acceptable. y Check that the tire pressures are correct.
y 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 connected properly
and trailer’s brake lights illuminate when the vehi-
cle’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 safety in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot. y
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. T Driving with a trailer
y 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.y Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution. y Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. y Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal 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. y Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing 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 slow down immediately but gradu-
ally. y When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and

8-39
Driving tips
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length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
y Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate
or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to the left
for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn. y If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal- er. T
Driving on grades
y Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts.y When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating.y When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all vehicles)
and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively prone to
overheating under these conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3. y If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an
uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an automat-
ic transmission, avoid driving with the gear selector le-
ver in “D” when towing a heavy trailer to prevent fluid
1 2
HS8023BB

9-28
In case of emergency
„
Towing with all wheels on the ground
yNever turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction of
the wheels will be locked.y Remember that the brake booster and power
steering do not function 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.
y If transmission failure occurs, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck. y Do not run the engine while being towed us-
ing this method. Transmission damage could
result if the vehicle is towed with the engine
running. y For vehicles with automatic transmission,
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. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-
sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position
while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.UB8010AA