warning lights SUBARU OUTBACK 2008 4.G User Guide

&Brake system
warning light
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
This light has the following three functions: ! Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the“ ON ”position. It goes out when the
parking brake is fully released. ! Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN ”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON ”position and with the
parking brake fully released. If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in
“ON ”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN ”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have
the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair. ! Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also
illuminates if a malfunction occurs in the
EBD system. In that event, it comes on
together with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be faulty if the
brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional 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 vehi-cle ’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning 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 illuminated 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 systeminspected.
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.
& Low fuel warning light
The low fuel warning light comes on when
the tank is nearly empty approximately 2.6
US gal (10.0 liters, or 2.2 Imp gal). It only
operates when the ignition switch is in the“ON ”position. Instruments and controls
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3-40Instruments and controls
rapidly, the turn signal bulb may be burned
out. Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Refer to the “Replacing bulbs ”section in
chapter 11.
& High beam indicator light
This light shows that the headlights are in
the high beam mode.
This indicator light also comes on when
the headlight flasher is operated. &Cruise control indica-
tor light
The cruise control indicator light comes on
when the ignition switch is turned to the“ON ”position and goes out after approxi-
mately 3 seconds.
This light comes on when the “CRUISE ”
main switch is pressed. NOTE . If you move the cruise control lever
or press the main switch button while
turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the
cruise control function is deactivated
and the “CRUISE ”indicator light
flashes. To reactivate the cruise control
function, turn the ignition switch back
to the “Acc ”or “LOCK ”position, and
then turn it again to the “ON ”position. .
If this indicator light and the CHECK
ENGINE warning light/malfunction in-
dicator lamp flash simultaneously dur-
ing driving, have the vehicle checked
by your nearest SUBARU dealer. & Cruise control set in-
dicator light
The cruise control set indicator light
comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position and goes out
after approximately 3 seconds.
This light comes on when vehicle speed
has been set.
& Headlight indicator light
This indicator light comes on when the
light switch is turned to the “”position
(to turn on the parking lights) or to the “
” position (to turn on the headlights).
& Front fog light indicator light
This indicator light is on while the front fog
lights are on. Clock (Vehicle without Navi-
gation System) NOTE .
If your vehicle is a 2.5-liter non-turbo
model equipped with a navigation sys-
tem, refer to the separate “Operating
Instructions for Monitor System ”.
. If your vehicle is a turbo model or a
3.0-liter model equipped with a naviga-
tion system, refer to the “Clock (Vehicle
with Navigation System) ”in the multi-
information display (vehicle with SI-
DRIVE) section in this chapter.
The clock shows the time while the
ignition switch is in the “Acc ”or “ON ”
position.

&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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&Daytime running light system
WARNING
The brightness of the illumination of
the high beam headlights is reduced
by the daytime running light system.
The light switch must always be
turned to the “
”position when it
is dark outside.
The high beam headlights will automati-
cally come on at reduced brightness when
the engine has started, under the followingconditions: . The parking brake is fully released.
. The light switch is in the “OFF ”or “
”
position.
NOTE
When the light switch is in the “
”
position, the front side marker lights,
parking lights and license plate lights
are illuminated. Turn signal lever
To activate the right turn signal, push the
turn signal lever up. To activate the left
turn signal, push the turn signal lever
down. When the turn is finished, the lever
will return automatically. If the lever does
not return after cornering, return the lever
to the neutral position by hand.
To signal a lane change, push the turn
signal lever up or down slightly and hold it
during the lane change. The turn signal
indicator lights will flash in the direction of
the turn or lane change. The lever will
return automatically to the neutral position
when you release it.Illumination brightness con- trol
The brightness of clock display, audio, air
conditioner, information display and instru-
ment panel illumination dims when the
light switch is in the
“
”or “”
positions. You can adjust brightness of
the instrument panel illumination for better
visibility.
For turbo and 3.0-liter models, you can
also adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment panel illumination when the lighting
switch is in the OFF position.
To brighten, turn the control dial upward.
To darken, turn the control dial downward. Instruments and controls
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Vehicle with SI-DRIVE
Vehicle without SI-DRIVE
The indicator light located on the combi-
nation meter will illuminate when the front
fog lights are on. Wiper and washer
WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use the
windshield washer until the wind-
shield is sufficiently warmed by the
defroster.
Otherwise the washer fluid can
freeze on the windshield, blocking
your view.
CAUTION
. Do not operate the washer con-
tinuously for more than 10 sec-
onds, or when the washer fluid
tank is empty. This may cause
overheating of the washer motor.
Check the washer fluid level
frequently, such as at fuel stops.
. Do not operate the wipers when
the windshield or rear window is
dry. This may scratch the glass,
damage the wiper blades and
cause the wiper motor to burn
out. Before operating the wiper
on a dry windshield or rear
window, always use the wind-
shield washer. .
In freezing weather, be sure that
the wiper blades are not frozen to
the windshield or rear window
before switching on the wipers.
Attempting to operate the wiper
with the blades frozen to the
window glass could cause not
only the wiper blades to be
damaged but also the wiper mo-
tor to burn out. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the window
glass, be sure to operate the
defroster, wiper deicer (if
equipped) or rear window defog-
ger before turning on the wiper.
. If the wipers stop during opera-
tion because of ice or some other
obstruction on the window, the
wiper motor could burn out even
if the wiper switch is turned off. If
this occurs, promptly stop the
vehicle in a safe place, turn the
ignition switch to the “LOCK ”
position and clean the window
glass to allow proper wiper op-eration.
. Use clean water if windshield
washer fluid is unavailable. In
areas where water freezes in
winter, use SUBARU Windshield
Washer Fluid or the equivalent.
Refer to the “Windshield washer
Instruments and controls
3-49
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&Outside mirrors
! Convex mirror (Passenger side)
WARNING
Objects look smaller in a convex
mirror and farther away than when
viewed in a flat mirror. Do not use
the convex mirror to judge the
distance of vehicles behind you
when changing lanes. Use the inside
mirror (or glance backwards) to
determine the actual size and dis-
tance of objects that you view in
convex mirror.
! Remote control mirror switch
The remote control mirrors operate only when the ignition switch is in the
“ON ”or
“ Acc ”position.
1. Turn the knob to the “L ” side to adjust
the left-hand mirror or to the “R ” side to
adjust the right-hand mirror.
2. Move the knob in the direction you
want to move the mirror.
3. Return the knob to the neutral position
to prevent unintentional operation.
The mirrors can also be adjusted manu-
ally. ! Outside mirror defogger (if equipped)
Vehicle with manual climate control sys- tem
Vehicle with automatic climate control system
The outside mirror defogger shares the
button with rear window defogger.
The outside mirror defogger operates only
when the ignition switch is in the “ON ”
position.
To turn on the outside mirror defogger,
push the button.
To turn it off, push the button again. The
indicator light located on the button lights
up while the outside mirror defogger isoperating.
The defogger will automatically shut off
after approximately 15 minutes. If the
mirror 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
Instruments and controls
3-57
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7-6Starting and operating
1) Open
2) Close
WARNING
When opening the cap, do not
remove the cap quickly. Fuel may
be under pressure and spray out of
the fuel filler neck especially in hot
weather, which may cause injury.
3. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it
slowly counterclockwise.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically turns off. Do not add
any more fuel.
CAUTION
Make sure that the cap is tightened
until it clicks to prevent fuel spillage
in the event of an accident.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap whiletightening.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely. If
you spill any fuel on the painted surface,
rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the
painted surface could be damaged. NOTE
. You will see the “”sign in the fuel gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle..
If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator
lamp may come on. Refer to the“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
located in chapter 3.
CAUTION
Promptly put fuel in the tank when-
ever the low fuel warning light
comes on. Engine misfires as a
result of an empty tank could cause
damage to the engine.

7-8Starting and operating
not properly operating or there is one or
more diagnostic trouble codes stored invehicle ’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 one. 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. Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks
and adjustments 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 properinflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk (Sedan)
and rear gate (Station wagon) are fullyclosed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
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 ”position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine. NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.

Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
& Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
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 engine. 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 accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started. If the engine does not start, try thefollowing.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK ”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 accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START ”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the“ START ”position without depressing
the accelerator 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 auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
& Automatic transmission ve- hicle
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the selector
lever into the “N ” position. Do not
attempt to place the selector lever of
a moving vehicle into the “P ” posi-
tion.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
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 accelera-
Starting and operating
7-9
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7-10Starting and operating
tor 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“LOCK ”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 accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START ”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the“ START ”position without depressing
the accelerator 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 injection system auto-
matically 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
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering
and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the “LOCK ”position on the
ignition switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.