2002 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

Starting and operating
7-16
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the selector lever in the “N” (neutral) position. Engine braking
has no effect in this condition and the risk ofan accident is consequently increased.
D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 4th according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor andhold that position. The transmission will automatical-
ly downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you re-
lease the pedal, the transmission will return to the
original gear position.
n While climbing a grade
When driving up hill, undesired upshift to 4th gear is
prevented from taking place when the accelerator
pedal is released. This minimizes the chances of subsequent downshifting to a lower gear when ac-
celerating again. This prevents repeated upshifting
and downshifting resulting in a smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTE The transmission may downshift to 2nd or 1st
gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedalis pressed to accelerate the vehicle again. n While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing the brake
pedal will cause the transmission to downshift to 3rd
gear, thus applying engine braking. Reacceleration
for a short time will cause the transmission to upshift
normally. NOTE In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a downhill grade does not result in an automatic
downshift to 3rd gear. This can happen when theautomatic transmission fluid temperature is very
low, for example, during driving shortly after the
vehicle has been parked for an extended period
of time. When the ATF temperature has risen to a
certain level, automatic downshift normally takes
place. In the meantime, downshift manually forengine braking as required.Also, downshifting when braking downhill willnot occur at speeds above approximately 48 mph(78 km/h).

Starting and operating
7-17
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3 (Third)
This position is for using engine braking when going down a hill or for climbing a grade.The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 3rd according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold that position. The transmission will automatical-
ly downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the originalgear position.
2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking when goingdown a hill or for climbing a steep grade.In this position, the transmission holds in the 2nd
gear.
Use this position when starting off from a standstill
on slippery road surfaces such as mud or snow. It
will ensure greater traction.
1 (First)
This position is for driving up or down very steep
grades, or driving through mud or sand, or on slip-
pery surfaces. In this position, the transmission
holds in the 1st gear.
Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear. The tachome-ter’ s needle will enter the red area if these speeds
are exceeded.
When shifting down a gear, it is important to confirm
that the current vehicle speed is not in excess of the
Maximum Allowable Speed of the gear which is
about to be selected.Exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speeds will
result in over-revving of the engine. In addition a
powerful engine brake will engage and control of the vehicle may be lost. mph (km/h)
2.5 liter models2.0 liter turbo
RSTS, OUTBACKSPORTmodelsWRX
129 (47)35 (56)40 (65)
258 (93)64 (103)73 (118)
NOTE In order to prevent over-revving during accel-
eration of the vehicle, the transmission will auto-
matically shift to the next highest gear if the Max-

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
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HB7010CA
HG7010BA
4. Insert the screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and move the se-
lector lever from the “P” to the “N” position. 6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole. Depress
the brake pedal and start the engine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU dealer im-
mediately to have the system repaired.

Starting and operating
7-20
Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped)
The LSD provides optimum distribution of power ac-
cording to the difference in revolutions between the
right and left rear wheels that may be caused by
certain driving conditions, thereby improving driving
stability on snow-covered, muddy or other slippery
roads.
CAUTION
Never start the engine while a tire on one
side is jacked up, as the vehicle may move. If one rear tire is spinning in mud, avoid
continued spinning at high speed as thiscould adversely affect the LSD. If a different size rear tire is temporarily
used (as in an emergency), it will adversely af-fect the LSD. Always replace it with a regularsize tire as soon as possible. Power steering The power steering system operates only when the
engine is running.If you lose power steering assist because the en-gine stops or the system fails to function, you can
steer but it will take much more effort. NOTE Right after the engine has been started and be- fore it has warmed up, you may hear a noisecoming from areas adjacent to the power steer-
ing pump which is located at the right-front area of the engine compartment. This noise is normal. It does not indicate power steering systemtrouble.
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel at the fully
locked position left or right for more than five
seconds. This may damage the power steer- ing pump.

Starting and operating
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Braking Braking tips
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This can cause dangerous overheat- ing of the brakes and needless wear on thebrake pads and linings.
When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result, brake stopping dis-
tance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the ve-
hicle at a safe speed while lightly depressing thebrake pedal to heat up the brakes.
Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking in addi-
tion to foot braking. When descending a grade, if
only the foot brake is used, the brakes may start
working improperly because of brake fluid overheat-
ing, caused by overheated brake pads. To help pre-
vent this, shift into a lower gear to get stronger
engine braking.
Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly when a
tire is punctured. This could cause a loss of controlof the vehicle. Keep driving straight ahead while
gradually reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place.
Brake system
Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has two separate circuit brake systems.
Each circuit works diagonally across the vehicle. If
one circuit of the brake system should fail, the other
half of the system still works. If one circuit fails, thebrake pedal will go down much closer to the floor
than usual and you will need to press it down much
harder. And a much longer distance will be needed to stop the vehicle.
Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold vacuum to
assist braking force. Do not turn off the engine while
driving because that will turn off the brake booster,
resulting in poor braking power. The brakes will continue to work even when the brake booster completely stops functioning. If this
happens, however, you will have to push the pedal

Starting and operating
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much harder than normal and the braking distance
will increase. Disc brake pad wear warning indica- tors
OM-H0163
The disc brake pad wear warning indicators on the
disc brakes give a warning noise when the brake
pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard from thedisc brakes while braking, immediately have your
vehicle checked by your SUBARU dealer. ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of wheels which may occur during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This helps prevent the
loss of steering control and directional stability caused by wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you may hear a
chattering noise or feel a slight vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal when the ABS operates. The ABS system will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving
– over-
confidence because you are driving with an
ABS equipped vehicle could easily lead to aserious accident.

Starting and operating
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CAUTION
The ABS system does not always decrease
stopping distance. You should always main- tain a safe following distance from other ve- hicles. When driving on badly surfaced roads, grav-
el roads, icy roads, or over deep newly fallen
snow, stopping distances may be longer for a
vehicle with the ABS system than one without. When driving under these conditions, there-
fore, reduce your speed and leave ample dis-tance from other vehicles. When you feel the ABS system operating,
you should maintain constant brake pedal
pressure. Do not pump the brake pedal since doing so may defeat the operation of the ABS system.
ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and
hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine
compartment just after the vehicle is started. This iscaused by an automatic functional test of the ABS
system being carried out and does not indicate any
abnormal condition.
ABS warning light
HG1016FA
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out
after about two seconds. This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage
such as when the engine is jump started, the ABS
warning light may come on. This is due to the low
battery voltage and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out.