2002 SUBARU LEGACY check engine

Driving tips8-11
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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 separate the rubber
weather strips around the door. If the door is frozen, use hot water to
melt the ice, and afterwards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an antifreeze solution. Do
not use engine antifreeze or other substitutes because they may dam-age the paint of the vehicle. nBefore driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice from your shoes
because that could make the pedals slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelera-
tor pedal, brake pedal, and all other controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under the fenders to
avoid making steering difficult. During severe winter driving, stop
when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders peri-
odically. n Parking in cold weather
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust pipe and from around your
vehicle if you park the vehicle in snow with the engine running.
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long periods in cold
weather since it could freeze in that position. Instead, observe the fol-lowing:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual transmission vehicles,
and in “P” for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows, raise the wiper
blades off the glass to prevent damage to them.

8-12
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on roads heavily cov-
ered with snow, or has been left parked during a snowstorm, icingmay develop on the brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful not to damage
the disc brakes and brake hoses and ABS harness. nRefueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel system and the risk
of its freezing, use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel tank is recom-
mended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for this purpose.
When an antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts longer if the tank is
refilled whenever the fuel level reaches half empty. If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extended period, it is
best to have the fuel tank filled to capacity. Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt ac-
celeration, high-speed driving, and sharp turning when driving on
snowy or icy roads.Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicleahead of you to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake effectively to con-
trol the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can cause the wheels to
lock, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehicle ’s braking per-
formance on snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS (Anti-Lock Brake
System)” and “VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system ” section in
chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery surfaces.

9-14
Engine overheatingWARNING
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until the engine has been shut off and has fully cooled down. When the engine is hot,the coolant is under pressure. Removing the cap while the engineis still hot could release a spray of boiling hot coolant, which
could burn you very seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the road and stop the vehicle in asafe place. If steam is coming from the engine compartment
Turn the engine off and get everyone away from the vehicle until itcools down. If no steam is coming from the engine compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If the fan is not turning, im-
mediately turn the engine off and contact your authorized dealer for
repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature has dropped, turn off the en-gine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the overheated zone, turn the en-
gine off.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down, check the coolant level in
the reserve tank.If the coolant level is below the “MIN” mark, add coolant up to the
“MAX” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve tank, add coolant to the reserve
tank. Then remove the radiator cap and fill the radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot radiator, first wrap a thick
cloth around the radiator cap, then turn the cap counterclockwise
slowly without pressing down until it stops. Release the pressure from

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CAUTION
If transmission failure occurs, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck. Do not run the engine while being towed in this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if the vehicle is towed with theengine running. For vehicles with automatic transmission, the traveling speed
must be limited to less than 20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling
distance to less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds and
distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-bed truck.
HB8010AA
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 transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position while the ve-
hicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent damage to the ve-hicle.

10-4
wax to restore the original luster. Frequent polishing with a compound or
an incorrect polishing technique will result in removing the paint layer
and exposing the undercoat. When in doubt, it is always best to contactyour SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specialist. Cleaning aluminum wheels
Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels clean of any kind of grime or
agent. If dirt is left on too long, it may be difficult to clean off. Do not use soap containing grit to clean the wheels. Be sure to use a
neutral cleaning agent, and later rinse thoroughly with water. Do not
clean the wheels with a stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed wash-ing device. Clean the vehicle (including the aluminum wheels) with water as soon
as possible when it has been splashed with sea water, exposed to sea
breezes, or driven on roads treated with salt or other agents. Cleaning fog light lens (for OUTBACK)
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1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
2. Stop the engine and turn off the fog lights.
3. Check that the fog lights are not hot. Then, grasp the protector and
turn it approximately 10 ° counter-clockwise.
4. Pull the protector off the fog light.
5. Wash the lens with water.
6. Apply the protector to the lens at an angle of approximately 10 ° from

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 them 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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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 service11-9
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Engine oil
Checking the oil level
Check the engine oil level at each fuel stop.
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1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and insert it again.
3. Be sure the dipstick is correctly inserted until it stops with the
graphic symbol
on its top appearing as shown in the illustra-
tion.
4. Pull out the dipstick again and check the oil level on it. If it is belowthe lower level, add oil to bring the level up to the upper level.
CAUTION
Use only engine oil with the recommended grade and viscosity.
If you check the oil level just after stopping the engine, wait a few min-
utes for the oil to drain back into the oil pan before checking the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not add any additional oilabove the upper level when the engine is cold.
In 2.5-liter-engine models, the dipstick has a notch above the upper level.
Just after driving or while the engine is warm, the engine oil level
reading may be in a range between the upper level and the notch
mark. This is caused by thermal expansion of the engine oil.