Get Starting and operating -> Fuel Guide for Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

Fuel

CAUTION

Use of a fuel which is low in quality

or use of an inappropriate fuel

additive may cause engine damage.

& Fuel requirements

The engine is designed to operate using

unleaded gasoline with an octane rating

of 87 AKI (90 RON) or higher.

! Fuel octane rating

This octane rating is the average of the

Research Octane and Motor Octane

numbers and is commonly referred to as

the Anti Knock Index (AKI).

Using a gasoline with a lower octane

rating can cause persistent and heavy

knocking, which can damage the engine.

Do not be concerned if you r vehicle

sometimes knocks lightly when you drive

up a hill or when you accelerate. See your

dealer or a qualified service technician if

you use a fuel with the specified octane

rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or

persistently.

! Unleaded gasoline

The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed

to accept only an unleaded gasoline filler

nozzle. Under no circumstances should

leaded gasoline be used because it will

damage the emission control system and

may impair driveability and fuel economy.

! California fuel

If your vehicle was certified to California

Emission Standards as indicated on the

underhood tune-up label, it is designed to

optimize engine an d em ission cont rol

system performance with gasoline that

meets the clean burning low-sulfur Cali-

fornia gasoline specifications. If you live in

any other state t han California, y our

vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting

Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-

side California is permitted to have higher

sulfur levels, which may affect the perfor-

mance of your vehicle’s catalytic converter

and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or

smell. SUBARU recommends that you try

a different brand of unleaded gasoline

having lower sulfur to determine if the

problem is fuel related before returning

your vehicle to an authorized dealer for

service. The CHECK ENGINE warning

light/malfunction indicator light may also

turn on. If this occurs, return to your

authorized SUBARU dealer for diagnosis.

If it is determined that the condition is

caused by the type of fuel used, repairs

may not be covered by your warranty.

! MMT

Some gasoline contains an octane-en-

hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-

clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If

you use such fuels, your emission control

system performance may deteriorate and

the CHECK ENGINE warning light/mal-

function indicator light may turn on. If this

happens, return to your authorized

SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is

determined that the condition is caused

by the type of fuel used, repairs may not

be covered by your warranty.

! Gasoline for cleaner air

CAUTION

Do not let fuel spill on the exterior

surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-

tai ning alcohol ma y cause paint

damage, which is not covered under

the SUBARU Limited Warranty.

Your use of gasoline with detergent

additives will help prevent deposits from

forming in your engine and fuel system.

This helps keep your engine in tune and

your emission control system workin g

properly, and is a way of doing your part

for cleaner air. If you continuously use a

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7-4 Starting and operating

high quality fuel with the proper detergent

and other additives, you should never

need to add any fuel system cleaning

agents to your fuel tank.

Many gasolines are now blended with

materials called oxygenates. Use of these

fuels can also help keep the air cleaner.

Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE

(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol

(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in

your vehicle, but should contain no more

than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the

proper operation of your SUBARU.

In addition, some gasoline suppliers are

now prod ucing reformulated gasolines,

which are designed to reduce vehi cle

emissions. SUBARU approves the use of

reformulated gasoline.

If you are not sure what the fuel contains,

you should ask your service station

operators if their gasolines contain deter-

gents and oxygenates and if they have

been reformulated to reduce vehicle emis-

sions.

As additional guidance, only use fuels

suited for your vehicle as explained in the

following.

. Fuel should be unleaded and have an

octane rating no lower than that specified

in this manual.

. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is

sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.

Methanol can be used in your vehicle

ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel

mixture AN D if it is accompanied by

sufficient quantities of the proper cosol-

vents and corrosion inhibitors required to

prevent damage to the fuel system. Do not

use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT

under these conditions.

. If undesirable driveability problems are

experienced and you suspect they may be

fuel related, try a different brand of gaso-

line before seeking service at your

SUBARU dealer.

. Fuel system damage or dri veability

problems which result from the use of

improper fuel are not covered under the

SUBARU Limited Warranty.

& Fuel filler lid and cap

! Refueling

Only one person should be involved in

refueling. Do not allow others to approach

the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler

pipe while refueling is in progress.

Be sure to observe any other precautions

that are posted at the service station.

1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid

release lever up. The lever is on the floor

at the left of the driver’s seat.

2. Open the fuel filler lid.

WARNING

Before opening the fuel filler cap,

first touch the vehicle body or a

metal portion of the fuel pump or

similar object to discharge any

static electricity that may be present

on your body. If your body is carry-

ing an electrostatic charge, there is

a possibility that an electric spark

could ignite the fuel, which could

burn you. To avoid acquiring a new

static electric charge, do not get

back into the vehicle while refueling

is in progress.

1) Open

2) Close

3. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it

slowly counterclockwise.

WARNING

. Gasoline vapor is highly flam-

mable. Before refueling, always

first stop the engine and close all

vehicle doors and windows.

Make sure that there are no

lighted cigarettes, open flames

or electrical sparks in the adja-

cent area. R efueling mus t be

performed outside. Quickly wipe

up any spilled fuel.

. When opening the cap, grasp it

firmly and turn it slowly to the

left. Do not remove the cap

quickly. Fuel may be under pres-

sure and spray out of the fuel

filler neck, especially in hot

weather. If you hear a hissing

sound while you are removing

the cap, wait for the sound to

stop and then slowly open the

cap to prevent fuel from spraying

out and creating a fire hazard.

4. Hook the cord that is attached to the

fuel filler cap onto the hook inside the fuel

filler lid.

WARNING

. When refueling, insert the fuel

nozzle securely into the fuel filler

pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not

fully inserted, its automatic stop-

ping mechanism may not func-

tion, causing fuel to overflow the

tank and creating a fire hazard.

. Stop refueling wh en the auto-

matic stop mechanism on the

fuel nozzle activates. If you con-

tinue to add fuel, temperature

changes or other conditions

may cause fuel to overflow from

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7-6 Starting and operating

the tank and create a fire hazard.

5. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler

pump automatically turns off. Do not add

any more fuel.

CAUTION

Make sure that the cap is tightened

until it clicks to prevent fuel spillage

in the event of an accident.

6. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise

until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain

not to catch the tether under the cap while

tightening.

7. Close the fuel filler lid completely. If

you spill any fuel on the painted surface,

rinse it off immediately. Otherwise, the

painted surface could be damaged.

NOTE

. You will see the “ ” sign in the fuel

gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler

door (lid) is located on the right side of

the vehicle.

. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened

until it clicks or if the tether is caught

under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE

warning light/malfunction indicator

light may illuminate. Refer to “CHECK

ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-

dicator light” F3-16.

CAUTION

. Never add any cleaning agents to

the fuel tank. The addition of a

cleaning agent may cause da-

mage to the fuel system.

. After refueling, turn the cap to the

right until it clicks to ensure that

it is fully tightened. If the cap is

not securely tightened, fuel may

leak out while the vehicle is being

driven or fuel spillage could

occur in the event of an accident,

creating a fire hazard.

. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior

surfaces of the vehicle. Because

fuel may damage the paint, be

sure to wipe off any spilled fuel

quickly. Paint damage caused by

spilled fuel is not covered under

the SUBARU Limited Warranty.

. Always use a genuine SUBARU

fuel filler cap. If you u se the

wrong cap, it may not fit, and

your fuel tank and emission con-

trol system may be damaged. It

could also lead to fuel spillage

and a fire.

. Immediately put fuel in the tank

whenever the low fuel warning

light illuminates. Engine misfires

as a result of an empty tank

could cause damage to the en-

gine.

State emission testing (U.S.

only)

WARNING

Testing of an All-Wheel Drive model

must NEVER be performed on a

single two-wheel dynamometer. At-

te mpting to do so will result in

uncontrolled vehicle movement and

may cause an accident or injuries to

persons nearby.

CAUTION

. At state inspection time, remem-

ber to tell your inspection or

service station in advance not to

place your SUBARU AWD vehicle

on a two-wheel dyn am om et er.

Otherwise, serious transmission

damage will result.

. Resultant vehicle damage due to

improper testing is not covered

under the SUBARU Limited War-

ranty and is the responsibility of

the state inspection program or

its contractors or licensees.

California and a number of federal states

have Inspection/Maintenance programs to

inspect your vehicle’s emission control

system. If your vehicle does not pass this

test, some states may deny renewal of

your vehicle’s registration.

Your vehicle is equipped with a computer

that monitors the performance of the

engine’s emission control system. Certi-

fied emission inspectors will inspect the

On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as

part of the state emission inspection

process. The OBDII system is designed

to detect engine and transmission pro-

blems that might cause the vehicle emis-

sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII

inspections apply to all 1996 model year

and newer passenger cars and trucks.

Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-

bia have implemented emission inspec-

tion of the OBDII system.

. The inspection of the OBDII system

consists of a visual operational check of

the “CHECK ENGINE” warning light/mal-

function i ndic ator light (MIL) and an

examination of the OBDII system with an

electronic scan tool.

. A vehicle

passes the OBDII system

i nspection if proper operati on of the

“CHECK ENGINE” warning light is ob-

served, there are no stored diagnostic

trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness

monitors are all complete.

. A vehicle

fails the OBDII inspection if

the “CHECK ENGINE” warning light is not

properly operating (light is illuminated or is

not working due to a burned out bulb) or

there is one or more diagnostic trouble

codes stored in the vehicle’s computer.

. A state emission inspection may reject

(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of

OBDII system readiness monitors “NOT

READY” is greater t han one. If the

vehicle’s battery has been recently re-

placed or disconnected, the OBDII system

inspection may indicate that the vehicle is

not ready for the emission test. Under this

condition, the vehicle driver should be

instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few

days to reset the readiness monitors and

return for an emission re-inspection.

. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles

should contact their SUBARU Dealer for

service.

Some states still use dynamometers in

their emission inspection program. A

dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like

testing device that allows your vehicle’s

wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in

one place. Prior to your vehicle being put

on a dynamometer, tell your emission

insp ector

not to place your SUBARU

AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-

ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-

sion damage will result.

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Starting and operating -> Fuel for Your Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

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