cooling SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owners Manual

4-7
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
ON position (Recirculation): Interior air is recirculat-
ed inside the vehicle. Push the air inlet selection but-
ton to the ON position. The indicator light will come on.
Push the air inlet selection button to the ON position
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or when driving
on a dusty road.
OFF position (Outside Air): Outside air is drawn into
the passenger compartment. Push the air inlet selec-
tion button again to the OFF position. The indicator
light will go off.
Push the air inlet selection button to the OFF position
when the interior has cooled to a comfortable temper-
ature and the road is no longer dusty. „
Heater operation
T Defrosting or defogging the windshield
To direct warm air to the windshield and front door win-
dows:
1. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ” position.
2. Turn the temperature control dial all the way to the right.
3. Set the fan speed control dial to the highest speed.
NOTE
Warm air also comes out from the right and left air
outlets. To stop warm air flow from these outlets,
turn the corresponding thumb-wheel to the
UB5011AA

4-10
Climate control
1. Set the air inlet selection button to the “OFF” posi- tion.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ” position.
3. Set the temperature control dial all the way left.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the desired speed.
When driving on a dusty road, set the air inlet control
lever to the “ON” position. „
Air conditioner operation
T Cooling or dehumidifying
1) ON position
For cooling and dehumidification of the passenger compartment, performing the following steps will allow
air to flow through the instrument panel outlets:
1. Set the air inlet selection button to the “OFF” posi- tion.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ” position.
3. Set the air conditioner button to the “ON” position.
4. Set the temperature control dial to the blue area.
5. Set the fan speed control dial at the highest speed. T
Defrosting or defogging
1) ON position
To direct warm air to the windshield and front door win-
dows:
1. Set the air outlet control dial to the “ ” position.
1UB5016BB
1UB5011BB

4-11
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
2. Set the temperature control dial to the red area.
3. Set the fan speed control dial at the highest speed. Automatic climate control system (if
equipped)
NOTE y
Operate the automatic climate control system
when the engine is running. y When the engine coolant is cold, for instance in
cold weather, the air flows through the windshield
defroster outlets and the blower runs at the lowest
speed to prevent cold air from blowing directly
against the driver and front passenger.y In the “AUTO” mode, if the air temperature in the
passenger compartment is cooled down to the
specified temperature, the air conditioner com-
pressor stops automatically. For efficient defog-
ging or dehumidifying in cold weather, press the
“A/C” switch on.y Even when cooling is not necessary, setting the
temperature much lower than the current outlet air
temperature turns on the air conditioner compres-
sor automatically and the “A/C” indicator light on
the control panel comes on.
The automatic climate control system automatically
controls outlet air temperature, fan speed, air flow dis-
tribution air-inlet control, and air conditioner compres-
sor operation. It activates when the “AUTO” switch is

4-16
Climate control
(Heat-def): Air flows through the windshield de-
froster outlets and foot outlet.
NOTE
When the “ ” mode is selected, the air condi-
tioner compressor operates automatically regard-
less of the position of the air conditioner button to
defog the windshield quickly. At the same time,
the air inlet selection is automatically set to “” mode.
Even with this mode selected, you can turn the air
conditioner ON/OFF and select interior air recircu-
lation or outside air introduction as desired. T Air inlet selection switch
Continued operation in the “ ” position
may fog up the windows. Switch to the
“ ” position as soon as the outside
dusty condition clears. A) Outside air is drawn into the passenger’s compart-
ment.
B) Interior air recirculates inside the passenger’s com- partment.
1) Air inlet selection switch
Select the air inlet by pushing the air inlet selection switch. : Interior air recirculates inside the passenger’s
compartment. Use this position when quickly warming
up the passenger compartment or cooling it down or
when preventing outside air from entering the passen-
ger compartment from the outside air. The indicator
light “ ” on the control panel comes on when
AB
1
UB4032BB

4-17
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
this switch is pushed.
: Outside air is drawn into the passenger com-
partment. When the air conditioning system is operat-
ed in the “AUTO” mode, this position is selected auto-
matically. The indicator light “ ” on the control
panel comes on when this switch is pushed. T Temperature control dial
1) Temperature control dial
NOTE
The temperature setting remains even after the ig-
nition switch is turned to the “OFF”. However, if
the battery cables are disconnected, the tempera- ture will be set to 77
°F (25 °C) automatically.
Set desired temperature by turning the temperature
control dial; turn the dial clockwise to raise the temper-
ature setting and turn it counterclockwise to lower it.
The temperature can be set in increments of 1 °F with-
in a range of 65 to 85 °F for US models and in incre-
ments of 0.5 °C within a range of 18 to 32 °C for Cana-
dian models.
Even when quick cooling or warming is necessary,
you do not have to change the temperature setting.
The Automatic Climate Control system operates at
maximum performance until the air in the passenger
compartment reaches to the specified temperature.
1UB4033BB

4-19
Climate control
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grille)
– In-vehicle temperature sensor (beside the tempera-ture control dial.)
– Ambient sensor (at the under side of the bumper) Operating tips for heater and air con-
ditioner „
Cleaning ventilator grille
1) Ventilator inlet grill
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille free of
snow, leaves, or other obstructions to ensure efficient
heating and defrosting. Since the condenser is located
in front of the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired by any ac-
cumulation of insects and leaves on the condenser.
1
UB5019BC

4-20
Climate control
„
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with the windows
open for a few minutes to allow outside air to circulate
into the heated interior. This results in quicker cooling
by the air conditioner. Keep the windows closed during
the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool- ing efficiency. „ Lubrication oil circulation in the refrig-
erant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low en-
gine speed (at idle or low driving speeds) a few min-
utes each month during the off-season to circulate its
oil. „ Checking air conditioning system be-
fore summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks,
hose conditions, and proper operation each spring.
This check is best performed by your SUBARU dealer. „
Cooling and dehumidifying in high hu-
midity and low temperature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humid-
ity, low temperatures, etc.) a small amount of water
vapor emission from the air outlets may be noticed.
This condition is normal and does not indicate any
problem with the air conditioning system. „ Air conditioner compressor shut-off
when engine is heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air con-
ditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off
during air conditioner operation whenever the acceler-
ator is fully depressed such as during rapid accerela-
tion or when driving on a steep upgrade. „ Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, the method of adding, changing
or checking the refrigerant is different from the method
for CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU dealer for
service. Repairs needed as a result of using the wrong
refrigerant are not covered under warranty.

9-16
In case of emergency
Do not jump start unless cables in suitable con-
dition are available.y
A running engine can be dangerous. Keep
your fingers, hands, clothing, hair and tools
away from the cooling fan, belts and any other
moving engine parts. Removing rings, watches
and ties is advisable.
When your vehicle does not start due to a run down
(discharged) battery, the vehicle may be jump started
by connecting your battery to another battery (called
the booster battery) with jumper cables.
Jump starting is dangerous if it done incorrectly. If you
are unsure about the proper procedure for jump start-
ing, consult a competent mechanic. „ How to jump start
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12 volts and the
negative terminal is grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do not let
the two vehicles touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary lights and accessories.
4. Connect the jumper cables exactly in the sequence
illustrated.

9-20
In case of emergency
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If the fan is not
turning, immediately turn the engine off and contact
your authorized dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature has dropped,
turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the overheated
zone, turn the engine off.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down, check the
coolant level in the reserve tank.
If the coolant level is below the “MIN” mark, add cool-
ant up to the “MAX” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve tank, add cool-
ant to the reserve tank. Then remove the radiator cap
and fill the radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot radiator, first
wrap a thick cloth around the radiator cap, then turn
the cap counterclockwise slowly without pressing
down until it stops. Release the pressure from the ra-
diator. After the pressure has been fully released, re-
move the cap by pressing down and turning it.Towing
Never tow AWD vehicles (both AT and MT) with
the front wheels raised off the ground while the
rear wheels are on the ground, or with the rear
wheels raised off the ground while the front
wheels are on the ground. This will cause the
vehicle to spin away due to the operation or de-
terioration of the center differential.
If towing is necessary, it is best done by your SUBARU
UG9013BA

11 - 1
11
Maintenance and service
Ma inte nan ce sche du le .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... 11-3
Ma in te nan ce precau tio ns ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... 11-3
B ef ore checki ng o r servicing in th e e ngi ne
c o m part ment ..... ..................... ..................... ... 11-4
W hen y ou do c h ecking or servic ing in t h e
e ngi ne c omp artme nt while the engi ne is
r u nn ing ............... ..................... ..................... ... 11-5
En gine ho od .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... 11-5
Engine compartment overview ................... 11-8 2.5 liter models .................................................. 11-8
2.5 liter CALIFORNIA spec models ................. 11-9
3.0 liter models .................................................. 11-10
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-11 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-11
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-12
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-15
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-16
Cooling system ............................................. 11-17 Hose and connections ...................................... 11-18
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-18
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-22 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-22
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-25 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-25
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-26 2.5 liter models .................................................. 11-26
3.0 liter models .................................................. 11-26
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-27 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-27 Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-27
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-28 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-28
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-30
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-30 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-30
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-31
Rear differential gear oil ............................... 11-32 Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-32
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-34
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-35 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-35
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-36
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-36 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-36
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-37
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-38 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-38
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-38
Brake booster ................................................ 11-39
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-39 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-39
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-40
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles) ............... 11-40Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-40
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-41
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-41 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .... 11-42