2003 SUBARU LEGACY light

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If the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks or if the tether
is caught under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE warning light may come on. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ” section lo-
cated in chapter 3.
State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must NEVER be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamometer. Attempting to do so willresult in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause an acci-
dent or injuries to persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty and is the responsibility ofthe state inspection program or its contractors or licensees.
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 willresult.
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 on
the severity of a state ’s air pollution problems, the states must adopt
either a “basic” or “enhanced” vehicle emission inspection test. Nor-
mally, 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
problems are required to adopt an enhanced vehicle emission test. This
test simulates actual driving conditions on a dynamometer and permits

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more accurate measurement of tailpipe emitted pollution than the basic emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states using two-
wheel dynamometers in their emission testing programs haveEXEMPTED
Subaru AWD vehicles from the portion of the testing pro-
gram that involves a two-wheel dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel dynamometers in their testing
programs. When properly used, that equipment will not damage an AWD Subaru vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear wheels be jacked off the
ground, nor should the driveshaft be disconnected for state emission testing.
The EPA has issued regulations for inspecting the On-Board Diagnostic
(OBD) system as part of the state emissions inspection. The OBD sys-
tem is designed to detect engine and transmission problems that mightcause vehicle emissions to exceed allowable limits. These inspectionsapply to all 1996 model year and newer passenger cars and light trucks.
Several states plus the District of Columbia have opted to start the OBD
system inspection prior to the required EPA regulation effective date of
January 1, 2002. Other states will add OBD system inspection in 2002. The inspection of the OBD system consists of a visual operational
check of the “CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/malfunction indicator lamp
(MIL) and an examination of the OBD system with an electronic scan tool while the engine is running. A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if proper the “CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illumination is observed, there is no stored
diagnostic trouble codes, and the OBD system readiness monitors 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 readiness monitors “Not Ready ” is greater

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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-inspection.
Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should contact their Subaru
Dealer for service.
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjustments every day be-
fore you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are clean and unob- structed.
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 fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passengers have fastened theirseatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator lights when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON” position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights after starting the en-gine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid and other fluid
levels should be checked daily, weekly or at fuel stops.

7-10Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor continuously for more than ten
seconds. If the engine fails to start after operating the starter forfive to ten seconds, wait for ten seconds or more before tryingagain.
Starting the engine for a manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the shift lever into neutral.
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor while starting the engine. The starter
motor will only operate when the clutch pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
light” section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turn the ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone off after the
engine has started. The fuel injection system automatically lowers the
idle speed as the engine warms up.
Starting the engine for an automatic transmission ve- hicle
CAUTION
If you restart the engine while the vehicle is moving, shift the se- lector lever into the “N” position. Do not attempt to place the se-
lector lever of a moving vehicle into the “P” position.

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1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the
“P” or “N” position (preferably “P” posi-
tion). The starter will only operate when the select lever is at the “P” or
“N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and check the operation
of the warning and indicator lights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator
lights” section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has
started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait a while and then turnthe ignition switch to the “START” position again while depressing the ac-
celerator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have gone out after the
engine has started. The fuel injection system automatically lowers the
idle speed as the engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make sure that the selector lever is at the “P” or “N” position and that the parking brake is applied.
Starting the engine during cold weather below –4F
(–20 C)
If the engine is difficult to start using the normal method (without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal), turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position while slightly depressing the accelerator pedal.
Starting a flooded engine
If the engine does not start, it may be flooded (excessive fuel in the en-gine).
In case of a flooded engine, turn the starter motor for five seconds with
the accelerator pedal fully depressed. Repeat this two or three times until
the engine starts. Release the ignition switch and accelerator pedal as
soon as the engine starts.

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To shift the selector lever from the
“P” to the any other position, you
have to depress the brake pedal fully when the ignition switch is in the
“ON” position. This prevents the vehicle from lurching when it is
started.
If the shift lever does not move from the “P” position with the brake
pedal depressed, refer to the “Shift lock release ” section in this chap-
ter. R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, first stop the vehicle completely
then move the lever to the “R” position.
N (Neutral)
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the selector lever in the “N” (neutral)
position. Engine braking has no effect in this condition and the risk of an accident is consequently increased.
This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
In this position the wheels and transmission are not locked. In this
position, the transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll freely, even onthe slightest incline unless the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neutral.During coasting, the engine braking does not act. D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable gear from 1st to
4th according to the vehicle speed and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position, press the acceler- ator pedal fully to the floor and hold that position. The transmission
will automatically downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position.

7-24This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
In this position the wheels and transmission are not locked. In this
position, the transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll freely, even onthe slightest incline unless the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neutral.
During coasting, there is no engine braking effect.
D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable gear from 1st to
4th according to the vehicle speed and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position, press the acceler- ator pedal fully to the floor and hold that position. The transmission
will automatically downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position.
To use the SPORTSHIFT mode, move the lever from this position intothe manual gate. n While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to 4th gear is prevented from
taking place when the accelerator is released. This minimizes the
chance of subsequent downshifting to a lower gear when accelerat-
ing again. This prevents repeated upshifting and downshifting result-ing in a smoother operation of the vehicle. NOTE
The transmission may downshift to 2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal is pressed to accelerate the vehicleagain. n While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing the brake pedal will cause
the transmission to downshift to 3rd gear, thus applying engine brake-
ing. Reacceleration for a short time will cause the transmission to up-
shift normally. NOTE In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a downhill grade

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Power steering
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel at the fully locked position left or right for more than five seconds. This may damage the powersteering pump.
The power steering system operates only when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system
fails to function, you can steer but it will take much more effort. NOTE Right after the engine has been started and before it has warmed up, you may hear a noise coming from areas adjacent to the powersteering pump which is located at the right-front area of the enginecompartment. This noise is normal. It does not indicate power steer-ing system trouble. Braking Braking tips
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This can
cause dangerous overheating of the brakes and needless wearon the brake pads and linings.
When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the vehicle, the brakes may get
wet. As a result, brake stopping distance will be longer. To dry the
brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed while lightly depressing thebrake pedal to heat up the brakes. Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking in addition to foot braking.