2003 SUBARU BAJA Intake

8-8
Make certain that you and all of your passengers are wearing seat
belts. Carry some emergency equipment, such as a towing rope or chain, a
shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit and portable phone or citizens bandradio. Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in dangerous
areas or over rough terrain. Slow down and employ extra caution at all times. When driving off-
road, you will not have the benefit of marked traffic lanes, banked
curves, traffic signs and the like. Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive either straight up or
straight down the slopes. A vehicle can much more easily tip over side-
ways than it can end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down slopes
that are too steep. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher speeds.
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering wheel. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive with your fin-gers and thumbs on the outside of the rim. If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams, first
check the depth of the water and the bottom of the stream bed for firm-
ness and ensure that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle ’s undercarriage. Water entering the engine air
intake or the exhaust pipe or water splashing onto electrical parts may
damage your vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never attempt to drive
through rushing water; regardless of its depth, it can wash away the
ground from under your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover. Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving
in sand, mud or water. Do this by driving slowly and stepping on the
brake pedal. Repeat that process several times to dry out the brakediscs and brake pads. Do not drive or park over or near flammable materials such as dry
grass or fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The exhaust system is
very hot while the engine is running and right after engine stops. This
could create a fire hazard.

10-2
Exterior care Washing
CAUTION
When washing the vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed while lightly pressing the brakepedal to heat up the brakes. Do not wash the engine compartment and areas adjacent to it.
If water enters the engine air intake, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will cause engine trouble or faulty
power steering respectively.
The best way to preserve your vehicle ’s beauty is frequent washing.
Wash the vehicle at least once a month to avoid contamination by roadgrime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of lukewarm or cold water. Do
not wash the vehicle with hot water and in direct sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required. If you use a light detergent,
make certain that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use strong soap or
chemical detergents. All cleaning agents should be promptly flushed
from the surface and not allowed to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the remaining water off with a
chamois or soft cloth. NOTE When having your vehicle washed in an automatic car wash, make
sure beforehand that the car wash is of suitable type. If the vehicle
is equipped with a rear/roof spoiler, it may be damaged by car washbrushes or other equipment.

Maintenance and service11-17
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HG0115
Rubber gaskets
5. Put the radiator cap back on and tighten firmly. At this time, make
sure that the rubber gasket in the radiator cap is correctly in place.
6. Start and run the engine for more than five minutes at 2,000 to
3,000 rpm.
7. Stop the engine and wait until the coolant cools down (122 to140 °F [50 to 60 °C]). If there is any loss of coolant, add coolant to the
radiator’ s filler neck and to the reserve tank ’s “FULL” level.
8. Put the radiator cap and reservoir cap back on and tighten firmly.
Air cleaner element
WARNING
Do not operate the engine with the air cleaner element removed.The air cleaner element not only filters intake air but also stops
flames if the engine backfires. If the air cleaner element is not
installed when the engine backfires, you could be burned.
The air cleaner element functions as a filter screen. When the element is
perforated or removed, engine wear will be excessive and engine life
shortened.
The air cleaner element is a viscous type. It is unnecessary to clean or wash the element.