ECU SUBARU OUTBACK 2016 6.G Owners Manual

driving with others.
&Car phone/cell phone and
driving
CAUTION
Do not use a car phone/cell phone
while driving; it may distract your
attention from driving and can lead
to an accident. If you use a car
phone/cell phone, pull off the road
and park in a safe place before
using your phone. In some States/
Provinces, only hands-free phones
may legally be used while driving.
&Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified
other than with genuine SUBARU
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its
performance, safety or durability,
and may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or
performance problems resulting
from modification may not be cov-
ered under warranties.
&Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
driving. In a collision or sudden stop,
unrestrained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for
their own safety that pets should be
properly restrained in your vehicle. Re-
strain a pet with a special traveling
harness which can be secured to the rear
seat with a seatbelt or use a pet carrier
which can be secured to the rear seat by
routing a seatbelt through the carrier’s
handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriersin the front passenger’s seat. For further
information, consultyour veterinarian,
local animal protection society or pet
shop.
&Tire pressures
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the spare)
at least once a month and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are
cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust the
tire pressures to the values shown on the
tire placard. For detailed information, refer
to“Tires and wheels”F11-24.
7

&Warning and indicator lights
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-12
Front passenger’s
seatbelt warning light3-12
SRS airbag system
warning light3-14
CHECK ENGINE warn-
ing light/Malfunction in-
dicator light3-15
Charge warning light 3-15
Oil pressure warning
light3-15
Engine low oil level
warning indicator3-16
AT OIL TEMP warning
light (CVT models)3-16
/ABS warning light 3-18
/Brake system warning
light3-18Mark Name Page
/Electronic parking
brake indicator light3-20
Hill Holder indicator
light3-21
Door open indicator 3-22
Low fuel warning light 3-21
All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (CVT models)3-22
Power steering warning
light3-22
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol warning light/Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light3-23
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol OFF indicator light3-24
Access key warning in-
dicator (if equipped)3-24
Security indicator light 3-29
Turn signal indicator
lights3-30Mark Name Page
High beam indicator
light3-30
Automatic headlight
beam leveler warning
light (if equipped)3-30
Front fog light indicator
light (if equipped)3-31
Cruise control indicator 3-30
Cruise control set indi-
cator3-30
X-mode indicator (if
equipped)3-31
Hill descent control in-
dicator (if equipped)3-31
Headlight indicator light 3-31
Low tire pressure
warning light (U.S.
spec. models)3-16
/Front passenger’s fron-
tal airbag ON indicator
light3-14
/Front passenger’s fron-
tal airbag OFF indicator
light3-14
–CONTINUED–
23

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seats
Front seats
WARNING
.Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid loss of vehicle con-
trol and personal injury.
.Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers or cargo are
clear of the adjusting mechan-
ism.
.After adjusting the seat, push it
slightly to make sure it is se-
curely locked. If the seat is not
securely locked, it may move or
the seatbelt may not operate
properly.
.Do not put objects under the front
seats. They may interfere with
front seat locking and cause an
accident.
.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 notused 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 not in the
proper position when the SRS
airbag deploys could suffer very
serious injuries. Because the
SRS airbag needs enough space
for deployment, the driver should
always sit upright and well back
in the seat as far from the steer-
ing 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 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 not restrained or improperly
restrained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults, their
risk of being injured from deploy-
ment is greater. Consequently, we
strongly recommend that ALL chil-
dren (including those in child seats
and those that have outgrown child
restraint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all times
in a child restraint device or in a
seatbelt, whichever is appropriate
1-2

for the child’s age, height and
weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seats) in the REAR seats at
all times.
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“Child restraint sys-
tems”F1-27.
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.
WARNING
Do not let rear passengers rest their
feet between the front seatback and
seat cushion. Doing so may lead to
improper operation of the following
systems and could result in serious
injury.
.Occupant detection system
.SRS side airbag
.SRS seat cushion airbag
.Front seat heater (if equipped)
.Power seat (if equipped)
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seats
–CONTINUED–1-3

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seats
&Manual seat (if equipped)
!Forward and backward adjustment
1. Sit in the seat to adjust.
2. Pull the lever upward, slide the seat to
the desired position, and then release the
lever.
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked into
place.!Reclining the seatback
1. Pull up the reclining lever, adjust the
seatback to the desired position, and then
release the lever.
2. Make sure the seatback is securely
locked into place.
The seatback placed in a reclined position
can spring back upward with force when
pulling up the lever. While operating the
lever to return the seatback, hold the
seatback lightly so that it may be raised
back gradually.!Seat cushion height adjustment
(driver’s seat)1) Push the lever down to lower the seat.
2) Pull the lever up to raise the seat.
You can adjust the height of the seat by
moving the seat cushion adjustment lever
up or down.
1-4

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Rear seats
cargo area cover when you re-
cline the rear seat.
.Move the front cover of the cargo
area cover backward so that the
cover is not damaged by the
reclined seatback. Refer to“Car-
go area cover (Outback–if
equipped)”F6-16.
Adjust the seatback to the desired position
while pulling the lever.
After adjusting the seatback, release the
lever and make sure the seatback is
securely locked into place.
&Folding down the rear seat-
back
WARNING
.When you fold down the seat-
back, check that there are no
passengers or objects on the
rear seat. Not doing so creates
a risk of injury or property da-
mage if the seatback suddenly
folds down.
.Never allow passengers to ride
on the folded rear seatback or in
the cargo area or trunk. Doing so
may result in serious injury or
death.
.Secure all objects and especially
long items properly to prevent
them from being thrown around
inside the vehicle and causing
serious injury during a sudden
stop, a sudden steering maneu-
ver or a rapid acceleration.
.When you return the seatback to
its original position, shake the
seatback slightly to confirm that
it is securely fixed in place. If the
seatback is not securely fixed in
place, the seatback may sud-
denly fold down in the event of
sudden braking, or objects maymove out from the cargo area,
which could cause serious injury
or death.
.After returning the rear seat to its
original position, be certain to
place all of the seatbelts and the
tab attached to the seat cushion
above the seat cushion. Also,
make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible.
CAUTION
The rear seatback may fold down
quickly due to the internal spring.
Hold the seatback while pulling the
release lever to slow it down.
!Legacy
To fold down the seatback, perform the
following procedure.
1. Open the trunk lid. Refer to“Opening
the trunk lid (Legacy)”F2-25,“Opening
the trunk lid (Legacy)”F2-26 or“To open
the trunk lid from inside”F2-38.
1-12

1) Release lever
2. Pull the release lever on the side that
you want to fold down.
3. Fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securely
locked.!OutbackRelease button
Release lever on both sides of the cargo
area
Unlock the seatback by performing either
of the following procedures and then foldthe seatback down.
.Push the release button
.Pull the release lever
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place. Make sure that it is securely
locked.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Rear seats
–CONTINUED–1-13

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
Seatbelts
&Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
.All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-
dent.
.All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
.Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or more
persons–even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
.Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious..Putchildrenintherearseat
properly restrained at all times.
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, especially if they are not
restrained or improperly re-
strained. Because children 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 re-
straint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all
times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is
appropriate for the child’s height
and weight.
Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) in the
REAR seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD
FACING 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
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. For instructions
and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, refer to
“Child restraint systems”F1-27.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt by the front
passenger when any of the SRS frontal,
side and curtain airbags deploys.
!Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. Refer to“Child
restraint systems”F1-27.
!Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions. Never allow a child to
stand up or kneel on the seat.
If the shoulder portion of the belt crosses
the face or neck, move the child closer to
the belt buckle to help provide a good
1-16

shoulder belt fit. Care must be taken to
securely place the lap belt as low as
possible on the hips and not on the child’s
waist. If the shoulder portion of the belt
cannot be properly positioned, a child
restraint system should be used. Never
place the shoulder belt under the child’s
arm or behind the child’s back.
!Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the
seatbelts. They should consult their doctor
for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips, not over the waist.
&Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ELR)
The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency
Locking Retractor (ELR).
The emergency locking retractor allows
normal body movement but the retractor
locks automatically during a sudden stop,
impact or if you pull the belt very quickly
out of the retractor.
&Automatic Locking Retractor/
Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR/ELR)
Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Auto-
matic Locking Retractor/Emergency Lock-
ing Retractor (ALR/ELR). The Automatic
Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking
Retractor normally functions as an Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ELR). The ALR/
ELR has an additional locking mode,
“Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode”, intended to secure a child restraint
system.
The ALR mode functions as follows.
When the seatbelt is once drawn out
completely and is then retracted even
slightly, the retractor locks the seatbelt in
that position and the seatbelt cannot be
extended. As the belt is rewinding, clicks
will be heard which indicate the retractor
functions as an ALR. When the seatbelt isretracted fully, the ALR mode is canceled
and the ELR mode is restored.
When securing a child restraint system on
the rear seats by using a seatbelt, the
seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
For instructions on how to install the child
restraint system using a seatbelt, refer to
“Installing child restraint systems with
ALR/ELR seatbelt”F1-30.
When the child restraint system is re-
moved, make sure that the retractor is
restored to the Emergency Locking Re-
tractor (ELR) mode by allowing the seat-
belt to retract fully.
&Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Refer to“Seatbelt warning light and
chime”F3-12.
&Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
.Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
.Keep the lap belt as low as
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED–1-17

&Precautions against vehicle
modification
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
.Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
.Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
.Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner’s
Manual.
Child restraint systems
Infants and small children should always
be placed in an infant or child restraint
system in the rear seat while riding in the
vehicle.
You should use an infant or child restraint
system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canada Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standards, is compatible with
your vehicle and is appropriate for the
child’s age and size.
All child restraint systems are designed to
be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or
the lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt
(except those covered under the section in
this manual, entitled“Installation of child
restraint systems by use of lower andtether anchorages (LATCH)”F1-35).
Children could be endangered in an
accident if their child restraints are not
properly secured in the vehicle. When
installing the child restraint system, care-
fully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
system at all times while the vehicle is
moving.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED–1-27