2003 SUBARU BAJA Owners Manual

Starting and operating7-27
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CONTINUED –
CAUTION
Never drive while the parking brake is set because this will cause
unnecessary wear on the brake linings. Before starting to drive,always make sure that the parking brake has been fully released.
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firmly and hold it down
while fully pulling up the parking brake lever.
HB4001BA
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly, press the release
button, then lower the lever while keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is 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. Refer to the“ Warning and indicator lights ” section (Chapter 3).
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking brake firmly and putthe shift lever in the “1” (1st) for an upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a down-
grade for manual transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) position for
automatic transmission vehicles. Always set the parking brake firmly
when parking your vehicle. Never rely on the transmission alone to holdthe vehicle.

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HB7032AA
HB7033AA
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. When facing downhill, the front wheels should be turned into thecurb.
Cruise control
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under any of the following condi- tions. This may cause loss of vehicle control: driving up or down a steep grade
driving on slippery or winding roads
driving in heavy traffic
Cruise control enables you to maintain a constant vehicle speed without
holding your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is operative when the
vehicle speed is 25 mph (40 km/h) or more. Make sure the main switch is
turned “OFF” when the cruise control is not in use to avoid unintentionally
by setting the cruise control.

Starting and operating7-29
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CONTINUED –
To set cruise control
HG0312
HB7035BB Cruise control lever
1. Push the
“CRUISE” main switch. The indicator light on the switch
will come on.
2. Depress the accelerator pedal until the vehicle reaches the de-
sired speed.
3. Push the control lever downward in the “SET, COAST ” direction
and release it. Then release the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle will maintain the desired speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily increased while driving with the
cruise control activated. Simply depress the accelerator pedal to ac-
celerate the vehicle. When the accelerator pedal is released, the ve-
hicle will return to and maintain the previous cruising speed. To temporarily cancel the cruise control
There are four ways to cancel the cruise control temporarily:
Depress the brake pedal.
Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction. (if so equipped)
Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission vehicles only).
Shift the selector lever into the “N” position (automatic transmis-
sion vehicles only).
To resume the cruise control after it has been temporarily canceled
and with vehicle speed of about 20 mph (32 km/h) or more, push the
control lever upward in the “ACCEL, RESUME ” direction to return to
the original cruising speed automatically.

7-30
To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: Push the main switch again.
Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” position (but only when the
vehicle is completely stopped).
To change the cruising speed
n To increase the speed (by control lever)
Push the control lever upward in the “ACCEL, RESUME ” direction and
hold it until the vehicle reaches the desired speed. Then, release the
control lever. The vehicle speed at that moment will be memorized
and treated as the new set speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the set
speed is less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can be increased
1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time by pressing the control lever upward inthe “ACCEL, RESUME ” direction quickly within a half second.
n To increase the speed (by accelerator pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle to the de-
sired speed.
2. Push the control lever downward in the “SET, COAST ” direction
once. Now the desired speed is set and the vehicle will keep running
at that speed without depressing the accelerator pedal.
NOTE If the difference between the actual vehicle speed when the con- trol lever is pushed downward and the speed last time you set is
less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the vehicle speed will be lowered by 1mph (1.6 km/h). This occurs because the cruise control systemunit regards this lever operation as that intended to decrease the
vehicle speed. n To decrease the speed (by control lever)
Push the control lever downward in the “SET, COAST ” direction and
hold it until the vehicle reaches the desired speed. Then, release the
control lever. The vehicle speed at that moment will be memorized
and treated as the new set speed.

Starting and operating7-31
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When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the set
speed is less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can be lowered 1
mph (1.6 km/h) each time by pressing the control lever downward inthe “SET, COAST ” direction quickly within a half second.
n To decrease the speed (by brake pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the desired speed, press the control
lever downward in the “SET, COAST ” direction once. Now the desired
speed is set and the vehicle will keep running at that speed without
depressing the accelerator pedal.

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8
Driving tips New vehicle break-in driving –
the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) 8-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel economy hints 8-2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) 8-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Catalytic converter 8-4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Periodic inspections 8-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving in foreign countries 8-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips for AWD vehicles 8-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Off road driving 8-7
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Winter driving 8-10
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Snow tires 8-13
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Tire chains 8-14
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Rocking the vehicle 8-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loading your vehicle 8-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle capacity weight 8-17
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) 8-18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer hitch (if equipped) 8-19
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Trailer towing 8-24
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8-2
New vehicle break-in driving –
the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km)
The performance and long life of your vehicle are dependent on how you
handle and care for your vehicle while it is new. Follow these instructionsduring the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km): Do not race the engine. Break-in engine speed limit
Never exceed 4,000 rpm engine speed except for brief accelera-
tion in an emergency. Do not drive at one constant engine or vehicle speed for a long
time, either fast or slow. Avoid starting suddenly and rapid acceleration, except in an emer-
gency. Avoid hard braking, except in an emergency.
The same break-in procedures should be applied to a newly installed
or overhauled engine or when brake pads or brake linings are re-
placed with new ones.
Fuel economy hints The following suggestions will help to save your fuel. Select the proper gear position for the speed and road conditions.
Avoid sudden acceleration or deceleration. Always accelerate gently
until you reach the desired speed. Then try to maintain that speed for as long as possible. Do not pump the accelerator and avoid racing the engine.
Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
Keep the engine properly tuned.
Keep the tires inflated to the correct pressure shown on the tire plac-
ard, which is located under the door latch on the driver ’s side. Low pres-
sure will increase tire wear and fuel consumption. Use the air conditioner only when necessary.
Keep the front and rear wheels in proper alignment.