2003 SUBARU BAJA maintenance

Maintenance and service11-35
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nParking brake lining
WARNING
A safe location and situation should be selected for break-in driv- ing.
CAUTION
Pulling the parking brake lever too forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be certain to pull the lever up slowly
and gently.
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of about 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button pushed in, pull the parking
brake lever SLOWLY and GENTLY. (Pulling with a force of approxi-mately 33 lb [147 N, 15 kg].)
3. Drive the vehicle for about 220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking brake to cool down. Repeat
this procedure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the parking brake stroke is out
of the specified range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut located
on the parking brake lever.Parking brake stroke: 7 — 8 notches / 44 lb (196 N, 20 kg)
Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according to the maintenance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”. When the parking brake is
properly adjusted, braking power is fully applied by pulling the lever up
seven to eight notches gently but firmly (about 44 lb, 196 N, 20 kg). If the
parking brake lever stroke is not within the specified range, have the
brake system checked and adjusted at your SUBARU dealer.

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Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on snow-covered and icy
roads. However winter tires do not perform as well as summer tires
and all season tires on roads other than snow-covered and icy roads.
Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are free from serious damage, nails,
and stones. At the same time, check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immediately if you find any problem. NOTE When the wheels and tires strike curbs or are subjected to harsh
treatment as when the vehicle is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This type of
damage does not become evident until time has passed. Try not todrive over curbs, potholes or on other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle ’s speed down to a walking pace or
less, and approach the curbs as squarely as possible. Also, makesure the tires are not pressed against the curb when you park thevehicle. If you feel unusual vibration while driving or find it difficult to
steer the vehicle in a straight line, one of the tires and/or wheelsmay be damaged. Drive slowly to the nearest authorized SUBARUdealer and have the vehicle inspected. Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures helps to maximize the tires ’ service
lives and is essential for good running performance. Check and, if nec-
essary, adjust the pressure of each tire (including the spare) at least
once a month (for example, during a fuel stop) and before any long jour-
ney.
Check the tire pressures when the tires are cold. Use a pressure gauge
to adjust the tire pressures to the values shown on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the door pillar on the driver ’s side.

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Correct tire pressure (tread worn evenly)
HGB033AA
Roadholding is good, and steering is responsive. Rolling resistance is
low, so fuel consumption is also lower. Abnormally low tire pressure (tread worn at shoulders)
HSB012AA
Rolling resistance is high, so fuel consumption is also higher.

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NOTE Loss of correct wheel alignment* causes the tires to wear on one side and reduces the vehicle ’s running stability. Contact your
SUBARU dealer if you notice abnormal tire wear.
* : The suspension system is designed to hold each wheel at a certain alignment
(relative to the other wheels and to the road) for optimum straight-line stability and
cornering performance. Wear indicators
Each tire incorporates a tread wear indicator, which becomes visible
when the depth of the tread grooves decreases to 0.063 in. (1.6 mm). A
tire must be replaced when the tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
OM-H0231
WARNING
When a tire ’s tread wear indicator becomes visible, the tire is
worn beyond the acceptable limit and must be replaced immedi-
ately. With a tire in this condition, driving at high speeds in wetweather can cause the vehicle to hydroplane. The resulting lossof vehicle control can lead to an accident.
NOTE
For safety, inspect the tire tread regularly and replace the tires be- fore their tread wear indicators become visible. A) New tread
B) Worn tread
1) Tread wear indicator

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racy. It also creates incorrect body-to-tire clearances and inappropriately changes the vehicle ’s ground clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of manufacturer, brand (tread
pattern), construction, and size. You are advised to replace the tires with
new ones that are identical to those fitted as standard equipment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU recommends replacing all four tires at the same time.
WARNING
All four tires must be the same in terms of manufacturer, brand
(tread pattern), construction, degree of wear, speed symbol, loadindex and size. Mixing tires of different types, sizes or degrees ofwear can result in damage to the vehicle ’s power train. Use of dif-
ferent types or sizes of tires can also dangerously reduce con-trollability and braking performance and can lead to an accident. Use only radial tires. Do not use radial tires together with
belted bias tires and/or bias-ply tires. Doing so can dangerously
reduce controllability, resulting in an accident.
Wheel replacement
When replacing wheels due, for example, to damage, make sure the re-
placement wheels match the specifications of the wheels that are fitted
as standard equipment. Replacement wheels are available from
SUBARU dealers.
WARNING
Use only those wheels that are specified for your vehicle. Wheelsnot meeting specifications could interfere with brake caliper op-eration and may cause the tires to rub against the wheel wellhousing during turns. The resulting loss of vehicle control couldlead to an accident.

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Washer Fluid ConcentrationFreezing Temperature
30% 50%
100%10.4 °F ( –12 °C)
–4 °F ( –20 °C)
–49 °F ( –45 °C)
HBB004IA
Replacement of windshield wiper blades
Grease, wax, insects, or other materials on the windshield or the wiper
blade results in jerky wiper operation and streaking on the glass. If you
cannot remove the streaks after operating the windshield washer or if the
wiper operation is jerky, clean the outer surface of the windshield (or rear
window) and the wiper blades using a sponge or soft cloth with a neutral
detergent or mild-abrasive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the windshield
and wiper blades with clean water. The windshield is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse the windshield with water.
CAUTION
Do not clean the wiper blades with gasoline or a solvent, such as
paint thinner or benzene. This will cause deterioration of thewiper blades.
If you cannot eliminate the streaking even after following this method,
replace the wiper blades using the following procedures:

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4. If the new blade rubber is not provided with two metal spines, remove
the metal spines from the old blade rubber and install them in the new
blade rubber.
HS0192
Metal spines
5. Align the claws of the metal support with the grooves in the rubber
and slide the blade rubber assembly into the metal support until it locks.
Be sure to position the claws at the end of the metal support between the
stoppers on the rubber as shown. If the rubber is not retained properly,the wiper blade may scratch the windshield.
HS0194
HS0193
Stopper
6. Install the wiper blade assembly to the wiper arm. Make sure that it locks in place.
7. Lower the wiper arm slowly while holding it with your hand.

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It is unnecessary to periodically check the battery fluid level or periodi-
cally refill with distilled water. Fuses
CAUTION
Never replace a fuse with one having a higher rating or with mate-
rial other than a fuse because serious damage or a fire could re-sult.
HBB008DA HB8003CA
The fuses are designed to melt during an overload to prevent damage to
the wiring harness and electrical equipment. The fuses are located intwo fuse boxes. One is located under the instrument panel behind the
coin tray on the driver’s seat side. The other one is housed in the engine
compartment. The fuse puller and spare fuses are stored in the main
fuse box cover in the engine compartment.
If any lights, accessories or other electrical controls do not operate, in-
spect the corresponding fuse. If a fuse has blown, replace it.