Tires SUBARU OUTBACK 2017 6.G Service Manual

In case of emergency/Towing
shut off function when the vehi-
cle is struck from behind.
Front tie-down hooks:
The front tie-down hooks are located
between each of the front tires and the
front bumper.
Front Tie-down Hooks are for tying down
the vehicle. They are
not for towing. Rear tie-down holes:
1) Rear tie-down hole
The rear tie-down holes are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
There is a plug in each rear tie-down hole.
To use the rear tie-down holes, remove the plugs. After using the rear tie-down
holes, return the plugs to their original
places.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down holes only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip out
of the holes, possibly causing a
dangerous situation.
&
Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. For CVT models, shift the select lever
into the “P”position. For MT models, shift
9-16

Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ................................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine
compartment .................................................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment (2.5 L models) ............................. 11-5
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running .......... 11-5
Maintenance tips................................................ 11-5Removing and reinstalling clips .......................... 11-5
Engine hood....................................................... 11-7
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-9
2.5 L models...................................................... 11-9
3.6 L models .................................................... 11-10
Engine oil.......................................................... 11-11Engine oil consumption .................................... 11-11
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-11
Changing the oil and oil filter ............................ 11-13
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-13
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-13
Cooling system ................................................ 11-14
Cooling fan, hose and connections ................... 11-14
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-15
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-15Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-16
Spark plugs...................................................... 11-18Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-18
Drive belts........................................................ 11-18
Manual transmission oil .................................. 11-19
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-19
Continuously variable transmission fluid ...... 11-19
Front differential gear oil (CVT models) and rear differential gear oil ................................ 11-19
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-19
Brake fluid........................................................ 11-20Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-20
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-21
Clutch fluid (MT models)................................. 11-21Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-21
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-22
Brake booster.................................................. 11-22
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-23
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-23
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ....... 11-23
Clutch pedal (MT models) ............................... 11-23Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-23
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-24
Replacement of brake pad.............................. 11-24Breaking-in of new brake pads . ........................ 11-24
Tires and wheels.............................................. 11-25Types of tires................................................... 11-25
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ...................................................... 11-25
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-27
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-27
Wheel balance ................................................. 11-29
Wear indicators ............................................... 11-29
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-29
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-30
Tire replacement .............................................. 11-30
Maintenance and service
11

Tires and wheels
&Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
! All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new
vehicle are all season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON ”and/or “M+S”(Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall.
! Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-
covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
!
Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as
summer tires and all season tires on roads
other than snow-covered and icy roads.
& Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (if equipped)
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message
by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low. The tire pressure monitor-
ing system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven. Also, this system may
not react immediately to a sudden drop in
tire pressure (for example, a blow-out
caused by running over a sharp object).
If you adjust the tire pressures in a warm
garage and will then drive the vehicle in
cold outside air, the resulting drop in tire
pressures may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to
pressures higher than those shown on the
tire placard. Specifically, inflate them by an
extra 1 psi (6.9 kPa, 0.07 kgf/cm
2) for
every difference of 10 8F (5.6 8C) between the temperature in the garage and the
temperature outside. By way of example,
the following table shows the required tire
pressures that correspond to various out-
side temperatures when the temperature
in the garage is 60
8F (15.6 8C).
Example:
Tire size: 225/55R17 97V, 225/50R18 95H
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 60 8F (15.6 8C)
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm2)]
Front Rear
30 8F( −18C) 36 (250, 2.5) 35 (240, 2.4)
10 8F( −12 8C) 38 (265, 2.65) 37 (255, 2.55)
−10 8F( −23 8C) 40 (280, 2.8) 39 (270, 2.7)
Example:
Tire size: 225/65R17 102H, 225/60R18
100H
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 60 8F (15.6 8C)
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
–CONTINUED –11-25

Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm2)]
Front Rear
30 8F( −18C) 38 (265, 2.65) 36 (250, 2.5)
10 8F( −12 8C) 40 (280, 2.8) 38 (265, 2.65)
−10 8F( −23 8C) 42 (295, 2.95) 40 (280, 2.8)
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates when you drive the vehicle in
cold outside air after adjusting the tire
pressures in a warm garage, re-adjust the
tire pressures using the method described
above. Then, increase the vehicle speed
to at least 20 mph (32 km/h) and check to
see that the low tire pressure warning light
goes off a few minutes later. If the low tire
pressure warning light does not go off, the
tire pressure monitoring system may not
be functioning normally. In this event, go
to a SUBARU dealer to have the system
inspected as soon as possible.
While the vehicle is driven, friction be-
tween tires and the road surface causes
the tires to warm up. After illumination of
the low tire pressure warning light, any
increase in the tire pressures caused by
an increase in the outside air temperature
or by an increase in the temperature in the
tires can cause the low tire pressure
warning light to go off. System resetting is necessary when the
wheels are changed (for example, a
switch to snow tires) and new TPMS
valves are installed on the newly fitted
wheels. Have this work performed by a
SUBARU dealer following wheel replace-
ment.
It may not be possible to install TPMS
valves on certain wheels that are on the
market. Therefore, if you change the
wheels (for example, a switch to snow
tires), use wheels that have the same part
number as the standard-equipment
wheels. Without four operational TPMS
valve/sensors on the wheels, the TPMS
will not fully function and the warning light
in the instrument panel will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approximately
one minute.
When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal
operation of the tire pressure monitoring
system. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not illuminate briefly after the
ignition switch is turned ON or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-ing for approximately one minute,
you should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
If this light illuminates while driving,
never brake suddenly. Instead, per-
form the following procedure. Other-
wise an accident involving serious
vehicle damage and serious perso-
nal injury could occur.
1) Keep driving straight ahead while
gradually reducing speed.
2) Slowly pull off the road to a safe place.
If this light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
11-26

SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
&Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem.
NOTE
. When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle ’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and
approach the curbs as squarely as
possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you park the vehicle.
.
If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the
vehicle in a straight line, one of the
tires and/or wheels may be damaged.
Drive slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicle
inspected.
& Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires ’service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey.
Tire placard
Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver ’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving the
vehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to
increase. Be careful not to mistakenly
release air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTE
. The air pressure in a tire increases
by approximately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm
2) when the tire becomes warm.
. The tires are considered cold when
the vehicle has been parked for at least
3 hours or has been driven less than 1
mile (1.6 km).
WARNING
Do not let air out of warm tires to
adjust pressure. Doing so will result
in low tire pressure.
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
–CONTINUED –11-27

Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
Incorrect tire pressures detract from con-
trollability and ride comfort, and they
cause the tires to wear abnormally.
.Correct tire pressure (tread worn
evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is
responsive. Rolling resistance is low, so
fuel consumption is also lower. .
Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)
Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con-
sumption is also higher. .
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire
magnifies the effects of road surface
bumps and dips, possibly resulting in
vehicle damage.
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.
11-28

&Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced when
your vehicle was new, but the wheels will
become unbalanced as the tires become
worn during use. Wheel imbalance causes
the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts from
the vehicle’ s straight-line stability. It can
also cause steering and suspension sys-
tem problems and abnormal tire wear. If
you suspect that the wheels are not
correctly balanced, have them checked
and adjusted by your SUBARU dealer.
Also have them adjusted after tire repairs
and after tire rotation.
CAUTION
Loss of correct wheel alignment
causes the tires to wear on one side
and reduces the vehicle ’s running
stability. Contact your SUBARU
dealer if you notice abnormal tire
wear.
NOTE
The suspension system is designed to
hold each wheel at a certain alignment
(relative to the other wheels and to the
road) for optimum straight-line stability
and cornering performance.
& Wear indicators
1) New tread
2) Worn tread
3) Tread wear indicator
Each tire incorporates a tread wear
indicator, which becomes visible when
the depth of the tread grooves decreases
to 0.063 in (1.6 mm). A tire must be
replaced when the tread wear indicator
appears as a solid band across the tread.
WARNING
When a tire ’s tread wear indicator
becomes visible, the tire is worn
beyond the acceptable limit and
must be replaced immediately. With
a tire in this condition, driving at
high speeds in wet weather can cause the vehicle to hydroplane.
The resulting loss of vehicle control
can lead to an accident.
NOTE
For safety, inspect the tire tread reg-
ularly and replace the tires before their
tread wear indicators become visible.
&
Tire rotation direction mark
Example of tire rotation direction mark
1) Front
If the tire has a rotation direction specifica-
tion, the tire rotation direction mark is
placed on its sidewall.
When you install a tire that has the tire
rotation direction mark, install the tire with
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
–CONTINUED –11-29

Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
the direction mark facing forward.
&Tire rotation
Vehicles equipped with 4 non-unidirec-
tional tires
1) Front
Vehicles equipped with unidirectional tires
1) Front
Tire wear varies from wheel to wheel.
Move the tires to the positions shown in
the illustration each time they are rotated.
For the tire rotation schedule, refer to the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn
tire at the time of rotation. After tire
rotation, adjust the tire pressures and
make sure the wheel nuts are correctly
tightened.
After driving approximately 600 miles
(1,000 km), check the wheel nuts again
and retighten any nut that has become
loose.
& Tire replacement
The wheels and tires are important and
integral parts of your vehicle’ s design;
they cannot be changed arbitrarily. The
tires fitted as standard equipment are
optimally matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and were selected to give
the best possible combination of running
performance, ride comfort, and service
life. It is essential for every tire to have a
size and construction matching those
shown on the tire placard and to have a
speed symbol and load index matching
those shown on the tire placard.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle’ s ground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to
replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-
ment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU
recommends replacing all four tires at
the same time.
11-30

WARNING
.When replacing or installing
tire(s), all four tires must be the
same for the following items.
(a) Size
(b) Circumference
(c) Speed symbol
(d) Load index
(e) Construction
(f) Manufacturer
(g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degrees of wear
For items (a) to (d), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
driver ’s door pillar.
If all four tires are not the same in
items (a) to (h), it may lead to
serious mechanical damage to
the drive train of your car and
affect the following factors.
— Ride
— Handling
— Braking
— Speedometer/Odometer calibration
—
Clearance between the body
and tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
. Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
an accident.
& Wheel replacement
When replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available
from SUBARU dealers.
WARNING
Use only those wheels that are
specified for your vehicle. Wheels
not meeting specifications could
interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub
against the wheel well housing dur-
ing turns. The resulting loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels11-31

Specifications..................................................... 12-2
Dimensions........................................................ 12-2
Engine ............................................................... 12-3
Fuel ................................................................... 12-3
Engine oil .......................................................... 12-4
Manual transmission, front differential and rear differential gear oil ........................................... 12-7
Fluids ................................................................ 12-8
Engine coolant ................................................... 12-8
Electrical system ................................................ 12-9
Tires .................................................................. 12-9 Brake disc
......................................................... 12-9Fuses and circuits ........................................... 12-10
Fuse panel located in the passenger
compartment ................................................. 12-10
Fuse panel located in the engine compartment ................................................. 12-12
Bulb chart......................................................... 12-14Safety precautions ........................................... 12-14
Bulb chart ....................................................... 12-15
Vehicle identification ....................................... 12-18
Specifications
12