2003 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

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Climate control4-15
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n
OUT.TEMP switch
To check the outside air temperature, push the “OUT.TEMP” switch.
The outside air temperature will be displayed for five seconds, and
then the display automatically changes back to the inside air temper-
ature.
The display changes over from the inside air temperature to the out-
side air temperature as its normal indication if you keep the switch
pressed for more than 2 seconds. NOTE The outside air temperature display shows the outside air tem-
perature in a range from –22F to 131 F ( –30 C to 55 C).
You can check the outside air temperature even when the Au-
tomatic Climate Control is off. (The ignition switch should be in the “ON” position.)
In the following cases, the display can indicate a higher tem-
perature than the actual outside air temperature: – In direct sunlight
– When the vehicle is parked for a long period of time with the
engine kept running.– During stop and go driving
n
— Defroster switch
To defrost or dehumidify the windshield and side window, push the
defroster switch “
”. When the “” switch is pushed, re-
gardless whether the air conditioner is operating or not, outside air is
drawn into the passenger compartment, the air conditioner compres-
sor turns on, air flow is directed towards the windshield and side win-dows, and the indicator light “
” on the control panel comes on.
Even with the defroster switch pushed, you can turn the air condition-
er ON/OFF and select interior air recirculation or outside air introduc-
tion as desired.
After eliminating the fogging from the windshield, set the air condition-er back in the AUTO mode by pushing the “AUTO” switch or turn off
by pushing the “OFF” switch or “
” switch.

4-16n
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Fan speed control switch
HB5021BB
The fan speed control switch has the 5 positions: AUTO position and
4 different fan speed positions.
With the fan speed control switch in the AUTO position, the fan speed
changes automatically corresponding to various conditions: air tem-
perature inside and outside of the passenger compartment, intensityof the sunlight, etc.
Use this switch to select desired fan speed. Fan speed increases with
each press of the switch and returns to the AUTO position. n A/C — Air conditioner switch
NOTE The air conditioner compressor does not operate when the out- side air temperature is below 32 F (0 C).
If the windshield starts to fog when the air conditioner is operated in
the AUTO mode, push the air conditioner switch “A/C” to defog and
dehumidify.
When this switch is pushed, the air conditioner compressor turns onand the indicator light “A/C” on the control panel comes on. After
eliminating the fogging from the windshield, set the air conditionerback in the AUTO mode by pushing the “AUTO” switch.

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n
MODE — Air flow control switch
(Ventilation) : Air flows through the instrument panel outlets.
(Bi-level) : Air flows through the instrument panel outlets and the foot outlets.
(Heat) : Air flows through the foot outlets and some through the windshield defroster outlets.
(Heat-def) : Air flows through the windshield defroster out- lets and foot outlet.
NOTE When the “
” mode is selected, the air conditioner compres-
sor operates automatically regardless of the position of the air
conditioner button to defog the windshield quickly. At the sametime, the air inlet selection is automatically set to “
” mode.
Even with this mode selected, you can turn the air conditioner
ON/OFF and select interior air recirculation or outside airintroduction as desired. n Air inlet selection switch
WARNING
Continued operation in the “
” position may fog up the win-
dows. Switch to the “
” position as soon as the outside
dusty condition clears.

4-18
HB4032BB
Select the air inlet by pushing the air inlet selection switch.
: Interior air recirculates inside the passenger’s compartment.
Use this position when quickly warming up the passenger
compartment or cooling it down or when preventing outside
air from entering the passenger compartment from the out-
side air. The indicator light “
” on the control panel
comes on when this switch is pushed.
: Outside air is drawn into the passenger compartment. When the air conditioning system is operated in the “AUTO” mode,
this position is selected automatically. The indicator light “
” on the control panel comes on when this switch is
pushed.
n Temperature control dial
HB4033BB

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NOTE The temperature setting remains even after the ignition switch is turned to the
“OFF”. However, if the battery cables are discon-
nected, the temperature will be set to 77 F (25 C) automatically.
Set desired temperature by turning the temperature control dial; turn
the dial clockwise to raise the temperature setting and turn it counter-clockwise to lower it.
The temperature can be set in increments of 1 F within a range of 65
– 85 F for US models and in increments of 0.5 C within a range of 18
– 32 C for Canadian models.
Even when quick cooling or warming is necessary, you do not have to
change the temperature setting. The Automatic Climate Control sys-
tem operates at maximum performance until the air in the passenger
compartment reaches to the specified temperature. Temperature sensors
This Automatic Climate Control system employs the several sensors.
These are very delicate parts. Therefore, if these sensors are dam-
aged, it is possible that the Automatic Climate Control system will not
properly control the air temperature in the passenger compartment.
To prevent possible damage to the sensors, please observe the fol-lowing: – Do not allow anything to impact the sensors.
– Be careful not to let water contact the sensors.
– Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are found at the following locations: –Sun-load sensor (beside the windshield defroster grille)
– In-vehicle temperature sensor (beside the temperature control
dial.)– Ambient sensor (at the under side of the bumper)

4-20
HB4034BB
HB5024BB
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner
Cleaning ventilator grille
HB5019BC
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille free of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions to ensure efficient heating and defrosting. Since the
condenser is located in front of the radiator, this area should be kept
clean because cooling performance is impaired 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 windows 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 windows

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closed during the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool-
ing efficiency.
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low engine speed (at idle
or low driving speeds) a few minutes each month during the off-sea-
son to circulate 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. Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low tempera- ture weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humidity, low tempera-
tures, etc.) a small amount of water vapor emission from the air outlets
may be noticed. 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 com-
pressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner op-
eration whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as during
rapid accerelation or when driving on a steep upgrade. Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant HFC134a. There-
fore, the method of adding, changing 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.

4-22Air filtration system (if equipped) If your vehicle
’s air conditioning system is equipped with a optional 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. Since the filter element is a viscous
type, it is unnecessary to clean or wash the element. Have your filter
checked or replaced by your SUBARU dealer.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 9,300 miles (15,000 km) whichever comes first
NOTE The filter can influence the air conditioning, heating and defroster performance if not properly maintained.