SUBARU LEGACY 2017 6.G Owners Manual
Manufacturer: SUBARU, Model Year: 2017, Model line: LEGACY, Model: SUBARU LEGACY 2017 6.GPages: 610
Page 451 of 610

Driving tips/Winter driving
select lever back and forth between“1 ”/
“D ”and “R”repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
. When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and CVT). For
CVT models, refer to “Selection of manual
mode ”F 7-29.
! After driving
. Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
. After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. .
Wash the vehicle’ s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.Winter driving
& Operation during cold
weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand,
flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle.
8-8
Page 452 of 610

SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the following
table.
Washer Fluid Con-centration Freezing Temperature
30% 10.4 8F( −12 8C)
50% −48F( −20 8C)
100% −49
8F( −45 8C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
thepipingistoolowfortheoutside
temperature, it may freeze and block the
nozzles.
CAUTION
. Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out- side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.
. State or local regulations on
volatile organic compounds may
restrict the use of methanol, a
common windshield washer anti-
freeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol anti-
freeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging
your vehicle ’s paint, wiper blades
or washer system.
! Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and
driving dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before
driving, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has
accumulated under the fenders to avoid
making steering difficult. During severe winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically.
!
Parking in cold weather
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
CAUTION
.Do not use the parking brake
when parking for long periods in
cold weather since it could freeze
in that position.
. When the vehicle is parked in
snow or when it snows, raise the
wiper blades off the glass to
prevent damage to them.
. Under either of the following
conditions, icing may develop
on the brake system, which could
cause poor braking action.
– When the vehicle has been left
parked after use on roads
heavily covered with snow
Driving tips/Winter driving
–CONTINUED –8-9
Page 453 of 610

Driving tips/Winter driving
–When the vehicle has been left
parked during a snowstorm
Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc brakes and
brake hoses underneath the ve-
hicle. If there is caked snow or
ice, remove it, being careful not
to damage the disc brakes and
brake hoses and ABS harness.
When parking for long periods in cold
weather, you should observe the following
tips.
1. For MT models, place the shift lever in
the “1”or “R”position. For CVT models,
place the select lever in the “P”position.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
! Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically
designed for this purpose. When an
antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used
for an extended period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capacity.
&
Driving on snowy and icy
roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine ’sintakesystemandmay
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.) Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle
’s braking perfor-
manceonsnowyandicyroads.For
information about braking on slippery
surfaces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-33 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-35.
! Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blade rubbers are not frozen to
the windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blade rubbers are frozen to the
windshield or rear window, perform the
following procedure.
. To thaw the windshield wiper blade
rubbers, use the defroster with the airflow
selection in “
”and the temperature set
for maximum warmth until the wiper blade
rubbers are completely thawed. Refer to
“Climate control ”F 4-1.
. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper
deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blade rubbers. Refer to
“Defogger and deicer ”F 3-61.
. To thaw the rear wiper blade rubbers,
use the rear window defogger. Refer to
“Defogger and deicer ”F 3-61.
8-10
Page 454 of 610

When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow selection in“
”and the
temperature set for maximum warmth.
After the windshield gets warmed enough
to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away
using the windshield washer. Refer to
“ Windshield washer ”F 3-59.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
Refer to “Hazard warning flasher ”F 3-8.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and freez-
ing temperatures. Blades of this type give
superior wiping performance in snowy
conditions. Be sure to use blades that
are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
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.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
& Corrosion protection
Refer to “Corrosion protection ”F 10-4.
& Snow tires
WARNING
. When replacing or installing win-
ter tire(s), all four tires must be
the same for the following items.
(a) Size
(b) Circumference
(c) Speed symbol
(d) Load index
(e) Construction
(f) Manufacturer (g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degrees of wear
For items (a) to (d), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
driver
’s door pillar.
If all four tires are not the same in
items (a) to (h), it may lead to
serious mechanical damage to
the drive train of your car and
affect the following factors.
— Ride
— Handling
— Braking
— Speedometer/Odometer
calibration
— Clearance between the body
and the tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
. Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.
Driving tips/Winter driving
–CONTINUED –8-11
Page 455 of 610

Driving tips/Winter driving
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 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
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 your
vehicle.& Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on your
vehicle because of the lack of
clearance between the tires and
vehicle body.
NOTE
When tire chains cannot be used, use
of another type of traction device (such
as spring chains) may be acceptable if
use on your vehicle is recommended
by the device manufacturer, taking into
account tire size and road conditions.
Follow the device manufacturer ’s in-
structions, especially regarding max-
imum vehicle speed.
To help avoid damage to your vehicle,
drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle,
and do not spin your wheels. Damage
caused to your vehicle by use of a
traction device is not covered under
warranty.
Make certain that any traction device
you use is an SAE class S device, and
use it on the front wheels only. Always
use the utmost care when driving with
a traction device. Overconfidence be- cause you are using a traction device
could easily lead to a serious accident.
&
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the shift
lever/select lever back and forth between
“1”/“D ”and “R ”repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (for MT and CVT).
For information on holding the transmis-
sion in 2nd position, refer to “Selection of
manual mode ”F 7-29.
8-12
Page 456 of 610

Loading your vehicle
WARNING
Never allow passengers to ride on a
folded rear seatback, in the trunk or
in the cargo area. Doing so may
result in serious injury.
WARNING
.Never stack luggage or other
cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble
forward and injure passengers in
the event of a sudden stop or
accident. Keep luggage or cargo
low, as close to the floor as possible.
. When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
. Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle ’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
. Secure long items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
. Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal
injury. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle. .
Do not place anything on the rear
shelf behind the rear seatback
(Legacy) or the extended cargo
area cover (Outback –if
equipped). Such items could
tumble forward in the event of a
sudden stop or a collision. This
could cause serious injury.
CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.
Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
–CONTINUED –8-13
Page 457 of 610

Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
&Vehicle capacity weight
The load capacity of your vehicle is
determined by weight, not by available
cargo space. The maximum load you can
carry in your vehicle is shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the driver ’s side door pillar. It includes the total weight
of the driver and all passengers and their
belongings, any optional equipment such
as a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier,
etc., and the tongue load of a trailer.
&
GVWR and GAWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)
Certification label
The certification label attached to the
driver ’s side door shows GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR (Gross
Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must
never exceed the GVWR. GVW is the
combined total of weight of the vehicle,
fuel, driver, all passengers, luggage, any
optional equipment and trailer tongue load. Therefore, the GVW changes de-
pending on the situation.
In addition, the total weight applied to
each axle (GAW) must never exceed the
GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
adjusted by relocating luggage inside the
vehicle.
Even if the total weight of your luggage is
lower than the vehicle capacity weight,
either front or rear GAW may exceed the
GAWR, depending on the distribution of
the luggage.
When possible, the load should be evenly
distributed throughout the vehicle.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you
should confirm that GVW and front and
rear GAWs are within the GVWR and
GAWR by putting your vehicle on a
vehicle scale, found at a commercial
weighing station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower
load range than the originals because they
may lower the GVWR and GAWR limita-
tions. Replacement tires with a higher load
range than the originals do not increase
the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
8-14
Page 458 of 610

&Roof rack (Outback –if
equipped)
CAUTION
. For cargo carrying purposes, the
roof rail must be used together
with the roof rack. The roof rail
must never be used alone to
carry cargo. Otherwise, damage
to the roof or paint or a danger-
ous road hazard due to loss of
cargo could result.
. When using the roof rack, make
sure that the total weight of the
roof rack, carrying attachments
and cargo does not exceed the
maximum load limit. Overloading
may cause damage to the vehicle and create a safety hazard.
Cargo can be carried on the roof after
securing the roof rack to the roof. When
installing the roof rack on the roof, follow
the manufacturer ’s instructions.
The maximum load limit of the cargo, roof
rack and carrying attachments must not
exceed 176 lbs (80 kg) .Placethe
heaviest load at the bottom, nearest the
roof, and evenly distribute the cargo.
Always properly secure all cargo.
! Installing carrying attachments on
the roof rack
When installing any carrying attachments
such as a bike carrier, ski carrier, kayak
carrier, cargo basket, etc. on the roof rack,
follow the manufacturer ’s instructions and
make sure that the attachments are
securely fixed to the roof rack. Use only
attachments designed specifically for the
roof rack. A roof rack set is designed to
carry loads (cargo and attachments) of not
more than 165 lbs (75 kg) . Before
operating the vehicle, make sure that the
cargo is properly secured on the attach-
ments.
NOTE
Remember that the vehicle ’s center of
gravity is altered with the weight of the load on the roof, thus affecting the
driving characteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard
cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind
effects will be increased.
&
Roof rails with integrated
crossbars (Outback –if
equipped)
1) Integrated crossbars
CAUTION
. For cargo carrying purposes, the
bars must be used as crossbars
and be used together with the
genuine SUBARU carrying at-
tachment. The bars must never
Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
–CONTINUED –8-15
Page 459 of 610

Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
be used alone to carry cargo.
Otherwise, damage to the roof or
paint or a dangerous road hazard
due to loss of cargo could result.
. When using the bars as cross-
bars, make sure that the total
weight of the carrying attach-
ment and cargo does not exceed
the 150 lbs (67.5 kg). Overloading
may cause damage to the vehicle
and create a safety hazard.
The bars can be used as crossbars.
Cargo can be carried after setting the
bars as crossbars and installing the
genuine SUBARU carrying attachment.
When you carry cargo on the roof using
the crossbars and a carrying attachment,
never exceed the maximum load limit
explained in the following. You should
also be careful that your vehicle does not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) and front and rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). For information
on loading cargo into or onto your vehicle,
refer to “Loading your vehicle” F8-13. The
maximum load limit of the cargo and
carrying attachment must not exceed the
allowable load limit described in the Own-
er ’s Manual of a genuine SUBARU carry-
ing attachment. Place the heaviest load at
the bottom, nearest the roof, and evenly distribute the cargo. Always properly
secure all cargo.
!
Installing carrying attachments on
the crossbars
When installing any carrying attachment
such as a bike carrier, ski carrier, kayak
carrier, cargo basket, etc. on the cross-
bars, follow the manufacturer ’s instruc-
tions and make sure that the attachment is
securely fixed to the crossbars. Use only
attachments designed specifically for the
crossbars. A set of the crossbars is
designed to carry loads (cargo and attach-
ment) of not more than 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
Before operating the vehicle, make sure
that the cargo is properly secured on the
attachment.
NOTE
. Remember that the vehicle ’s center
of gravity is altered with the weight of
the load on the roof, thus affecting the
driving characteristics. Drive carefully,
avoid rapid starts, hard cornering and
abrupt stops. Crosswind effects will be
increased.
. Restore the bars to the original
position when the bars are not used
as crossbars. !
How to use as crossbars
CAUTION
.Do not raise the bar higher than
necessary. The base of the bar
may be damaged.
. Be careful not to contact the bars
while sliding them. Otherwise,
the bars may be scratched or
the latch portions may be da-
maged.
. Do not slide the bar more than
necessary when sliding the bar.
The base of the bar may be
damaged.
. Do not allow the bar to fall on or
contact the roof panel or the
moonroof when sliding the bar.
Otherwise the roof panel may be
dented or the glass of the moon-
roof may be damaged.
8-16
Page 460 of 610

1. Pull out the integrated crossbars from
the roof rail holders by pulling up the
covers.
2. Slide the bars in the direction shown in
the illustration.
3. Install the bars into the holders.
4. Make sure that the latches are fitted
securely.!How to change the position of the
crossbar
WARNING
Carefully read the warning label
attached to the roof rail.
You can change the position of the rear
crossbar. To change the position, perform
the following procedure.
1. Take out the torque wrench from the
under-floor storage compartment.
2. Remove the cap of the roof rail holder
by using the torque wrench.
3. Remove the bolt of the crossbar by
using the torque wrench.
Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
–CONTINUED –8-17