2002 SUBARU IMPREZA steering

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
7-22
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
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
8-9
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aid kit and portable phone or citizens band radio. Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain. Slow down and employ extra caution at all times.
When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit
of marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and the like. Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive
either straight up or straight down the slopes. A ve-
hicle can much more easily tip over sideways than it
can end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down
slopes that are too steep. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at
higher speeds. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injureyour hands. Instead drive with your fingers andthumbs on the outside of the rim. If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and
ensure that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The water
should be shallow enough that it does not reach the
vehicle’ s undercarriage. Water entering the engine
air intake or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never attempt to drive through
rushing water; regardless of its depth, it can wash
away the ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle rollover.
Always check your brakes for effectiveness im-
mediately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do
this by driving slowly and stepping on the brake
pedal. Repeat that process several times to dry outthe brake discs and brake pads. Do not drive or park over or near flammable mate-
rials such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while en- gine is running and right after the engine stops. This
could create a fire hazard. After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand,
rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, pa-
per, rags, stones, sand, etc. adhering to or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these ma-
terials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a
mechanical breakdown or fire could occur. Secure all cargo carried inside the vehicle and
make certain that it is not piled higher than the seat-
backs. During sudden stops or jolts, unsecured car-
go could be thrown around in the vehicle and cause
injury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof. Thoseloads raise the vehicle ’s center of gravity and make

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
8-35
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WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not
designed to sustain the towing load. Use ofthe temporary spare tire when towing can result in failure of the spare tire and/or less
stability of the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when tow-
ing a trailer in hilly country on hot days. When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performancewill be different from normal operation. For
safety’ s sake, you should employ extra cau-
tion when towing a trailer and you should
never speed. You should also keep the follow-ing tips in mind:
Before starting out on a trip
Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are apparent, do not tow the trailer.
Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the
trailer attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at
the front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution are accept- able. Check that the tire pressures are correct.
Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that. –the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball. – the trailer lights connector is connected prop-
erly and trailer ’s brake lights illuminate when the
vehicle’ s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trail-
er’ s turn signal lights flash when the vehicle ’s turn
signal lever is operated. – the safety chains are connected properly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in posi-
tion.– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot.
Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel”
of the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out
on a trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping and backing up.

Driving tips
8-36
Driving with a trailer
You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden brak-
ing because it may result in skidding or jackknifing
and loss of control. Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate
engine revolution. Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. Slow down before turning. Make a longer than
normal turning radius because the trailer wheels will
be closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswindscan be due to weather conditions or the passing of
large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and slow down immediately but
gradually. When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and
length caused by attaching the trailer to yourvehicle. Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes
practice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand and
turn it to the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn.
OM-H2791
1) Left turn 2) Right turn
If the ABS warning light illuminates while the
vehicle is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have
repairs performed immediately by the nearest
SUBARU dealer.
Driving on grades
Before going down a steep hill, slow down and
shift into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in
order to utilize the engine braking effect and prevent
overheating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not make

In case of emergency
9-19
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3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier properly with safety chains. Each of safety chain should be
equally tightened and care must be taken not to pull
the chains so tightly that the suspension bottomsout.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front underspoiler and rear underspoiler (both optional), be carefulnot to scrape them when placing the vehicleon the carrier and when removing the vehicle
from the carrier.
Towing with all wheels on the ground
HG9001AA
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” posi-
tion while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent
damage to the vehicle.
WARNING
Never turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction ofthe wheels will be locked. Remember that the brake booster and pow-
er steering do not function when the engine is not running. Because the engine is turned off,
it will take greater effort to operate the brakepedal and steering wheel.