tow bar SUBARU OUTBACK 2017 6.G Owners Manual

Illustrated index
&Exterior
1) Engine hood (page 11-7)
2) Headlight (page 3-47)
3) Bulb replacement (page 11-40)
4) Front wiper (page 3-59)
5) Moonroof (page 2-48)
6) Roof rail with integrated crossbars and
rope hook (page 8-15)
7) Door locks (page 2-6)
8) Outside mirrors (page 3-81)
9) Tire pressure (page 11-27)
10) Flat tires (page 9-5)
11) Fog light (page 3-56)
12) Tie-down hooks (page 9-14)
13) Towing hook (Outback) (page 9-14)
12

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
&CHECK ENGINE
warning light/Malfunc-
tion indicator light
CAUTION
If the CHECK ENGINE warning light/
malfunction indicator light illumi-
nates while you are driving, have
your vehicle checked/repaired by
your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible. Continued vehicle opera-
tion without having the emission
control system checked and re-
paired as necessary could cause
serious damage, which may not be
covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
If this light illuminates steadily or blinks
while the engine is running, it may indicate
that there is a problem or potential
problem somewhere in the emission con-
trol system.
! If the light illuminates constantly
If the light illuminates constantly while
driving or does not turn off after the engine
starts, an emission control system mal-
function has been detected.
You should have your vehicle checked by
an authorized SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately.
NOTE
This light also illuminates when the fuel
filler cap is not tightened until it clicks.
If you have recently refueled your vehicle,
the cause of the CHECK ENGINE warning
light/malfunction indicator light coming on
could be a loose or missing fuel filler cap.
Remove the cap and retighten it until it
clicks. Make sure nothing is interfering
with the sealing of the cap. Tightening the
cap will not make the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator light
turn off immediately. It may take several
driving trips. If the light does not turn off,
take your vehicle to your authorized
SUBARU dealer immediately.
! If the light is blinking
If the light is blinking while driving, an
engine misfire condition has been de-
tected which may damage the emission
control system.
To prevent serious damage to the emis-
sion control system, you should conform
to the following instructions.
. Reduce vehicle speed.
. Avoid hard acceleration.
. Avoid steep uphill grades.
. Reduce the amount of cargo, if possi-
ble.
. Stop towing a trailer as soon as
possible. The CHECK ENGINE warning light/mal-
function indicator light may stop blinking
and illuminate steadily after several driv-
ing trips. You should have your vehicle
checked by an authorized SUBARU deal-
er immediately.
&Charge warning light
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the charging
system is not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or does
not turn off after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the alternator belt. If the belt is
loose, broken or if the belt is in good
condition but the light remains illuminated,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.
&Oil pressure warning
light
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine with the
oil pressure warning light on. This
may cause serious engine damage.
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the engine oil
pressure is low and the lubricating system
3-16

checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked peri-
odically (at least monthly) using a
tire gauge. After any change to tire
pressure(s), the tire pressure mon-
itoring system will not re-check tire
inflation pressures until the vehicle
is first driven more than 20 mph (32
km/h). After adjusting the tire pres-
sures, increase the vehicle speed to
at least 20 mph (32 km/h) to start the
TPMS re-checking of the tire infla-
tion pressures. If the tire pressures
are now above the severe low
pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should turn
off a few minutes later. Therefore, be
sure to install the specified size for
the front and rear tires.
&ABS warning light
CAUTION
.If any of the following conditions
occur, we recommend that you
have the ABS repaired at the first
available opportunity by your
SUBARU dealer.
– The warning light does not
illuminate when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON ”
position.
– The warning light illuminates
when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position,
but it does not turn off even
after starting the vehicle.
– The warning light illuminates
during driving.
. When the warning light is on (and
brake system warning light is
off), the ABS function shuts
down; however, the conventional
brake system continues to oper-
ate normally.
The ABS warning light illuminates to-
gether with the brake system warning light
if the EBD system malfunctions. For
further details of the EBD system mal-
function warning, refer to “Brake system
warning light ”F 3-19.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as
described in the following conditions,
the ABS may be considered normal.
. The warning light illuminates right
after the engine is started but turns off
immediately, remaining off.
. The warning light remains illumi-
nated after the engine has been started, but it turns off while driving.
.
The warning light illuminates during
driving, but it turns off immediately and
remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may illumi-
nate. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will turn off.
&Brake system
warning light
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains illuminated,
have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
. If the brake system warning light
illuminates, the electronic park-
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED –3-19

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
ing brake system may be mal-
functioning. Immediately stop
your vehicle in a safe location,
use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving
and contact your SUBARU deal-
er. For details, refer to“Electro-
nic parking brake ”F 7-43.
NOTE
. Even if the brake system warning
light illuminates, if the warning light
behavior is as described in the follow-
ing examples, the electronic parking
brake system is not malfunctioning.
–The warning light turns off when
the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied or released.
– The warning light turns off when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ ON ”position again.
. The brake system warning light may
illuminate immediately after the engine
is started. However, it is not malfunc-
tioning if the warning light turns off
after the electronic parking brake is
released.
. The brake system warning light may
illuminate after the electronic parking
brake is frequently applied and re-
leased. However, the electronic parking brake system is not malfunctioning if
the light turns off after a short period of
time.
.
When the engine is started while the
electronic parking brake is applied/
released, the system may judge an
abnormal situation and the warning
light may illuminate. If the warning light
illuminates, turn the ignition switch
once to the “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position
and then restart the engine. Then,
apply/release the electronic parking
brake. If the warning light turns off,
the system will be restored.
This light has the following functions.
! Brake fluid level warning
This light illuminates when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
illuminate while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON ”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN ”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair.
!
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also
illuminates if a malfunction occurs in the
EBD system. In that event, it illuminates
together with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning if
the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are
applied harder than usual and the vehi-
cle ’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights turn off, the EBD system
may be malfunctioning. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
3-20

system inspected.
4. If both warning lights illuminate again
and remain illuminated after the engine
has been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN”mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
! Electronic parking brake system
warning
The brake system warning light illumi-
nates when the electronic parking brake
system is malfunctioning. If the warning
light illuminates, promptly park in a safe
location as soon as possible and contact
your SUBARU dealer.
The brake system warning light remains
illuminated when the parking brake cannot
be released even if the parking brake
switch is pushed. For details, refer to
“Electronic parking brake” F7-43. !
Frequent operation warning
The brake system warning light illumi-
nates and a chirp sound will be heard if
the parking brake switch is operated too
frequently. In this case, the operation of
the parking brake switch is restricted to
protect the electronic parking brake sys-
tem.
&Electronic parking
brake indicator light
! Parking brake indicator
The light illuminates with the parking
brake applied while the ignition switch is
in the “ON”position. It turns off when the
parking brake is fully released.
! Electronic parking brake system
warning
WARNING
.When you release the electronic
parking brake while the engine is
running, the electronic parking
brake indicator light will turn off.
However, if the light still illumi-
nates, stop the vehicle in a safe
location immediately and have
the system inspected by a
SUBARU dealer. .
If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
. If the electronic parking brake
indicator light flashes, the elec-
tronic parking brake system may
be malfunctioning. Immediately
stop your vehicle in a safe loca-
tion, use tire stops under the
tires to prevent the vehicle from
moving and contact your
SUBARU dealer. For details, refer
to “Electronic parking brake ”
F 7-43.
NOTE
. When the ignition switch is turned to
the “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position with the
electronic parking brake applied, the
electronic parking brake indicator light
remains illuminated for approximately
30 seconds and then turns off.
. When the electronic parking brake
switch is pulled to apply the electronic
parking brake while the ignition switch
is in the “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position, the
electronic parking brake indicator light
illuminates, remains illuminated for
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED –3-21

1. Align the right side of the front cover
with the triangle mark before fixing the
cover in place.
2. Push the front cover to the right side
and shorten the bar.
3. Align the left side of the front cover
with the triangle mark before fixing the
cover in place.
&To remove the front cover
1. Push the front cover to the right side
and shorten the bar.
2. Remove the front cover.
&To remove the cover housing
1. Rewind the cover.
2. Hold down the button on the right-
hand rear quarter panel and lift up the
right-hand cover housing.
3. Remove the cover housing.
&Stowage of the cargo area
cover
The cargo area cover can be stowed in
under the cargo floor.
1. To open the lid, pull the handle up.
Interior equipment/Cargo area cover (Outback –if equipped)
–CONTINUED –6-17

Interior equipment/Rear view camera
.Under fluorescent lighting, the dis-
play may flicker. However, this is not a
malfunction.
. The image of the rear view camera
may be slightly different from the
actual color of the objects.
& How to use the rear view
camera
When performing the following procedure,
the rear view camera automatically dis-
plays the rear view image from the
vehicle.
1. Set the ignition switch to “ON”.
2. Set the shift lever or select lever to “R”.
When any of the following conditions
occur, the image before setting to “R”will
be displayed.
. Several seconds have passed after the
following operation (off delay function).
–Setting the shift lever to a position
other than “R”(MT models)
– Setting the select lever to a position
other than “P”or “R”(CVT models)
. The vehicle speed is more than 5 mph
(8 km/h).
. The select lever is set to “P”(CVT
models).
NOTE
. For models with the genuine
SUBARU navigation system or audio
system, the image of the rear view
camera has priority over other screen
displays. To operate other screens, set
the shift lever (MT models) or select
lever (CVT models) to a position other
than “R ”.
. The image of the rear view camera is
horizontally reversed as is the case
with the vehicle inside rear view mirror
or the side view mirror.
. It may be difficult to see the image of
the rear view camera in the following
cases. This is not a malfunction of the
camera.
–The vehicle is used for towing or
a trailer hitch is installed.
– The vehicle is in a dark place (at
night, in a tunnel, etc.).
– The vehicle is in an extremely hot
or cold place.
– An object (such as raindrops,
snow, dirt, etc.) that disturbs the
view of the rear view camera sticks
to the lens of the camera.
– Strong light shined directly on
the camera lens (occasionally, there
are vertical lines on the screen).& Viewing range on the screen
Range of view
Range of view
6-22

If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat location.
2. Apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine.
3. Restart the engine.
4. Release the parking brake.
Even if both warning lights turn off:
The EBD system may be malfunctioning.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
If both warning lights illuminate again
and remain illuminated after restarting
the engine:
1. Turn off the engine again.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Check the brake fluid level. For details
about checking the brake fluid level, refer
to“Checking the fluid level ”F 11-20.
. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN ”mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING
.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair.
Vehicle Dynamics Control
system
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence because
you are driving with a Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a ser-
ious accident.
CAUTION
. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, winter tires should be
used when driving on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced
considerably. Simply having a
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem does not guarantee that the
vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.
. Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy-
Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
–CONTINUED –7-35

Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
namics Control is no guarantee
that full vehicle control will be
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle equipped with the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system, have
an inspection of that system
performedbyanauthorized
SUBARU dealer.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly.
– All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
– Use only the specified tem-
porary spare tire to replace a flat tire. With a temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness
of the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is reduced and
this should be taken into ac-
count when driving the vehi-
cle in such a condition.
. If non-matching tires are used,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system may not operate cor-
rectly.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine ’s output and the
wheels’ respective braking forces to help
maintain traction and directional control.
. Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is indicated by
flashing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light.
. Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels’ tendency to slidesideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is indicated by
flashing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light.
NOTE
.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem may be considered normal when
the following conditions occur.
–Slight twitching of the brake
pedal is felt.
– The vehicle or steering wheel
shakes to a small degree.
– An operating noise from the en-
gine compartment is heard briefly
when starting the engine and when
driving off after starting the engine.
– The brake pedal seems to jolt
when driving off after starting the
engine.
. In the following circumstances, the
vehicle may be less stable than it feels
to the driver. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control System may therefore operate.
Such operation does not indicate a
system malfunction.
–on gravel-covered or rutted
roads
– on unfinished roads
– when the vehicle is towing a
trailer
– when the vehicle is fitted with
7-36

Starting and operating/Parking your vehicle
position (CVT models). When
the select lever cannot be
shifted into the“P ” position,
you must release shift lock.
Refer to “Shift lock function ”
F 7-28.
– Use tire stops under the tires
to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
. Never drive with the parking
brake applied in order to avoid
unnecessary wear on the brake
linings. Before starting to drive,
always make sure that the park-
ing brake has been released and
that the electronic parking brake
indicator light has turned off.
. The braking power of the electro-
nic parking brake may not be
sufficient when strong braking
power is needed (e.g., when
parking on a steep slope while
towing a trailer (Outback)).
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic
parking brake. You can apply/release the
parking brake by operating the parking
brake switch.
To apply: Depress the brake pedal and
pull up the parking brake switch.
To release: Press the parking brake switch firmly while the ignition switch is
in the
“ON”position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
Electronic parking brake indicator light
When the parking brake is applied while
the ignition switch is in the “ON”position,
the following indicator lights illuminate.
. the indicator light on the parking brake
switch
. the electronic parking brake indicator
light on the combination meter (for details,
refer to “Electronic parking brake indicator
light ”F 3-21.)
NOTE
. The parking brake will not be re-
leased under the following conditions
even if the parking brake switch is
pressed. –
Theignitionswitchisinthe
“ ACC ”or “LOCK ”/“ OFF ”position.
– The brake pedal (all models) and/
or clutch pedal (MT models) are not
depressed.
. The electronic parking brake system
uses motors to apply the parking
brake. Therefore, operating sounds
from the motors will be heard when
applying or releasing the parking
brake. Make sure that the motor
sounds are heard when applying or
releasing the parking brake.
. 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 electronic parking brake
indicator light flashes.
. When you cannot release the park-
ing brake due to, for example, a system
malfunction, contact your SUBARU
dealer and have your SUBARU dealer
release the parking brake.
. If the operation of the electronic
parking brake switch is stopped mid-
way or performed extremely slowly, the
system may detect an error and turn on
the brake system warning light. How-
ever, this does not indicate a malfunc-
tion if the warning light turns off after
7-44