2003 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX window

Climate control
4-6
(Outside air): Outside air is drawn into the
passenger compartment.
WARNING
Continued operation in the position may
fog up the windows. Switch to the posi-
tion as soon as the outside dusty condition clears.
Heater operation
Defrosting or defogging the windshield
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 “
” position.
3. Turn the temperature control dial all the way to the right.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the highestspeed.
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.

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.

Interior equipment
6-3
– CONTINUED –
Map light (if equipped)
To turn on the spotlight, push the switch.
To turn it off, push the switch again.
When leaving the vehicle, make sure the light is
turned off to avoid battery discharge. Sun visorsTo block out glare, swing down the visors.
To use the sun visor at a side window, swing it down and move it sideways.

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.

Driving tips
8-3
– CONTINUED –
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Never inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine ex-
haust gas contains carbon monoxide, a color-
less and odorless gas which is dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled. Always properly maintain the engine ex-
haust system to prevent engine exhaust gasfrom entering the vehicle. Never run the engine in a closed space,
such as a garage, except for the brief time needed to drive the vehicle in or out of it. Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a
lengthy time while the engine is running. Ifthat is unavoidable, then use the ventilationfan to force fresh air into the vehicle. Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free from snow, leaves or other obstructionsto ensure that the ventilation system always
works properly. If at any time you suspect that exhaust
fumes are entering the vehicle, have the prob-lem checked and corrected as soon as pos- sible. If you must drive under these condi-tions, drive only with all windows fully open.
Keep the trunk lid or rear gate closed while
driving to prevent exhaust gas from enteringthe vehicle.
NOTE Due to the expansion and contraction of the met-
als used in the manufacture of the exhaust sys-
tem, you may hear a crackling sound comingfrom the exhaust system for a short time afterthe engine has been shut off. This sound is nor-mal.

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
8-13
– CONTINUED –
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may
cause loss of vehicle control.
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure the wiper
blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear win-
dow. If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield
or rear window, use the defroster with the airflow
control dial in the “t ” position and the temperature
control dial set for maximum warmth until the wiper
blades are completely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful to thaw the
windshield wiper blades. To thaw out the rear wiper
blade, use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts to stick
on the surface of the windshield despite wiper
operation, use the defroster with the airflow controldial in “t ” and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed
enough to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away
using the windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the wiper from working effectively. If snow is stuck on the
wiper arm, pull off the road to a safe place, then
remove it. If you stop the car at road side, use the
hazard warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades (winter blades) during the seasons you
could have snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Blades of this type give superior wiping perfor-
mance in snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection ” section (chapter
10). Snow tires
WARNING
When replacing original tires with winter
(snow) tires, make sure you use only the same size, construction and load range as the origi-nal tires listed on the tire placard. Using other
sizes and construction may affect speedome-ter/odometer calibration and clearance be-tween the body and tires. It also may be dan-