2003 SUBARU IMPREZA light

Starting and operating
7-24
CAUTION
The ABS system does not always decrease
stopping distance. You should always main- tain a safe following distance from other ve- hicles. When driving on badly surfaced roads, grav-
el roads, icy roads, or over deep newly fallen
snow, stopping distances may be longer for a
vehicle with the ABS system than one without. When driving under these conditions, there-
fore, reduce your speed and leave ample dis-tance 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.
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 started. This iscaused by an automatic functional test of the ABS
system being carried out and does not indicate any
abnormal condition.
ABS warning light
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.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage
such as when the engine 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 lightwill go out.

Starting and operating
7-25
– CONTINUED –
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as follows, the
ABS system may not be working properly. When the warning light is on, the ABS func-
tion shuts down; however, the conventional
brake system continues to operate normally.The warning light does not come on when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion. The warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position, but
it does not go out even when the vehicle speed exceeds approximately 8 mph (12km/h). The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repairedat the first available opportunity by your
SUBARU dealer.
NOTE If the warning light behavior is as described
below, the ABS system may be considered nor- mal. 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 8 mph (12 km/h). The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.

Starting and operating
7-26
Parking your vehicle Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firm- ly and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slight-
ly, 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 (chap-
ter 3).
CAUTION
Never drive while the parking brake is set be-
cause this will cause unnecessary wear on the brake linings. Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake has been ful-ly released.
Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for
an upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for
manual transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park)
position for automatic transmission vehicles. Always
set the parking brake firmly when parking your ve-
hicle. Never rely on the transmission alone to holdthe vehicle.

Starting and operating
7-29
– CONTINUED –
To set cruise control
1) Indicator light
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 desired 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 de-
press the accelerator pedal to accelerate the ve-
hicle. When the accelerator pedal is released, the
vehicle will return to and maintain the previous cruis- ing speed.

Driving tips
8-10
it more prone to tip over. If you must rock the vehicle to free it from sand or
mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and
move the selector lever back and forth between “D”
and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels
when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you
can obtain better traction by starting the vehicle withthe transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and
AT). Never equip your vehicle with tires larger than
those specified in this manual. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-
driving conditions such as rough roads or off roads
will necessitate more frequent replacement of engine
oil, brake fluid and transmission oil than that specified
in the maintenance schedule described in the “War -
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your Subaru while
operating it off-road and not using common sense
precautions such as those listed above is not eligi-ble for warranty coverage. Winter driving

Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such as tire
chains, a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares, a small shovel, and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold temperatures
reduce battery capacity. The battery must be in
good condition to provide enough power for cold
winter starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and viscosity for

Driving tips
8-15
– CONTINUED –
chains — overconfidence because you are driving
with tire chains could easily lead to a serious acci- dent.
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be fitted with optional
215/45 R17 tires for the WRX because of lack
of clearance between the tire and body.
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow,
sand, or mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly
and move the selector lever back and forth between“D” and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels
when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you
can obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and
AT). Refer to the “Automatic transmission ” section in
chapter 7 for information on holding the transmis- sion in 2nd position. Loading your vehicle
WARNING

Never allow passengers to ride on the
folded rear seatback, in the trunk or in the car-
go area. Doing so may result in serious injury. Never stack luggage or other cargo higher
than the top of the seatback because it could tumble forward and injure passengers in theevent of a sudden stop or accident. Keep lug-
gage or cargo low, as close to the floor aspossible.

Driving tips
8-26
Hitch harness connector – Wagon
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black four –pin
wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch wire harness
by individually activating the brake, right turn signal,
left turn signal, stop, and parking lights on the trailer. NOTE Always disconnect the trailer wire harness be- fore launching or retrieving a watercraft. When you do not tow a trailer
Remove the ball mount from the hitch receiver
tube and insert the receiver cover onto the hitch re- ceiver tube.
Place the dust cap over the four –pin connector of
the hitch wire harness to protect against possibledamage. Occasionally lubricate terminals of the four –pin
connector using terminal grease.

Driving tips
8-35
– CONTINUED –
eral, state/province and/or other applicable regula- tions.
Trailer lights
Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle ’s electrical
system requires modifications to the vehicle ’s light-
ing circuit to increase its capacity and accommo-
date wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights are
connected properly, please consult your SUBARU
dealer. Check for proper operation of the turn sig-nals, the brake lights and parking lights each timeyou hitch up.
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper connection
of trailer lights may damage your vehicle ’s
electrical system and cause a malfunction ofyour vehicle ’s lighting system.
Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are prop-
erly inflated to the pressure specified on the tire
placard located on the left center pillar of your ve-hicle.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper
inflation pressure should be in accordance with the trailer manufacturer
’s specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire when towing
a trailer, ask a commercial road service to repair the
flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your vehicle
or trailer as a precaution against getting a flat tire,
be sure that the spare tire is firmly secured.
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not
designed to sustain the towing load. Use ofthe temporary spare tire when towing canresult in failure of the spare tire and/or less
stability of the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when tow-
ing a trailer in hilly country on hot days. When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performancewill be different from normal operation. For