2003 SUBARU IMPREZA radiator

Climate control
4-11
– CONTINUED –
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.

In case of emergency
9-17
– CONTINUED –
(1) Connect one jumper cable to the positive (+)
terminal on the discharged battery.
(2) Connect the other end of the jumper cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the booster battery.
(3) Connect one end of the other cable to thenegative (–) terminal of the booster battery.
(4) Connect the other end of the cable to the en-gine lifting bracket.
Make sure that the cables are not near any mov-
ing parts and that the cable clamps are not in
contact with any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster
battery and run it at moderate speed. Then start the
engine of the vehicle that has the discharged bat-
tery.
6. When finished, carefully disconnect the cables in
exactly the reverse order. Engine overheating
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until the engine has been shut off and has fullycooled down. When the engine is hot, thecoolant is under pressure. Removing the cap
while the engine is still hot could release aspray of boiling hot coolant, which could burn
you very seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the road and stop the vehicle in a safe place. If steam is coming from the engine compartment
Turn the engine off and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. If no steam is coming from the engine compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine compart-ment.

In case of emergency
9-18
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If the fan is
not turning, immediately turn the engine off and con-
tact your authorized dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature has
dropped, turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the overheated
zone, turn the engine off.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down, check the
coolant level in the reserve tank.If the coolant level is below the “LOW” mark, add
coolant up to the “FULL” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve tank, add
coolant to the reserve tank. Then remove the radia- tor cap and fill the radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot radiator,
first wrap a thick cloth around the radiator cap, then
turn the cap counterclockwise slowly without press-
ing down until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been fully re-
leased, remove the cap by pressing down and turn-ing it. Towing
If towing is necessary, it is best done by your
SUBARU dealer or a commercial towing service.
Observe the following procedures for safety.
WARNING
Never tow AWD vehicles (both AT and MT) with the front wheels raised off the groundwhile the rear wheels are on the ground, orwith the rear wheels raised off the groundwhile the front wheels are on the ground. This

Maintenance and service
11-8
Engine compartment overview 2.5 liter model
1) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-25) or Differential
gear oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-29)
2) Air cleaner element (page 11-20)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-35)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-27)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-34)
6) Windshield washer tank (page
11-50)
7) Fuse box (page 11-56)
8) Battery (page 11-54)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-10)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-16)
11) Radiator cap (page 11-16)
12) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-10)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir (page 11-32)

Maintenance and service
11-9
– CONTINUED –
2.0 liter (Turbo) model
1) Manual transmission oil level
gauge (MT) (page 11-25) or
Differential gear oil level gauge
(AT) (page 11-29)
2) Air cleaner element (page 11-20)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page
11-35)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-27)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page
11-34)
6) Windshield washer tank (page
11-50)
7) Fuse box (page 11-56)
8) Battery (page 11-54)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-10)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page
11-16)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-10)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-16)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir (page 11-32)

Maintenance and service
11-15
– CONTINUED –
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in areas with
very high temperatures, or used for heavy-duty ap-
plications such as towing a trailer, use of oil with the
following grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SL or SJ: SAE viscosity No.: 30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40,
20W-50
Synthetic oil
You can use synthetic engine oil that meets the
same requirements given for conventional engine
oil. When using synthetic oil, you must use oil of the
same classification, viscosity and grade shown inthis owner ’s manual, and must follow the oil and filter
changing intervals shown in the maintenance schedule. Cooling system
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until the engine has been shut off and has cooled
down completely. Since the coolant is underpressure, you may suffer serious burns from a
spray of boiling hot coolant when the cap isremoved.
CAUTION

The cooling system has been filled at the
factory with a high quality, corrosion-inhibit-
ing, year-around coolant which provides protection against freezing down to –33°F
(–36 °C). For adding, use genuine SUBARU
coolant or an equivalent: a mixture of 50%
soft water and 50% ethylene-glycol basis cool-
ant. Use of improper coolants may result in
corrosion in the cooling system. It is impor- tant to maintain protection against freezing and corrosion, even if freezing temperaturesare not expected. Never mix different kinds ofcoolant.

Maintenance and service
11-16
Do not splash the engine coolant over
painted parts. The alcohol contained in the en- gine coolant may damage the paint surface.
Cooling fan, hose and connections
Your vehicle employs an electric cooling fan which
is thermostatically controlled to operate when the
engine coolant reaches a specific temperature.If the radiator cooling fan does not operate even
when the engine coolant temperature gauge ex-
ceeds the normal operating range, the cooling fan
circuit may be defective. Check the fuse and re-
place it if necessary. If the fuse is not blown, havethe cooling system checked by your SUBARU deal-
er.
If frequent addition of coolant is necessary, there
may be a leak in the engine cooling system. It is rec-
ommended that the cooling system and connectionsbe checked for leaks, damage, or looseness.
Engine coolant
Checking the coolant level
1) “FULL” level mark
2) “LOW” level mark
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside of the res-ervoir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the “LOW”
level mark, add coolant up to the “FULL” level mark.
If the reserve tank is empty, remove the radiator cap
and refill as required.

Maintenance and service
11-17
– CONTINUED –
1) Rubber gaskets
3. After refilling the reserve tank and the radiator, re- install the caps and check that the rubber gaskets
inside the radiator cap are in the proper position.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill engine coolant when
adding it. If coolant touches the exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. Do not splash the engine coolant over
painted parts. The alcohol contained in the en-gine coolant may damage the paint surface.
Changing the coolant
1) Drain plug
Change the engine coolant using the following pro-
cedures according to the maintenance schedule.
1. Remove the under cover.
2. Place a proper container under the drain plugand loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the coolant from
the radiator. Then drain the coolant from the reserve
tank. Tighten the drain plug securely.