SUBARU OUTBACK 2008 4.G Owner's Manual

!Canada-spec. models (with SI-DRIVE)1) Temperature gauge (page 3-7)
2) Tachometer (page 3-6)
3) Shift-up indicator light (MT models)
(page 3-38)
4) Speedometer (page 3-6)
5) Fuel gauge (page 3-6)
6) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter reset knob (page 3-10)
7) ECO gauge (page 3-8)
8) Selector lever and gear position indicator (AT models) (page 3-39)
9) Multi-information display (page 3-9)
10) S# PREP indicator light (page 3-38) 19
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20 !Canada-spec. models (without SI-DRIVE)
1) Temperature gauge (page 3-27)
2) Tachometer (page 3-26)
3) Speedometer (page 3-24)
4) Fuel gauge (page 3-26)
5) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter
reset knob (page 3-25)
6) Low fuel warning light (page 3-27)
7) Trip meter and odometer (page 3-25)
8) Selector lever position indicator (page 3-39)
9) Gear position indicator (page 3-39)

&Warning and indicator lights
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-29
Front passenger ’s seat-
belt warning light 3-29
SRS airbag system
warning light3-30
CHECK ENGINE warn-
ing light/Malfunction in-
dicator lamp3-31
Charge warning light 3-32
Oil pressure warning light
3-32
AT OIL temperature
warning light (AT mod- els)3-32
/ABS warning light 3-34
/Brake system warning light
3-35
/Door open warning light
3-36Mark Name Page
/Low fuel warning light 3-35
All-Wheel Drive warning
light (AT models)
3-36
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol operation indicator
light (if equipped)3-36
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol warning light (if
equipped)/Vehicle Dy-
namics Control OFF in-
dicator light (if equipped)3-37
Security indicator light 3-38
Turn signal indicator lights
3-39
High beam indicator light3-40
Cruise control indicator light
3-40
Cruise control set indi-
cator light3-40
Headlight indicator light 3-40 Mark Name Page
Low tire pressure warn-
ing light (if equipped)
3-32
/Front passenger
’s fron-
tal airbag ON indicator light 3-31
/Front passenger
’s fron-
tal airbag OFF indicator light 3-31
SPORT mode indicator
light (AT models) (if
equipped)
3-38
Shift-up indicator light
(MT models) (if
equipped)3-38
S# PREP indicator light
(if equipped)
3-3821
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22 &Trunk/cargo area
1) Jack handle (page 9-19)
2) Jack (page 9-19)
3) Spare tire (page 9-2)

Function settings
A SUBARU dealer can change the settings of the functions shown in the following table to meet your personal requirements. Contact
the nearest SUBARU dealer for details. If your vehicle is equipped with navigation system, the settings for some of these functions can
be changed using the monitor. For details, please refer to the Owner’s Manual supplement for the monitor.
Item Function Possible settings Default setting Page
Alarm system Alarm system Operation / Non-operation Operation 2-15 Monitoring start delay time (after closure
of doors) 0 second / 30 seconds 30 seconds 2-17
Impact sensor operation (only vehicles
with shock sensors (dealer option)) Operation / Non-operation Non-operation 2-19
Passive arming Operation / Non-operation Non-operation 2-18
Remote keyless entry sys- tem Hazard warning flasher Operation / Non-operation Operation 2-8
Audible signal Operation / Non-operation Operation 2-10
Key lock-in prevention Key lock-in prevention Operation / Non-operation Operation 2-7
Remote engine start system
(dealer option) Horn chirp confirmation ON/OFF ON 7-11
Rear window defogger Rear window defogger Operation for 15 minutes / Continuous operationOperation for 15 minutes 3-54
Windshield wiper deicer (if
equipped) Windshield wiper deicer Operation for 15 minutes /
Continuous operationOperation for 15 minutes 3-53
Map light/Dome light Operation in conjunction with remote keyless entry system OFF / Short / Normal / Long Normal 6-2
Map light Operation in conjunction with remote keyless entry system and opening door ON / OFF ON 6-2
Battery drainage prevention function Battery drainage prevention function Operation / Non-operation Operation 2-6 23

Front seats........................................................... 1-2
Manual seat ........................................................ 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) ...................................... 1-4
Memory function (Driver ’s seat, if equipped) ........ 1-5
Head restraint adjustment .................................... 1-7
Active head restraint ........................................... 1-7
Lumbar support (if equipped) .............................. 1-8
Seat heater (if equipped) .................................... 1-8
Rear seats ............................................................ 1-9
Folding down the rear seatback ........................... 1-9
Head restraint adjustment ................................... 1-10
Armrest (if equipped) ......................................... 1-12
Loading long objects (Sedan) ............................. 1-12
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-13
Seatbelt safety tips ............................................. 1-13
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ................... 1-14
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ............................................................ 1-14
Seatbelt warning light and chime ........................ 1-15
Fastening the seatbelt ........................................ 1-16
Seatbelt maintenance ......................................... 1-23
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-24
System monitors ................................................ 1-25 System servicing
............................................... 1-26
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-27
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-27
Where to place a child restraint system .............. 1-28
Choosing a child restraint system ...................... 1-30
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR seatbelt ........................................................... 1-30
Installing a booster seat ..................................... 1-33
Installation of child restraint systems by use of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) .............. 1-35
Top tether anchorages ....................................... 1-37
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) ................................................ 1-40
Vehicle with SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints for driver, front passenger, and
window-side rear passengers . .......................... 1-40
Subaru advanced frontal airbag system .............. 1-45
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag ............. 1-55
SRS airbag system monitors .............................. 1-61
SRS airbag system servicing ... .......................... 1-63
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-64
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1

1-2Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats
WARNING
. Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury.
. Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers or luggage are
clear of the adjusting mechan-ism.
. Seatbelts provide maximum re-
straint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat.
To reduce the risk of sliding
under the seatbelt in a collision,
the front seatbacks should be
always used in the upright posi-
tion while the vehicle is running.
If the front seatbacks are not
used in the upright position in a
collision, the risk of sliding under
the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen will
increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death.
. The SRS airbags deploy with
considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious
injuries. Because the SRS airbag
needs enough space for deploy-
ment, the driver should always
sit upright and well back in the
seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control
and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as
possible and sit upright and well
back in the seat.
WARNING
Put children aged 12 and under in
the rear seat properly restrained at
all times. The SRS airbag deploys
with considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill children,
especially if they are 12 years of age
and under and are not restrained or
improperly restrained. Because chil-
dren are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk of being injured
from deployment is greater. Conse-
quently, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including those
in child seats and those that have
outgrown child restraint devices) sit
in the REAR seat properly re-
strained at all times in a child
restraint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for thechild ’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seat) in the REAR seats at alltimes.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-
CING CHILD SEAT IN THE FRONT
SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS
INJURY OR DEATH TO THE CHILD
BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD
TOO CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG.

According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precau-
tions concerning child restraint sys-
tems, refer to the“Child restraint
systems ”section in this chapter.
& Manual seat
! Fore and aft adjustment
Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position. Then release the
lever and move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked intoplace. !
Reclining the seatback
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the
vehicle is in motion. Also, do not
place objects such as cushions
between the passenger and the
seatback. If you do so, the risk of
sliding under the lap belt and of the
lap belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death.
Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the
seatback to the desired position. Then
release the lever and make sure the seat
is securely locked into place.
The seatback placed in a reclined position
can spring back upward with force when
released. When operating the reclining
lever to return the seatback, hold it lightly
so that it may be raised back gradually. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-3
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1-4Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Seat height adjustment (Driver ’s
seat)
The height of the seat can be adjusted by
moving the seat cushion adjustment lever
up and down.
When the lever is pushed down, the seat
is lowered.
When the lever is pulled up, the seat rises. &
Power seat (if equipped)
! Fore and aft adjustmentTo adjust the seat forward or backward,
move the control switch forward or back-ward. NOTE
During backward-forward adjustment
of the seat, you cannot adjust the seat
cushion angle or seat height. !
Reclining the seatbackWARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the
vehicle is in motion. Also, do not
place objects such as cushions
between the passenger and the
seatback. If you do so, the risk of
sliding under the lap belt and of the
lap belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death.

To adjust the angle of the seatback, move
the control switch. !Seat cushion angle adjustment (Driver ’s seat)
To adjust the seat cushion angle, pull up
or push down the front end of the control switch. !
Seat height adjustment (Driver ’s
seat)
To adjust the seat height, pull up or push
down the rear end of the control switch. & Memory function (Driver ’s
seat, if equipped)
Two of your favorite seat positions can be
registered. Register the seat position withbutton “1 ” or “2 ” and retrieve the seat
position by pressing either button.
The following seat positions can be registered: . Forward/backward position of the seat
. Angle of seatback
. Angle of seat cushion .
Height of seat
! Registration of seat position
WARNING
. Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury.
. Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands, feet and posses-
sions of rear seat passengers are
clear of the adjusting mechan-ism.
. Before registering the seat posi-
tion, confirm that the shift lever is
in the “P ” position (AT models) or
the parking brake lever is applied
(MT models).
1. Shift the shift lever in the “P ” position
(AT models) or apply the parking brake
(MT models).
2. Adjust the seat position. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-5
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