SUBARU OUTBACK 2006 Owners Manual

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
7-3
– CONTINUED –function indicator lamp may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is deter-
mined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs may not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
T Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent addi-
tives will help prevent deposits from form-
ing in your engine and fuel system. This
helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly,
and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality
fuel with the proper detergent and other
additives, you should never need to add
any fuel system cleaning agents to your
fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with ma-
terials called oxygenates. Use of these fu-
els can also help keep the air cleaner. Ox-
ygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE (Me- thyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol (ethyl
or grain alcohol) may be used in your ve-
hicle, but should contain no more than
15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the proper
operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station oper-
ators if their gasolines contain detergents
and oxygenates and if they have been re-
formulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in the
following.
y Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual.
y Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle
ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents
and corrosion inhibitors required to pre-
vent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT un- der these conditions.
y If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a di fferent brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer.
y Fuel system damage or driveability
problems which result from the use of im-
proper fuel are not covered under the
SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.

7-4 Starting and operating
„ Fuel filler lid and capT Refueling 0
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid re-
lease lever. The lever is on the floor at the
left of the driver’s seat.
2. Open the fuel filler lid.700342 700343
200255

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.

7-6 Starting and operating
State emission testing (U.S.
only)
At state inspection time, remember to
tell your inspection or service station
in advance not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dyna-
mometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result.
Some states have started using dyna-
mometers in their state inspection pro-
grams in order to meet their obligation un- der federal law to implement stricter vehi-
cle emission standards to reduce air pollu-
tion from vehicles. A dynamometer is a
treadmill or roller-like testing device that
allows your vehicle’s wheels to turn while
the vehicle remains in one place. Depend-
ing on the severity of a state’s air pollution
problems, the states must adopt either a
“basic” or “enhanced” vehicle emission in-
spection test. Normally, a portion of the
basic emission test consists of an emis-
sion inspector inserting an analyzer probe
into the exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle
for a short period of time. States with more
severe air pollution problems are required
to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission
test. This test simu lates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits
more accurate measurement of tailpipe
emitted pollution than the basic emission
test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy (EPA) and states using two-wheel dy-
namometers in their emission testing pro-
grams have EXEMPTED SUBARU AWD
vehicles from the portion of the testing
program that involves a two-wheel dyna-
mometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel
dynamometers in their testing programs.
When properly used, that equipment will
not damage an AWD SUBARU vehicle.y Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the wrong
cap, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and
emission control system might be
damaged.
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehi-
cle must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in un-
controlled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
Resultant vehicle damage due to im-
proper testing is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty and
is the responsibility of the state in-
spection program or its contractors
or licensees.

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.

7-10 Starting and operating
The shift pattern is shown on the shift le-
ver knob. When shifting from 5th gear to
reverse gear, first retu rn the shift lever to
the neutral position then shift into reverse
gear.
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, move the shift lever, and gradually
let up on the clutch pedal.
If it is difficult to shift into gear, put the
transmission in neutral, release the clutch
pedal momentarily, and then try again.
„ Shifting speedsT Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel econ-
omy and vehicle performance during nor-
mal driving is ensured by shifting up at the speeds listed in the following table.
T Maximum allowable speeds
The following table shows the maximum speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
Never exceed the speed limit below for
each gear position except for brief accel-
eration in an emergency. The tachome-
ter’s needle (if so equipped) will enter the
red area if these speeds are exceeded.
Failure to observe this precaution can
lead to excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Non-turbo models
mph (km/h)
Turbo models
mph (km/h)700101 Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (65)
4th to 5th 45 (73)
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to ob-
serve this precaution can lead to en-
gine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accident in-
creased. Gear Except
OUTBACK OUTBACK
1st 30 (48) 30 (48)
2nd 50 (81) 52 (82)
3rd 71 (116) 71 (116)
Gear Except
OUTBACK OUTBACK
1st 32 (52) 32 (52)
2nd 54 (88) 54 (88)
3rd 80 (129) 78 (127)

Starting and operating
7-11
– CONTINUED –Never exceed posted speed limits.
„ Driving tipsDo not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an up-
grade. Either of those actions may cause
clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to la-
bor.
y On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear as
necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you “ride” (over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
y The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate a
fault.
y A slight reduction in output torque may occur in the models with a 2.5-liter turbo
engine before the engine warms up.
Automatic transmission – 4-
speed The automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 4 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. Also, it has
a manual mode and a SPORT mode.
Do not shift from the “P” or “N” po-
sition into the “D ” or “R” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle to
jump forward or backward.
y Shift into the “P” or “R” position
only after the vehic le is complete-
ly stopped. Shifting while the ve-
hicle is moving may cause dam-
age to the transmission.
y Do not race the engine for more
than five seconds in any position
except the “N” or “P” position
when the brake is set or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.