Driving tips
8-5
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Never turn off the ignition switch while the vehicle
is moving. Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel the engine
running rough (misfiring, backfiring or incomplete
combustion), have your vehicle checked and re-
paired by an authorized SUBARU dealer. Do not apply undercoating or rust prevention
treatment to the heat shield of catalytic converter and the exhaust system.
WARNING
Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive or park the
vehicle anywhere near flammable materials
(e.g. grass, paper, rags or leaves), becausethe catalytic converter operates at very hightemperatures. Keep everyone and flammable materials
away from the exhaust pipe while the engine is running. The exhaust gas is very hot. Periodic inspections
To keep your vehicle in the best condition at all
times, always have the recommended maintenance
services listed in the maintenance schedule in the“
Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ” performed at
the specified time or mileage intervals.
Maintenance and service
11-3
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Maintenance schedule
The scheduled maintenance items required to be
serviced at regular intervals are shown in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
For details of your maintenance schedule, read theseparate “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.Maintenance precautions
When maintenance and service are required, it is
recommended that all work be done by an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service by yourself,
you should familiarize yourself with the information
provided in this section on general maintenance andservice for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could cause
improper or unsafe vehicle operation. Any problems
caused by improper maintenance and service per-
formed by you are not eligible for warranty cover-age.
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel
dynamometer or similar apparatus. Attempt-ing to do so will result in transmission dam-age and in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause an accident or injuries to per-
sons nearby. Always select a safe area when performing
maintenance on your vehicle.
Maintenance and service
11-15
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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.
