light SUBARU OUTBACK 2009 5.G Owners Manual

7-6Starting and operating
WARNING
. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-
mable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and close all
vehicle doors and windows.
Make sure that there are no
lighted cigarettes, open flames
or electrical sparks in the adja-
cent area. Refueling must be
performed outside. Quickly wipe
up any spilled fuel.
. When opening the cap, grasp it
firmly and turn it slowly to the
left. Do not remove the cap
quickly. Fuel may be under pres-
sure and spray out of the fuel
filler neck, especially in hot
weather. If you hear a hissing
sound while you are removing
the cap, wait for the sound to
stop and then slowly open the
cap to prevent fuel from spraying
out and creating a fire hazard.
. When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop-
ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto- matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from
the tank and create a fire hazard.
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 illuminate. Refer to the“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
located in chapter 3.
CAUTION
. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da-

mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap to the
right until it clicks to ensure that
it is fully tightened. If the cap is
not securely tightened, fuel may
leak out while the vehicle is being
driven or fuel spillage could
occur in the event of an accident,
creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit, and
your fuel tank and emission con-
trol system may be damaged. It
could also lead to fuel spillage
and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires
as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-gine. State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or its
contractors or licensees.
At state inspection time, remember to
tell your inspection or service station in
advance not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result.
Some states have started using dynam-
ometers in their state inspection programs in order to meet their obligation under
federal law to implement stricter vehicle
emission standards to reduce air pollution
from vehicles. A dynamometer is a tread-
mill or roller-like testing device that allows
your vehicle
’s wheels to turn while the
vehicle remains in one place. Depending
on the severity of a state ’s air pollution
problems, the states must adopt either a“ basic ”or “enhanced ”vehicle emission
inspection test. Normally, a portion of the
basic emission test consists of an emis-
sion inspector inserting an analyzer probe
into the exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle
for a short period of time. States with more
severe air pollution problems are required
to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission
test. This test simulates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits
more accurate measurement of tailpipe
emitted pollution than the basic emissiontest.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
programs have EXEMPTEDSUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel
dynamometers in their testing programs.
When properly used, that equipment will Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED –

7-8Starting and operating
not damage an AWD SUBARU vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for
inspecting the On-Board Diagnostic
(OBD) system as part of the state emis-
sions inspection. The OBD system is
designed to detect engine and transmis-
sion 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. Over 30 states plus the District of
Columbia have implemented the OBD
system inspection. .The inspection of the OBD system
consists of a visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”warning light/mal-
function indicator lamp (MIL) and an
examination of the OBD system with an
electronic scan tool while the engine isrunning. . Avehicle
passes the OBD system
inspection if proper the “CHECK ENGINE ”
warning light/MIL illumination is observed,
there is nostored diagnostic trouble
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 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 &
Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Depress 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 in
chapter 3.
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.
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, perform the following procedure.
(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 does not 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. Starting and operating
7-9
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7-10Starting and operating
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.
NOTE (2.5 L non-turbo models)
To protect the engine while the shift
lever is in the neutral position, the
engine is controlled so that the engine
speed may not become too high even if
the accelerator pedal is depressedhard. &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 in
chapter 3.
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.
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, perform the
following procedure.
(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.
NOTE (2.5 L non-turbo and 3.0 L models)
To protect the engine while the selector
lever is in the “P ” or “N ” position, the
engine is controlled so that the engine

7-12Starting and operating
&Starting your vehicle
The remote control start system is acti-
vated by pressing the “
”button twice
within 3 seconds on your remote control
transmitter. The system will check certain
pre-conditions before starting, and if all
safety parameters are correct, the engine
will start within 5 seconds. While the
vehicle is operating via remote engine
start, the vehicle ’s power window features
will be disabled. Also, the system has a
timer and will shut down after 15 minutes if
you do not operate the vehicle. Press and
hold the “
”button for 2 seconds again to
turn the vehicle off. If the vehicle ’s starter
cranks but does not start or starts and
stalls, the remote engine start system will
power off then attempt to start the vehicle an additional four times. If the vehicle fails
to start after the additional attempts, the
remote engine start system will abort and
return to a non activated state. &
Remote start safety features
For safety and security reasons, the
system will fail to start and beep the horn
twice or shut down the engine during
remote start operation if any of the
following occur: . The brake pedal is pressed before the
vehicle ignition switch is turned “on ”
. The key was already in the ignition
switch. The engine hood is opened
. The vehicle ’s engine idle speed has
reached a level over 3,000 RPM. The alarm is triggered by opening a
door or the rear gate. NOTE . The security indicator light on the
dashboard will stop flashing while
under remote engine start operation,
but the vehicle is still protected.. If the vehicle is entered during
remote engine start operation, the
system will not record entry in the
alarm history. &
Entering the vehicle while it
is running via remote start
1. Unlock the vehicle doors using the
remote keyless entry system. If the vehi-cle ’s doors are unlocked manually using
the key, the vehicle ’s alarm system will
trigger and the remote engine start system
will turn off. Inserting the key into the
ignition switch and turning it to the “ON ”
position or pressing the unlock button “
”
on the remote keyless entry transmitter
will disarm the alarm system. Refer to the“ Alarm system ”section in chapter 2.
2. Enter the vehicle. Do not press the
brake pedal.
3. Insert the key into the ignition switch
and turn to the “ON ”position. If the ignition
switch is accidentally turned to the“ START ”position, the system ’s “starter
anti-grind ”feature will prevent the starter
from re-cranking.
4. Press the brake pedal. The remote
starter disengages, the vehicle ’s power
window features are re-enabled and the
vehicle will operate normally.
& Entering the vehicle follow-
ing remote engine start shut-down
An alarm trigger may occur if the vehicle is
opened by the remote keyless entry

transmitter within a few seconds immedi-
ately following remote engine start shut-down. &Pre-heating or pre-cooling
the interior of the vehicle
Before exiting the vehicle, set the tem-
perature controls to the desired setting
and operation. After the system starts the
vehicle, the heater or air-conditioning will
activate and heat or cool the interior to
your setting. & Service mode
In service mode, the remote start function
is temporarily disabled to prevent the
system from unexpectedly starting the
engine while being serviced. ! To engage the service mode
Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position, depress and hold the brake pedal
then, press and release the “
”button on
the remote control transmitter three times.
The system will pause for 1 second and
then flash the parking lights and honk the
horn three times indicating that the system
is in service mode. When attempting to
activate the remote start system while in
service mode, the parking lights will flash
and the horn will honk two times and will
not start. !
To disengage the service mode
Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position, depress and hold the brake
pedal, then press and release the “
”
button on the remote control transmitter
three times. The system will pause for 1
second and flash the parking lights 1 time
indicating that the system has exited
service mode. NOTE
When taking your vehicle in for service,
it is recommended that you inform the
service personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with a remote control startsystem. & Remote transmitter program-
ming and programmable fea-
ture option
New transmitters can be programmed to
the engine starter system in the event that
remote transmitters are lost, stolen or
damaged. The remote engine start system
also has one programmable feature that
can be adjusted for user preference.
The remote engine starter system can be
programmed to either make an audible
horn chirp upon remote start activation or
not. Remote transmitter programming and
feature programming can be adjusted
using the following procedure. 1. Open the driver
’s door (the driver ’s
door must remain opened throughout the
entire process).
2. Insert the key into the vehicle ’s ignition
switch and turn to the “ON ”position.
3. Locate the small black programming
button behind the fuse box cover, on the
driver ’s side left under the dashboard
panel.
4. Press and hold the black programming
button for 10 to 15 seconds. The horn will
honk and the parking lights will flash three
times to indicate that the system has
entered programming mode. At this point
you can perform either action (Step 5 or
Step 6).
5. To program a remote transmitter:
press and release the “
”button on each
transmitter. The horn will honk and the
parking lights will flash one time to indicate
a successful transmitter learn each timethe “
”button is pressed. You can
program up to eight transmitters.
6. To toggle the Horn Confirmation chirps
ON/OFF: press and release the brake to
toggle the feature. The horn will chirp and
the parking lights will flash one time to
indicate Confirmation Horn Chirps are“ OFF ”. The horn will honk and the parking
lights will flash 2 times to indicate Con-
firmation Horn Chirps are “ON ”. Pressing
the brake pedal repeatedly will toggle the Starting and operating
7-13
– CONTINUED –

7-16Starting and operating
Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40) 3rd to 4th 35 (56)4th to 5th 45 (73)
! Maximum allowable speeds
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable 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 brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accidentincreased.
The following table shows the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
Never exceed the speed limit below for each gear position except for brief accel-
eration in an emergency. The tach-ometer
’s needle will enter the red area if
these speeds are exceeded. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
excessive engine wear and poor fuel
economy.
Non-turbo models mph (km/h)
Gear Except
OUTBACK OUTBACK
1st 30 (48) 30 (48)
2nd 50 (81) 52 (82) 3rd 71 (116) 71 (116)
Turbo models mph (km/h)
Gear Except
OUTBACK OUTBACK
1st 32 (52) 32 (52)
2nd 54 (88) 54 (88) 3rd 80 (129) 78 (127)
NOTE
Never exceed posted speed limits. & Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor. .
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear as
necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you “ride ”(over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly. . The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate amalfunction. . A slight reduction in output torque may
occur in the models with a 2.5 L turbo
engine before the engine warms up.

forward driving positions into the “R ” position or vice versa until
the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may
cause damage to the transmis-sion.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P ” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the selector
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the automatic transmis-
sion will upshift to higher engine
speeds than when the coolant tempera-
ture is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve
driveability. The gearshift timing will
automatically shift to the normal timing
after the engine has warmed up.. Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
which the on-board computer has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current
condition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
& Selector lever
: Shift possible with brake pedal de-
pressed
: Shift possible with brake pedal notdepressed
The selector lever has four positions, “P ”,
“ R ”, “N ”, “D ”and also has manual gate for
using “SPORT ”mode or manual mode.
! P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the
“P ”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
To shift the selector lever from the “P ” to
any other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the selector
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started. ! R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N ”to “R ”position, stop
the vehicle completely then move the
lever to the “R ”position.
! N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalledengine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, the
transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll
freely, even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoidcoastingwiththetransmission neutral.
During coasting, there is no engine brak-
ing effect. Starting and operating
7-19
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7-22Starting and operating
selector lever.
Using the selector lever
Shift to the next-higher gear by briefly
pushing the selector lever toward the “+ ”
end of the manual gate.
Shift to the next-lower gear by briefly
pulling the selector lever toward the “ ”
end of the manual gate. NOTE
Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode. . 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 transmis-
sion will not respond.. You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the selector lever twice in rapid suc-cession.. The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stopsmoving.. If the temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid becomes too high,the “AT OIL TEMP ”warning light will
illuminate 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
WARNING
When down shifting, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed
exceeding the Maximum 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 braking caused by down
shifting when the vehicle is travel-
ling on a slippery surface can lead
to wheel locking; as a consequence,
control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident in-creased.
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
When down shifting, it is important to
confirm that the current vehicle speed is
not in excess of the Maximum Allowable
Speed of the gear which is about to beselected.