2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX tires

9-3
In case of emergency
– CONTINUED –
Temporary spare tire
The temporary spare tire is smaller and lighter than a
conventional tire and is designed for emergency use
only. Remove the temporary spare tire and re-install
the conventional tire as soon as possible because the
spare tire is designed only for temporary use.
Check the inflation pressure of the temporary spare
tire periodically to keep the tire ready for use. The cor-
rect pressure is 60 psi (4.2 kg/cm 2
, 420 kPa) .
When using the temporary spare tire, note the follow-
ing:" Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
" Do not put a tire chain on the temporary spare tire.
Because of the smaller tire size, a tire chain will not fit
properly. " Do not use two or more temporary spare tires at the
same time. " Do not drive over obstacles. This tire has a smaller
diameter, so road clearance is reduced. 1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
" When the wear indicator appears on the tread, re-
place the tire.
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US9525BB

9-5
In case of emergency
– CONTINUED –
Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never brake sud-
denly; keep driving straight ahead while gradually re-
ducing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to a safe
place. !Changing a flat tire
"Do not jack up the vehicle on an incline or a
loose road surface. The jack can come out of
the jacking point or sink into the ground and
this can result in a severe accident. " Use only the jack provided with your vehicle.
The jack supplied with the vehicle is designed
only for changing a tire. Never get under the ve-
hicle while supporting the vehicle with thisjack. " Always turn the engine off before raising the
flat tire off the ground using the jack. Never
swing or push the vehicle supported with the
jack. The jack can come out of the jacking point
due to a jolt and this can result in a severe acci-
dent. 1. Park on a hard, level surface, whenever possible,
then stop the engine.
2. Set the parking brake securely and shift a manual
transmission vehicle in reverse or an automatic trans-
mission vehicle in the “P” (Park) position.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher and have ev-
eryone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear of the tire di-
agonally opposite the flat tire.
HS9003BA

9-25
In case of emergency
– CONTINUED –
wise to loosen it, then remove the jack.
Sedan
1) Jack
2) Jack handle
3) Spare tire Wagon
1) Jack
2) Jack handle
3) Spare tire
The jack handle is stored under the spare tire cover.
For how to use the jack, refer to “Flat tires”.
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UG9501BB
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UG9502BB

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
Maintenance and service
Types of tires .................................................... 11-44
Tire inspection .................................................. 11-45
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-45
Wheel balance ................................................... 11-48
Wear indicators ................................................. 11-49
Tire rotation ....................................................... 11-50
Tire replacement ............................................... 11-50
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-51
Wheel covers .................................................... 11-52
Aluminum wheels (If equipped) .................. 11-53
Intercooler water spray ................................ 11-53
Windshield washer fluid .............................. 11-54
Replacement of windshield wiper blades .. 11-55
Battery ........................................................... 11-58
Fuses ............................................................. 11-60
Main fuse ....................................................... 11-63
Installation of accessories .......................... 11-63
Replacing bulbs ............................................ 11-64 Headlights (U.S. spec. WRX-STi) .................... 11-66
Headlight (Except U.S. spec. WRX-STi) .......... 11-66
Front turn signal light bulbs ............................ 11-69
Parking light ...................................................... 11-70
Front fog light ................................................... 11-73
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-74
License plate light ............................................ 11-76
Dome light, map light and cargo area light .... 11-77
Trunk light ......................................................... 11-78
High mount stop light ...................................... 11-78

11 - 4 4
Maintenance and service
Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”. When the parking brake is properly adjusted,
braking power is fully applied by pulling the lever up
seven to eight notches gently but firmly (about 44 lb,
196 N, 20 kg). If the parking brake lever stroke is not
within the specified range, have the brake system
checked and adjusted at your SUBARU dealer.Tires and wheels !
Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires present on your vehicle.
The factory-fitted 17-inch tires on the WRX-STi are
summer tires. The factory-fitted tires on other versions
are all-season tires. The 17-inch tires that can be deal-
er-fitted on the WRX as an option are summer tires. ! All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide an adequate
measure of traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance in year-round driving including snowy and icy
road conditions. However all season tires do not offer
as much traction performance as winter (snow) tires in
heavy or loose snow or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL SEASON” and/
or “M+S” (Mud & Snow) on the tire sidewall. ! Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability tires best suit-
ed for highway driving under dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving on slippery
roads such as on snow-covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered or icy roads,
we strongly recommend the use of winter (snow) tires.
UG7509CA

11 -4 5
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
When installing winter tires, be sure to replace all four
tires. !Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on snow-cov-
ered and icy roads. However winter tires do not per-
form as well as summer tires and all season tires on
roads other than snow-covered and icy roads. ! Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are free from se-
rious damage, nails, and stones. At the same time,
check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immediately if you find
any problem.
NOTE " When the wheels and tires strike curbs or are
subjected to harsh treatment as when the vehicle
is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer dam-
age that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This
type of damage does not become evident until
time has passed. Try not to drive over curbs, pot-
holes or on other rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed down to a
walking pace or less, and approach the curbs as
squarely as possible. Also, make sure the tires are not pressed against the curb when you park the vehicle. "
If you feel unusual vibration while driving or find
it difficult to steer the vehicle in a straight line, one
of the tires and/or wheels may be damaged. Drive
slowly to the nearest authorized SUBARU dealer
and have the vehicle inspected. ! Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures helps to maxi-
mize the tires’ service lives and is essential for good
running performance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the spare) at least
once a month (for example, during a fuel stop) and be-
fore any long journey.

11 - 4 6
Maintenance and service
Check the tire pressures when the tires are cold. Use
a pressure gauge to adjust the tire pressures to the
values shown on the tire placard. The tire placard is lo-
cated on the door pillar on the driver’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up the tires and
increases the tire pressures. Also, the tire pressures
are affected by the ambient temperature. It is best to
check tire pressure outdoors before driving the vehi-cle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside it expands,
causing the tire pressure to increase. Be careful not to
mistakenly release air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTE "
The air pressure in a tire increases by approxi-
mately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3 kg/cm 2
) when the tire
becomes warm. " The tires are considered cold when the vehicle
has been parked for at least three hours or has
been driven less than one mile (1.6 km).
Do not let air out of warm tires to adjust press-
rue. Doing so will result in low tire pressure.
Incorrect tire pressures detract from controllability and
ride comfort, and they cause the tires to wear abnor- mally.UGB510BA