warning light SUBARU OUTBACK 2005 4.G Service Manual

7-9
Starting and operating
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jacked off the ground, nor should the driveshaft be dis-
connected for state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for inspecting the On-
Board Diagnostic (OBD) system as part of the state
emissions inspection. The OBD system is designed to
detect engine and transmission problems that might
cause vehicle emissions to exceed allowable limits.
These inspections apply to all 1996 model year and
newer passenger cars and light trucks. About 30
states plus the District of Columbia have implemented
the OBD system inspection. "The inspection of the OBD system consists of a vi-
sual operational check of the “ CHECK ENGINE” warn-
ing light/malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and an ex-
amination of the OBD system with an electronic scan
tool while the engine is running. " A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if
proper the “ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illumi-
nation is observed, there is no stored diagnostic trou-
ble codes, and the OBD system readiness monitors
are complete. " A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “ CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is not properly operating
or there is one or more diagnostic trouble codes stored
in vehicle’s computer with the “ CHECK ENGINE”
warning light/MIL illuminated. "
A state emission inspection may reject (not pass or
fail) a vehicle if the number of OBD system readiness monitors “ Not Ready ” is greater than three. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be instructed to
drive his/her vehicle for a few days to set the monitors
and return for an emission re-inspection. " Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should contact
their SUBARU Dealer for service.

7-10
Starting and operating
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjust-
ments every day before you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are
clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of the tires.
Also check tires for proper inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear gate are fullyclosed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mir-rors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passengers
have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator
lights when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po- sition.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights af-
ter starting the engine.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer flu-
id and other fluid levels should be checked daily,
weekly or at fuel stops.
Starting the engine
Do not operate the starter motor continuously
for more than ten seconds. If the engine fails to
start after operating the starter for five to ten
seconds, wait for ten seconds or more before
trying again.
! Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the shift
lever into neutral.
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor while starting the en-
gine. The starter motor will only operate when the
clutch pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicator lights.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started.

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Starting and operating
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If the engine does not start, try the following:
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and
wait for at least 10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the ignition switch to
the “START” position while depressing the acceler-
ator pedal slightly (about a quarter of the full stroke).
Release the accelerator pedal as soon as the en-
gine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch back to the “OFF” position and wait for at
least 10 seconds. Then fully depress the accelerator
pedal and turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position. If the engine starts, quickly release the ac-
celerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch again to the “OFF” position. After waiting for
10 seconds or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, contact your
nearest SUBARU dealer for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have
gone off after the engine has started. The fuel injection
system automatically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up. !
Automatic transmission vehicle
If you restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift the selector lever into the “N” po-
sition. Do not attempt to place the selector lever
of a moving vehicle into the “P” position.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N” position
(preferably “P” position). The starter will only operate
when the select lever is at the “P” or “N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicator lights.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the following: 1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and
wait for at least 10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the ignition switch to
the “START” position while depressing the acceler-
ator pedal slightly (about a quarter of the full stroke).

7-12
Starting and operating
Release the accelerator pedal as soon as the en-
gine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch back to the “OFF” position and wait for at
least 10 seconds. Then fully depress the accelerator
pedal and turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position. If the engine starts, quickly release the ac-
celerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch again to the “OFF” position. After waiting for
10 seconds or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, contact your
nearest SUBARU dealer for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have
gone out after the engine has started. The fuel injec-
tion system automatically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make sure that the
selector lever is at the “P” or “N” position and that the
parking brake is applied.Stopping the engine
Do not stop the engine when the vehicle is mov-
ing. This will cause loss of power to the power
steering and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It could also re-
sult in accidental activation of the “LOCK” po-
sition on the ignition switch, causing the steer-
ing wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off only when the
engine is idling.

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Starting and operating
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goes off.
Gearshifts can be performed using the selector lever.
Using the selector lever
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly pushing the se-
lector lever toward the “+” end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly pulling the selec-
tor lever toward the “–” end of the manual gate.
NOTE
Please read the following points carefully and bear
them in mind when using the manual mode. "Automatic gearshifts do not take place in the
manual mode. Perform gearshifts in accordance
with road conditions so that the tachometer nee- dle does not enter the red zone. If the engine
speed reaches a predetermined level, a fuel-cut
function will operate. Shift up if this happens. "
If you attempt to shift down when the engine
speed is too high, i.e., when a downshift would
push the tachometer needle beyond the red zone,
beeps will be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible." If you attempt to shift up when the vehicle speed
is too low, the transmission will not respond." You can perform a skip-shift (for example, from
4th to 2nd) by operating the selector lever twice in
rapid succession. " The transmission automatically selects 1st gear
when the vehicle stops moving. " If the temperature of the automatic transmission
fluid becomes too high, the “AT OIL TEMP” warn-
ing light will come on and upshifts to 4th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and let the engine idle until the warning
light goes off. ! Maximum speeds
When down shifting, ensure that the vehicle is
UB7206BA

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Starting and operating
If you subsequently ease off the accelerator pedal and
then accelerate again, the transmission will automati-
cally switch back from manual mode to normal mode.
NOTE
Please read the following points carefully and bear
them in mind when using the manual mode. "
When the temperature of the automatic trans-
mission fluid is higher than normal, warning
beeps are emitted and the shift position indicator
shows “–”. If these warnings are issued, deselect
the manual mode to protect the automatic trans-
mission from damage. " When the temperature of the engine oil is higher
than normal, warning beeps are emitted and the
shift position indicator shows “–”. If these warn-
ings are issued, deselect the manual mode to pro-
tect the engine from damage. (3.0-liter models
only) " Automatic gearshifts do not take place in the
manual mode. Perform gearshifts in accordance
with road conditions so that the tachometer nee-
dle does not enter the red zone. If the engine
speed reaches a predetermined level, a fuel-cut
function will operate. Shift up if this happens. " If you attempt to shift down when the engine
speed is too high, i.e., when a downshift would
push the tachometer needle beyond the red zone, beeps will be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible."
If you attempt to shift up when the vehicle speed
is too low, the transmission will not respond." You can perform a skip-shift (for example, from
4th to 2nd) by operating the selector lever or a
steering-wheel switch twice in rapid succession. " The transmission automatically selects 1st gear
when the vehicle stops moving. " If the temperature of the automatic transmission
fluid becomes too high, the “AT OIL TEMP” warn-
ing light will come on and upshifts to 5th gear will
not be possible. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and let the engine idle until the warning
light goes off. ! Maximum speeds
When down shifting, ensure that the vehicle is
not travelling at a speed exceeding the Maxi-
mum Allowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-revving and
this in turn can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine brak-

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Starting and operating
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The ABS system prevents the lock-up of wheels which
may occur during sudden braking or braking on slip-
pery road surfaces. This helps prevent the loss of
steering control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you may hear a
chattering noise or feel a slight vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). !ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine com-
partment just after the vehicle is started. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS sys-
tem being carried out and does not indicate any abnor-
mal condition. !
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after
about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
If the warning light behaves as follows, the ABS
system may not be working properly.
When the warning light is on, the ABS function
shuts down; however, the conventional brake
system continues to operate normally.
UB7507PA

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Starting and operating
"
The warning light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position. " The warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, but it
does not go out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). " The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by your SUBARU
dealer.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described be-
low, the ABS system may be considered normal. " The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off. " The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the vehicle
speed reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h). " The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such
as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning
light may come on. This is due to the low battery volt- age and does not indicate a malfunction. When the
battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out.

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Starting and operating
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Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effectiveness of the
brakes by allowing the rear brakes to supply a greater
proportion of the braking force. It functions by adjust-
ing the distribution of braking force to the rear wheels
in accordance with the vehicle’s loading condition and
speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the ABS system
and uses some of the ABS system’s components to
perform its function of optimizing the distribution of
braking force. If any of the ABS components used by
the EBD function fails, the EBD system also stops
working.
When the EBD system is operating, you may hear a
chattering noise or feel a slight vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal and does not indicate a malfunc- tion. !
Steps to take if EBD system fails
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system, the system
stops working and the brake system warning light and
ABS warning light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light illuminate simulta-
neously during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conventional braking
system will still function. However, the rear wheels will
be more prone to locking when the brakes are applied
harder than usual and the vehicle’s motion may there-
fore become somewhat harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS warning
UB7507QA

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Starting and operating
light illuminate simultaneously, take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both warning lights go
out, the EBD system may be faulty.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU dealer and
have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again and stay illu-
minated after the engine has been restarted, shut
down the engine again, apply the parking brake, and
check the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the “MIN” mark,
the EBD system may be faulty. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the system inspect-
ed.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “MIN” mark, DO
NOT drive the vehicle. Instead, have the vehicle towed
to the nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
"
Driving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake sys-
tem may not be working properly. If the light re-
mains on, have the brakes inspected by a SUB-
ARU dealer immediately. " If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are operating properly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the nearest SUBA-
RU dealer for repair.