2001 SUBARU LEGACY service

11-4
Always use the proper tools and make certain that they are
well maintained. Never get under the vehicle supported only by a jack. Always
use a safety stands to support the vehicle. Never keep the engine running in a poorly ventilated area,
such as a garage or other closed areas. Do not smoke or allow open flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire. Because the fuel system is under pressure, replacement of the
fuel filter should be performed only by your SUBARU dealer. Wear adequate eye protection to guard against getting oil or
fluids in your eyes. If something does get in your eyes, thorough-
ly wash it out with clean water. Do not tamper with the wiring of the SRS airbag system or
seatbelt pretensioner system, or attempt to take its connectorsapart, as that may activate the system or it can render it inopera-tive. The wiring and connectors of these systems are yellow for
easy identification. NEVER use a circuit tester for these wiring. If your SRS airbag or seatbelt pretensioner needs service, con-
sult your nearest SUBARU dealer. Before checking or servicing in the engine compart- ment
Always stop the engine and set the parking brake firmly to pre-
vent the vehicle from moving. Always let the engine cool down. Engine parts become very
hot when the engine is running and remain hot for some time af-ter the engine is stopped. Do not spill engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components. This may cause a fire. Always remove the key from the ignition switch. When the
ignition switch is in the “ON” position, the cooling fan may oper-
ate suddenly even when the engine is stopped.

Maintenance and service11-5
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CONTINUED –

When you do checking or servicing in the engine
compartment while the engine is running
A running engine can be dangerous. Keep your fingers, hands, clothing, hair and tools away from the cooling fan, belts and anyother moving engine parts. Removing rings, watches and ties isadvisable.
Engine hood
WARNING
Always check that the hood is properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open while the vehicle is moving
and block your view, which may cause an accident and serious
bodily injury.
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Maintenance and service11-7
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CONTINUED –
Engine compartment overview
2.5 liter models
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1 Manual transmission oil level
g aug e (MT) (p ag e 11-23) or
Differential g ear oil level g aug e
(AT) (p ag e 11-26)
2 Air c leaner element
(p ag e 11-18)
3 Clutc h fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-32)
4 Automatic transmission fluid
level g aug e (p ag e 11-24)
5 Brake fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-30)
6 Fuel filter 7
Wind shield washer tank
(p ag e 11-42)
8 Fuse b ox (p ag e 11-46)
9 Battery (p ag e 11-45)
Q Eng ine oil filler c ap
(p ag e 11-9)
W Eng ine c oolant reservoir
(p ag e 11-15)
E Rad iator c ap (p ag e 11-15)
R Eng ine oil level g aug e
(p ag e 11-9)
T Power steering fluid reservoir
(p ag e 11-29)

Maintenance and service11-9
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CONTINUED –
Engine oil
Checking the oil level
Chec k the eng ine oil level at eac h fuel stop .
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1. Park the vehic le on a level surfac e and stop the eng ine.
2. Pull out the d ip stic k, wip e it c lean, and insert it ag ain.
3. Be sure the d ip stic k is c orrec tly inserted until it stop s with the
g rap hic symb ol
on its top ap p earing as shown in the illustra-
tion.
4. Pull out the d ip stic k ag ain and c hec k the oil lev el on it. If it is b elow
the lower level, ad d oil to b ring the level up to t he up p er level.
CAUTION
Use only engine oil with the recommended grade and viscosity.
If you c hec k the oil level just after stop p ing the eng ine, wait a few min-
utes for the oil to d rain b ac k into the oil p an b ef ore c hec king the level.
Just after d riving or while the eng ine is warm, the eng ine oil level
read ing may b e in a rang e b etween the up p er level a nd the notc h
mark. This is c aused b y thermal exp ansion of the en g ine oil.
To p revent overfilling the eng ine oil, d o not ad d a ny ad d itional oil
ab ove the up p er level when the eng ine is c old .

Maintenance and service11-11
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CONTINUED –
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6. Remove three c lip s at the front of the c over und e r the oil filter.
7. Slid e the c over toward the vehic le front to remov e it.
8. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter wrenc h.
9. Before installing a new oil filter, ap p ly a thin c oat of eng ine oil to the
seal.
10. Clean the rub b er seal seating area of the lower c rank c ase and
install the oil filter b y hand turning . Be c areful not to twist or d amag e
the seal.
11. Tig hten it ap p roximately two-third s of a turn a fter the seal makes
c ontac t with the lower c rank c ase.
CAUTION
Never over tighten the oil filter because that can result in an oilleak.

11-1212. Reinstall the c over und er the oil filter.
13. Pour the sp ec ified amount of eng ine oil throug h
the filler nec k.
Oil c ap ac ity: 2.5 liter mod els: 4.2 US q t (4.0 liters, 3.5 Imp q t )
3.0 liter mod els: 6.0 US q t (5.7 liters, 5.0 Imp q t )
14. Start the eng ine and make sure that no oil leak s ap p ear around
the filter ’s rub b er seal.
15. Run the eng ine until it reac hes the normal op er ating temp erature.
Then stop the eng ine and wait a few minutes to allo w the oil d rain
b ac k. Chec k the oil level ag ain and if nec essary, a d d more eng ine oil.
Recommended grade and viscosity CAUTION
Use only engine oil with the recommended grade and viscosity.
Oil grade: API classification SJ or SH with the words “ENERGY
CONSERVING II ” (if you cannot obtain the oil with SJ
or SH grade, you may use SG grade oil.) or the new API certification mark (Starburst mark) dis-
played on the container.
New API Certification Mark (Starburst Mark)API Service label
1
2
3
1 Ind ic ates the oil q uality b y API d esig nations
2 Ind ic ates the SAE oil visc osity g rad e
3 Ind ic ates that the oil has fuel saving c ap ab ilities

Maintenance and service11-13
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CONTINUED –
In c hoosing an oil, you want the p rop er q uality and
visc osity, as well
as one that will ad d to fuel ec onomy. The following tab le lists the rec -
ommend ed visc osities and ap p lic ab le temp eratures.
When ad d ing oil, d ifferent b rand s may b e used tog et her as long as
they are the same API c lassific ation and SAE visc os ity as those rec -
ommend ed b y SUBARU.
Eng ine oil visc osity (thic kness) affec ts fuel ec ono my. Oils of lower vis-
c osity p rovid e b etter fuel ec onomy. However, in hot weather, oil of
hig her visc osity is req uired to p rop erly lub ric ate the eng ine.
OM-H2756
SAE viscosity numbr and applicable temperature
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions
If the vehic le is used in d esert areas, in areas wi th very hig h temp era-
tures, or used for heavy-d uty ap p lic ations suc h as a towing a trailer,
use of oil with the following g rad e and visc osities is rec ommend ed .
API classification SJ or SH: SAE viscosity No.: 30, 40, 10W-50,
20W-40, 20W-50

Maintenance and service11-15
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Engine coolant Checking the coolant level
Chec k the c oolant level at eac h fuel stop .
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1. Chec k the c oolant level on the outsid e of the res ervoir while the
eng ine is c ool.
2. If the level is c lose to or lower than the “LOW ” level mark, ad d
c oolant up to the “FULL ” level mark. If the reserve tank is emp ty, re-
move the rad iator c ap and refill as req uired .
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Rubber gaskets
3. After refilling the reserve tank and the rad iator , reinstall the c ap s
and c hec k that the rub b er g askets insid e the rad iat or c ap are in the
p rop er p osition.