
10-5
Appearance care
– CONTINUED –
proper ventilation. !To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent corrosion of the
body and suspension components. Also, wash the ve-
hicle promptly after driving on any of the following sur-
faces: " roads that have been salted to prevent them from
freezing in winter " mud, sand, or gravel
" coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recommended that the
underbody be given a very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the condition of
underbody components, such as the exhaust system,
fuel and brake lines, brake cables, suspension, steer-
ing system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of them are
found to be rusted, they should be given an appropri-
ate rust prevention treatment or should be replaced.
Contact your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind of
maintenance and treatment if you need assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as soon as you
find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water and dirt ac- cumulation under the floor mats because that could
cause corrosion. Occasionally check under the mats
to make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your vehicle in a
damp, poorly ventilated garage. In such a garage, cor-
rosion can be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle into the garage
when wet or covered with snow, that can cause damp- ness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather and/or in ar-
eas where road salts and other corrosive materials are
used, the door hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and
hood latch should be inspected and lubricated period-
ically.

11 - 1
11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ................................. 11-3
Maintenance precautions ............................ 11-3 Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is
running ............................................................ 11-5
Engine hood .................................................. 11-5
Engine compartment overview ................... 11-8 2.5 liter model .................................................... 11-8
2.0 liter (Turbo) model ...................................... 11-9
2.5 liter (Turbo) model ...................................... 11-10
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-11 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-11
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-12
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-16
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-18
Synthetic oil ....................................................... 11-18
Cooling system ............................................. 11-18 Cooling fan, hose and connections ................ 11-19
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-19
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-23 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-23
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-26 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-27
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-27
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-28 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-28
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-30 Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-31
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-31
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-32
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-33 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-33
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-33
Rear differential gear oil ............................... 11-34 Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-34
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-35
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-36 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-36
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-37
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-37 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-37
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-38
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-38 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-38
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-39
Brake booster ................................................ 11-40
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-40 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-40
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-41
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) ........................... 11-41 Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-41
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-42
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-42 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .... 11-43
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-44
Tires and wheels ........................................... 11-44

11 -2 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
7. Put the radiator cap back on and tighten firmly. At
this time, make sure that the rubber gasket in the radi-
ator cap is correctly in place.
8. Start and run the engine for more than five minutes
at 2,000 to 3,000 rpm.
9. Stop the engine and wait until the coolant cools
down (122 to 140 °F [50 to 60 °C]). If there is any loss
of coolant, add coolant to the radiator’s filler neck and
to the reserve tank’s “FULL” level.
10.Put the radiator cap and reservoir cap back on and
tighten firmly.Air cleaner element
The air cleaner element functions as a filter screen.
When the element is perforated or removed, engine
wear will be excessive and engine life shortened.
The air cleaner element is a viscous type. It is unnec-
essary to clean or wash the element.
Do not operate the engine with the air cleaner
element removed. The air cleaner element not
only filters intake air but also stops flames if the
engine backfires. If the air cleaner element is
not installed when the engine backfires, you
could be burned.
! Replacing the air cleaner element
! Non-turbo models
Replace the air cleaner element according to the
maintenance schedule in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”. Under extremely dusty conditions, re-
place it more frequently. It is recommended that you
always use genuine SUBARU parts.

11 -2 7
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
bles. "Make sure the cables are replaced in the cor-
rect order.
! Recommended spark plugs
Non-turbo models:
RC10YC4 (Champion)
BKR6E-11 (NGK)
BKR5E-11 (NGK)
2.0-liter turbo models: PFR6G (NGK)
2.5-liter turbo models:
IFLR6B (NGK)
Drive belts
1) Power steering pump pulley
2) Air conditioner compressor pulley
3) Crank pulley
The alternator, power steering pump, and air condi-
tioner compressor depend on drive belts. Satisfactory
performance requires that belt tension be correct.
To check belt tension, place a straightedge (ruler)
across two adjacent pulleys and apply a force of 22 lb
(98 N, 10 kg) midway between the pulleys by using a
spring scale. Belt deflection should be the amount
specified. If a belt is loose, cracked, or worn, contact
2
3 A
B
1
HSB033BB

11 -4 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
If you continue to drive despite the scraping
noise from the audible brake pad wear indica-
tor, it will result in the need for costly brake ro-
tor repair or replacement.
! Breaking-in of new brake pads and lin- ings
When replacing the brake pad or lining, use only gen-
uine SUBARU parts. After replacement, the new parts
must be broken in as follows: ! Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40 mph (50 to 65
km/h), step on the brake pedal lightly. Repeat this five
or more times. ! Parking brake lining
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of about 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button pushed in,
pull the parking brake lever SLOWLY and GENTLY.
(Pulling with a force of approximately 33 lb [147 N, 15 kg].)
3. Drive the vehicle for about 220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking brake to cool
down. Repeat this procedure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the parking
brake stroke is out of the specified range, adjust it by
turning the adjusting nut located on the parking brake
lever.
Parking brake stroke:
7 – 8 notches / 44 lb (196 N, 20 kg)
A safe location and situation should be select-ed for break-in driving.
Pulling the parking brake lever too forcefully
may cause the rear wheels to lock. To avoid
this, be certain to pull the lever up slowly and
gently.

11 - 4 8
Maintenance and service
"
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread worn in cen-
ter)
Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire magnifies the ef-
fects of road-surface bumps and dips, possibly result-
ing in vehicle damage.
If the tire placard shows tire pressures for the vehicle
when fully loaded and for the vehicle when towing a
trailer, adjust the tire pressures to the values that
match current loading conditions.
Driving at high speeds with excessively low tire
pressures can cause the tires to deform severe- ly and to rapidly become hot. A sharp increase
in temperature could cause tread separation,
and destruction of the tires. The resulting loss
of vehicle control could lead to an accident.
! Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced when your vehicle
was new, but the wheels will become unbalanced as
the tires become worn during use. Wheel imbalance
causes the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at certain
vehicle speeds and detracts from the vehicle’s
straight-line stability. It can also cause steering and
suspension system problems and abnormal tire wear.
If you suspect that the wheels are not correctly bal-
anced, have them checked and adjusted by your SUB-
ARU dealer. Also have them adjusted after tire repairs
and after tire rotation.
NOTE
Loss of correct wheel alignment* causes the tires
to wear on one side and reduces the vehicle’s run-
ning stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer if you
notice abnormal tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold each wheel at
a certain alignment (relative to the other wheels and to the
road) for optimum straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
HSB054AA

12-7
Specifications
– CONTINUED –
1210A"Illumination brightness
control
1310A"Combination meter
" SRS lamp
1410A"Rear window wiper and
washer
1530A"Windshield wiper and
washer
1620A"Brake light
1715A"Air conditioner
1815A"Backup light
" Cruise control
1920A"Mirror heater
20Empty
21Empty
2210A"ABS ignition
Fuse panelFuse ratingCircuit
2320A"Accessory power outlet
(cargo)
" Seat heater
Fuse panelFuse ratingCircuit

14-2
Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
...............................7-30
Warning light ................................................. 3-23, 7-31
Accessories ......................................................... 5-3, 11-63
Accessory power outlet ...................................6-9, 6-11
Active head restraint .................................................. 1-6
Air cleaner element ..................................................... 11-23
Air conditioner operation ..........................................4-9
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-20
Air flow selection .......................................................... 4-2
Aluminum wheels ........................................................ 11-53
Ambient temperature gauge .........................3-11, 3-18
Antenna system ........................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ...............................7-30
Arming the system ...................................................... 2-15
Armrest ............................................................................ 1-9
Ashtray ............................................................................. 6-12
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light ......................3-22
Audio set ......................................................................... 5-3
Auto-dimming mirror /compass .............................3-44
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ....................................................................... 1-15
Automatic transmission ............................................. 7-21
Capacities ................................................................. 12-4
Fluid ............................................................................ 11-31
Selector lever .......................................................... 7-22
Shift lock release ................................................... 7-26Temperature warning light
.................................3-22
BBattery ............................................................................... 11-58
Jump starting ........................................................... 9-14
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) .................................................................... 2-9
Brake Booster ....................................................................... 11-40
Fluid ............................................................................. 11-37
Pad and lining .......................................................... 11-42
Pedal ........................................................................... 11-40
Brake system ................................................................. 7-29
Warning light ............................................................ 3-24
Braking .............................................................................. 7-28
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .11-43
Tips .............................................................................. 7-28
Brake pedal
Free play .................................................................... 11-40
Reserve distance ................................................... 11-41
Bulb
Chart ............................................................................ 12-9
Replacing ................................................................... 11-64
C
Capacities ........................................................................ 12-4