tire size SUBARU OUTBACK 2006 Owners Manual

1-24 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
NOTE If the front part of the vehicle is dam-
aged in an accident to the extent that
the seatbelt pretensioner does not op-
erate, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
„ Precautions against vehicle
modification Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.y Tampering with or disconnecting
the system’s wiring could result in
accidental activation of the seat-
belt pretensioner and/or airbag or
could make the system inopera-
tive, which may result in serious
injury. The wiring harnesses of
the seatbelt pretensioner and SRS
airbag systems are covered with
yellow insulation and the connec-
tors of the system are yellow for
easy identification. Do not use
electrical test equipment on any
circuit related to the seatbelt pre-
tensioner and airbag systems. For
required servicing of the seatbelt
pretensioner, see your nearest
SUBARU dealer.
The front sub sensors are located in
both front fenders and the airbag
control module including the impact
sensors is located under the center
console. If you need service or re-
pair in those areas or near the front
seatbelt retractors, have an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer perform the
work. Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pertensioners.
y Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
y Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure. y Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the door pillar or
specified for individual vehicle
models in this Owner’s Manual.

1-62 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.y Attachment of a hands-free mi-
crophone or any other accesso-
ry to a front pillar , a center pillar,
a rear pillar, the windshield, a
side window, an assist grip, or
any other cabin surface that
would be near a deploying SRS
curtain airbag.
y Installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment such
as a mobile two-way radio on or
near the SRS airbag system
components and/or wiring is
not advisable. This could inter-
fere with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system.
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
y Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts.
y Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure. y Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the driver’s door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner’s
Manual.
y Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors,
etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.

Instruments and controls
3-19
– CONTINUED –seconds to check that the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is functioning
properly. If there is no problem and all tires
are properly inflated, the light will go out.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the prop-
er inflation pressure for those tires.) As an
added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure moni-
toring system (TPMS) that illuminates a
low tire pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driv-
ing on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’s responsibility to main-
tain correct tire pre ssure, even if under-in- flation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
The TPMS gives warning both when a tire
is significantly under-inflated and when
there is a problem in the TPMS. The low
tire pressure warning light operates differ-
ently according to these conditions as fol-
lows:
When a tire is significantly under-inflat-
ed: Steady illumination
When there is a problem in the TPMS:
Flashing
Should the warning light flash, have the
system inspected by your nearest
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
If this light does not come on briefly
after the ignition switch is turned
ON or the light is flashing, you
should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble. If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off
the road to a safe place. Otherwise
an accident involving serious vehi-
cle damage and serious personal in-
jury could occur.
If this light still comes on while driv-
ing after adjusting the tire pressure,
a tire may have significant damage
and a fast leak that causes the tire to
lose air rapidly. If you have a flat
tire, replace it with a spare tire as
soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the Low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash. This in-
dicates the TPMS is unable to moni-
tor all four road wheels. Contact
your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible for tire and sensor replace-
ment and/or system resetting. If the
light flashes, promptly contact a
SUBARU dealer to have the system
inspected.

3-20 Instruments and controls
„ ABS warning light The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately two
seconds.
This is an indicati on that the ABS system
is working properly. The ABS warning light comes on together
with the brake system wa rning light if the
EBD system becomes faulty. For further
details of the EBD system fault warning,
refer to “Brake syst em warning light”.
NOTE If the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal.
y The warning light comes on right af- ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.
y The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).
y The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
„ Brake system
warning lightThe tire pressure monitoring system
is NOT a substitu te for manually
checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked period-
ically (at least mo nthly) using a tire
gauge. After any change to tire pres-
sure(s), the tire pressure monitoring
system will not re-check tire infla-
tion pressures until the vehicle is
first driven more than 20 mph (32
km/h). Be sure to install the speci-
fied size for the front and rear tires.
If the warning light behaves as fol-
lows, the ABS system may not work
properly. (U.S.)
(Canada) When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
y The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.
y The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12
km/h).
y The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If any of these conditions occur,
have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by
your SUBARU dealer.
y Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately. (U.S.)
(Canada)

7-24 Starting and operating
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the en-
gine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bucket.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with a flat-head screwdriver. 4. Insert the screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector leve r from the “P” to the
“N” position.
6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start the en-
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired. Rear viscous limited slip dif-
ferential (LSD) (if equipped)
The LSD provides optimum distribution of
power according to the difference in revo-
lutions between the right and left rear
wheels that may be caused by certain
driving conditions, thereby improving driv-
ing stability on snow-covered, muddy or
other slippery roads.700346 700347
y Never start the engine while a tire
on one side is jacked up, as the
vehicle may move.
y If one rear tire is spinning in mud,
avoid continued spinning at high
speed as this could adversely af-
fect the LSD.
y If a different size rear tire is tem-
porarily used (as in an emergen-
cy), it will adversely affect the
LSD. Always replace it with a reg-
ular size tire as soon as possible.

Starting and operating
7-29
– CONTINUED –Vehicle Dynamics Control
system (if equipped)y Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
y If at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair. Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with a Vehicle Dynamics
Control system equipped vehicle
could easily lead to a serious acci-
dent.
y Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on
snow-covered or icy roads; in ad-
dition, vehicle speed should be re-
duced considerably. Simply hav-
ing a Vehicle Dynamics Control
system does not guarantee that
the vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation. y Activation of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system is an indica-
tion that the ro ad being travelled
on has a slippery surface; since
having Vehicle Dynamics Control
is no guarantee that full vehicle
control will be maintained at all
times and under all conditions, its
activation should be seen as a
sign that the speed of the vehicle
should be reduced considerably.
y Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or an
axle are removed from a vehicle
equipped with Vehicle Dynamics
Control, have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform an in-
spection of that system.
y The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control
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 all four tires.

7-30 Starting and operating
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system ad-
justs 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 surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control 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 operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.
NOTE
y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system operates; a small de-
gree of vehicle or st eering wheel shak-
ing may also be noticed in this situa-
tion. These are normal characteristics
of Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
and are no cause for alarm.
y When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short-lived oper-
ation noise may be noticed coming
from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a
check being performed on the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and is nor-
mal.
y Depending on the timing of activa-
tion of the brakes, certain situations
may occur just after driving off where
the brake pedal seems to exhibit a jolt-
ing motion. This too is a consequence
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tional check and is normal.
y In the circumstances listed in the fol-
lowing, the vehicle may be more unsta-
ble than it feels to the driver. The Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system fault.
y on 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 Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly dif-
ferent compared to that for normal con-
ditions.
y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Dynamics Control system, 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).
Furthermore, if snow chains are to be
used, they should be fitted on the front
wheels. When a vehicle is fitted with
snow chains, however, the effective-
ness of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this should be
taken into account when driving the ve-
hicle in such a condition.
y It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control.
y All four wheels shou ld 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 Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system will be unable to op-– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the
driver’s side door pillar.

Driving tips
8-5
Driving tips for AWD vehicles
All-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD vehicles provide better traction when driving on
slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand. By
shifting power between the front and rear
wheels, SUBARU AWD can also provide
added traction during acceleration, and
added engine braking force during decel-
eration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle
may handle differently than an ordinary
two wheel drive vehicle and it contains
some features unique to AWD. For safety
purposes as well as to avoid damaging
the AWD system, you should keep the fol-
lowing tips in mind:
y An AWD vehicle is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling, how-
ever, during extremely sharp turns or sud-
den braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an am-
ple distance from other vehicles.
y When replacing a ti re, make sure you
use only the same si ze, circumference,
construction, brand, and load range as the
original tires listed on the tire placard. Us-
ing other sizes, circumferences or con-
struction may result in severe mechanical
damage to the drive train of your vehicle
and may affect ride, handling, braking, speedometer/odometer calibration, and
clearance between the body and tires. It
also may be dangerous and lead to loss of
vehicle control.
y If you use a temporary spare tire to re-
place a flat tire, be sure to use the original
temporary spare tire stored in the vehicle.
Using other sizes may result in severe
mechanical damage to the drive train of
your vehicle.
y Always check the cold tire pressure be-
fore starting to drive. The recommended
tire pressure is provided on the tire plac-
ard, which is located under the door latch
on the driver’s side.
y Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only.
y There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detail information, see “Towing” sec-
tion in chapter 9.y Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden braking
or under other similar conditions.
y Always use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
800004

8-10 Driving tips
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
NOTE When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
„ Corrosion protectionRefer to the “Corrosion protection” section
(chapter 10). „ Snow tires T All models except OUTBACK
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires” which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to en-
hance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving
conditions.
If you choose to insta ll winter tires on your
vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire size
and type. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, construction,
brand and load range and you should nev-
er mix radial, belted bias or bias tires since
this may result in dangerous handling
characteristics. When you choose a tire,
make sure that there is enough clearance
between the tire and vehicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on your ve-
hicle.During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed. y When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure you
use only the same size, construc-
tion and load range as the original
tires listed on the tire placard. Us-
ing other sizes and construction
may affect speedometer/odome-
ter calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also
may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control.
y You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
and load range. Mixing other siz-
es, circumferences or construc-
tions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train
of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speed-
ometer/odometer calibration. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control. y Do not use a combination of radi-
al, belted bias or bias tires since it
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics and lead to an ac-
cident.

Driving tips
8-11
– CONTINUED –T OUTBACK models only Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires” which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to en-
hance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving
conditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on your
vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire size
and type. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, construction,
brand and load range and you should nev-
er mix radial, belted bias or bias tires since
this may result in dangerous handling
characteristics. When you choose a tire,
make sure that there is enough clearance
between the tire and vehicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on your ve-
hicle.
Your OUTBACK comes with P225/
55R17 “all season tires” as original
equipment. You should be aware that
some winter tires with that same size
designation may actually be too large
for the vehicle and may cause rubbing
on sharp turns. Listed in the following
is the winter tire size that we recom-
mend. Recommended winter (snow) tire size
OUTBACK models: P215/55R17,
P225/60R16 or P215/60R16 Studless
„ Tire chains
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads mayy When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure you
use only the same size and con-
struction as recommended. Using
other sizes or construction may
affect speedometer/odometer cal-
ibration and clearance between
the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of ve-
hicle control.
y You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
and load range. Mixing other siz-
es, circumferences or construc-
tions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train
of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speed-
ometer/odometer calibration. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control.
y Do not use a combination of radi-
al, belted bias or bias tires since it
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics and lead to an ac-
cident. Tire chains cannot be used on tires
listed in the following because of
lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body.
y 2.5-liter non-turbo models (except
OUTBACK): P205/50R17 tires
y 2.5-liter turbo models (except
OUTBACK): 215/45ZR17 tires
y OUTBACK models: P225/55R17
tires
y 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter
models (OUTBACK): P225/60R16
winter (snow) tires
y 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter
models (OUTBACK): P215/60R16
winter (snow) tires
y 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models
(OUTBACK): P215/55R17 winter
(snow) tires