maintenance SUBARU LEGACY 2008 4.G Owners Manual

Warranties &Warranties for U.S.A.
All SUBARU vehicles distributed by
Subaru of America, Inc. and sold at retail
by an authorized SUBARU dealer in the
United States come with the followingwarranties: . SUBARU Limited Warranty
. Emission Control Systems Warranty
. Emissions Performance Warranty
All warranty information, including details
of coverage and exclusions, is in the“ Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
Please read these warranties carefully.
& Warranties for Canada
All SUBARU vehicles distributed by
Subaru Canada, Inc. and sold at retail by
an authorized SUBARU dealer in Canada
come with the following warranties: . SUBARU Limited Warranty
. Anti-Corrosion Warranty
. Emission Control Warranty
All warranty information, including details
of coverage and exclusions, is in the“ Warranty and Service Booklet ”. Please
read these warranties carefully.CAUTION
If your vehicle is equipped with a
navigation system, the display con-
tains mercury. Therefore, the dis-
play of the navigation system must
be removed before vehicle disposal.
Once the display has been removed,
please reuse, recycle or dispose of
them as hazardous waste. How to use this Owner
’s
Manual & Using your Owner ’s Manual
Before you operate your vehicle, carefully
read this manual. To protect yourself and
extend the service life of your vehicle,
follow the instructions in this manual.
Failure to observe these instructions may
result in serious injury and damage to yourvehicle.
This manual is composed of fourteen
chapters. Each chapter begins with a brief
table of contents, so you can usually tell at
a glance if that chapter contains the
information you want.
Chapter 1: Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
This chapter informs you how to use the
seat and seatbelt and contains precau-
tions for the SRS airbags.
Chapter 2: Keys and doors
This chapter informs you how to operate
the keys, locks and windows.
Chapter 3: Instruments and controls
This chapter informs you about the opera-
tion of instrument panel indicators and
how to use the instruments and otherswitches. 1
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2
Chapter 4: Climate control
This chapter informs you how to operate
the climate control.
Chapter 5: Audio
This chapter informs you how to operate
your audio system.
Chapter 6: Interior equipment
This chapter informs you how to operate
interior equipment.
Chapter 7: Starting and operating
This chapter informs you how to start and
operate your SUBARU.
Chapter 8: Driving tips
This chapter informs you how to drive your
SUBARU in various conditions and ex-
plains some safety tips on driving.
Chapter 9: In case of emergency
This chapter informs you what to do if you
have a problem while driving, such as a
flat tire or engine overheating.
Chapter 10: Appearance care
This chapter informs you how to keep your
SUBARU looking good.
Chapter 11: Maintenance and service
This chapter informs you when you need
to take your SUBARU to the dealer for
scheduled maintenance and informs you
how to keep your SUBARU running
properly.Chapter 12: Specifications
This chapter informs you about dimension
and capacities of your SUBARU.
Chapter 13: Consumer information and
Reporting safety defects
This chapter informs you about Tire
information, Uniform tire quality grading
standards and Reporting safety defects.
Chapter 14: Index
This is an alphabetical listing of all that
’sin
this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
& Safety warnings
You will find a number of WARNINGs,
CAUTIONs and NOTEs in this manual.
These safety warnings alert you to poten-
tial hazards that could result in injury to
you or others.
Please read these safety warnings as well
as all other portions of this manual care-
fully in order to gain a better understand-
ing of how to use your SUBARU vehicle
safely.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which serious injury or death could
result if the warning is ignored.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which injury or damage to your
vehicle, or both, could result if the
caution is ignored.
NOTE
A NOTE gives information or sugges-
tions how to make better use of yourvehicle. & Safety symbol
You will find a circle with a slash through it
in this manual. This symbol means “Do
not ”, “Do not do this ”,or “Do not let this
happen ”, depending upon the context.

Table of contents
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1
Keys and doors2
Instruments and controls
Climate control4
Audio5
Interior equipment6
Starting and operating7
Driving tips8
In case of emergency9
Appearance care10
Maintenance and service11
Specifications12
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects13
Index14
3

Front seats........................................................... 1-2
Manual seat ........................................................ 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) ...................................... 1-4
Memory function (Driver ’s seat, if equipped) ........ 1-5
Head restraint adjustment .................................... 1-7
Active head restraint ........................................... 1-7
Lumbar support (if equipped) .............................. 1-8
Seat heater (if equipped) .................................... 1-8
Rear seats ............................................................ 1-9
Folding down the rear seatback ........................... 1-9
Head restraint adjustment ................................... 1-10
Armrest (if equipped) ......................................... 1-12
Loading long objects (Sedan) ............................. 1-12
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-13
Seatbelt safety tips ............................................. 1-13
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ................... 1-14
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ............................................................ 1-14
Seatbelt warning light and chime ........................ 1-15
Fastening the seatbelt ........................................ 1-16
Seatbelt maintenance ......................................... 1-23
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-24
System monitors ................................................ 1-25 System servicing
............................................... 1-26
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-27
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-27
Where to place a child restraint system .............. 1-28
Choosing a child restraint system ...................... 1-30
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR seatbelt ........................................................... 1-30
Installing a booster seat ..................................... 1-33
Installation of child restraint systems by use of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) .............. 1-35
Top tether anchorages ....................................... 1-37
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) ................................................ 1-40
Vehicle with SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints for driver, front passenger, and
window-side rear passengers . .......................... 1-40
Subaru advanced frontal airbag system .............. 1-45
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag ............. 1-55
SRS airbag system monitors .............................. 1-61
SRS airbag system servicing ... .......................... 1-63
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-64
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1

Sedan models
Wagon models
CAUTION
. Do not allow the retractor to roll
up the seatbelt too quickly.
Otherwise, the metal tongue
plates may hit against the trim,
resulting in damaged trim.
. Have the seatbelt fully rolled up
so that the tongue plates are
neatly stored. A hanging tongue
plate can swing and hit against
the trim during driving, causing
damage to the trim.
& Seatbelt maintenance
To clean the seatbelts, use a mild soap
and lukewarm water. Never bleach or dye
the belts because this could seriously
affect their strength.
Inspect the seatbelts and attachments
including the webbing and all hardware
periodically for cracks, cuts, gashes,
tears, damage, loose bolts or worn areas.
Replace the seatbelts even if only minor
damage is found.CAUTION
. Keep the belts free of polishes,
oils, chemicals and particularly
battery acid.
. Never attempt to make modifica-
tions or changes that will prevent
the seatbelt from operating prop-
erly.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-23

off. NOTE
If the connection between the combina-
tion meter and battery is broken for any
reason such as vehicle maintenance or
fuse replacement, the data recorded on
the trip meter will be lost. &Current and average fuel consumption
U.S.-spec. models
Canada-spec. models
1) Current fuel consumption
2) Average fuel consumption
Current fuel consumption shows the rate
of fuel consumption at the present mo-
ment. Average fuel consumption shows
the average rate of fuel consumption since
the trip meter was last reset.
When the vehicle speed is less than
approximately 6 mph (9.5 km/h), the
current fuel consumption is not displayed.
The displayed number with “A ” is the
average fuel consumption corresponding
to the A trip meter indication, and the
displayed number with “B ” is the average
fuel consumption corresponding to the B
trip meter indication.
Those A and B indications can be
changed by depressing the trip knob. When either of the trip meter indications is
reset, the corresponding average fuel
consumption value is also reset. NOTE .
The indicated values vary in accor-
dance with changes in the vehicle ’s
running conditions. Also, the indicated
values may differ slightly from the
actual values and should thus be
treated only as a guide.. When either trip meter indication is
reset, the average fuel consumption
corresponding to that trip meter indica-
tion is not shown until the vehicle has
subsequently covered a distance of 1
mile (or 1 km). Instruments and controls
3-11
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&Odometer
This meter displays the odometer when
the ignition switch is in the “LOCK ”, “Acc ”
or “ON ”position.
The odometer shows the total distance
that the vehicle has been driven.
If you press the trip knob when the ignition
switch is in the “LOCK ”position, the
odometer/trip meter will light up. If you
do not press the trip knob within 10
seconds of illumination of the odometer/
trip meter, the odometer/trip meter will go
off.
Also, if you open and close the driver ’s
door within 10 seconds of illumination of
the odometer/trip meter, the odometer/trip
meter will go off. &
Double trip meterThis meter displays the two trip meters
when the ignition switch is in the “LOCK ”,
“ Acc ”or “ON ”position.
The trip meter shows the distance that the
vehicle has been driven since you last set
it to zero.
To change the mode indication, briefly
push the knob.
Each press of the knob changes the mode
indication alternately.
To set the trip meter to zero, select the A
trip or B trip meter by pushing the knob
and keep the knob pushed for more than 2seconds.
If you press the trip knob when the ignition
switch is in the “LOCK ”position, the
odometer/trip meter will light up. It is
possible to switch between the A trip
meter and B trip meter indications while
the odometer/trip meter is lit up. If you do
not press the trip knob within 10 seconds
of illumination of the odometer/trip meter,
the odometer/trip meter will go off.
Also, if you open and close the driver ’s
door within 10 seconds of illumination of
the odometer/trip meter, the odometer/trip
meter will go off.
CAUTION
To ensure safety, do not attempt to
change the function of the indicator
during driving, as an accident couldresult.
NOTE
If the connection between the combina-
tion meter and battery is broken for any
reason such as vehicle maintenance or
fuse replacement, the data recorded on
the trip meter will be lost. Instruments and controls
3-25
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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
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure 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
proper inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring 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. Driving 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
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the
malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of re-
placement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your
vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
Should the warning light illuminate stea-
dily after blinking for approximately one
minute, have the system inspected by
your nearest SUBARU dealer as soon aspossible.WARNING
If this light does not come on briefly
after the ignition switch is turned ON
or the light illuminates steadily after
blinking for approximately one min-
ute, you should have your Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
checked at a SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
If this light still comes on while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, 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 illuminates
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates Instruments and controls
3-33
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NOTE
While you are holding down either side
of the TUNE/TRACK button, the tuning
frequency will not stop changing even
if the frequency of a receivable station
is reached. !Stereo indicator
The stereo indicator “ST ”will come on
when an FM stereo broadcast is received. ! Seek tuning (SEEK)
If you press the “”or “”side of the
SEEK/SCAN button briefly, the radio will
automatically search for a receivable
station and stop at the first one it finds.
This function may not be available, how-
ever, when radio signals are weak. In such
a situation, perform manual tuning to
select the desired station. !
Scan tuning (SCAN)
If you press the “”or “”side of the
SEEK/SCAN button for 0.5 second or
longer, the radio will switch to scan mode.
In this mode, the radio scans through the
radio band until a station is found. The
radio will stop at the station for 5 seconds
while displaying the frequency, after which
scanning will continue until the entire band
has been scanned.
Press the “
”or “”side of the button
again to cancel the scan mode and to stop
on any displayed frequency.
If you hold down the “
”side of the
button, the radio will scan up the fre-
quency band (from low frequencies to high
frequencies). If you hold down the “
”
side of the button, the radio will scan down
the frequency band (from high frequencies to low frequencies).
Automatic tuning may not function prop-
erly if the station reception is weakened by
distance from the station or proximity to
tall buildings and hills. &
Station preset
! How to preset stations
1. Press the “FM AM ”button to select
FM1, FM2 or AM reception.
2. Press the “
”or “”side of the
button or tune the radio manually until the
desired station frequency is displayed.
3. Press one of the preset buttons for
more than 1.5 seconds to store the
frequency. If the button is pressed for less
than 1.5 seconds, the preceding selection
will remain in memory. NOTE . If the connection between the radio
and battery is broken for any reason
such as vehicle maintenance or radio
removal, all stations stored in the
preset buttons are cleared. If this
occurs, it is necessary to reset the
preset buttons.. If a cell phone is placed near the
radio, it may cause the radio to emit
noise when it receives calls. This noise Audio
5-11
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5-14Audio
! Channel scan
Press the “”side of the SEEK/SCAN
button to change the radio to the SCAN
mode. In this mode, the radio scans
through the channel until a station is
found. The radio will stop at the station
for 5 seconds while displaying the channel
number, after which scanning will continue
until the entire channel has been scanned
from the low end to the high end.
Press the “
”side of the button again to
cancel the SCAN mode and to stop on any
displayed channel. &
Channel preset
! How to preset channels
1. Press the “SAT ”button to select XM1,
XM2 and XM3 reception.
2. Press the SEEK/SCAN button or the
TUNE TRACK button to select the chan-nel.
3. Press one of the preset buttons for
more than 1.5 seconds to store the
channel. If the button is pressed for less
than 1.5 seconds, the preceding selection
will remain in memory.
NOTE
If the connection between the radio and
battery is broken for any reason such
as vehicle maintenance or radio re-
moval, all channels stored in the preset
buttons are cleared. If this occurs, it is
necessary to reset the preset buttons. !
Selecting preset channels
Presetting a channel with a preset button
allows you to select that channel in a
single operation. Up to six XM1, XM2 and
XM3 channels each may be preset.