2003 SUBARU BAJA warning light

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check of the “CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/malfunction indicator lamp
(MIL) and an examination of the OBD system with an electronic scan tool while the engine is running. A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if proper the “CHECK
ENGINE” warning light/MIL illumination is observed, there is no stored
diagnostic trouble codes, and the OBD system readiness monitors are complete. A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “CHECK ENGINE ” warning
light/MIL is not properly operating or there is one or more diagnostic
trouble codes stored in vehicle ’s computer with the “CHECK ENGINE ”
warning light/MIL illuminated. A state emission inspection may reject (not pass or fail) a vehicle if
the number of OBD system readiness monitors “Not Ready ” is greater
than three. Under this condition, the vehicle operator should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few days to set the monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should contact their Subaru
Dealer for service.
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjustments every day be-
fore you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are clean and unob- structed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of the tires. Also check tires for
proper inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood is fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passengers have fastened theirseatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator lights when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Braking Braking tips
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This can
cause dangerous overheating of the brakes and needless wearon the brake pads and linings.
When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the vehicle, the brakes may get
wet. As a result, brake stopping distance will be longer. To dry the
brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed while lightly depressing thebrake pedal to heat up the brakes. Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking in addition to foot braking.
When descending a grade, if only the foot brake is used, the brakes
may start working improperly because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To help prevent this, shift into a
lower gear to get stronger engine braking. Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly when a tire is punctured.
This could cause a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the roadto a safe place.
Brake system Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has two separate circuit brake systems. Each circuit
works diagonally across the vehicle. If one circuit of the brake system
should fail, the other half of the system still works. If one circuit fails,
the brake pedal will go down much closer to the floor than usual and
you will need to press it down much harder. And a much longer dis-
tance will be needed to stop the vehicle.

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ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving – overconfidence because
you are driving with an ABS equipped vehicle could easily lead to a serious accident.
CAUTION
The ABS system does not always decrease stopping distance.
You should always maintain a safe following distance from othervehicles. When driving on badly surfaced roads, gravel roads, icy road,
or over deep newly fallen snow, stopping distances may be long-er for a vehicle with the ABS system than one without. When driv-ing under these conditions, therefore, reduce your speed and
leave ample distance from other vehicles. When you feel the ABS system operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure. Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the operation of the ABS 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 wheellock-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 ABSoperates. The ABS system will not operate when the vehicle speed is below
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and hear the operating
sound of ABS from the engine compartment just after the vehicle is

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started. This is caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS sys-
tem being carried out and does not indicate any abnormal condition. ABS warning light
HB4010GA
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as follows, the ABS system may not
be working properly.When the warning light is on, the ABS function shuts down; how-
ever, the conventional brake system continues to operate normal-
ly. The warning light does not come on when the ignition switch
is turned to the “ON” position.
The warning light comes on when the ignition switch is turned
to the “ON” position, but it does not go out even when the vehicle
speed exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repaired at the first available
opportunity by your SUBARU dealer.

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NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described below, the ABS sys- tem may be considered normal.The warning light comes on right after the engine is started
but goes out immediately, remaining off. The warning light remains on after the engine has been
started, but it goes out when the vehicle speed reaches about 8mph (12 km/h). The warning light comes on during driving, but it goes out
immediately and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such as when the en-
gine is jump started, the ABS warning light may come on. This is due
to the low battery voltage and does not indicate a malfunction. When
the battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out.
Parking your vehicle
WARNING
Never leave unattended children or pets in the vehicle. They
could accidentally injure themselves or others through inadver-tent operation of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny days, the tem-perature in a closed vehicle could quickly become high enoughto cause severe or possibly fatal injuries to them. Do not park the vehicle over flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as they may burn easily if they comenear hot engine or exhaust system parts. Be sure to stop the engine if you take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the passenger compartment, occu-pants in the vehicle could die from carbon monoxide (CO) con-tained in the exhaust gas.