2000 SUBARU IMPREZA warning

Interior equipment
6-9
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CONTINUED –
Cigarette lighter (if equipped)
CAUTION
The electrical power socket located on the lower part of the instrumnet panel is designed to use only a SUBARU genuine cig-arette lighter plug. Do not use non-genuine cigarette lighter plugsor any “plug-in” type electrical accessories in the socket. Doing
so may cause a short-circuit and overheating, resulting in a fire.
HG0299
The elec tric al p ower soc ket loc ated on the lower p a rt of the instrument
p anel c an only b e used as c ig arette lig hter soc ket. A c ig arette lig hter
p lug is an op tional ac c essory. It is availab le from your SUBARU d ealer.
If smoking is not d esired , always p ut the c ap on th e soc ket to p revent
any foreig n ob jec t from entering it.
Cigarette lighter (if equipped)
WARNING
To avoid being burned, never grasp the lighter by the end with the heating element. Doing so could result in injury and couldalso damage the heating element.

Interior equipment
6-25
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CONTINUED –

Outside temperature gauge
HS6004DB
The ind ic ation shows the outsid e temp erature. NOTE Indication range: –40F to 140  F ( –40 C to 60 C)
If the temperature is beyond the range, the maximum number is shown.
Luggage cover (Wagon only)
WARNING
Do not place anything on the extended cover. Putting excessiveweight on the extended cover can break it and an object on the
cover could tumble forward in the event of a sudden stop or colli-
sion. This could cause serious injury.
CAUTION
Be careful not to scratch the rear gate stay when using the lug-
gage cover.The scratch on the stay could cause the rear gate to incompleteopening.
The lug g ag e c over is p rovid ed for c overing the c arg o area and to p ro-

7
Starting and operating New vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) 7-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel requirements 7-4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State emission testing (U.S. only) 7-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) 7-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Catalytic converter 7-8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel economy hints 7-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing to drive 7-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving in foreign countries 7-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Periodic inspections 7-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ignition switch 7-11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Key reminder chime 7-13
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Key interlock release (AT vehicles only) 7-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine 7-14
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stopping the engine 7-16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission 7-16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission 7-19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selector lever 7-20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shift lock release 7-24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear viscous limited slip differential (For RS models) 7-26 . . . . . . .
Steering 7-26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tilt steering wheel 7-26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power steering 7-27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cruise control (if equipped) 7-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parking your vehicle 7-30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 7-32
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking tips 7-32
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system 7-33
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators 7-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) (if equipped) 7-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips for AWD vehicles 7-37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Off road driving 7-38
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Winter driving 7-41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Snow tires 7-45
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire chains 7-45
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rocking the vehicle 7-46
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-6
State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All Wheel drive vehicle must NEVER
be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamometer. Attempting to do so will result in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause an acci-
dent or injuries to persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty and is the responsibility ofthe state inspection program or its contractors or licensees.
At state inspection time, remember to tell your inspection or service
station in advance not to place your SUBARU AWD vehicle on a two-
wheel dynamometer. Otherwise, serious transmission damage willresult.
Some states have started using d ynamometers in thei r state insp ec tion
p rog rams in ord er to meet their ob lig ation und er fe d eral law to imp lement
stric ter vehic le emission stand ard s to red uc e air p ollution from c ars. A
d ynamometer is a tread mill or roller-like testing d evic e that allows your
c ar ’s wheels to turn while the c ar remains in one p lac e . Dep end ing on
the severity of a state ’s air p ollution p rob lems, the states must ad op t
either a “b asic ” or “enhanc ed ” vehic le emission insp ec tion test. Nor-
mally, a p ortion of the b asic emission test c onsist s of an emission
insp ec tor inserting an analyzer p rob e into the exha ust p ip e of an id ling
vehic le for a short p eriod of time. States with mor e severe air p ollution
p rob lems are req uired to ad op t an enhanc ed vehic le emission test. This
test simulates ac tual d riving c ond itions on a d ynam ometer and p ermits
more ac c urate measurement of tailp ip e emitted p ollu tion than the b asic
emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Protec tion Ag enc y (EPA) and states using two-
wheel d ynamometers in their emission testing p rog ra ms have

Starting and operating7-7
–
CONTINUED –
EXEMPTED
SUBARU AWD vehic les from the p ortion of the testin g p ro-
g ram that involves a two-wheel d ynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel d ynamomet ers in their testing
p rog rams. When p rop erly used , that eq uip ment will n ot d amag e an AWD
SUBARU vehic le.
Und er no c irc umstanc es should the rear wheels b e ja c ked off the
g round , nor should the d riveshaft b e d isc onnec ted f or state emission
testing .
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Never inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine exhaust gas contains
carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas which is danger- ous, or even lethal, if inhaled. Always properly maintain the engine exhaust system to pre-
vent engine exhaust gas from entering the vehicle. Never run the engine in a closed space, such as a garage, ex-
cept for the brief time needed to drive the vehicle in or out of it. Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a lengthy time while
the engine is running. If that is unavoidable, then use the ventila-tion fan to force fresh air into the vehicle. Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille free from snow,
leaves or other obstructions to ensure that the ventilation system
always works properly. If at any time you suspect that exhaust fumes are entering the
vehicle, have the problem checked and corrected as soon as pos-
sible. If you must drive under these conditions, drive only with allwindows fully open. Keep the trunk lid or rear gate closed while driving to prevent
exhaust gas from entering the vehicle.

7-8
NOTE Due to the expansion and contraction of the metals used in the
manufacture of the exhaust system, you may hear a crackling soundcoming from the exhaust system for a short time after the enginehas been shut off. This sound is normal.
Catalytic converter
WARNING
Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive or park the vehicle anywhere
near flammable materials (e.g. grass, paper, rags or leaves), be-
cause the catalytic converter operates at very high temperatures. Keep everyone and flammable materials away from the ex-
haust pipe while the engine is running. The exhaust gas is veryhot.
HB3003BA
The c atalytic c onverter is installed in the exhaust system. It serves as a
c atalyst to red uc e HC, CO and NOx in exhaust g ases, thus p rovid ing
c leaner exhaust.
To avoid d amag e to the c atalytic c onverter: Use only unlead ed fuel. Even a small amount of lead ed fuel will d am-
ag e the c atalytic c onverter. Never start the eng ine b y p ushing or p ulling the ve hic le.

7-10Preparing to drive
You should p erform the following c hec ks and ad justm
ents every d ay b e-
fore you start d riving .
1. Chec k that all wind ows, mirrors, and lig hts are c lean and unob -
struc ted .
2. Chec k the ap p earanc e and c ond ition of the tires. Also c hec k tires for
p rop er inflation. 3. Look und er the vehic le for any sig n of leaks.
4. Chec k that the hood , trunk and rear g ate are full y c losed .
5. Chec k the ad justment of the seat.
6. Chec k the ad justment of the insid e and outsid e mi rrors.
7. Fasten your seat b elt. Chec k that your p asseng ers have fastened
their seat b elts.
8. Chec k the op eration of the warning and ind ic ator lig hts when the ig ni-
tion switc h is turned to the “ON ” p osition.
9. Chec k the g aug es, ind ic ator and warning lig hts af ter starting the en-
g ine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid and other fluid
levels should be checked daily, weekly or at fuel stops.
Driving in foreign countries
When p lanning to use your vehic le in another c ountr y:
Confirm the availab ility of the c orrec t fuel. (Refe r to the “Fuel req uire-
ment ” sec tion in this c hap ter.)
Comp ly with all reg ulations and req uirements of eac h c ountry.
Periodic inspections
To keep your vehic le in the b est c ond ition at all t imes, always have the
rec ommend ed maintenanc e servic es listed in the main tenanc e sc hed ule
in the “Warranty and Maintenanc e Booklet ” p erformed at the sp ec ified
time or mileag e intervals.

Starting and operating7-11
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CONTINUED –
Ignition switch
WARNING
Never turn the ignition switch to “LOCK” while the vehicle is be-
ing driven or towed because that will lock the steering wheel, pre- venting steering control. And when the engine is turned off, it
takes a much greater effort than usual to steer.
The ig nition switc h has four p ositions: LOCK, ACC, ON and START.
HS0122
LOCK
The key c an only b e inserted or removed in this p os ition. The ig nition
switc h will loc k the steering wheel when you remove the key.
If turning the key is d iffic ult, turn the steering wheel slig htly to the rig ht
and left as you turn the key.