climate control SUBARU OUTBACK 2012 5.G User Guide

4-6Climate control
and become damaged, the system may
not be able to control the interior tempera-
ture correctly. To avoid damaging the
sensors, observe the following precau-tions: –Do not subject the sensors to impact.
– Keep water away from the sensors.
– Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are located as follows:– Solar sensor: beside the speaker grille
on the dashboard– Interior air temperature sensor: on the
side of the driver-side part of the center panel – Outside temperature sensor: behind
front grille. Manual climate control &
Airflow mode selection
Select the preferred airflow mode by
performing the following procedure. . Press the preferred airflow control
button (type A) . Press the airflow mode selection button
or defroster button (type B)
Airflow modes are as follows.
(Ventilation): Instrument panel outlets
(Bi-level): Instrument panel outlets and the
foot outlets
(Heat): Foot outlets, both side outlets of
the instrument panel and some through
windshield defroster outlets (A small
amount of air flows to the windshield and

both side windows to prevent fogging.)
(Heat-def): Windshield defroster outlets,
foot outlets and both side outlets of the
instrument panel
(Defrost): Windshield defroster outlets and
both side outlets of the instrument panel&
Temperature control
! Type A
Turn the temperature control dial over a
range from the blue side (cool) to red side
(warm) to regulate the temperature of
airflow from the air outlets. ! Type B
To increase the temperature setting, press the “
”side of the temperature control
button. To decrease the temperature
setting, press the “
”side of the tempera-
ture control button.
Each temperature setting is shown on the
display. When “LO ”is shown, the system
provides maximum cooling performance.When “HI ”is shown, the system provides
maximum heating performance.
NOTE
When the “DUAL ”button is pressed,
separate temperature settings for the driver ’s side and passenger ’s side can
be enabled (DUAL mode). To cancel the
DUAL mode, press the “DUAL ”button
again. The temperature setting for thepassenger ’s side becomes the same as
the setting for the driver ’s side.
& Fan speed control
The fan operates only when the ignition switch is in the
“ON ”position. Select the
preferred fan speed by turning the fan
speed control dial (type A), or by pressing
the fan speed control buttons (type B).
& Air conditioner control
The air conditioner operates only when
the engine is running.
Press the air conditioner button while the
fan is in operation to turn on the air
conditioner. When the air conditioner is
on, the indicator light on the air conditioner
button (type A)/ “A/C ”indicator light (type
B) illuminates.
To turn off the air conditioner, press the
button again. The indicator light will turnoff. NOTE
For efficient defogging or dehumidify-
ing in cold weather, turn on the air
conditioner. & Air inlet selection
Select the air inlet by pressing the air inlet
selection button.
ON position (recirculation) : Interior air is
recirculated inside the vehicle. Press the
air inlet selection button to the ON position
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or
when driving on a dusty road. When the Climate control
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4-8Climate control
ON position is selected, the indicator light
on the air inlet selection button illuminates.
OFF position (outside air) : Outside air is
drawn into the passenger compartment.
Press the air inlet selection button to the
OFF position when the interior has cooled
to a comfortable temperature and the road
is no longer dusty. The indicator light will
turn off.
WARNING
Continued operation in the ON posi-
tion may fog up the windows. Switch
to the OFF position as soon as the
outside dusty condition clears. Defrosting
Select the desired
“
”mode or “”mode
to defrost or dehumidify the windshield
and front door windows by performing the
following procedures.
For type A: Press the airflow control button
and select the “
”mode or “”mode.
For type B: Press the airflow mode
selection button to select the “
”mode
or press the defroster button to select the “
” mode.
NOTE
When the “
”mode or “”mode is
selected, the air conditioner compres-
sor automatically operates to more
quickly defog the windshield. At the
same time, the air inlet selection is
automatically set to the outside air
mode. For details, refer to “Airflow
mode selection ”F 4-6. Operating tips for heater and
air conditioner &
Cleaning ventilator grille
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free of snow, leaves, or other obstructions
to ensure efficient heating and defrosting.
Since the condenser is located in front of
the radiator, this area should be kept clean
because cooling performance is impaired
by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser. &Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to
allow outside air to circulate into the

heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency. &Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. & Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer. & Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning system.
& Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. & Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the meth-
od of adding, changing or checking the
refrigerant is different from the method for
CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty. Air filtration system
Your vehicle
’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system.
Replace the air filter element according
to the replacement schedule shown in the
following table. This schedule should be
followed to maintain the filter ’sdust
collection ability. Under extremely dusty
conditions, the filter should be replaced
more frequently. Have your filter checked
or replaced by your SUBARU dealer. For
replacement, use only a genuine
SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 15 months or 15,000 miles (24,000
km) whichever comes first
CAUTION
Contact your SUBARU dealer if the
following occurs, even if it is not yet
time to change the filter. . Reduction of the airflow through
the vents.
. Windshield gets easily fogged or
misted. Climate control
4-9
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4-10Climate control
NOTE
The filter can influence the air condi-
tioning, heating and defroster perfor-
mance if not properly maintained. & Replacing an air filter
1. Remove the glove box. (1) Open the glove box.
(2) Remove the damper shaft from the
glove box.
(3) Pull out the glove box.
2. Remove the cover of the air filter.
3. Remove the air filter.
4. Replace the air filter element with a
new one.
5. Reinstall the cover of the air filter.

CAUTION
The arrow mark on the filter must
point UP.
6. Reinstall the glove box, and connect
the damper shaft.
7. Close the glove box.
8. LABEL installation (1) Fill out the information on the
service label (small).
1) Service label
(2) Attach the service label to the driver ’s side door pillar.
1) Caution label
(3) Attach the caution label on the driver
’s side of the instrument panel as
shown in the illustration. Climate control
4-11

6-10Interior equipment
trim can be used to hold beverage bottles
and other items. Accessory power outlets
Power outlet below the climate control
Power outlet in the center console
Power outlet in the cargo area (Outback)
Accessory power outlets are provided
below the climate control, in the center
console and in the cargo area. Electrical
power (12V DC) from the battery is
available at any of the outlets when the
ignition switch is in either the “Acc ”or “ON ”
position.
You can use an in-vehicle electrical
appliance by connecting it to an outlet.
The maximum power rating of an appli-
ance that can be connected is 120W.Do
not use an appliance which exceeds the
indicated wattage for each outlet.
When using appliances connected to two
or more outlets simultaneously, the total
power consumed by them must not
exceed 120W.

&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
Models with automatic climate control system:
After the system starts the engine, the
automatic climate control system will
activate the “FULL AUTO ”mode and heat
or cool the interior to the predetermined
median (room) temperature. No pre-
setting of controls is necessary.
Models without automatic climate con-
trol system:
Before exiting the vehicle, set the tem-
perature controls to the desired setting
and operation. After the system starts the
engine, the heater or air conditioning will
activate and heat or cool the interior to
your setting. &
Service mode
In service mode, the remote engine start
function is temporarily disabled to prevent
the system from unexpectedly starting the
engine while being serviced.
To engage or disengage service mode:
1. Enter the vehicle and close all vehicle
doors and the trunk/rear gate.
2. Verify that the select lever is in the “P ”
position (AT and CVT models)
3. Depress and hold the brake pedal
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position
5. Press and release the remote engine
start transmitter “
”button three times.
The system will honk the vehicle ’s horn
each time the button is pressed.
6. The system will pause for 1 second
then honk the vehicle ’s horn three times to
indicate that the service mode has been
engaged or honk one time to indicate that
the service mode has been disengaged.
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 engine startsystem. &
Remote transmitter program
New transmitters can be programmed to
the remote engine start system in the
event that a transmitter is lost, stolen,
damaged or additional transmitters are
desired (the system will accept up to eight
transmitters). New remote engine start
transmitters can be programmed accord-
ing to the following procedure.
1. Open the driver ’s door (the driver ’s
door must remain opened throughout the
entire process).
2. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
3. Turn the ignition switch to “ON ”then
“ LOCK ”, back to “ON ”then “LOCK ”, then
back to “ON ”again and leave the ignition
“ ON ”throughout the programming pro-
cess.
4. The system will flash the side marker
lights, tail lights and front position lights
and honk the horn three times, indicating
that the system has entered the transmit-
ter learn mode.
5. Press and release the “
”button on
the transmitter that you want to program.
6. The system will flash the side marker
lights, tail lights and front position lights
and honk the horn one time, indicating that
the system has learned the transmitter.
Upon successful programming, the re-
mote start confirmation transmitter button Starting and operating
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8-10Driving tips
If your SUBARU is not going to be used
for an extended period, it is best to have
the fuel tank filled to capacity. &Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine ’s intake system and may
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or evenbreakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the
engine brake effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle
’s braking perfor-
mance on snowy and icy roads. For
information about braking on slippery
surfaces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-24 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-26.
! Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the
windshield or rear window, perform the
following procedure. . To thaw the windshield wiper blades,
use the defroster with the airflow selection in “
”and the temperature set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed. Refer to “Climate
control ”F 4-1.
. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper
deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blades. Refer to “Defog-
ger and deicer ”F 3-34.
. To thaw the rear wiper blade, use the rear window defogger. Refer to
“Defogger
and deicer ”F 3-34.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow selection in “
”and the
temperature set for maximum warmth.
After the windshield gets warmed enough
to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away
using the windshield washer. Refer to“ Windshield washer ”F 3-32.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
Refer to “Hazard warning flasher ”F 3-5.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and freez-
ing temperatures. Blades of this type give
superior wiping performance in snowy
conditions. Be sure to use blades that
are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper

Exterior care....................................................... 10-2
Washing ............................................................. 10-2
Waxing and polishing ......................................... 10-3
Cleaning aluminum wheels ................................. 10-3
Corrosion protection .......................................... 10-4
Most common causes of corrosion ..................... 10-4
To help prevent corrosion ................................... 10-4 Cleaning the interior
.......................................... 10-5
Seat fabric ......................................................... 10-5
Leather seat materials ........................................ 10-5
Synthetic leather upholstery ............................... 10-5
Climate control panel, audio panel, instrument panel, console panel, switches, combination
meter, and other plastic surface ....................... 10-5
Monitor (if equipped) .......................................... 10-6Appearance care
10