Subaru Outback Manuals 2018 Outback Owner's Manual | Page 303

Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission except the “N” or “P” position when the brake is applied or when chocks are used in the wheels. This may cause the transmission fluid to overheat. . Never move the vehicle rearward by inertia with the select lever set in a forward driving position or move the vehicle forward by inertia with the select lever set in the “R” position. Doing so may result in an unexpected accident or malfunction. . When parking the vehicle, first securely apply the parking brake and then place the select lever in the “P” position. Do not park for a long time with the select lever in any other position as doing so could result in a dead battery. NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera- ture is still low, the transmission will upshift to higher engine speeds than when the coolant temperature is suffi- ciently high in order to shorten the warm-up time and improve driveability. The gearshift timing will automatically shift to the normal timing after the engine has warmed up. . Immediately after transmission fluid is replaced, you may feel that the transmission operation is somewhat unusual. This results from invalidation of data which the on-board computer has collected and stored in memory to allow the transmission to shift at the most appropriate times for the current condition of your vehicle. Optimized shifting will be restored as the vehicle continues to be driven for a while. . When driving under continuous hea- vy load conditions such as towing a camper or climbing a long, steep hill, the engine speed, vehicle speed and air conditioning system cooling perfor- mance may automatically be reduced. This is not a malfunction. This phenom- enon results from the engine control function maintaining the cooling per- formance of the vehicle. The engine and vehicle speed will return to a normal speed when the engine is able to maintain the optimum cooling per- formance after the heavy load de- creases. Driving under a heavy load must be performed with extreme care. Do not try to pass a vehicle in front when driving on an uphill slope while towing. . The continuously variable transmis- sion is a chain type system that pro- vides superior transmission efficiency 7-23 for maximum fuel economy. At times, depending on varying driving condi- tions, a chain operating noise may be heard that is characteristic of this type of system. & Select lever S07BG01 1) Select lever button – CONTINUED –