steering wheel SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owner's Manual

8-9
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
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. TOUTBACK
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, 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 conven-
tional 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: y Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seat belts. y Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and portable phone or citizens band radio. y Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain. y Slow down and employ extra caution at all times. When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit of
marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. y
Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther straight up or straight down the slopes. A vehicle
can much more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down slopes
that are too steep.y Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher
speeds. y Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure
your hands. Instead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.y If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and
the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and ensure
that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s under-
carriage. 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.
Never attempt to drive through rushing water; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover.

8-38
Driving tips
speed. You should also keep the following tips
in mind:
T Before starting out on a trip
y Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are appar-
ent, do not tow the trailer.y Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the trail-
er attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at the
front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then con-
firm that the load and its distribution are acceptable. y Check that the tire pressures are correct.
y Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that.
– the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connected properly
and trailer’s brake lights illuminate when the vehi-
cle’s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer’s
turn signal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn signal
lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected properly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot. y
Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of
the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out on a
trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping
and backing up. T Driving with a trailer
y You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking
because it may result in skidding or jackknifing and
loss of control.y Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution. y Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. y Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal turning radius because the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. y Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswinds
can be due to weather conditions or the passing of
large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the
steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradu-
ally. y When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and

8-39
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
y Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate
or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to the left
for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn. y If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal- er. T
Driving on grades
y Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts.y When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating.y When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all vehicles)
and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively prone to
overheating under these conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3. y If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an
uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an automat-
ic transmission, avoid driving with the gear selector le-
ver in “D” when towing a heavy trailer to prevent fluid
1 2
HS8023BB

9-28
In case of emergency
„
Towing with all wheels on the ground
yNever turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction of
the wheels will be locked.y Remember that the brake booster and power
steering do not function when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is turned off, it will
take greater effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
y If transmission failure occurs, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck. y Do not run the engine while being towed us-
ing this method. Transmission damage could
result if the vehicle is towed with the engine
running. y For vehicles with automatic transmission,
the traveling speed must be limited to less than
20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling distance to
less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds
and distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-
sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position
while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.UB8010AA

11 -4 7
2Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
of vehicle control could lead to an accident.
„ Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced when your vehicle
was new, but the wheels will become unbalanced as
the tires become worn during use. Wheel imbalance
causes the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at certain
vehicle speeds and detracts from the vehicle’s
straight-line stability. It can also cause steering and
suspension system problems and abnormal tire wear.
If you suspect that the wheels are not correctly bal-
anced, have them checked and adjusted by your
SUBARU dealer. Also have them adjusted after tire re-
pairs and after tire rotation.
NOTE
Loss of correct wheel alignment* causes the tires
to wear on one side and reduces the vehicle’s run-
ning stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer if you
notice abnormal tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold each wheel at
a certain alignment (relative to the other wheels and to the
road) for optimum straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance. „
Wear indicators
A) New tread
B) Worn tread
1) Tread wear indicator
Each tire incorporates a tread wear indicator, which
becomes visible when the depth of the tread grooves
decreases to 0.063 in (1.6 mm). A tire must be re-
placed when the tread wear indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
When a tire’s tread wear indicator becomes vis-
A 1B
HSB055BB

14-4
Index
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators
............7-31
Dome light ............................................................ 6-2, 11-76
Door locks ....................................................................... 2-3
Door open warning lights .........................................3-15
Drive belts ....................................................................... 11-26
Driving Drinking ..................................................................... 7
Drugs .......................................................................... 7
Foreign countries .................................................. 8-6
Car/Mobile phone .................................................. 8
Pets ............................................................................. 9
Tips ............................................. 7-14, 7-19, 7-28, 8-6
Tired or sleepy ........................................................ 8
Snowy and icy roads ............................................ 8-12
E
Electrical system .......................................................... 12-3
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ..................1-19
Engine
Compartment overview .......................................11-8
Coolant ...................................................................... 11-18
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ....................6, 8-3
Hood ........................................................................... 11-5
Oil ................................................................................. 11-11
Overheating ............................................................. 9-19
Starting ...................................................................... 7-10
Stopping .................................................................... 7-12Exterior care
................................................................... 10-2
F
Flat tires ............................................................................ 9-5
Floor mat .......................................................................... 6-21
Fluid level
Automatic transmission .......................................11-28
Brake ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. .. 1 1 -3 6
Clutch .......................................................................... 11-38
Power steering ........................................................ 11-35
Fog light switch ............................................................. 3-24
Folding down the rear seat .......................................1-14
Front Differential gear oil ................................................. 11-30
Fog light ..................................................................... 11-69
Seatbelt pretensioners ........................................1-34
Seats ........................................................................... 1-2
Turn signal light, parking light and
marker light ............................................................ 11-69
Front-wheel drive warning light ..............................3-15
Fuel .................................................................................... 7-2
Economy hints ......................................................... 8-2
Filler lid and cap ..................................................... 7-4
Gauge ......................................................................... 3-8
Requirements .......................................................... 7-2
Fuses ................................................................................. 11-59
Fuses and circuits ........................................................ 12-6

14-8
Index
SRS side airbag
........................................................... 1-70
Starting the engine ...................................................... 7-10
State emission testing (U.S. only) ........................7-7
Stopping the engine ................................................... 7-12
Storage compartments .............................................. 6-5
Subfloor storage .......................................................... 6-25
Sun visors ....................................................................... 6-4
Sun shades .................................................................... 2-36
Supplemental Restraint System airbag (SRS) 1-62
Synthetic leather upholstery ...................................10-7
T
Tachometer .................................................................... 3-8
Temperature gauge .................................................... 3-9
Temporary spare tire ................................................. 9-3
Tie-down hooks ............................................................ 9-21
Tilt steering wheel ....................................................... 3-35
Tire
Chains ........................................................................ 8-15
Inspection ................................................................. 11-44
Pressures and wear ............................................. 11-44
Replacement ........................................................... 11-48
Rotation ..................................................................... 11-48
Tires .................................................................................. 12-5
Types .......................................................................... 11-43
Tires and wheels ......................................................... 11-43
Top tether anchorages .............................................. 1-52Towing
.............................................................................. 9-20
All wheels on the ground ....................................9-28
Flat-bed truck ........................................................... 9-27
Trailer
Hitch ............................................................................. 8-25
Hitches ........................................................................ 8-34
Towing ........................................................................ 8-28
Towing tips ................................................................ 8-37
Trunk lid ............................................................................ 2-26
Release handle ....................................................... 2-28
Trunk light ........................................................................ 11-79
Turn signal Indicator lights ......................................................... 3-17
Lever ............................................................................ 3-21
V
Valet mode ...................................................................... 2-18
Vanity mirror ................................................................... 6-5
VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control)
OFF switch ................................................................ 7-38
OFF indicator light ................................................. 3-16
Operation indicator light .....................................3-15
System ........................................................................ 7-34
Warning light ............................................................ 3-13
Vehicle
Capacity weight ...................................................... 8-18
Identification ............................................................. 12-13