2001 SUBARU LEGACY maintenance

Maintenance and service11-25
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HBA008BB
Upper level
Lower level Upper level
Lower level
HOT range
COLD range
HBB004CB
4. Pull out the d ip stic k and c hec k the fluid level o n the g aug e. If it is
b elow the lower level on the “HOT ” rang e, ad d the rec ommend ed au-
tomatic transmission fluid up to the up p er level. n Checking the fluid level when the fluid is cold
When the fluid level has to b e c hec ked without time to warm up the
automatic transmission, c hec k to see that the fluid level is b etween
the lower level and up p er level on the “COLD ” rang e. If it is b elow that
rang e, ad d fluid up to the up p er level. Be c areful not to overfill.
Recommended fluid
“ Dexron II ” or “Dexron III ” Type Automatic Transmission Fluid

Maintenance and service11-27
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SAE viscosity No. and Applicable Temperature
OM-H0212
Rear differential gear oil
Checking the gear oil level CAUTION
If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there may be an oil leak. If you suspect a problem, have the vehicle checked at your
SUBARU dealer.
Your vehic le may b e eq uip p ed with a rear d ifferenti al p rotec tor. The
d ifferential p rotec tor p rovid es p rotec tion to the r ear d ifferential assem-
b ly d uring off-road use. Removal of the rear d iffer ential p rotec tor is not
req uired when c hec king the oil level.

Maintenance and service11-29
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Power steering fluid
Checking the fluid level
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself because the fluid may be hot.
CAUTION
When power steering fluid is being added, use only clean fluid,
and be careful not to allow any dirt into the tank. And never use
different brands together. Avoid spilling fluid when adding it in the tank.
The p ower steering fluid exp and s g reatly as its tem p erature rises; the
fluid level d iffers ac c ord ing to fluid temp erature. Therefore, the reser-
voir tank has two d ifferent c hec king rang es for hot and c old fluid s.
Chec k the p ower steering fluid level monthly.
1. Park the vehic le on a level surfac e, and stop the eng ine.
2. Chec k the fluid level of the reservoir tank.
When the fluid is hot after the vehic le has b een ru n: Chec k that the oil
level is b etween “HOT MIN ” and “HOT MAX ” on the surfac e of the
reservoir tank.
When the fluid is c ool b efore the vehic le is run: C hec k that the oil level
is b etween “COLD MIN ” and “COLD MAX ” on the surfac e of the res-
ervoir tank.
3. If the fluid level is lower than the ap p lic ab le “MIN ” line, ad d the
rec ommend ed fluid as nec essary to b ring the level b etween the
“ MIN ” and “MAX ” line.

Maintenance and service11-31
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CAUTION
Never use different brands of brake fluid together.
When adding brake fluid, be careful not to allow any dirt into
the reservoir. Never splash the brake fluid over painted surfaces or rubber
parts. Alcohol contained in the brake fluid may damage them.
Chec k the fluid level monthly.
HBB004GB
“MIN ” level
mark
“ MAX ” level mark
Chec k the fluid level on the outsid e of the reservo ir. If the level is b e-
low “MIN ”, ad d the rec ommend ed b rake fluid to “MAX ”.
Use only b rake fluid from a sealed c ontainer. Recommended brake fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid

Maintenance and service11-33
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Recommended clutch fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid
Brake booster
If the b rake b ooster d oes not op erate as d esc rib ed b elow, have it
c hec ked b y your SUBARU d ealer.
1. With the eng ine off, d ep ress the b rake p ed al seve ral times, ap p lying
the same p ed al forc e eac h time. The d istanc e the p e d al travels should
not vary.
2. With the b rake p ed al d ep ressed , start the eng ine. The p ed al should
move slig htly d own to the floor.
3. With the b rake p ed al d ep ressed , stop the eng ine a nd keep the p ed al
d ep ressed for 30 sec ond s. The p ed al heig ht should n ot c hang e.
4. Start the eng ine ag ain and run for ab out one minu te then turn it off.
Dep ress the b rake p ed al several times to c hec k the b rake b ooster.
Brake b ooster op erates p rop erly if the p ed al stroke d ec reases with eac h
d ep ression.

Maintenance and service11-35
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and measure the d istanc e b etween the up p er surfac e
of the p ed al
p ad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than the sp ec ific at ion, or when the
p ed al d oes not op erate smoothly, c ontac t with your SUBARU d ealer.
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles)
Chec k the c lutc h p ed al free p lay and reserve d istan c e ac c ord ing to the
maintenanc e sc hed ule in the “Warranty and Maintenanc e Booklet ”.
Checking the clutch function
Chec k the c lutc h eng ag ement and d iseng ag ement.
1. With the eng ine id ling , c hec k that there are no a b normal noises
when the c lutc h p ed al is d ep ressed , and that shifti ng into 1st or re-
verse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehic le b y releasing the p ed al slowly t o c hec k that the en-
g ine and transmission smoothly c oup le without any s ig n of slip p ag e.
Checking the clutch pedal free play
OM-H0224
0.16 —
0.51 in
(4.0 — 13.0 mm)
Lig htly p ress the c lutc h p ed al d own with your fing e r until you feel re-
sistanc e, and c hec k the free p lay.
If the free p lay is not within p rop er sp ec ific ation , c ontac t your
SUBARU d ealer.

Maintenance and service11-37
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n
Parking brake lining
WARNING
A safe location and situation should be selected for break-in driv- ing.
CAUTION
Pulling the parking brake lever too forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be certain to pull the lever up slowly
and gently.
1. Drive the vehic le at a sp eed of ab out 22 mp h (35 km/h).
2. With the p arking b rake release b utton p ushed in, p ull the p arking
b rake lever SLOWLY and GENTLY. (Pulling with a forc e of ap p roxi-
mately 33 lb [ 147 N, 15 kg ] .)
3. Drive the vehic le for ab out 220 yard s (200 meters ) in this c ond ition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the p arking b rake to c oo l d own. Rep eat
this p roc ed ure.
5. Chec k the p arking b rake stroke. If the p arking b r ake stroke is out
of the sp ec ified rang e, ad just it b y turning the ad justing nut loc ated
on the p arking b rake lever.
Parking b rake stroke: 7 — 8 notc hes / 44 lb (196 N, 20 kg )
Parking brake stroke
Chec k the p arking b rake stroke ac c ord ing to the mai ntenanc e sc hed ule
in the “Warranty and Maintenanc e Booklet ”. When the p arking b rake is
p rop erly ad justed , b raking p ower is fully ap p lied b y p ulling the lever up
seven to eig ht notc hes g ently b ut firmly (ab out 44 lb , 196 N, 20 kg ). If the
p arking b rake lever stroke is not within the sp ec if ied rang e, have the
b rake system c hec ked and ad justed at your SUBARU d e aler.

Maintenance and service11-39
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Tire pressure
For the b est b alanc e b etween fuel ec onomy, tire lif e, rid e c omfort, and
hand ling , tire p ressure should b e maintained in ac c ord anc e with sp ec ifi-
c ations. Chec k the tire p ressure when the tires are c old . Cold means that
the vehic le has b een p arked for three hours or has b een d riven less than
1 mile (1.6 km).
HB0382
The rec ommend ed tire p ressure and sizes are p rovid e d on the tire p lac -
ard , whic h is loc ated und er the d oor latc h on the d river’s sid e.
Tire rotation
Tire wear will vary with eac h wheel. To inc rease th e life of tires and keep
wear uniform, it is b est to rotate them every 7,500 mile (12,500 km).
When rotating tires, rep lac e any unevenly worn or d amag ed tire. After
rotating the tires, ad just tire p ressure and b e sur e to c hec k wheel nut
tig htness.