check engine SUBARU OUTBACK 2006 User Guide

Instruments and controls
3-23
– CONTINUED –T Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light
The Vehicle Dynami cs Control system is
probably inoperative under any of the fol-
lowing conditions. Have your vehicle
checked at a SUBARU dealer immediate-
ly.
y The warning light does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position.
y The warning light comes on while the
vehicle is running.
y If the electrical circuit of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system itself becomes
faulty, the warning light only comes on. At
this time, the ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem) remains fully operational.
y The warning light comes on when the
electronic control sys tem of the ABS/Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control system becomes
faulty.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system
provides its ABS control through the elec-
trical circuit of the ABS system. Accord-
ingly, if the ABS is in operative, the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system becomes un-
able to provide ABS c ontrol. As a result,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system also
becomes inoperative, causing the warning
light to come on. Though both the Vehicle
Dynamics Control and ABS systems are
inoperative in this case, the ordinary func- tions of the brake system are still avail-
able. You will be safe while driving with
this condition, but have your vehicle
checked at a SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible.
NOTE If the warning light behavior is as
shown in the following, the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system may be consid-
ered normal.
y The warning light comes on right af-
ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.
y The warning light comes on after en-
gine startup and goes off while the ve-
hicle is subsequently being driven.
y The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
T Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF indi-
cator light
y It comes on when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF switch is pressed.
y It also comes on when the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is deactivated.
NOTE y The light may stay on for a while after
the engine has been started, especially
in cold weather. This does not indicate
the existence of a problem. The light should go out as soon as the engine
has warmed up.
y The indicator light comes on when
the engine has developed a problem
and the Malfunction indicator light is
on.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control system is
probably faulty under the following condi-
tion. Have your vehicle checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
y The light does not go out even after the
lapse of several minutes (the engine has
warmed up) after the engine has started.
„ Security indicator light This indicator light shows the status of the
alarm system. It also indicates operation
of the immobilizer system.
T Alarm system
It blinks to show the driver the operational
status of the alarm system. For detailed
information, refer to the “Alarm system”
section in chapter 2.
T Immobilizer system
This light blinks approximately 60 seconds
after the ignition switch is turned from
“ON” position to the “ACC” or “LOCK” po-
sition or immediately after the key is pulled
out. (Refer to the “Door locks” section in

4
Climate control Ventilator ............................................................. 4-2 Air flow selection .................................................... 4-2
Center and side ventilators .................................... 4-3
Manual climate control system (if equipped) ... 4-3 Control panel ........................................................... 4-3
Heater operation ..................................................... 4-5
Air conditioner operation ....................................... 4-7
Automatic climate control system (if
equipped) ......................................................... 4-7 Control panel ........................................................... 4-8
Temperature sensors ............................................. 4-11
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner .. 4-12 Cleaning ventilator grille ........................................ 4-12
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight ................................................................. 4-12
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit ..................................................................... 4-12
Checking air conditioni ng system before summer
season ................................................................... 4-12
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and
low temperature weather condition .................... 4-12
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine
is heavily loaded ................................................... 4-12
Refrigerant for your climate control system ........ 4-12
Air filtration system (if equipped) ..................... 4-13

4-12 Climate control
Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner „ Cleaning ventilator grille
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept
clean because cooling performance is im-
paired by any accumulation of insects and
leaves on the condenser.
„ Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to al- low outside air to circulate into the heated
interior. This results in quicker cooling by
the air conditioner. Keep the windows
closed during the operation of the air con-
ditioner for maximum cooling efficiency.
„ Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil.
„ Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-
son Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper op-
eration each spring. Have your SUBARU
dealer perform this check.
„ Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather condition Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.)
a small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate any problem with the air conditioning sys-
tem.
„ Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is de-
signed to temporarily shut off during air
conditioner operation whenever the accel-
erator is fully depressed such as during
rapid acceleration or when driving on a
steep upgrade.
„ Refrigerant for your climate
control system Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the
method of adding, changing or checking
the refrigerant is diffe rent from the method
for CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty.400590

7Starting and operatingFuel ...................................................................... 7-2 Fuel requirements .................................................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap .............................................. 7-4
State emission testing (U .S. only) .................... 7-6
Preparing to drive .............................................. 7-7
Starting the engine ............................................. 7-8 Manual transmission vehicle ................................. 7-8
Automatic transmission vehicle ............................ 7-8
Stopping the engine ........................................... 7-9
Manual transmission ......................................... 7-9 Shifting speeds ....................................................... 7-10
Driving tips .............................................................. 7-11
Automatic transmission – 4- speed ................... 7-11Selector lever .......................................................... 7-12
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ............ 7-13
Selection of manual mode ..................................... 7-14
Maximum speeds .................................................... 7-15
Driving tips .............................................................. 7-16
SPORT mode ........................................................... 7-16
Shift lock release . ........................................... ........ 7-16
Automatic transmission – 5- speed ................... 7-17Selector lever .......................................................... 7-18
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ............ 7-19
Selection of manual mode ..................................... 7-20
Maximum speeds .................................................... 7-22
Driving tips .............................................................. 7-23
SPORT mode ........................................................... 7-23
Shift lock release . ........................................... ........ 7-23 Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD)
(if equipped) ..................................................... 7-24
Power steering .................................................... 7-25
Braking ................................................................ 7-25 Braking tips ............................................................. 7-25
Brake system .......................................................... 7-25
Disc brake pad wear warning in dicators .... .......... 7-26
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-26 ABS system self-check ......... ............................. .... 7-26
ABS warning light ................................................... 7-27
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
system .............................................................. 7-28 Steps to take if EBD system fails .......................... 7-28
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
(if equipped) ..................................................... 7-29 Vehicle Dynamics Control system monitor .......... 7-31
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch ................. 7-32
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
(if equipped) ..................................................... 7-33
Parking your vehicle .......................................... 7-35
Cruise control ..................................................... 7-36 To set cruise control .............................................. 7-37
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-37
To turn off the cruise control ................................. 7-38
To change the cruising speed ............................... 7-38
Cruise control indicator light ................................. 7-39
Cruise control set indicator light .......................... 7-39

7-2 Starting and operating Starting and operating
Fuel
„ Fuel requirementsT 2.5-liter non-turbo models
The 2.5-liter non-turbo engine is designed
to operate using unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher.
T 2.5-liter turbo models and 3.0-liter
models
The 2.5-liter turbo engine and 3.0-liter en-
gine are designed to operate using premi-
um unleaded gasoline with an octane rat-
ing of 91 AKI or higher. If premium unlead-
ed gasoline is not available, regular un-
leaded gasoline with an octane rating of
87 AKI or higher may be temporarily used.
For optimum engine performance and
driveability, it is required (for 2.5-liter turbo
models), and recommended (for 3.0-liter
models) that you use premium grade un-
leaded gasoline.
NOTE
Be sure to use premium unleaded gas- oline of 91 AKI or higher for a 2.5-liter
turbo engine model. If other gasoline
(lower than 91 AKI) is used, knocking,
reduced output and poor accelerator
response will result.
T Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the
Research Octane and Motor Octane num-
bers and is commonly referred to as the
Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane rat-
ing can cause persistent and heavy
knocking, which can damage the engine.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle some-
times knocks lightly when you drive up a
hill or when you accelerate. See your
dealer or a qualified service technician if
you use a fuel with the specified octane
rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or
persistently.
T Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel f iller pipe is designed
to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler
nozzle. Under no circumstances should
leaded gasoline be used because it will
damage the emission control system and
may impair driveability and fuel economy.
T California fuel
If your vehicle was certified to California
Emission Standards as indicated on the underhood tune-up label, it is designed to
optimize engine and emission control sys-
tem performance with gasoline that meets
the clean burning low-sulfur California
gasoline specifications. If you live in any
other state than Calif ornia, your vehicle
will operate on gasoline meeting Federal
specifications. Gasoline sold outside Cali-
fornia is permitted to have higher sulfur
levels, which may affect the performance
of your vehicle’s catalytic converter and
may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or
smell. SUBARU recomm ends that you try
a different brand of unleaded gasoline
having lower sulfur to determine if the
problem is fuel related before returning
your vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service. The CHECK ENGINE warning
light/Malfunction indicator lamp may also
turn on. If this occurs, return to your autho-
rized SUBARU dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by
the type of fuel us ed, repairs may not be
covered by your warranty.
T MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-Use of a fuel which is low in quality
or use of an inappropriate fuel addi-
tive may cause engine damage.

Starting and operating
7-5
– CONTINUED –1) Open
2) Close
3. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise. 4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically cl icks off. Do not add
any more fuel.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap while
tightening.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged.
NOTE y You will see the “ ” sign in the
fuel gauge. This indicates that the fuel
filler door (lid) is located on the right
side of the vehicle.
y If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light may come on. Refer to
the “Warning and indicator lights” sec-
tion located in chapter 3.
(Turbo model only) Promptly put fuel in
the tank whenever the low fuel warning
light comes on. Engine misfires as a re-
sult of an empty tank could cause dam-
age to the engine.
y Gasoline vapor is highly flamma-
ble. Before refueling, always first
stop the engine and make sure
that there are no lighted ciga-
rettes, open flames or electrical
sparks in the adjacent area. 1 2
700344
y When opening the cap, do not re-
move the cap quickly. Fuel may be
under pressure and spray out of
the fuel filler neck especially in
hot weather, which may cause in-
jury.
200253y Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause dam-
age to the fuel system.
y Make sure that the cap is tight-
ened until it clicks to prevent fuel
spillage in the event of an acci-
dent.
y Do not let fuel sp ill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels may
cause paint damage, which is not
covered under the SUBARU Limit-
ed Warranty.

Starting and operating
7-7Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for in-
specting the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD)
system as part of the state emissions in-
spection. The OBD system is designed to
detect engine and transmission problems
that might cause vehicle emissions to ex-
ceed allowable limits. These inspections
apply to all 1996 model year and newer
passenger cars and li ght trucks. Over 30
states plus the Distr ict of Columbia have
implemented the OBD system inspection.
y The inspection of the OBD system con-
sists of a visual operational check of the
“ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/malfunc-
tion indicator lamp (MIL) and an examina-
tion of the OBD system with an electronic
scan tool while the engine is running.
y A vehicle passes
the OBD system in-
spection if proper the “ CHECK ENGINE ”
warning light/MIL illumination is observed,
there is no stored diagnostic trouble
codes, and the OBD system readiness
monitors are complete.
y A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the
“ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is
not properly operating or there is one or
more diagnostic trouble codes stored in vehicle’s computer with the “ CHECK EN-
GINE ” warning light/MIL illuminated.
y A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBD system readiness monitors “ Not
Ready ” is greater than one. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to set the monitors and return for an
emission re-inspection.
y Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for
service. Preparing to drive You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of
the tires. Also check tires for proper infla-
tion.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk (Sedan)
and rear gate (Station wagon) are fully
closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and
outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and
indicator lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.
NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.

7-8 Starting and operating
Starting the engine
„ Manual transmission vehicle1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and
shift the shift leve r into neutral.
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor while
starting the engine. The starter motor will
only operate when the clutch pedal is
pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” po-
sition and check the operation of the warn-
ing and indicator lights. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition sw itch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately af-
ter the engine has started. If the engine does not start, try the follow-
ing.
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF”
position and wait for at least 10 sec-
onds. After checking that the parking
brake is firmly set, turn the ignition
switch to the “START” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal slightly
(approximately a quarter of the full
stroke). Release th e accelerator pedal
as soon as the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch back to the “OFF” posi-
tion and wait for at least 10 seconds.
Then fully depress the accelerator ped-
al 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 “OFF” posi-
tion. 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, con-
tact your nearest SUBARU dealer for
assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up. „ Automatic transmission vehi-
cle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Shift the selector 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” po-
sition and check the operation of the warn-
ing and indicator li ghts. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately af-
ter the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the follow-
ing.
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF”
position and wait for at least 10 sec-Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than ten sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starte r for five to ten
seconds, wait for ten seconds or
more before trying again. If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the selector
lever into the “N” position. Do not
attempt to place the selector lever of
a moving vehicle into the “P” posi-
tion.

Starting and operating
7-9
– CONTINUED –onds. After checking that the parking
brake is firmly set, turn the ignition
switch to the “START” position while de-
pressing 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 “OFF” posi-
tion and wait for at least 10 seconds.
Then fully depress the accelerator ped-
al 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 “OFF” posi-
tion. 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, con-
tact your nearest SUBARU dealer for
assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone out after the engine has
started. The fuel in jection syst em auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the selector lever is at the “P” or
“N” position and that the parking brake is
applied. Stopping the engine
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling. Manual transmission
The manual transmission is a fully syn-
chromeshed, 5-forward-speed and 1-re-
verse-speed transmission.Do not stop the engine when the ve-
hicle is moving. This will cause loss
of power to the power steering and
the brake booster, making steering
and braking more difficult. It could
also result in a ccidental activation
of the “LOCK” position on the igni-
tion switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock. 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 posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
either of these conditions and the
risk of an accident is consequently
increased.
Shift into reverse ONLY when the
vehicle has completely stopped. It
may cause damage to the transmis-
sion to try shifti ng into reverse
when the vehicle is moving.

7-26 Starting and operating
„ Disc brake pad wear warning
indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, imme-
diately have your vehicle inspected by the
nearest SUBARU dealer. ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem) The ABS system prev ents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. 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 no t 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 compartment just af-
ter the vehicle is started. This is caused by
an automatic functional test of the ABS
system being carried out and does not in-
dicate any abnormal condition.700040
Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with an ABS equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
y The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe fol-
lowing distance from other vehi-
cles.
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,
reduce your speed and leave am-
ple distance from other vehicles. y When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.