ECO mode SUBARU LEGACY 2008 4.G Repair Manual

8-4Driving tips
2.5-liter turbo models
3.0-liter models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust
gases, thus providing cleaner exhaust. To avoid damage to the catalytic conver-ter: .
Use only unleaded gasoline. Even a
small amount of leaded gasoline will
damage the catalytic converter. . Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.. Avoid racing the engine.
. Never turn off the ignition switch while
the vehicle is moving.. Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized SUBARU dealer. . Do not apply undercoating or rust
prevention treatment to the heat shield of
catalytic converter and the exhaust sys-tem. Periodic inspections
To keep your vehicle in the best condition
at all times, always have the recom-
mended maintenance services listed in
the maintenance schedule in the
“War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”per-
formed at the specified time or mileageintervals.

8-6Driving tips
vehicle and may affect ride, handling,
braking, speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion, and clearance between the body
and tires. It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control. .If you use a temporary spare tire to
replace 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. . Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver ’s side.
. Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only. . There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detail information, refer to the “Towing ”
section in chapter 9. Off road driving
WARNING
. 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 brak-
ing or under other similar condi-tions.
. Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive vehicle could easily
lead to a serious accident.
& All AWD models except OUTBACK
Your AWD vehicle is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all terrain
vehicle. It is a passenger car designed
primarily for on-road use. The AWD
feature gives it some limited off-road
capabilities in situations in which driving
surfaces a relatively level, obstruction-free
and otherwise similar to on-road driving
conditions. Operating it under other than
those conditions could subject the vehicle
to excessive stress which might result in damage not eligible for repair under
warranty. If you do take your SUBARU
off road, you should review the common
sense precautions in the 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. & OUTBACK
Because of the AWD feature and higher
ground clearance, 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 conventional 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: . Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts. . Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.

&Snow tires
! All models except OUTBACK or
2.5GT spec.B
WARNING
. When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure
you use only the same size,
construction and load range as
the original tires listed on the tire
placard. Using other sizes and
construction may affect speed-
ometer/odometer calibration and
clearance between the body and
tires. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
and load range. Mixing other
sizes, circumferences or con-
structions may result in severe
mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may
affect ride, handling, braking and
speedometer/odom eter calibra-
tion. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol. .
Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.
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
enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter drivingconditions.
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
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling 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 yourvehicle. !
OUTBACK models
WARNING
. When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure
you use only the same size and
construction as recommended.
Using other sizes or construction
may affect speedometer/od-
ometer calibration and clearance
between the body and tires. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control.
. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
andloadrange.Mixingother
sizes, circumferences or con-
structions may result in severe
mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may
affect ride, handling, braking and
speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol. Driving tips
8-11
– CONTINUED –

10-2Appearance care
Exterior care &Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes.
. Do not wash the engine compart-
ment and areas adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air in-
take, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will
cause engine trouble or faulty
power steering respectively. .
Since your vehicle is equipped
with a rear wiper, automatic car-
wash brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging the
wiper arm and other compo-
nents. Ask the automatic car-
wash operator not to let the
brushes touch the wiper arm or
to fix the wiper arm on the rear
window glass with adhesive tape
before operating the machine.
(Station wagon models only)
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle ’s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in directsunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree
sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required.
If you use a light detergent, make certain that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All
cleaning agents should be promptly
flushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or softcloth. !
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-
rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-
derbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-sion.
After driving off-road or muddy or sandy
roads, wash the mud and sand off the
underbody.
Carefully flush the suspension and axle
parts, as they are particularly prone to
mud and sand buildup. Do not use a
sharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.

Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ................................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................... 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running .......... 11-4
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-6
2.5-liter non-turbo models ................................... 11-6
2.5-liter turbo models ......................................... 11-7
3.0-liter models .................................................. 11-8
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-9
Checking the oil level ......................................... 11-9
Changing the oil and oil filter ............................ 11-10
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-12
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .......................................... 11-13
Cooling system ................................................ 11-14
Hose and connections ...................................... 11-14
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-14
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-17
Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-18
Spark plugs ...................................................... 11-20
Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-20
Drive belts ........................................................ 11-21
2.5-liter models ................................................ 11-21
3.0-liter models ................................................ 11-21
Manual transmission oil .................................. 11-21
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-21
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-22Automatic transmission fluid
.......................... 11-23
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-23
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-24
Front differential gear oil (AT models) ........... 11-24
Checking the oil level ...................................... 11-24
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-25
Rear differential gear oil .................................. 11-25
Checking the gear oil level ............................... 11-25
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-27
Power steering fluid ........................................ 11-28
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-28
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-28
Brake fluid ........................................................ 11-29
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-29
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-29
Clutch fluid (MT models) ................................. 11-30
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-30
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-30
Brake booster .................................................. 11-31
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-31
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-31
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-31
Clutch pedal (MT models) ............................... 11-32
Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-32
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-32
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............ 11-32
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....... 11-33
Parking brake stroke ....................................... 11-33
Tires and wheels .............................................. 11-34
Types of tires ................................................... 11-34
Maintenance and service
11

3. Release the secondary hood release
located under the front grille by moving the
lever toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood, release the hood prop
from its retainer and put the end of the
hood prop into the slot in the hood.To close the hood:
1. Lift the hood slightly and remove the
hood prop from the slot in the hood and
return the prop to its retainer. 2.
In the case of OUTBACK models,
lower the hood to a height of approxi-
mately 5.9 in (15 cm) above its closed
position and then let it drop.
In the case of the models except OUT- BACK, lower the hood to a height of
approximately 12 in (30 cm) above its
closed position and then let it drop.
3. After closing the hood, be sure the
hood is securely locked.
If this does not close the hood, release it
from a slightly higher position. Do not push
the hood forcibly to close it. It could
deform the metal.
WARNING
Always check that the hood is
properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open
while the vehicle is moving and
block your view, which may cause
an accident and serious bodily in-
jury. Maintenance and service
11-5

Engine oil NOTE .The engine oil consumption rate is
not stabilized, and therefore cannot be
determined until the vehicle has tra-
veled at least several thousand miles
(kilometers). Even after break-in, when
the vehicle is used under severe driv-
ing conditions such as those men-
tionedintheWarrantyandMainte-
nance Booklet, engine oil is consumed
or deteriorated more quickly than un-
der normal driving conditions. If you
drive your vehicle under these severe
conditions, you should check the oil
level at least at every second fuel fill-up
time, and change the oil more fre-
quently. Please refer to the Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet for more de-tails.. If the oil consumption rate seems
abnormally high after the break-in
period, for example more than 1 quart
per 1,200 miles or 1 liter per 2,000
kilometers, we recommend that you
contact your SUBARU dealer. &
Checking the oil level
Check the engine oil level at each fuelstop.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
insert it again.
3. Be sure the dipstick is correctly in-
serted until it stops with the graphic
symbol “
”on its top appearing as
shown in the illustration.
2.5-liter models
1) Notch
2) Upper level
3) Lower level Maintenance and service
11-9
– CONTINUED –

11-10Maintenance and service
3.0-liter models
1) Upper level
2) Lower level
4. Pull out the dipstick again and check
the oil level on it. If it is below the lower
level, add oil to bring the level up to the
upper level.
CAUTION
. Use only engine oil with the
recommended grade and vis-
cosity. .
Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
If you check the oil level just after stopping
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil to
drain back into the oil pan before checking
the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not
add any additional oil above the upper
level when the engine is cold.
In 2.5-liter-engine models, the dipstick has
a notch above the upper level.
Just after driving or while the engine is
warm, the engine oil level reading may be
in a range between the upper level and
the notch mark. This is caused by thermal
expansion of the engine oil. & Changing the oil and oil filter
Change the oil and oil filter according to
the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be
changed more frequently than listed in
the maintenance schedule when driving
on dusty roads, when short trips are
frequently made, or when driving in extremely cold weather.
1. Warm up the engine by letting the
engine idle for approximately 10 minutes
to ease draining the engine oil.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
2.5-liter models

11-12Maintenance and service
9. Clean the rubber seal seating area of
the bottom of engine and install the oil
filter by hand turning. Be careful not to
twist or damage the seal.
10. Tighten the oil filter by the amount
indicated in the following table after the
seal makes contact with the bottom ofengine.
Model Oil filter
color Part
number Amount of
rotation
2.5-liter models Black
15208AA100 1 rotation
White 15208AA09A 2/3–3/4
rotation
3.0-liter models Black 15208AA031
3/4
rotation
CAUTION
. Never over tighten the oil filter
because that can result in an oil leak.
. Thoroughly wipe off any engine
oil that has spilled over the
exhaust pipe and/or under-cover.
If left unremoved, the oil could
catch fire.
11. Reinstall the cover under the oil filter.
12. Pour engine oil through the filler neck. Oil capacity (Guideline):
2.5-liter models: 4.2 US qt (4.0 liters, 3.5
Imp qt)
3.0-liter models: 5.8 US qt (5.5 liters, 4.8
Imp qt)
The oil quantity indicated above is only a
guideline. The necessary quantity of oil
depends on the quantity of oil that has
been drained. The quantity of drained oil
differs slightly depending on the tempera-
ture of the oil and the time the oil is left
flowing out. After refilling the engine with
oil, therefore, you must use the dipstick to
confirm that the level is correct.
13. Start the engine and make sure that no
oil leaks appear around the filter ’s rubber
seal and drain plug.
14. Run the engine until it reaches the
normal operating temperature. Then stop
the engine and wait a few minutes to allow
the oil drain back. Check the oil level
again and if necessary, add more engineoil. &
Recommended grade and viscosity
CAUTION
Use only engine oil with the recom-
mended grade and viscosity.
Oil grade: ILSAC GF-4, which can be identified with
the ILSAC certification mark (Starburst mark)
or API classification SM with the words“ENERGY CONSERVING ”
These recommended oil grades can be
identified by looking for either or both of
the following marks displayed on the oil
container.

11-18Maintenance and service
& Replacing the air cleaner element
Replace the air cleaner element according
to the maintenance schedule in the“ Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”. Un-
der extremely dusty conditions, replace it
more frequently. It is recommended that
you always use genuine SUBARU parts. ! Non-turbo models
1) Connector
2) Duct
3) Clamp
1. Unplug the connector that is attached
to the top of the air cleaner case.
2. Remove the hose that is located at the
bottom of the side surface of the air
cleaner case. 3. Undo the screw and pull the air duct
out of the air cleaner case.
4. Unsnap the two clamps holding the air
cleaner case cover.
5. Open the air cleaner case cover and
remove the air cleaner element.
6. Clean the inside of the air cleaner
cover and case with a damp cloth and
install a new air cleaner element.
7. To install the air cleaner case cover,
insert the three projections on the air
cleaner case cover into the slits on the
air cleaner case and then snap the two
clamps on the air cleaner case cover.