Get Driving Tips -> 8-8. On-Road and Off-Road Driving Guide for Subaru Outback SUV Sixth Generation (2020-2025)

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conditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.

There is little difference in handling, how-

ever, during extremely sharp turns or

sudden braking. Therefore, when driving

down a slope or turning corners, be sure to

reduce your speed and maintain an ample

distance from other vehicles.

. Always check the cold tire pressure

before starting to drive. The recommended

tire pressure is provided on the tire inflation

pressure label, which is located on the

door pillar on the driver’s side.

. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle

under hard-driving conditions such as

steep hills or dusty roads will necessitate

more frequent replacement of the follow-

ing items than that specified in the “War-

ranty and Maintenance Booklet”.

– Engine oil

– Brake fluid

– Rear differential gear oil

– Continuously variable transmission

fluid

– Front differential gear oil

. There are some precautions that you

must observe when towing your vehicle.

For detailed information, refer to “Towing”

�P491.

8-8. On-Road and Off-Road

Driving

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WARNING

. Always maintain a safe driving

speed according to the road and

weather conditions in order to

avoid having an accident on a

sharp turn, during sudden brak-

ing or under other similar condi-

tions.

. Always use the utmost care in

driving – overconfidence be-

cause you are driving an All-

Wheel Drive vehicle could easily

lead to a serious accident.

. In a rollover crash, an unbelted

person is significantly more

likely to die than a person wear-

ing a seatbelt. The driver and all

passengers should fasten their

seatbelts before starting to drive

in order to minimize the chance

of serious injury or death.

. Do not make sharp turns or quick

maneuvers unless absolutely un-

avoidable. Such actions are dan-

gerous, as you may lose control,

possibly resulting in a rollover

which could cause death or ser-

ious injury.

. Whenever strong crosswinds are

present, slow down sufficiently

to maintain control of your vehi-

cle. Remember that your vehicle,

with its higher profile and center

of gravity, is more likely to be

affected by crosswinds than or-

dinary passenger cars.

. Never attempt to drive through

pools and puddles, or roads

flooded with water. Water enter-

ing the engine air intake or the

exhaust pipe or water splashing

onto electrical parts may damage

your vehicle and may cause it to

stall. In this case, contact your

SUBARU dealer immediately. Re-

gardless of its depth, it can wash

away the ground from under your

tires, resulting in possible loss of

traction and even vehicle roll-

over.

CAUTION

After driving on gravel roads or

rough roads, check the undercar-

riage of the vehicle body for any

damage, deformation, or paint re-

moval. If you notice any irregulari-

On-Road and Off-Road Driving

446

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ties, contact a SUBARU dealer for an

inspection as soon as possible.

& Legacy

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Your AWD vehicle is neither a conven-

tional off-road vehicle nor an all terrain

vehicle. It is a passenger car designed

primarily for on-road use. The AWD

feature gives it some limited off-road

capabilities in situations in which the

driving surface is relatively level, obstruc-

tion-free and otherwise similar to on-road

driving conditions. Operating it under other

than those conditions could subject the

vehicle to excessive stress which might

result in damage not eligible for repair

under warranty. If you do take your

SUBARU off road, you should review the

common sense precautions in the next

section (applicable to the Outback/Subaru

Outback Wilderness) for general gui-

dance. But please keep in mind that your

vehicle’s off-road capabilities are more

limited than those of the Outback/Subaru

Outback Wilderness.

& Outback/Subaru Outback

Wilderness

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CAUTION

Frequent driving of an AWD model

under hard-driving conditions such

as rough roads or off roads will

necessitate more frequent replace-

ment of the following items than that

specified in the maintenance sche-

dule described in the “Warranty and

Maintenance Booklet”.

. Engine oil

. Brake fluid

Remember that damage done to

your SUBARU while operating it

off-road and not using common

sense precautions such as those

listed above is not eligible for war-

ranty coverage.

Your vehicle is classified as a utility

vehicle. A utility vehicle features a high

ground clearance and may be equipped

with off-road tires (Subaru Outback

Wilderness models only), which enable

the vehicle to be used for a wider range of

applications. Because of the AWD feature

and higher ground clearance, you can

drive your SUBARU on ordinary roads or

off-road. It handles and maneuvers differ-

ently from many passenger vehicles both

on-road and off-road, so take time to

become familiar with your vehicle. Note,

however, that your vehicle is not a con-

ventional off-road vehicle or an all-terrain

vehicle, and it should not be operated like

one. A higher center of gravity in relation to

the tread width as compared with ordinary

passenger cars makes vehicles of this

type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility

vehicles have a significantly higher roll-

over rate than other types of vehicles. The

high ground clearance of this vehicle is a

real advantage, giving you a better view of

the road and allowing you to anticipate

problems earlier. However, remember that

your utility vehicle is not designed for high-

speed cornering comparable to ordinary

passenger cars and that your vehicle could

roll over if you make a sharp turn at high

speed. If you do take your SUBARU off-

road, certain common sense precautions

such as those in the following list should be

taken.

! Before driving

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. Make certain that you and all of your

passengers are wearing seatbelts.

. Carry some emergency equipment,

such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,

wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or

citizens band radio.

– CONTINUED –

On-Road and Off-Road Driving

447

Driving Tips

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北米Model "A2620BE-A" EDITED: 2022/ 4/ 25

. Secure all cargo carried inside the

vehicle and make certain that it is not piled

higher than the seatbacks. During sudden

stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be

thrown around in the vehicle and cause

injury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof.

Those loads raise the vehicle’s center of

gravity and make it more prone to tip over.

. Never equip your vehicle with tires

larger than those specified in this manual.

! During driving

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General precautions:

. Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-

sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or

over rough terrain.

. Slow down and employ extra caution at

all times. When driving off-road, you will

not have the benefit of marked traffic

lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and

the like.

. Do not drive across steep slopes.

Instead, drive either straight up or straight

down the slopes. A vehicle can much more

easily tip over sideways than it can end

over end. Avoid driving straight up or down

slopes that are too steep.

. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-

cially at higher speeds.

. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the

steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the

wheel and injure your hands. Instead,

drive with your fingers and thumbs on the

outside of the rim.

. Do not drive or park over or near

flammable materials such as dry grass or

fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The

exhaust system is very hot while the

engine is running and right after the engine

stops. This could create a fire hazard.

Precautions when driving under espe-

cially dangerous situations:

. When driving over bumps in the road,

drive as slowly as possible to avoid

damaging the wheels, underside of the

vehicle, etc.

. If driving through water, such as when

crossing shallow streams:

– First, check the depth of the water

and the bottom of the stream bed for

firmness.

– Next, ensure that the bed of the

stream is flat.

– Then, drive slowly and completely

through the stream. The water should

be shallow enough that it does not

reach the vehicle’s undercarriage.

. If you must rock the vehicle to free it

from sand or mud, depress the accelerator

pedal slightly and move the select lever

back and forth between “D” and “R”

repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For

the best possible traction, avoid spinning

the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.

. Do not perform the following opera-

tions. Doing so may cause the transmis-

sion to overheat or malfunction.

– Depressing the accelerator pedal

and brake pedal at the same time while

the select lever is in a position other

than “P” or “N”.

– Depressing the accelerator to hold

the vehicle in a stationary position

while on a slope and while the select

lever is in a position other than “P” or

“N”.

– Trying repeatedly to drive over a

bump that the vehicle cannot climb

over.

. When the road surface is extremely

slippery, you can obtain better traction by

starting the vehicle with the transmission in

2nd than 1st. Refer to “Selection of Manual

Mode” �P373.

. Do not rotate the tires at a high speed if

the vehicle is stuck due to muddy, snowy,

icy, or similar low-traction conditions, or if

any tire is not touching the ground. Doing

so may cause the tires to burst or lead to

an accident due to abnormal overheating

or damage to drivetrain components.

. On rough roads and roads with large

undulations, have a leader guide you, or

check the road surface in advance to

select a road where the ground will not

On-Road and Off-Road Driving

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come in contact with the undercarriage of

the vehicle body.

Drive the vehicle at 6 mph (10 km/h) or

less. If you hear any abnormal noise while

driving, contact a SUBARU dealer for an

inspection as soon as possible.

. Do not allow the vehicle tires to be

submerged in deep sand, a river, or sea-

water. If you have to drive under these

conditions, thoroughly wash the vehicle

after driving. If you hear any abnormal

noise while driving, contact a SUBARU

dealer for an inspection as soon as

possible.

. If the wheels are stuck, cutting the

steering wheel at a sharp angle may cause

the steering components to be deformed.

If you hear any abnormal noise while

driving or if you notice any abnormalities

due to rough running, contact a SUBARU

dealer for an inspection as soon as

possible.

. Avoid driving over curbs. Tires, wheels,

suspensions, and the mechanical compo-

nents under the vehicle body may be

unnoticeably damaged by the impact of

striking a curb or driving on a rough road. If

driving over a curb is unavoidable, ride

over it slowly and at a right angle to the

curb. When parking your vehicle, make

sure that the tires are not pressed against

the curb.

. Do not drive for a long time while the

vehicle is tilted to the left or right.

! After driving

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. Always check your brakes for effective-

ness immediately after driving in sand,

mud or water. Do this by driving slowly and

stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat that

process several times to dry out the brake

discs and brake pads.

. After driving through tall grass, mud,

rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is

no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones, sand,

etc. adhering to or trapped on the under-

body. Clear off any such matter from the

underbody. If the vehicle is used with these

materials trapped or adhering to the

underbody, a mechanical breakdown or

fire could occur.

. Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-

road driving. Suspension components are

particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they

need to be washed thoroughly.

8-9. Winter Driving

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& Operation during Cold

Weather

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Carry some emergency equipment, such

as a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares,

a small shovel and jumper cables.

Check the battery and cables. Cold tem-

peratures reduce battery capacity. The

battery must be in good condition to

provide enough power for cold winter

starts.

It normally takes longer to start the engine

in very cold weather conditions. Use an

engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity

for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil

will make it harder to start the engine.

Keep the door locks from freezing by

squirting them with deicer or glycerin.

Forcing a frozen door open may damage

or separate the rubber weather strips

around the door. If the door is frozen, use

hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards

thoroughly wipe the water away.

Use a windshield washer fluid that con-

tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use

engine antifreeze or other substitutes

because they may damage the paint of

the vehicle.

– CONTINUED –

Winter Driving

449

Driving Tips

Driving Tips -> 8-8. On-Road and Off-Road Driving for Your Subaru Outback SUV Sixth Generation (2020-2025)

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