light SUBARU OUTBACK 2010 5.G Owners Manual

without depressing the brake pedal or
the clutch pedal, the parking brake is
not released..When the parking brake is being
applied or released, noise may be
noticed. However, this is not a malfunc-tion.. When the electronic parking brake
system has a malfunction or the elec-
tronic parking brake operation is pro-
hibited temporarily, if the parking brake
switch is operated, a chirp sound is
heard and the brake system warning
light flashes.. When you cannot release the park-
ing brake due to, for example, a system
malfunction, you can release it by
using the parking brake release tool.
Refer to “Electronic parking brake –if
the electronic parking brake cannot bereleased ”F 9-16.
! Automatic release function by gaspedal
The electronic parking brake system has
an automatic release function. The park-
ing brake will be automatically released by
depressing the accelerator pedal. How-
ever, the automatic release function does
not operate under the following conditions. . Any door (other than the trunk lid or
rear gate) is open. .
The driver ’s seatbelt is not fastened.
If the parking brake is automatically
released, the brake system warning light
and the indicator on the parking brake
switch turn off.
NOTE
Even if you have applied the parking
brake by pressing the parking brake
switch, the parking brake will be auto-
matically released when the accelera-
tor pedal is depressed. ! Hill Holder function
The electronic parking brake system has a
Hill Holder function. If the Hill Holder
function is activated, the parking brake
will be automatically applied when stop-
ping on an uphill slope with the brake
pedal depressed. In this case, the brake
system warning light and the indicator light
on the parking brake switch illuminate. NOTE . The Hill Holder function may not
activate on a gentle uphill slope. In this
case, manually apply the electronic
parking brake.. If you do not depress the brake
pedal sufficiently, the Hill Holder func-
tion may not operate properly. How-
ever, this is not a malfunction. When stopping on an uphill slope, depress
the brake pedal firmly and release it
after the brake system warning lightilluminates..
Depending on the condition of the
road surface and braking force, the
brakes operate temporarily and feel
different than usual.. When the electronic parking brake
system has a malfunction while the Hill
Holder function is activated, a chirp
sound is heard, the Hill Holder indica-
tor light turns off and the brake system
warning light flashes.. The Hill Holder function does not
reactivate when parking with the elec-
tronic parking brake released after the
Hill Holder function is activated. If
necessary, manually apply the electro-
nic parking brake.. If the seatbelt is not fastened when
the Hill Holder function is activated, the
vehicle may not start moving smoothly
from a stop, or a noise may be heard
from the brake components. ! Hill Holder switch
WARNING
When stopping on an uphill slope
with the Hill Holder function acti-
vated, release the brake pedal after Starting and operating
7-35
– CONTINUED –

7-36Starting and operating
the brake system warning light has
illuminated. Otherwise, the Hill
Holder function may not operate
properly and an accident may occur.
1) Parking brake switch
2) Hill Holder switch
3) Indicator light
You can activate/deactivate the Hill Holder
function by pressing the Hill Holder switch.
To activate: Press the Hill Holder switch.
To deactivate: Press the Hill Holder
switch again.
Deactivate the Hill Holder function under
the following conditions. . When towing a trailer
. When carrying a heavy load .
When you do not frequently use the
parking brake when stopping on an uphill slope
NOTE . If the Hill Holder switch is pressed
for more than 30 seconds, the Hill
Holder indicator light turns off, the
brake system warning light flashes
and the system ignores any further
pressing of the switch. To activate the
switch again, turn the ignition switch tothe “LOCK ”position and restart the
engine.. When the Hill Holder function is
deactivated while the Hill Holder func-
tion has a malfunction, if you press the
Hill Holder switch, a chirp sounds. ! Hill Holder indicator light
When the Hill Holder function is activated,
the Hill Holder indicator light illuminates.
Refer to “Hill Holder indicator light ”F 3-19.
! Emergency brake
CAUTION
Use the emergency brake only in
case of an emergency. If the emer-
gency brake is excessively used,
the brake parts will wear down
faster or the brake may not work
sufficiently due to rear wheel brakeoverheating.
NOTE
While using the emergency brake, the
brake system warning light and the
indicator light on the parking brake
switch illuminate and a chirp sounds.
If the foot brake has a malfunction, you
canstopthevehiclebypressingthe
parking brake switch continuously.
While applying the emergency brake, the
brake system warning light and the in-
dicator on the parking brake switch illumi-
nate and a chirp sounds.

!Electronic parking brake system warning
CAUTION
If the brake system warning light
flashes, the electronic parking brake
system may be malfunctioning. Im-
mediately stop your vehicle in the
nearest safe location and contact
your SUBARU dealer.
If a malfunction occurs in the electronic
parking brake system, the brake system
warning light flashes. Refer to “Electronic
parking brake system warning ”F 3-19. &
Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always per-
form the following items. . Apply the parking brake firmly.
. For MT models, put the shift lever in the
“ 1 ” (1st) for upgrade or “R ”(Reverse) for a
downgrade.. For AT and CVT models, put the select
lever in the “P ”(Park) position.
Never rely on the transmission alone to
hold the vehicle.
When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel as described here. When
the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front
wheels should be turned away from the curb.
When facing downhill, the front wheels
should be turned into the curb. Starting and operating
7-37

7-38Starting and operating
Cruise control
Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions.
These may cause loss of vehiclecontrol. . driving up or down a steep grade
. driving on slippery or winding
roads
. driving in heavy traffic
. When towing a trailer
NOTE . If you press the “CRUISE ”main
switch button while turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the cruise control func-
tion is deactivated and the cruise
control indicator light flashes. To re-
activate the cruise control function,
turn the ignition switch back to the“ Acc ”or “LOCK ”position, and then
turn it again to the “ON ”position.
. Make sure the “CRUISE ”main switch is turned off when the cruise
control is not in use to avoid uninten-
tionally setting of the cruise control.
& To set cruise control
1. Press the “CRUISE ”main switch
button.
The cruise control indicator light on the
combination meter will illuminate.
2. Depress the accelerator pedal until the
vehicle reaches the desired speed.
3. Press the “RES/SET ”switch to the
“ SET ”side and release it. Then release

the accelerator pedal.
At this time, the cruise control set indicator
light is illuminated in the combination
meter.
The vehicle will maintain the desired speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily in-
creased while driving with the cruise
control activated. Simply depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehi-
cle. When the accelerator pedal is re-
leased, the vehicle will return to and
maintain the previous cruising speed.&
To temporarily cancel the
cruise control
The cruise control can be temporarily
canceled in the following ways.
. Press the “CANCEL ”button.
. Depress the brake pedal.
. Depress the clutch pedal (MT models
only). . Shift the select lever into the “N ”
position (AT and CVT models).. Shift the shift lever into the neutral
position (MT models only).
The cruise control set indicator light in the
combination meter turns off when the
cruise control is canceled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (32
km/h) or more, press the “RES/SET ”
switch to the “RES ”side to return to the
original cruising speed automatically.
The cruise control set indicator light in the
combination meter will automatically illu-
minate at this time. & To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: . Press the “CRUISE ”main switch but-
ton again.. Turn the ignition switch to the “Acc ”or
“ LOCK ”position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped). Starting and operating
7-39
– CONTINUED –

!To decrease the speed (by brake pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the
desired speed, press the “RES/SET ”
switch to the “SET ”side once. Now the
desired speed is set and the vehicle will
keep running at that speed without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. &
Cruise control indicator light
The cruise control indicator light illumi-
nates when the ignition switch is turned tothe “ON ”position and turns off after
approximately 3 seconds.
The light illuminates when the “CRUISE ”
main switch is pressed. NOTE . If you press the “CRUISE ”main
switch button while turning the ignition switch “ON ”, the cruise control func-
tion is deactivated and the cruise
control indicator light flashes. To re-
activate 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 indicator light
The cruise control set indicator light
illuminates when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position and turns off
after approximately 3 seconds.
The light illuminates when vehicle speed
has been set. Starting and operating
7-41

vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover. .Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the
engine stops. This could create a firehazard. . After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. . Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle
’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over. . If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the select lever
back and forth between “D ” and “R ”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle. . When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT, AT and CVT).
For AT and CVT models, refer to “Selec-
tion of manual mode ”F 7-21.
. Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual. . Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly. . Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet ”. Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage.
Driving tips
8-7

train of your vehicle and may
affect ride, handling, braking and
speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
. Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident.
! Except 2.5 L turbo models
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires ”which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to
enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter drivingconditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on your
vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire size
and type. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, construction,
brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough
clearance between the tire and vehicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on yourvehicle. !
2.5 L turbo models
Your vehicle is equipped with “summer
tires ”as original equipment, which are
inadequate for driving on slippery roads
such as on snow-covered or icy roads.
Compared with winter and all-season
tires, summer tires give significantly less
grip on snowy and icy road surfaces.
Therefore, use of winter tires is strongly
recommended when driving with such
road conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on
your vehicle, be sure to use the correct tire
size and type. You must install four winter
tires that are of the same size, construc-
tion, brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling characteristics. When you choose a
tire, make sure that there is enough
clearance between the tire and vehicle
body.
Remember to drive with care at all times
regardless of the type of tires on yourvehicle. &
Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on any
tires for your Legacy and Outback
because of lack of clearance be-
tween the tires and vehicle body.
& Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the shift
lever/select lever back and forth between“ 1 ”/“ D ”and “R ”repeatedly. Do not race the
engine. For the best possible traction,
avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (for MT, AT and CVT).
For information on holding the transmis-
sion in 2nd position, refer to “Selection of
manual mode ”F 7-21. Driving tips
8-11

8-18Driving tips
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate
for the ball mount and your trailer. The
hitch ball must be securely installed on the
ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with
safety chains that will hold the trailer ’s
maximum gross weight. The chains
should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping onto the
ground in case it should disconnect from
the hitch ball. Allow sufficient slack in the
chains taking tight-turn situations into
account; however, be careful not to let
them drag on the ground.
WARNING
Do not connect safety chains to part
of the vehicle other than the safety
chain hooks.
Hitch harness connector
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black
four-pin wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness.
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch
wire harness by individually activating the
brake, stop and turn signal lights on the
trailer. NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire har-
ness before launching or retrieving awatercraft. &
When you do not tow a trailer
. Remove the ball mount from the hitch
receiver tube and insert the receiver cover
onto the hitch receiver tube. . Place the dust cap over the four-pin
connector of the hitch wire harness to
protect against possible damage. . Occasionally lubricate terminals of the
four-pin connector using terminal grease.

8-24Driving tips
!Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors
provide a good rearward field of view
without significant blind spots. If significant
blind spots occur with the vehicle ’s stan-
dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors that
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. ! Trailer lights
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle ’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle ’s lighting system. Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle
’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to
increase its capacity and accommodate
wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights
are connected properly, please consult
your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper
operation of the turn signals and the brake
lights each time you hitch up. ! Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the tem-
porary spare tire is used. The tem-
porary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated. Refer to “Tires ”F 12-
5 and in “GAS STATION REFERENCE ”at
the end of this manual.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in
accordance with the trailer manufacturer ’s
specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire
when towing a trailer, ask a commercial road service to repair the flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your
vehicle or trailer as a precaution against
getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare
tire is firmly secured.
& Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
. Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. Forsafety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never
speed. You should also keep the
following tips in mind:
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. . Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at