radiator SUBARU OUTBACK 2006 Owners Manual

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

9-12 In case of emergency
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and run it at moderate
speed. Then start the engine of the vehi-
cle that has the discharged battery.
6. When finished, carefully disconnect the
cables in exactly the reverse order.
Engine overheating
If the engine overheats, pull off the road
safely and stop the vehicle in a safe place.
„ If steam is coming from the
engine compartment Turn off the engine and get everyone
away from the vehicle until it cools down.
„ If no steam is coming from
the engine compartment 1. Keep the engine running at idling
speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine
compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If
the fan is not turning, immediately turn off the engine and contact your authorized
dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature
has dropped, turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the
overheated zone, turn off the engine.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down,
check the coolant level in the reserve
tank.
If the coolant level is below the “MIN”
mark, add coolant up to the “MAX” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve
tank, add coolant to the reserve tank.
Then remove the radiator cap and fill the
radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot
radiator, first wrap a thick cloth around the
radiator cap, then turn the cap counter-
clockwise slowly without pressing down
until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been
fully released, remove the cap by pressing
down and turning it.Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has fully cooled down.
When the engine is hot, the coolant
is under pressure. Removing the
cap while the engine is still hot
could release a spray of boiling hot
coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.

11 - 6 Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overview „ 2.5-liter non-turbo models 12 3 4 56
7891011
13 12 B004141) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-27)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-20) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-23)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-29)
4) Automatic transmi ssion fluid level
gauge (page 11-22)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-28)
6) Fuse box (page 11-45)
7) Battery (page 11-44)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-39)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-9)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-
14)
11) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
12) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-9)
13) Air cleaner element (page 11-17)

Maintenance and service
11 - 7
– CONTINUED –„ 2.5-liter turbo models 12 4635
13 12 11 10 9 8 7 B004161) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-27)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-20) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-23)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-29)
4) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-28)
5) Automatic transmission fluid level
gauge (page 11-22)
6) Fuse box (page 11-45)
7) Battery (page 11-44)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-39)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-9)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-
14)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-9)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
13) Air cleaner element (page 11-17)

11 - 8 Maintenance and service
„ 3.0-liter models
B0050212 3 4 5
12 1011 9 8 76 1) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-27)
2) Differential gear oil level gauge (AT)
(page 11-23)
3) Automatic transmi ssion fluid level
gauge (page 11-22)
4) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-28)
5) Fuse box (page 11-45)
6) Battery (page 11-44)
7) Windshield washer tank (page 11-39)
8) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-9)
9) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-
14)
10) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-9)
12) Air cleaner element (page 11-17)

11 - 1 4 Maintenance and service
„ Hose and connectionsYour vehicle employs an electric cooling
fan which is thermostatically controlled to
operate when the engine coolant reaches
a specific temperature.
If the radiator coolin g fan does not operate
even when the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge exceeds the normal operating
range, the cooling fan circuit may be de-
fective. Check the fuse and replace it if
necessary. If the fuse is not blown, have
the cooling system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
If frequent addition of coolant is neces-
sary, there may be a leak in the engine
cooling system. It is recommended that
the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness. „ Engine coolant T Checking the coolant level
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside
of the reservoir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the
“LOW” level mark, add coolant up to the
“FULL” level mark. If the reserve tank is
empty, remove the radiator cap and refill
as required. 3. After refilling the reserve tank and the
radiator, reinstall the caps and check that
the rubber gaskets inside the radiator cap
are in the proper position.y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
FULL
LOW 600151
y Be careful not to spill engine cool-
ant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine co olant gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it
off.
y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface. B00018

Maintenance and service
11 - 1 5
– CONTINUED –T Changing the coolant
Always add genuine Subaru cooling sys-
tem conditioner whenever the coolant is
replaced.
Change the engine coolant and add gen-
uine Subaru cooling system conditioner
using the following procedures according
to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
1. Remove the under cover.
2.5-liter models
1) Drain plug 3.0-liter models
1) Drain plug
2. Place a proper container under the
drain plug and loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the
coolant from the radiator. Then drain the
coolant from the reserve tank. Tighten the
drain plug securely. 4. Install the under cover.
Non-turbo models
1) Fill up to here
Turbo models
1) Fill up to here1 B00422
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down com-
pletely. Since the coolant is under
pressure, you may suffer serious
burns from a spray of boiling hot
coolant when the cap is removed. B00423
1
1 B00424
1
B00425

11 - 1 6 Maintenance and service
5. Slowly pour the coolant and fill up to
just below the filler neck, allowing enough
room to add genuine Subaru cooling sys-
tem conditioner in the radiator. Add genu-
ine Subaru cooling system conditioner un-
til the coolant level reaches the filler neck.
Do not pour the coolant too quickly, as this
may lead to insufficient air bleeding and
trapped air in the system. Coolant capacity (Guideline):
2.5-liter non-turbo models:
MT. 6.8 US qt (6.4 liters, 5.6 Imp qt)
AT. 6.7 US qt (6.3 liters, 5.5 Imp qt)
2.5-liter turbo models:
MT. 7.7 US qt (7.3 liters, 6.4 Imp qt)
AT. 7.6 US qt (7.2 liters, 6.3 Imp qt)
3.0-liter models:
7.6 US qt (7.2 liters, 6.3 Imp qt)
6. Pour the coolant and fill to the reservoir
tank’s “FULL” level mark. 7. Put the radiator cap back on and tight-
en firmly. At this time , make sure that the
rubber gasket in the radiator cap is cor-
rectly in place.
8. Start and run the engine for more than
five minutes at 2,000 to 3,000 rpm.
9. Stop the engine and wait until the cool-
ant cools down (122 to 140 ° F [50 to
60 ° C]). If there is any loss of coolant, add
coolant to the radiator’s filler neck and to
the reserve tank’s “FULL” level.
10.Put the radiator cap and reservoir cap
back on and tighten firmly.y Be careful not to spill engine cool-
ant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine co olant gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it
off. y Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
FULL
LOW 600151 B00018