battery SUBARU OUTBACK 2008 4.G User Guide

2-26Keys and doors
Rear gate (Station wagon)
The rear gate can be locked and unlocked
using either the keyless entry system or
the power door locking switch.
Refer to the “Power door locking switches ”
and “Remote keyless entry system ”sec-
tion in this chapter.
To open the rear gate, first unlock the rear
gate lock then pull the outside handle up.
To close the rear gate, lower it slowly and
push down firmly until the latch engages.
The rear gate can be lowered easily if you
pull it down holding the recessed grip.
WARNING
. To prevent dangerous exhaust
gas from entering the vehicle,
always keep the rear gate closed
while driving.
. Do not attempt to shut the rear
gate while holding the recessed
grip. Also avoid closing the rear
gate by pulling on the recessed
grip from inside the cargo space.
There is a danger of your hand
being caught and injured.
CAUTION
. Do not jam a plastic bag in or
place cellophane tape on the rear
gate stays or scratch the stays
while loading or unloading cargo.
That could cause leakage of gas
from the stays, which may result
in their inability to hold the rear
gate open.
. Be careful not to hit your head or
face on the rear gate when open-
ing or closing the rear gate and
when loading or unloading car-go.
NOTE
Should the rear gate be unable to be
unlocked due to a discharged battery, a
fault in the door locking/unlocking
system or other causes, you can
unlock it by manually operating the
rear gate lock release lever.
For the procedure, refer to “Rear gate
(Station wagon) –if the rear gate
cannot be unlocked ”section in chapter
9.

Ignition switch
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
“ LOCK ”while the vehicle is
being driven or towed because
that will lock the steering wheel,
preventing steering control. And
when the engine is turned off, it
takes a much greater effort than
usual to steer.
. Before leaving the vehicle, al-
ways remove the key from the
ignition switch for safety and
never allow an unattended child
to remain in the vehicle. Failure
to follow this procedure could
result in injury to a child or
others. Children could operate
the power windows, the sunroof
or other controls or even make
the vehicle move.
CAUTION
Do not attach a large key holder or
key case to either key. If it banged
against your knees or hands while
you were driving, it could turn the
ignition switch from the “ON ”posi- tion to the
“Acc ”or “LOCK ”posi-
tion, thereby stopping the engine.
Also, if the key is attached to a
keyholder or to a large bunch of
other keys, centrifugal force may act
on it as the vehicle moves, resulting
in unwanted turning of the ignitionswitch.
The ignition switch has four positions:
LOCK, Acc, ON and START.
NOTE . Keep the ignition switch in the
“ LOCK ”position when the engine is
not running. . Using electrical accessories for a
long time with the ignition switch in the“ ON ”or “Acc ”position can cause the
battery to go dead. .
If the ignition switch will not move
from the “LOCK ”position to the “Acc ”
position, turn the steering wheel
slightly to the left and right as you turn
the ignition switch. & LOCK
The key can only be inserted or removed
in this position. The ignition switch will lock
the steering wheel when you remove the
key.
If turning the key is difficult, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the right and left
as you turn the key. ! Automatic transmission vehicles
The key can be turned from “Acc ”to
“ LOCK ”only when the selector lever is in
the “P ”position. Instruments and controls
3-3
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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
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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
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3-34Instruments and controls
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
CAUTION
The tire pressure monitoring system
is NOT a substitute for manually
checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked peri-
odically (at least monthly) using a
tire gauge. After any change to tire
pressure(s), the tire pressure mon-
itoring system will not re-check tire
inflation pressures until the vehicle
is first driven more than 20 mph (32
km/h). After adjusting the tire pres-
sures, increase the vehicle speed to
at least 20 mph (32 km/h) to start the
TPMS re-checking of the tire infla-
tion pressures. If the tire pressures
are now above the severe low
pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should go
off a few minutes later. Therefore, be
sure to install the specified size for the front and rear tires.
& ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and goes out after approximately
2 seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as
follows, the ABS system may not
work properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. . 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 tothe “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 dur-
ing driving. If any of these conditions occur,
have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by
your SUBARU dealer.
The ABS warning light comes on together
with the brake system warning light if the
EBD system becomes faulty. For further
details of the EBD system fault warning,
refer to “Brake system warning light ”.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as
described in the following, the ABS
system may be considered normal. . The warning light comes on right
after the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.. The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 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 voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.

&Journey time
The journey time shows the time that has
elapsed since the ignition switch was
turned to the “START ”position.
The journey time indication flashes each
time a complete hour has elapsed. If the display is giving an indication other than
the journey time, the display switches to
the journey time, flashes for 5 seconds,
and returns to its original indication each
time a complete hour has elapsed.
NOTE
The journey time is reset when the
ignition switch is turned to the “LOCK ”
position. It is also reset if the ignition
switch is turned to the “LOCK ”or
“ Acc ”position prior to restarting of
the engine. Light control switch
WARNING
To prevent battery discharge result-
ing from accidentally leaving your
lights on when your vehicle is
parked, the light switch operates
only when the ignition switch is in
the “ON ”position. In any other
position, the vehicle ’s lights will be
out.
If you park your vehicle on a road-
side at night, use the hazard warn-
ing flasher to alert the other drivers.
The light switch operates only when the
ignition switch is in the “ON ”position.
Instruments and controls
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3-48Instruments and controls
NOTE
When the control dial is turned fully
upward, the illumination brightness
becomes the maximum and the auto-
matic dimming function does not work
at all. Parking light switch
The parking light switch operates regard-
less of the ignition switch position.
By pushing the front end of this switch,
following lights will come on. –
Parking lights
– Front and rear side marker lights
– Tail lights
– License plate lights
To turn off, push the rear end of the
parking light switch.
Avoid leaving these lights on for a long
time because that will run down the
battery. Front fog light switch (if
equipped)
The front fog lights operate only when the
light switch is in the
“”position.
However, the front fog lights turn off when
the headlights are switched to high beam.
To turn on the front fog lights, turn the front
fog light switch on the turn signal lever
upward to the “
”position. To turn off the
front fog lights, turn the switch back down
to the “OFF ”position.

speed is low; shorter when the vehicle
speed is high).
When you subsequently move the selec-
tor lever of the automatic transmission tothe“R ”position, the rear wiper will switch
to continuous operation. When you move
the selector lever from the “R ”position to
some other position, the rear wiper will
return to intermittent operation. ! Washer
To wash the rear window while the rear
wiper is operating, turn the knob on the
end of the wiper control lever upward tothe “
”position. The washer fluid sprays
until you release the knob.
To wash the rear window when the rear
wiper is not in use, turn the knob on the
end of the wiper control lever downward tothe “
”position. The washer fluid sprays
and the wiper operates until you release
the knob. Windshield wiper deicer (if equipped)
The windshield wiper deicer operates only
when the ignition switch is in the
“ON ”
position.
Before turning on the windshield wiper
deicer, remove any snow from the wind-
shield. To turn on the windshield wiper
deicer, push the button. The indicator light
located on the button lights up while the
windshield wiper deicer is operating.
The windshield wiper deicer will automa-
tically shut off after approximately 15
minutes. If the windshield wiper blades
have been deiced completely before that
time, push the button to turn it off. It also
turns off when the ignition switch is turned to the
“Acc ”or “LOCK ”position. If deicing
is not complete, you have to push the
button to turn the deicer on again.
Your SUBARU dealer can set your wind-
shield wiper deicer for continuous opera-
tion. Contact your SUBARU dealer fordetails.
Once the windshield wiper deicer has
been set for continuous operation, press-
ing the button results in continuous opera-
tion. The windshield wiper deicer auto-
matically stops operating if any one of the
following conditions occurs during contin-
uous operation. . The outside temperature becomes
41 8F(5 8C) or higher.
. The vehicle speed remains at 9 mph
(15 km/h) or lower for 15 minutes.. The battery voltage decreases below
the permissible level. Instruments and controls
3-53

3-54Instruments and controls
Rear window defogger but- ton
Vehicle with manual climate control sys- tem
Vehicle with automatic climate control system
The rear window defogger operates only
when the ignition switch is in the “ON ”
position.
The rear window defogger button is
located on the climate control panel.
To turn on the defogger, push the button.
To turn it off, push the button again.
The indicator light located on the button
lights up while the rear window defogger isoperating.
The defogger will automatically shut off
after approximately 15 minutes. If the
window clears before that time, push the
button to turn it off. It also turns off when
the ignition switch is turned to the “Acc ”or
“ LOCK ”position. If defrosting or defogging is desired when you restart your vehicle,
you have to push the button to turn it onagain.
Your SUBARU dealer can set your rear
window defogger for continuous opera-
tion. Contact your SUBARU dealer fordetails.
Once the rear window defogger has been
set for continuous operation, the rear
window defogger repeatedly operates for
15 minutes, stops for two minutes, and
again operates for 15 minutes. If the
battery voltage drops below the permis-
sible level, continuous operation is can-
celed and operation stops as described in
the following. .
If the battery voltage drops below the
permissible level within 15 minutes of
depression of the button, continuous
operation is canceled and the rear window
defogger stops operating 15 minutes later. . If the battery voltage drops below the
permissible level after the rear window
defogger has, following depression of the
button, operated for 15 minutes, stopped
operating for two minutes, and started
operating again, the rear window defogger
immediately stops operating.

CAUTION
. Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaner containing abra-
sives to clean the inner surface
of the rear window. They may
damage the conductors printed
on the window.
. To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not operate the
defogger continuously for any
longer than necessary.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the
outside mirror defogger, the outside
mirror defogger operates while the rear
window defogger is operating. Mirrors
Always check that the inside and outside
mirrors are properly adjusted before you
start driving. &
Inside mirror
The inside mirror has a day and night
position. Pull the tab at the bottom of the
mirror toward you for the night position.
Push it away for the day position. The
night position reduces glare from head-lights. &
Auto-dimming mirror/com-
pass (if equipped)
1) Left button
2) Auto dimming indicator
3) Photosensor
4) Right button
The auto-dimming mirror/compass has an
anti-glare feature which automatically re-
duces glare coming from headlights of
vehicles behind you. It also contains a
built-in compass. . By pressing and releasing the left
button, the automatic dimming function is
toggled on or off. When the automatic
dimming function is on, the auto dimming
indicator light (green) located to the right
of the button will illuminate. . By pressing and releasing the right Instruments and controls
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