2003 SUBARU IMPREZA oil

4
4-1
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Ventilator 4-2
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Air flow selection 4-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Center and side ventilators 4-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate control system 4-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Control panel 4-4
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Heater operation 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air conditioner operation (if equipped) 4-9 . . . . . . . .
Operating tips for heater and air
conditioner 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning ventilation grille 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight 4-11
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Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit 4-11
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Checking air conditioning system before summer season 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions 4-12 . . .
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded 4-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Refrigerant for your climate control system 4-12 . .
Air filtration system (if equipped) 4-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate control

Climate control
4-11
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Operating tips for heater and air conditioner Cleaning ventilation grille
Always keep the front ventilation inlet grille free of
snow, leaves, or other obstructions to ensure effi-
cient heating and defrosting. Since the condenser is
located in front of the radiator, this area should be
kept clean because cooling performance is im-
paired by any accumulation of insects and leaves
on the condenser.
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with the win- dows open for a few minutes to allow outside air to
circulate into the heated interior. This results in
quicker cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the win-dows closed during the operation of the air condi-
tioner for maximum cooling efficiency. Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low en- gine speed (at idle or low driving speeds) a few
minutes each month during the off-season to circu-
late its oil. Checking air conditioning system before summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks,
hose conditions, and proper operation each spring.
This check is best performed by your SUBARU
dealer.

Interior equipment
6-9
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CAUTION
Do not attempt to use a cigarette lighter in
the accessory power outlet. Do not place any foreign objects, especially
metal ones such as coins or aluminum foil, into the accessory power outlet. That could
cause a short circuit. Always put the cap onthe accessory power outlet when it is not inuse. Use only electrical appliances which are
designed for 12V DC and which consume less
than 120W. Overloading the accessory poweroutlet can cause a short circuit. Do not use
double adapters or more than one electricalappliance. If the plug on your electric appliance is
either too loose or too tight for the accessory power outlet, this can result in a poor contactor cause the plug to get stuck. Only use plugs
that fit properly. Use of an electric appliance in the acces-
sory power outlet for a long period of timewhile the engine is not running can cause bat-tery discharge. Cigarette lighter socket
The electrical power outlet located on the lower part
of the instrument panel can be used as cigarette
lighter socket. A cigarette lighter plug is an optional
accessory. It is available from your SUBARU dealer.
The cigarette lighter socket may also be used as a
power source for an in-car use electrical appliance.
CAUTION

The electrical power outlet located on the
lower part of the instrument panel is originally
designed to use a SUBARU genuine cigarette

Interior equipment
6-10
lighter plug. Do not use non-genuine cigarette lighter plugs in the socket. Doing so may
cause a short-circuit and overheating, result-ing in a fire.If the socket is ever used for a plug-in ac-
cessory such as a mobile phone, that may
damage the portion of the socket ’s internal
mechanism that causes a cigarette lighter plug to “pop out ” after its lighter element is
heated. Therefore, do not place a cigarettelighter plug in a socket that has been used,
even once, to power a plug-in accessory. Do- ing so may cause the plug to stick and over- heat, creating a potential fire hazard. Do not place any foreign objects, especially
metal ones such as coins or aluminum foil,into the socket. That could cause a short cir-cuit.
Use with a cigarette lighter
The cigarette lighter operates only when the ignition switch is in the “ON” and “ACC” positions.
To use the cigarette lighter, push in the knob andwait a few moments. It will automatically spring up
when ready for use.
WARNING
To avoid being burned, never grasp the lighter
by the end with the heating element. Doing so
could result in injury and could also damage the heating element.

Starting and operating
7-8
mination is observed, there is no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBD system readiness moni-
tors are complete. A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is not properly operating
or there is one or more diagnostic trouble codes
stored in vehicle ’s computer with the “CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illuminated.
A state emission inspection may reject (not pass
or fail) a vehicle if the number of OBD system readi- ness monitors “Not Ready ” is greater than three.
Under this condition, the vehicle operator should be instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few days to
set the monitors and return for an emission re-in-spection. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should con-
tact their Subaru Dealer for service. Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjust-
ments every day before you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are
clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of the tires.
Also check tires for proper inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear gate are fullyclosed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside
mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passen-gers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator
lights when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”
position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights
after starting the engine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer
fluid and other fluid levels should be checked
daily, weekly or at fuel stops.

Starting and operating
7-28
as they may burn easily if they come near hot engine or exhaust system parts.Be sure to stop the engine if you take a nap
in the vehicle. If engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occupants in the ve-hicle could die from carbon monoxide (CO) contained in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front underspoiler and rear underspoiler (both optional), pay atten- tion to blocks and other obstructions on the ground when parking. The underspoilerscould be damaged by contact with them. Cruise control (if equipped)
Cruise control enables you to maintain a constant
vehicle speed without holding your foot on the ac-
celerator pedal and it is operative when the vehicle
speed is 25 mph (40 km/h) or more. Make sure the
main switch is turned
“OFF” when the cruise control
is not in use to avoid unintentionally by setting the
cruise control.WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under any of the following conditions. This may cause loss of
vehicle control: driving up or down a steep grade
driving on slippery or winding roads
driving in heavy traffic

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
8-11
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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.