2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX stop start

8-38
Driving tips
when towing a trailer and you should never
speed. You should also keep the following tips
in mind:
! Before starting out on a trip
" Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are appar-
ent, do not tow the trailer. " Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the trail-
er attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at the
front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then con-
firm that the load and its distribution are acceptable. " Check that the tire pressures are correct.
" Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that – the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connected properly
and trailer’s brake lights illuminate when the vehi-
cle’s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer’s
turn signal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn signal
lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected properly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of view without a significant blind spot.
" Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of
the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out on a
trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping
and backing up. ! Driving with a trailer
" You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking
because it may result in skidding or jackknifing and
loss of control." Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution." Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes." Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal turning radius because the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle." Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswinds
can be due to weather conditions or the passing of
large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the
steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradu-
ally." When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-

9-16
In case of emergency
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster bat-
tery and run it at moderate speed. Then start the en-
gine of the vehicle that has the discharged battery.
6. When finished, carefully disconnect the cables in
exactly the reverse order.Engine overheating
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until
the engine has been shut off and has fully
cooled down. When the engine is hot, the cool-
ant is under pressure. Removing the cap while
the engine is still hot could release a spray of
boiling hot coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.
If the engine overheats, safely pull off the road and
stop the vehicle in a safe place. ! If steam is coming from the engine
compartment
Turn the engine off and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. ! If no steam is coming from the engine
compartment
1. Keep the engine running at idling speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine compart- ment.

11 -1 5
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
Non-turbo models
7. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter wrench.
8. Before installing a new oil filter, apply a thin coat of
engine oil to the seal.
9. Clean the rubber seal seating area of the lower
crank case/oil cooler (For Turbo) and install the oil fil-
ter by hand turning. Be careful not to twist or damage
the seal.
10.Tighten it approximately two-thirds of a turn after
the seal makes contact with the lower crank case/oil
cooler (For Turbo).
Never over tighten the oil filter because that canresult in an oil leak.
11.Reinstall under cover (For Turbo).
12.Pour engine oil through the filler neck.
Oil capacity (guideline): Non-turbo models: 4.2 US qt (4.0 liters, 3.5 Imp qt)
Turbo models:
4.8 US qt (4.5 liters, 4.0 Imp qt)
The oil quantity indicated above is only guideline.
The necessary quantity of oil depends on the quantity
of oil that has been drained. The quantity of drained oil
differs slightly depending on the temperature of the oil
and the time the oil is left flowing out. After refilling the
engine with oil, therefore, you must the dipstick to con-
firm that the level is correct.
13.Start the engine and make sure that no oil leaks ap-
pear around the filter’s rubber seal and drain plug.
14.Run the engine until it reaches the normal operat-
ing temperature. Then stop the engine and wait a few
minutes to allow the oil drain back. Check the oil level
UGB057EA

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 - 4 0
Maintenance and service
Brake booster
If the brake booster does not operate as described be-
low, have it checked by your SUBARU dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake pedal sever-
al times, applying the same pedal force each time. The
distance the pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start the engine.
The pedal should move slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the engine
and keep the pedal depressed for 30 seconds. The
pedal height should not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for about one minute
then turn it off. Depress the brake pedal several times
to check the brake booster. Brake booster operates
properly if the pedal stroke decreases with each de- pression.Brake pedal
Check the brake pedal free play and reserve distance
according to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”. !
Checking the brake pedal free play
1) 0.04 – 0.12 in (1.0 – 3.0 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the brake pedal
several times. Lightly press the brake pedal down with
one finger to check the free play with a force of less
than 2 lb (10 N, 1 kg).
If the free play is not within proper specification, con-
1
HSB049BB

14-4
Index
Front
........................................................................... 11-33
Rear ............................................................................ 11-34
Dimensions .................................................................... 12-2
Disarming the system ................................................ 2-17
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............7-29
Dome light ............................................................ 6-2, 11-77
Door locks ....................................................................... 2-3
Door open warning lights .........................................3-25
Drive belts ....................................................................... 11-27
Driver’s control center differential ........................7-18
Auto indicator light ................................................ 3-26
Indicator light .......................................................... 3-27
Driving
Drinking ..................................................................... 8
Drugs .......................................................................... 9
Foreign countries .................................................. 8-6
Mobile phone .......................................................... 10
Pets ............................................................................. 10
Tips ........................................................... 7-14, 7-17, 8-7
Tired or sleepy ........................................................ 9
Snowy and icy roads ............................................ 8-13
E
EBD (Electronic brake force distribution) system ......................................................................... 7-32
Electrical system .......................................................... 12-3Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
system .......................................................................... 7-32
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ...................1-14
Engine Compartment overview ........................................11-8
Coolant ....................................................................... 11-19
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) .....................8, 8-3
Hood ............................................................................ 11-5
Oil ................................................................................. 11-11
Overheating .............................................................. 9-16
Starting ....................................................................... 7-9
Stopping ..................................................................... 7-11
Exterior care ................................................................... 10-2
F
Flat tires ............................................................................ 9-5
Floor mat .......................................................................... 6-13
Fluid level
Automatic transmission .......................................11-31
Brake ........................................................................... 11-37
Clutch .......................................................................... 11-38
Power steering ........................................................ 11-36
Fog light switch ............................................................. 3-35
Folding down the rear seat .......................................1-12
Front Differential gear oil ................................................. 11-33
Fog light ..................................................................... 11-73

14-5
Index
Seatbelt pretensioners
.......................................1-27
Seats ........................................................................... 1-2
Turn signal light and parking light ...................11-70
Front-wheel drive warning light ..............................3-25
Fuel .................................................................................... 7-2
Economy hints ........................................................ 8-2
Filler lid and cap ..................................................... 7-4
Gauge .................................................................. 3-9, 3-16
Requirements .......................................................... 7-2
Fuses ................................................................................ 11-60
Fuses and circuits ....................................................... 12-6
G
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) .....................8-20
Glove box ........................................................................ 6-6
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ) .............8-20
H
Hazard warning flasher ............................................. 3-6
Headlight beam leveler ............................................. 3-33
Headlight indicator light ............................................3-27
Headlights ......................................................... 3-29, 11-66
Headrest adjustment (Wagon) ..............................1-11
Head restraint adjustment (Front) .......................1-5
Heater operation .......................................................... 4-6
High beam indicator light ..........................................3-26
High mount stop light ................................................. 11-78Horn
.. .. ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ... .. .. 3-5 0
Hose and connections ............................................... 11-19
I
Ignition switch ............................................................... 3-3
Illuminated entry ........................................................... 2-8
Illumination brightness control ...............................3-32
Indicator light High beam ................................................................ 3-26
Selector lever position ......................................... 3-26
Turn signal ............................................................... 3-26
Inside mirror ................................................................... 3-44
Intercooler water spray ............................................. 11-53
Warning light ........................................................... 3-25
Switch ........................................................................ 3-43
Internal trunk lid release handle ............................2-26
J
Jack and jack handle ................................................. 9-24
Jump starting ................................................................. 9-14
KKey Interlock release .................................................... 3-5
Number ...................................................................... 2-3
Reminder chime ..................................................... 3-4

14-8
Index
Safety tips
................................................................. 1-13
Warning light and chime ...........................1-15, 3-19
Seatbelts ......................................................................... 1-13
Security system ............................................................ 2-14
Selector lever ................................................................ 7-22
Position indicator ................................................... 3-26
Semi-automatic climate control system .............4-11
Shift lock release ......................................................... 7-26
Side ventilators ............................................................. 4-3
Snow tires ....................................................................... 8-14
Sounding a panic alarm ............................................ 2-9
Spark plugs .................................................................... 11-26
Specifications ................................................................ 12-2
Speedometer .......................................................... 3-7, 3-15
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint
System airbag) ....................................................... 6, 1-52
SRS airbag system warning light ..........................3-20
SRS frontal airbag ....................................................... 1-56
SRS side airbag ........................................................... 1-64
Starting the engine ...................................................... 7-9
State emission testing (U.S. only) ........................7-7
Stopping the engine ................................................... 7-11
Storage compartments .............................................. 6-5
Sun visors ....................................................................... 6-4
Sun shades .................................................................... 2-33
Supplemental Restraint System airbag (SRS) 1-52
Synthetic leather upholstery ...................................10-6T
Tachometer
............................................................. 3-9, 3-16
Temperature gauge .......................................... 3-10, 3-17
Temporary spare tire .................................................. 9-3
Tie-down hooks ............................................................. 9-18
Tilt steering wheel ........................................................ 3-49
Tire Chains ......................................................................... 8-16
Inspection .................................................................. 11-45
Pressures and wear .............................................. 11-45
Replacement ............................................................ 11-50
Rotation ...................................................................... 11-50
Tires ................................................................................... 12-5
Types .......................................................................... 11-44
Tires and wheels .......................................................... 11-44
Top tether anchorages ............................................... 1-46
Towing .............................................................................. 9-17
All wheels on the ground ....................................9-21
Flat-bed truck ........................................................... 9-20
Trailer
Hitch ............................................................................. 8-25
Hitches ........................................................................ 8-34
Towing ........................................................................ 8-29
Towing tips ................................................................ 8-37
Trunk lid ............................................................................ 2-25
Release handle ....................................................... 2-26
Trunk light ........................................................................ 11-78