2003 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX air condition

Climate control
4-7
– CONTINUED –
Heating and defrosting
To direct warm air toward the floor and the wind- shield:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “
”
position.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “
” position.
3. Set the temperature control dial to the most com-
fortable level.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the desiredspeed.
If your vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner,when the “
” or “” position is selected, the
air conditioner compressor automatically operates
regardless of the position of the air conditioner but- ton to defog the windshield quickly.
However, the air conditioner indicator light does not
come on at this time. NOTE
Warm air also comes out from the right and left
air outlets. To stop warm air flow from these out-lets, turn the corresponding knob clockwise.
Heating
To direct warm air toward the floor:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “”
position
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “
” position.

Climate control
4-9
– CONTINUED –
To force outside air through the instrument panel outlets:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “
”
position.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “
” position.
3. Set the temperature control dial all the way left.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the desired speed.
When driving on a dusty road, set the air inlet con-
trol lever to the “ON” position.
WARNING
Continued operation in the “” position
may fog up the windows. Switch to the “
” position as soon as the outside dusty
condition clears.
Air conditioner operation (if equipped)
Cooling or dehumidifying
1) ON position
For cooling and dehumidification of the passenger
compartment, air flows through the instrument paneloutlets:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “
” posi-
tion.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “
” position.
3. Set the air conditioner button to the “ON” posi-
tion.

Climate control
4-10
4. Set the temperature control dial to the blue side.
5. Set the fan speed control dial at the highestspeed. Defrosting or defogging
To direct warm air to the windshield and front door windows:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “
”
position.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “
” posi-
tion.
3. Set the temperature control dial to the red side.
4. Set the fan speed control dial at the highest speed. The air conditioner compressor automatically oper-
ates when the air flow control dial set in the
“
”
or “” position to provide better defogging per-
formance.
However, the air conditioner indicator light does not
come on at this time.

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.

Climate control
4-12
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperatureweather conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high relative hu-
midity, low temperatures, etc.) a small amount of wa-
ter vapor emission from the air outlets may be not-
iced. This condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning system. Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air
conditioner compressor is designed to temporarily
shut off during air conditioner operation whenever
the accelerator is fully depressed such as duringrapid acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, the method of adding, chang-
ing or checking the refrigerant is different from the
method for CFC12 (Freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a result of using the wrong refrigerant are not covered under
warranty.

Climate control
4-13
– CONTINUED –
Air filtration system (if equipped) If your vehicle ’s air conditioning system is equipped
with an air filtration system, replace the filter element
according to the replacement schedule shown
below. This schedule should be followed to maintain the filter ’s dust collection ability. Under extremely
dusty conditions, the filter should be replaced more
frequently. It is recommended that you have your fil-
ter checked or replaced by your SUBARU dealer.
For replacement, use only a genuine SUBARU air fil-ter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 7,500 miles (12,000 km) whichever comes first
NOTE The filter can influence the air conditioning, heat- ing and defroster performance if not properlymaintained.

Starting and operating
7-3
– CONTINUED –
meeting Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher sulfur lev-
els, which may affect the performance of your ve-
hicle’s catalytic converter and may produce a sulfur
exhaust odor or smell. SUBARU recommends that
you try a different brand of unleaded gasoline hav-
ing lower sulfur to determine if the problem is fuel
related before returning your vehicle to an autho-rized dealer for service.
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine
and fuel system. This helps keep your engine in
tune and your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality fuel with
the proper detergent and other additives, youshould never need to add any fuel system cleaning agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials
called oxygenates. Use of these fuels can also help
keep the air cleaner. Oxygenated blend fuels, such
as MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in your vehicle,
but should contain no more than 15% MTBE or 10%
ethanol for the proper operation of your SUBARU. In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now pro-
ducing reformulated gasolines, which are designed
to reduce vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the
use of reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasolines
contain detergents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for
your vehicle as explained below.
Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rat-
ing no lower than that specified in this manual. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes
mixed with unleaded gasoline. Methanol can beused in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5%
of the fuel mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors required to prevent damage to the
fuel system. Do not use fuel containing methanolEXCEPT under these conditions.
If undesirable driveability problems are experi-
enced and you suspect they may be fuel related, try
a different brand of gasoline before seeking service
at your SUBARU dealer. Fuel system damage or driveability problems
which result from the use of improper fuel are not

Starting and operating
7-6
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces
of the vehicle. Fuels may cause paint damage, which is not
covered under the SUBARU Limited Warranty. Always use a genuine SUBARU fuel filler
cap. If you use the wrong cap, it may not fit or have proper venting, and your fuel tank and
emission control system might be damaged. State emission testing (U.S. only) At state inspection time, remember to tell your inspection or service station in advance not to
place your Subaru AWD vehicle on a two-wheel
dynamometer. Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
Some states have started using dynamometers in
their state inspection programs in order to meet their
obligation under federal law to implement stricter
vehicle emission standards to reduce air pollution
from cars. A dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like testing device that allows your car
’s wheels to turn
while the car remains in one place. Depending onthe severity of a state ’s air pollution problems, the
states must adopt either a “basic” or “enhanced”
vehicle emission inspection test. Normally, a portion of the basic emission test consists of an emission
inspector inserting an analyzer probe into the
exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle for a short period
of time. States with more severe air pollution prob-
lems are required to adopt an enhanced vehicleemission test. This test simulates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits more
accurate measurement of tailpipe emitted pollution
than the basic emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)