We have observed the v(HF) = 3 levels of HF-CO2 in the region 11 150 to 11 210 cm-1 using intracavity Ti-sapphire laser induced fluorescence. The complex shown to be quasilinear at v(1) = v(HF) = 0 and 1 becomes a semirigid bent species at v(1) = 3 with the CO2 submolecule oriented at an angle near 40degrees with respect to the connector of the CO2 and HF centers of mass. Transitions to the K = 0 and 2 levels of the v(HF) = 3 (3 000 000) from the (0 000 000) ground state and to K = 1 of (3 000 000) from the (0 000 001) level are observed, showing a 198.36(5) cm(-1) HF vibrational redshift. The rotational constants of the (3 000 000) state are A = 2.96(2) cm(-1), (B+C)/2 = 0.0742(10) cm(-1), 0.0717(10) and 0.0696(10) cm(-1) for the K = 0, 1, and 2 levels, respectively, and the centrifugal distortion D-K = 0.270(5) cm(-1), which is large but in agreement with mechanical expectation. The observed transition intensities are a consequence of an appreciable rotation of the inertial axes in the transition. The spectral lines are Lorentzian with Gamma(L), full width at half-maximum equal 9.0(9), 7.2(6), and 4.5(6) GHz for the K = 0, 1, and 2 levels of the (3 000 000) state. In addition, the soft mode CO2 bending combination transitions to the K = 0 and 2 level of (3 000 001) are also observed and fit with (B+C)/2 = 0.0760(10) and 0.0714(10) cm(-1), Gamma(L) = 10.5(9) and 6.0(9) GHz, respectively, and A = 2.35(2) cm(-1). The CO2 bending frequency, v(7), is 24.75(10) cm(-1). The HF bending level (3 000 010) has been observed at 11 538.92(10) cm(-1) by the perpendicular transition from the ground state, indicating a HF bending frequency of 362.47(15) cm(-1). The spectroscopic constants of (3 000 010) are (B+C)/2 = 0.0668(10) cm(-1) and Gamma(L) = 4.2(6) GHz. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.