2003 SUBARU BAJA engine

Starting and operating7-9
–
CONTINUED –
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights after starting the en- gine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid and other fluid
levels should be checked daily, weekly or at fuel stops.
Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor continuously for more than ten
seconds. If the engine fails to start after operating the starter forfive to ten seconds, wait for ten seconds or more before tryingagain.
Starting the engine for manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the shift lever into neutral.
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor while starting the engine. The starter
motor will only operate when the clutch pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
light” section (Chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turn the ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone off after the
engine has started. The fuel injection system automatically lowers the
idle speed as the engine warms up.

7-10
Starting the engine for automatic transmission ve- hicle
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the vehicle is moving, shift the se- lector lever into the “N” position. Do not attempt to place the se-
lector lever of a moving vehicle into the “P” position.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N” position (preferably “P” posi-
tion). The starter will only operate when the select lever is at the “P” or
“N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
lights” section (Chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turnthe ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone out after the
engine has started. The fuel injection 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.
Starting the engine during cold weather below –4°F
(–20 °C)
If the engine is difficult to start using the normal method (without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal), turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position while slightly depressing the accelerator pedal.

Starting and operating7-11
–
CONTINUED –
Starting a flooded engine
If the engine does not start, it may be flooded (excessive fuel in the en- gine).
In case of a flooded engine, turn the starter motor for five seconds with
the accelerator pedal fully depressed. Repeat this two or three times until
the engine starts. Release the ignition switch and accelerator pedal as
soon as the engine starts.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the vehicle is moving. This will
cause loss of power to the power steering and the brake booster,making steering and braking more difficult. It could also result in
accidental activation of the “LOCK” position on the ignition
switch, causing the steering wheel to lock.
The ignition switch should be turned off only when the engine is idling.
Manual transmission
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the clutch disengaged (i.e., when the clutch pedal is depressed) or with the shift lever in the neutralposition. Engine braking has no effect in either of these condi-tions and the risk of an accident is consequently increased.
CAUTION
Shift into reverse ONLY when the vehicle has completelystopped. It may cause damage to the transmission to try shiftinginto reverse when the vehicle is moving.

Starting and operating7-13
–
CONTINUED –
nMaximum allowable speeds
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the vehicle is not travel- ling at a speed exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speed for thegear which is about to be selected. Failure to observe this pre-caution can lead to engine over-revving and this in turn canresult in engine damage.In addition, sudden application of engine brakes when the vehicleis travelling on a slippery surface can lead to wheel locking; as a
consequence, control of the vehicle may be lost and the risk ofan accident increased.
The following table shows the maximum speeds that are possible with
each different gear. Never exceed the speed limit below for each gear position except for
brief acceleration in an emergency. The tachometer ’s needle (if so
equipped) will enter the red area if these speeds are exceeded. Fail-
ure to observe this precaution can lead to excessive engine wear and
poor fuel economy.
mph (km/h)
Gear
BAJA
1st31 (50)
2nd52 (84)
3rd74 (119)
Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to hold your vehicle at a standstill on an upgrade. Either ofthose actions may cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the shift lever. This may causewear on the transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle speed due to slow traffic, turn-

7-14
ing corners, or driving up steep hills, downshift to a lower gear before
the engine starts to labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the transmission to 4th, 3rd or 2nd
gear as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe speed and to extendbrake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking effect. Remember, if you
“ride” (over use) the brakes while descending a hill, they may over-
heat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock when the vehicle rapidly
accelerates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This phenomenondoes not indicate a fault.
Automatic transmission
WARNING
Do not shift from the “P” or “N” position into the “D”, “3”, “2”,
“1” or “R” position while depressing the accelerator pedal. This
may cause the vehicle to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION
Shift into the “P” or “R” position only after the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped. Shifting while the vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission. Do not race the engine for more than five seconds in any posi-
tion except the “N” or “P” position when the brake is set or the
tires are on blocks. This may cause the automatic transmissionfluid to overheat. Avoid shifting from one of the forward driving positions into
the “R” position or vice versa until the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may cause damage to the transmission.
The automatic transmission is electronically controlled with 4-forward

7-16
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 transmis-
sion. A shift interlock function is employed in the automatic transmission
system to ensure safe starting of the vehicle.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to the any other position, you
have to depress the brake pedal fully 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 Chap-
ter. R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from “N” to “R” position, first stop the vehicle completely then
move the lever to “R” position.
N (Neutral)
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 of an accident is consequently increased.
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 onthe slightest incline unless the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neutral.

Starting and operating7-17
–
CONTINUED –
During coasting, the engine braking does not act. 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 acceler- ator pedal fully to the floor and hold that position. The transmission
will automatically downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position. n While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to 4th gear is prevented from
taking place when the accelerator is released. This minimizes the
chance of subsequent downshifting to a lower gear when accelerat-
ing again. This prevents repeated upshifting and downshifting result-ing in a smoother operation of the vehicle. NOTE
The transmission may downshift to 2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal is pressed to accelerate the vehicleagain. 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 brak-
ing. Reacceleration for a short time will cause the transmission to up-
shift normally. NOTE In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a downhill grade
does not result in an automatic downshift to 3rd gear. This canhappen when the automatic 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 tem-perature has risen to a certain level, automatic downshift normal-ly takes place. In the meantime, downshift manually for engine

7-18
braking as required. Also, downshifting when braking downhill will not occur at
speeds above approximately 50 mph (80 km/h). 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 acceler- ator pedal fully to the floor and hold that position. The transmission
will automatically downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position. 2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking when going down 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 slippery surfaces. In this position, the
transmission holds in the 1st gear. Maximum speeds
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the vehicle is not travel- ling at a speed exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speed for thegear which is about to be selected. Failure to observe this pre-caution can lead to engine over-revving and this in turn canresult in engine damage.In addition, sudden application of engine brakes when the vehicleis travelling on a slippery surface can lead to wheel locking; as a
consequence, control of the vehicle may be lost and the risk of