2009 Subaru Outback Owner's Manual - Page 360

11-10 Maintenance and service . Be careful not to spill engine oil when adding it. If oil touches the exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If engine oil gets on the exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it off. & Changing the oil and oil filter Change the oil and oil filter according to the maintenance schedule in the "Warranty and Maintenance Booklet". The engine oil and oil filter must be changed more frequently than listed in the maintenance schedule when driving on dusty roads, when short trips are frequently made, or when driving in extremely cold weather. 1. Warm up the engine by letting the engine idle for approximately 10 minutes to ease draining the engine oil. 2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the engine. 3. Remove the oil filler cap. NOTE . To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not add any additional oil above the upper level when the engine is cold. . In 2.5 L engine models, the level gauge has a notch above the upper level. Just after driving or while the engine is warm, the engine oil level reading may be in a range between the upper level and the notch mark. This is caused by thermal expansion of the engine oil. 3.0 L models 1) Upper level 2) Lower level 4. Pull out the level gauge again and check the oil level on it. If it is below the lower level, add oil to bring the level up to the upper level. CAUTION . Use only engine oil with the recommended grade and viscosity. 2.5 L models