2002 SUBARU IMPREZA parking brake

Starting and operating
7-9
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a while and then turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position again while depressing the accel-
erator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have
gone out after the engine has started. The fuel injec-
tion system automatically lowers the idle speed as
the engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make sure that the selector lever is at the “P” or “N” position and that
the parking brake is applied.
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the vehicle is moving, shift the selector lever into the “N”
position. Do not attempt to place the selectorlever of a moving vehicle into the “P” posi-
tion.
Starting the engine during cold weather below –4°F ( –20 °C)
If the engine is difficult to start using the normal
method (without depressing the accelerator pedal),
turn the ignition switch to the “START” position while
slightly depressing the accelerator pedal.
Starting a flooded engine
If the engine does not start, it may be flooded (ex-
cessive fuel in the engine).
In case of a flooded engine, turn the starter motorfor five seconds with the accelerator pedal fully de-
pressed. Repeat this two or three times until the en-
gine starts. Release the ignition switch and acceler-
ator pedal as soon as the engine starts.

Starting and operating
7-15
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HB7021BA
With the brake pedal depressed, move the lever along the gate.Move the lever along the gate.
The selector lever has seven positions.
P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and starting the engine. In this position, the transmission is mechanically
locked to prevent the vehicle from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the parking
brake fully, then shift into the “P” position. Do not
hold the vehicle with only the transmission.
A shift interlock function is employed in the automat- ic transmission system to ensure safe starting of the vehicle.
To shift the selector lever from the
“P” to the any oth-
er position, you have to depress the brake pedal ful-ly when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
This prevents the vehicle from lurching when it is
started.
If the shift lever does not move from the “P” position
with the brake pedal depressed, refer to the “Shift
lock release ” section in this chapter.
R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, first stop the ve-
hicle completely then move the lever to the “R” posi-
tion.
N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
In this position the wheels and transmission are not
locked. In this position, the transmission is neutral;
the vehicle will roll freely, even on the slightest
incline unless the parking brake or foot brake is on.

Starting and operating
7-18
imum Allowable Speed for the current gear is exceeded. Similarly, in order to prevent over-revving dur-
ing deceleration of the vehicle, the transmission
will remain in the current gear if the speed of the
vehicle is in excess of the Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear to which the selector lever has been moved.
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed exceedingthe Maximum Allowable Speed for the gearwhich is about to be selected. Failure toobserve this precaution can lead to engine
over-revving and this in turn can result in engine damage. In addition, sudden application of engine
brakes when the vehicle is travelling on a slip-pery surface can lead to wheel locking; as a
consequence, control of the vehicle may belost and the risk of an accident increased.
Driving tips
Always apply the foot or parking brake when the
vehicle is stopped in the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R”
position. Always set the parking brake when parking your
vehicle. Do not hold the vehicle with only the trans-mission. Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary position on
an uphill grade by using the “D”, “3”, “2”, or “1”
position. Use the brake instead.
Shift lock release
If the selector lever does not move from the “P” posi-
tion with the brake pedal depressed and the ignition switch in the “ON” position, perform the following
steps:
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the engine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool bag.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the edge with the
regular screwdriver.

Starting and operating
7-25
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Parking your vehicle
WARNING
Never leave unattended children or pets in
the vehicle. They could accidentally injure
themselves or others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny
days, the temperature in a closed vehiclecould quickly become high enough to cause
severe or possibly fatal injuries to people. Do not park the vehicle over flammable ma-
terials such as dry grass, waste paper or rags,as they may burn easily if they come near hotengine or exhaust system parts. Be sure to stop the engine if you take a nap
in the vehicle. If engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occupants in the ve-hicle could die from carbon monoxide (CO)contained in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION
Never drive while the parking brake is set be-
cause this will cause unnecessary wear on the brake linings. Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake has been ful-ly released.
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firm-ly and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
HB4001BA
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slight-
ly, press the release button, then lower the lever
while keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is

Starting and operating
7-26
running, the parking brake warning light comes on.
After starting the vehicle, be sure that the warning
light has gone out before the vehicle is driven. Referto the “Warning and indicator lights ” section (chap-
ter 3).
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for
an upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for
manual transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park)
position for automatic transmission vehicles. Always
set the parking brake firmly when parking your ve-
hicle. Never rely on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
HG7006AA
When parking on a hill, always turn the steering
wheel. When the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front wheels should be turned away from the curb.
HG7007AA
When facing downhill, the front wheels should be
turned into the curb.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front underspoiler and rear underspoiler (both optional), pay atten-tion to blocks and other obstructions on the ground when parking. The underspoilers could be damaged by contact with them.

Driving tips
8-11
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Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or sepa-
rate the rubber weather strips around the door. If the
door is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and af-
terwards thoroughly wipe the water away. Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or oth-
er substitutes because they may damage the paintof the vehicle.
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the ped-
als slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all oth-
er controls operate smoothly. Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated un-
der the fenders to avoid making steering difficult.
During severe winter driving, stop when and where itis safe to do so and check under the fenders peri-
odically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that
position. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmis-
sion vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it
snows, raise the wiper blades off the glass to pre-vent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop onthe brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the sus-
pension, disc brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being care-ful not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses
and ABS harness.

Driving tips
8-26
HB8022BA
8. Connect the hitch wire harness’s black four –pin
wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
HB8021BA
Hitch harness connector 9. Confirm proper function of the hitch wire harness
by individually activating the brake, right turn signal,
left turn signal, stop, and parking lights on the trailer. NOTE Always disconnect the trailer wire harness be- fore launching or retrieving a watercraft.
When you do not tow a trailer
Remove the ball mount from the hitch receiver
tube and insert the receiver cover onto the hitch re- ceiver tube. Place the dust cap over the four –pin connector of
the hitch wire harness to protect against possibledamage. Occasionally lubricate terminals of the four –pin
connector using the terminal grease.

Driving tips
8-34
Side mirrors
HB0085
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle, check that the
standard side mirrors provide a good rearward field of view without significant blind spots. If significant blind spots occur with the vehicle ’s standard side
mirrors, use towing mirrors that conform with Fed-
eral, state/province and/or other applicable regula-tions.
Trailer lights
Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle ’s electrical
system requires modifications to the vehicle ’s light-
ing circuit to increase its capacity and accommo-
date wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights are
connected properly, please consult your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper operation of the turn sig-nals, the brake lights and parking lights each timeyou hitch up.
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper connection
of trailer lights may damage your vehicle
’s
electrical system and cause a malfunction of your vehicle ’s lighting system.
Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are prop-
erly inflated to the pressure specified on the tire
placard located on the left center pillar of your ve-hicle.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper
inflation pressure should be in accordance with the
trailer manufacturer ’s specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire when towing
a trailer, ask a commercial road service to repair the
flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your vehicle
or trailer as a precaution against getting a flat tire,
be sure that the spare tire is firmly secured.