2003 SUBARU IMPREZA light

Driving tips
8-36
safety’s sake, you should employ extra cau-
tion when towing a trailer and you should
never speed. You should also keep the follow-ing tips in mind:
Before starting out on a trip
Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are
apparent, do not tow the trailer. Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the
trailer attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at
the front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution are accept-able. Check that the tire pressures are correct.
Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that
–the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball.– the trailer lights connector is connected prop-
erly and trailer ’s brake lights illuminate when the
vehicle’ s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trail-
er’ s turn signal lights flash when the vehicle ’s turn
signal lever is operated.– the safety chains are connected properly. –
all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in posi-
tion.– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot.
Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel”
of the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out
on a trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping and backing up.
Driving with a trailer
You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden brak-
ing because it may result in skidding or jackknifing
and loss of control. Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate
engine revolution. Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. Slow down before turning. Make a longer than
normal turning radius because the trailer wheels will
be closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswindscan be due to weather conditions or the passing of

Driving tips
8-37
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large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and slow down immediately but
gradually.When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and
length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn 2) Right turn
Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes
practice. When backing up with a trailer, never
accelerate or steer rapidly. When turning back, gripthe bottom of the steering wheel with one hand and
turn it to the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn.
If the ABS warning light illuminates while the
vehicle is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have
repairs performed immediately by the nearest
SUBARU dealer.
Driving on grades
Before going down a steep hill, slow down and
shift into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in
order to utilize the engine braking effect and prevent
overheating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not make
sudden downshifts. When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condi-
tioner may turn off automatically to protect the
engine from overheating. When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all
vehicles) and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT
vehicles) since the engine and transmission are rel-
atively prone to overheating under these conditions.
If the water temperature gauge pointer approaches
the OVERHEAT zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning
light illuminates, immediately switch off the air condi-
tioner and stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place.Refer to the “Engine overheat ” section in chapter 9,
and “Warning and indicator lights ” section in chap-
ter 3.

In case of emergency
9-3
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Temporary spare tire (if equipped)
The temporary spare tire is smaller and lighter than
a conventional tire and is designed for emergency
use only. Remove the temporary spare tire and re-
install the conventional tire as soon as possible be-
cause the spare tire is designed only for temporary use.
Check the inflation pressure of the temporary spare
tire periodically to keep the tire ready for use. The
correct pressure is 60 psi (4.2 kg/cm2
, 420 kPa) .
When using the temporary spare tire, note the fol-lowing: Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
Do not put a tire chain on the temporary spare tire.
Because of the smaller tire size, a tire chain will not
fit properly. Do not use two or more temporary spare tires at
the same time. Do not drive over obstacles. This tire has a smaller
diameter, so road clearance is reduced.
1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
When the wear indicator appears on the tread, re-
place the tire.

In case of emergency
9-4
1) Spare fuse
2) FWD connector
NOTE
(If your vehicle is AWD with automatic transmis-
sion, except Turbo models) Before driving your
vehicle with the temporary spare tire, put a spare fuse inside the FWD connector in the main fuse box located in the engine compartment and con-firm that the Front-wheel drive warning light
“FWD” in the combination meter comes on. The
all wheel drive capability of the vehicle has now
deactivated. After re-installing the conventional tire, remove the spare fuse from the FWD con- nector in order to reactivate all wheel drive.
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 can result in failure of the spare tire and/or less
stability of the vehicle and may lead to anaccident.
CAUTION
Never use any temporary spare tire other than the original. Using other sizes may result in
severe mechanical damage to the drive trainof your vehicle.

In case of emergency
9-14
WARNING
Never place a tire or tire changing tools in the
passenger compartment after changing
wheels. In a sudden stop or collisions, looseequipment could strike occupants and cause
injury. Store the tire and all tools in the proper place.Jump starting
WARNING

Battery fluid is SULFURIC ACID. Do not let it
come in contact with the hooks, skin, clothing or the vehicle. If battery fluid gets on you, thoroughly flush
the exposed area with water immediately. Get
medical help if the fluid has entered your hooks.
If battery fluid is accidentally swallowed, im-
mediately drink a large amount of milk or wa-
ter, and obtain immediate medical help. Keep everyone including children away from
the battery. The gas generated by a battery explodes if a
flame or spark is brought near it. Do not
smoke or light a match while jump starting. Never attempt jump starting if the dis-
charged battery is frozen. It could cause thebattery to burst or explode. Whenever working on or around a battery,
always wear suitablehookprotectors, and re- move metal objects such as rings, bands or
other metal jewelry.

In case of emergency
9-15
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Be sure the jumper cables and clamps on
them do not have loose or missing insulation.
Do not jump start unless cables in suitablecondition are available. A running engine can be dangerous. Keep
your fingers, hands, clothing, hair and tools away from the cooling fan, belts and any other
moving engine parts. Removing rings,watches and ties is advisable.
When your vehicle does not start due to a run down
(discharged) battery, the vehicle may be jump
started by connecting your battery to another bat-
tery (called the booster battery) with jumper cables.
Jump starting is dangerous if it done incorrectly. If
you are unsure about the proper procedure for jump
starting, consult a competent mechanic.
How to jump start
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12 volts and the
negative terminal is grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do notlet the two vehicles touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary lights and accessories.
4. Connect the jumper cables exactly in the se-
quence illustrated.

Appearance care
10-2
Exterior care Washing
The best way to preserve your vehicle ’s beauty is
frequent washing. Wash the vehicle at least once a
month to avoid contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of luke-
warm 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 al-
lowed to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with
plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the remaining water
off with a chamois or soft cloth. NOTE When having your vehicle washed in an auto- matic car wash, make sure beforehand that thecar wash is of suitable type. If the vehicle is
equipped with a rear/roof spoiler or rear wiper, itmay be damaged by car wash brushes or otherequipment.
CAUTION
When washing the vehicle, the brakes may
get wet. As a result, the brake stopping dis-
tance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drivethe vehicle at a safe speed while lightly press- ing the brake pedal to heat up the brakes. Do not wash the engine compartment and
area adjacent to it. If water enters the engineair intake, electrical parts or the power steer-
ing fluid reservoir, it will cause engine trouble
or faulty power steering respectively.
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for deicing road
surfaces are extremely corrosive, accelerating the
corrosion of underbody components, such as theexhaust system, fuel and brake lines, brake cables,floor pan and fenders, and suspension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and inside of the
fenders with lukewarm or cold water at frequent in-
tervals to reduce the harmful effects of such agents.
Using a warm water washer
Keep a good distance of 12 in (30 cm) or more
between the washer nozzle and the vehicle.

Appearance care
10-3
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Do not wash the same area continuously.
If a stain will not come out easily, wash by hand.
Some warm water washers are of the high tempera-
ture, high pressure type, and they can damage or
deform the resin parts such as mouldings, or causewater to leak into the vehicle. Waxing and polishing
Always wash and dry the vehicle before waxing and polishing.Use a good quality polish and wax and apply them
according to the manufacturer ’s instructions. Wax or
polish when the painted surface is cool.
Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim, as well
as the painted surfaces. Loss of wax on a painted
surface leads to loss of the original luster and also
quickens the deterioration of the surface. It is rec-
ommended that a coat of wax be applied at least
once a month, or whenever the surface no longer re-
pels water. If the appearance of the paint has diminished to the
point where the luster or tone cannot be restored,
lightly polish the surface with a fine-grained com-
pound. Never polish just the affected area, but in-
clude the surrounding area as well. Always polish in
only one direction. A No. 2000 grain compound is recommended. Never use a coarse-grained com-
pound. Coarser grained compounds have a smallergrain-size number and could damage the paint. Af-
ter polishing with a compound, coat with wax to re-
store the original luster. Frequent polishing with a
compound or an incorrect polishing technique will
result in removing the paint layer and exposing the
undercoat. When in doubt, it is always best to con-tact your SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specialist. NOTE Be careful not to block with windshield washer nozzles with wax when waxing the vehicle.
Cleaning aluminum wheels
Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels clean of any
kind of grime or agent. If dirt is left on too long, it
may be difficult to clean off. Do not use soap containing grit to clean the
wheels. Be sure to use a neutral cleaning agent, and
later rinse thoroughly with water. Do not clean the
wheels with a stiff brush or expose them to a high- speed washing device. Clean the vehicle (including the aluminum wheels)
with water as soon as possible when it has been
splashed with sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or
driven on roads treated with salt or other agents.