2003 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

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MarkName
Rear window defogger/Outside mirror defogger
Air recirculation
Outside air
Engine oil
Washer
Safety precautions when driving Seatbelt and SRS airbag
WARNING
All persons in the vehicle should fasten
their seatbelts BEFORE the vehicle starts to
move. Otherwise, the possibility of serious in-jury becomes greater in the event of a suddenstop or accident. To obtain maximum protection in the event
of an accident, the driver and all passengers in the vehicle should always wear seatbelts when the vehicle is moving. The SRS (Supple-mental Restraint System) airbag does not doaway with the need to fasten seatbelts. Incombination with the seatbelts, it offers thebest combined protection in case of a serious accident. Not wearing a seatbelt increases the chanceof severe injury or death in a crash even whenthe car has the SRS airbag. The SRS airbags deploy with considerable
speed and force. Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag deploys
could suffer very serious injuries. Because

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the SRS airbag needs enough space for de- ployment, the driver should always sit uprightand well back in the seat as far from the steer-ing wheel as practical while still maintainingfull vehicle control and the front passengershould move the seat as far back as possible and sit upright and well back in the seat.
Carefully read the sections “Seatbelts” and “SRS air-
bag” in chapter 1 of this owner ’s manual for instruc-
tions and precautions concerning the seatbelt sys- tem and SRS airbag system. Child safety
WARNING
Never hold a child on your lap or in your
arms while the vehicle is moving. The passen- ger cannot protect the child from injury in a
collision, because the child will be caught be-tween the passenger and objects inside thevehicle. While riding in the vehicle, infants and small
children should always be placed in the REAR seat in an infant or child restraint system which is appropriate for the child ’s age, height and weight. If a child is too big for a child re-straint system, the child should sit in the
REAR seat and be restrained using the seat-
belts. According to accident statistics, chil-dren are safer when properly restrained in therear seating positions than in the front seating positions. Never allow a child to stand up or
kneel on the seat.
Put children aged 12 and under in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all times in a childrestraint device or in a seatbelt. The SRS air-bag deploys with considerable speed and force and can injure or even kill children, es-
pecially if they are 12 years of age and underand are not restrained or improperly re-strained. Because children are lighter and
weaker than adults, their risk being injured
from deployment is greater. NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING
CHILD SEAT IN THE FRONT SEAT. DOING SO
RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE
CHILD BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO
CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG. Always use the child safety locks whenever
a child rides in the rear seat. Serious injurycould result if a child accidentally opened thedoor and fell out. Refer to the “Child safety

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locks” section in chapter 2.
Always lock the passenger ’s windows using
the lock switch when children are riding in the
vehicle. Failure to follow this procedure couldresult in injury to a child operating the power
window. Refer to the “Windows” section in
chapter 2. Never leave unattended children in the ve-
hicle. They could accidentally injure them-
selves or others through inadvertent opera-tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny
days, temperature in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause severe or possibly fatal injuries to them. Help prevent young children from locking
themselves in the trunk. When leaving the ve-
hicle, either close all windows and lock alldoors or cancel the inside trunk lid release. Also make certain that the trunk is closed. On hot or sunny days, the temperature in a trunkcould quickly become high enough to cause
death or serious heat-related injuries includ-ing brain damage, particularly for small chil-dren.
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint systems ”,
“ SRS airbag ”, and “Seatbelts” in chapter 1 of this owner’
s manual for instructions and precautions
concerning the child restraint system, seatbelt sys-tem and SRS airbag system.
Engine exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Never inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine ex-
haust gas contains carbon monoxide, a color-
less and odorless gas which is dangerous, oreven lethal, if inhaled. Always properly maintain the engine ex-
haust system to prevent engine exhaust gasfrom entering the vehicle. Never run the engine in a closed space,
such as a garage, except for the brief timeneeded to drive the vehicle in or out of it. Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a
lengthy time while the engine is running. Ifthat is unavoidable, then use the ventilationfan to force fresh air into the vehicle. Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free from snow, leaves or other obstructionsto ensure that the ventilation system always
works properly.

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If at any time you suspect that exhaust
fumes are entering the vehicle, have the prob- lem checked and corrected as soon as pos-
sible. If you must drive under these condi-tions, drive only with all windows fully open. Keep the trunk lid or rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas from enteringthe vehicle.
Drinking and driving
WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Alcohol in the bloodstream delays your reac-tion and impairs your perception, judgment and attentiveness. If you drive after drinking –
even if you drink just a little – it will increase
the risk of being involved in a serious or fatal
accident, injuring or killing yourself, your pas-sengers and others. In addition, if you are in-jured in the accident, alcohol may increase
the severity of that injury. Please don ’t drink and drive.
Drunken driving is one of the most frequent causes
of accidents. Since alcohol affects all people differ- ently, you may have consumed too much alcohol todrive safely even if the level of alcohol in your bloodis below the legal limit. The safest thing you can do
is never drink and drive. However if you have no
choice but to drive, stop drinking and sober up
completely before getting behind the wheel.
Drugs and driving
WARNING
There are some drugs (over the counter and
prescription) that can delay your reaction time and impair your perception, judgment and at-
tentiveness. If you drive after taking them, it
may increase your, your passengers ’ and oth-
er persons ’ risk of being involved in a serious
or fatal accident.
If you are taking any drugs, check with your doctor
or pharmacist or read the literature that accompa-
nies the medication to determine if the drug you are
taking can impair your driving ability. Do not driveafter taking any medications that can make you
drowsy or otherwise affect your ability to safely oper- ate a motor vehicle. If you have a medical condition
that requires you to take drugs, please consult with

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your doctor.
Never drive if you are under the influence of any illic- it mind-altering drugs. For your own health and well-
being, we urge you not to take illegal drugs in the
first place and to seek treatment if you are addictedto those drugs. Driving when tired or sleepy
WARNING
When you are tired or sleepy, your reaction
will be delayed and your perception, judgmentand attentiveness will be impaired. If you drive
when tired or sleepy, your, your passengers ’
and other persons ’ chances of being involved
in a serious accident may increase.
Please do not continue to drive but instead find a
safe place to rest if you are tired or sleepy. On long
trips, you should make periodic rest stops to refresh
yourself before continuing on your journey. When
possible, you should share the driving with others.
Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified. Modifica- tion could affect its performance, safety or
durability, and may even violate governmentalregulations. In addition, damage or perfor-
mance problems resulting from modification may not be covered under warranties.
Mobile phones and driving
CAUTION
Do not use a hand-held phone while driving; it
may distract your attention from driving and can lead to an accident. If you use a hand-held
phone, pull off the road and park in the safe
place before using your phone. In some
States/Provindes, only hands-free phonesmay legally be used while driving.

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Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your driving and
distract your attention from driving. In a collision or
sudden stop, unrestrained pets or cages can be
thrown around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can be hurt un-der these situations. It is also for their own safety
that pets should be properly restrained in your
vehicle. Restrain a pet with a special traveling har-
ness which can be secured to the rear seat with a
seatbelt or use a pet carrier which can be secured
to the rear seat by routing a seatbelt through the
carrier’ s handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriers
in the front passenger ’s seat. For further information,
consult your veterinarian, local animal protection so-ciety or pet shop.
Tire pressures
Check and, if necessary, adjust the pressure of
each tire (including the spare) at least once a month
and before any long journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are cold. Use
a pressure gauge to adjust the tire pressures to the
values shown on the tire placard. Refer to the “Tires and wheels ” section in chapter 11
for detailed information.WARNING
Driving at high speeds with excessively low tire pressures can cause the tires to deform
severely and to rapidly become hot. A sharp
increase in temperature could cause tread
separation, and destruction of the tires. The resulting loss of vehicle control could lead toan accident.
California proposition 65 warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other repro-ductive harm.

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Table of contents
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags Keys and doors Instruments and controls Climate control Audio
Interior equipment
Starting and operating Driving tips
In case of emergency Appearance careMaintenance and service Specifications
Index
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects