2003 SUBARU IMPREZA ABS

Starting and operating
7-25
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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.

Driving tips
8-11
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cold weather. Heavy summer oil will cause harder
starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting themwith deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or sepa-
rate the rubber weather strips around the door. If the
door is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and af-
terwards thoroughly wipe the water away. Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or oth-
er substitutes because they may damage the paint of the vehicle.
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the ped-
als slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all oth-
er controls operate smoothly. Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated un-
der the fenders to avoid making steering difficult.
During severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders peri-
odically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that
position. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmis-
sion vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it
snows, raise the wiper blades off the glass to pre-vent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop onthe brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the sus-
pension, disc brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being care-ful not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses
and ABS harness.

Driving tips
8-12
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the
exhaust pipe and from around your vehicle ifyou park the vehicle in snow with the engine running.
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel
system and the risk of its freezing, use of an anti-
freeze additive in the fuel tank is recommended dur-
ing cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for
this purpose. When an antifreeze additive is used,
its effect lasts longer if the tank is refilled whenever
the fuel level reaches half empty. If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an ex-
tended period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to
capacity. Driving on snowy and icy roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-speed driving,
and sharp turning when driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your ve-
hicle and the vehicle ahead of you to avoid the needfor sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake
effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a
lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior cancause the wheels to lock, possibly leading to loss of
vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) e
nhances your
vehicle’ s braking performance on snowy and icy
roads. Refer to the “ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) ”
section in chapter 7 for information on braking on
slippery surfaces. NOTE The optional 17-inch tires for the WRX are sum- mer tires. Compared with winter and all-season tires, summer tires give significantly less grip on
snowy and icy road surfaces. Avoid driving onsnowy and icy road surface with summer tires.

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.

Driving tips
8-38
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission,
avoid using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an uphill slope instead of using the parking brakeor foot brake. That may cause the transmission fluid
to overheat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission, avoid driving with the gear selector lever in “D” when towing a heavy trailer to
prevent fluid overheating. A lower gear should be used.
Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
You should not park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a hill or slope cannot be avoided, you shouldtake the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under boththe vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release the
regular brakes slowly until the blocks absorb theload.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the
parking brake; slowly release the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual transmis- sion) or “P” (automatic transmission) and shut off the
engine.

Maintenance and service
11-34
Brake fluid Checking the fluid level
1) “MAX” level mark
2) “MIN” level mark
Check the fluid level monthly.
Check the fluid level on the outside of the reservoir.If the level is below “MIN”, add the recommended
brake fluid to “MAX”.
Use only brake fluid from a sealed container.
WARNING
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause a danger- ous loss of braking performance. If the vehicle requires frequent refilling,
there may be a leak. If you suspect a problem,
have the vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
Never use different brands of brake fluid to-
gether. When adding brake fluid, be careful not to
allow any dirt into the reservoir. Never splash the brake fluid over painted
surfaces or rubber parts. Alcohol contained inthe brake fluid may damage them.
Recommended brake fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid

Maintenance and service
11-35
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Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) Checking the fluid level
1) “MAX” level mark
2) “MIN” level mark
1) “MAX” level mark
2) “MIN” level mark
Check the fluid level on the outside of the reservoir. If
the level is below “MIN ” level mark, add the recom-
mended clutch fluid to “MAX ” level mark.
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed container.
CAUTION
Clutch fluid absorbs moisture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause improper clutch operation. If the vehicle requires frequent refilling,
there may be a leak. If you suspect a problem,

Specifications
12-6
Fuses and circuits Fuse panel located behind the coin trayFuse panelFuse ratingCircuit
115AHeater fan
215AHeater fan
315APower door lock
Remote keyless entry
420ACigarette lighter
Remote controlled rear view mirrors
510ATail light
Parking light
615ASRS airbag
715AFog light
820AABS solenoid
915ARadio
10Empty
1115AEngine ignition sys- tem
SRS airbag
AT control system