2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX cooling

4-1
4
Climate control
Ventilator ....................................................... 4-2 Air flow selection .............................................. 4-2
Center and side ventilators .............................. 4-3
Manual climate control system (if equipped) 4-4 Control panel ..................................................... 4-4
Heater operation ............................................... 4-6
Air conditioner operation (if equipped) .......... 4-9
Semi-automatic climate control system (if equipped) ............................................... 4-11Control panel ..................................................... 4-11
Operating method ............................................. 4-14
Temperature sensors ....................................... 4-18
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner 4-19 Cleaning ventilation grille ................................ 4-19
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-19
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .............................................................. 4-19
Checking air conditioning system before summer season .............................................. 4-19
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions .... 4-20
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when
engine is heavily loaded ................................ 4-20
Refrigerant for your climate control system .. 4-20
Air filtration system (if equipped) ................ 4-20 Replacing an air filter ....................................... 4-21

4-6
Climate control
tion for fast cooling with the air conditioner or when
driving on a dusty road.
(Outside air): Outside air is drawn into the pas-
senger compartment.
Place the air inlet selection lever in the “ ” po-
sition when the interior has cooled to a comfortable
temperature and the road is no longer dusty.
Continued operation in the position may
fog up the windows. Switch to
the position as soon as the outside
dusty condition clears. !
Heater operation
! Defrosting or defogging the windshield
To direct warm air to the windshield and front door win-
dows:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “ ” po- sition.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ” position.
3. Turn the temperature control dial all the way to the
right.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the highest speed.
If your vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner,
when the “ ” or “ ” position is selected, the air
conditioner compressor automatically operates re-
UG4508AA

4-9
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
ference between the air from the instrument panel out-
lets and the air from the foot outlets. !Ventilation
To force outside air through the instrument panel out-
lets:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the “ ” po-sition.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ” position.
3. Set the temperature control dial all the way left.
4. Set the fan speed control dial to the desired speed.
When driving on a dusty road, set the air inlet control
lever to the “ ” position.
Continued operation in the “ ” position
may fog up the windows. Switch to the
“ ” position as soon as the outside
dusty condition clears.
! Air conditioner operation (if equipped)
! Cooling or dehumidifying
For cooling and dehumidification of the passenger
compartment, performing the following steps will allow
UG4512AA
UG4513BA

4-12
Climate control
functions are as follows:
OFF:
The fan does not operate.
AUTO: The fan speed is adjusted automatically in ac-
cordance with the air temperature inside and outside
the passenger compartment, the intensity of sunlight,
and other factors. Subaru recommends using the
AUTO position.
Other positions: The fan speed can be adjusted in
four steps.
NOTE
With the fan speed control dial in the AUTO posi-
tion and the air flow control dial in the “ ”,
“ ”, or “ ” position, the fan does not oper-
ate during engine warmup until the engine coolant
temperature exceeds approx. 122 °F (50 °C).
! Temperature control dial
This dial is used to set the desired interior tempera-
ture. With the dial set to your desired temperature, the
system automatically adjusts the temperature of air
supplied from the outlets such that the desired temper-
ature is achieved and maintained.
If the dial is turned fully counterclockwise, the system
gives maximum cooling performance. If the dial is
turned fully clockwise, the system gives maximum
heating performance. !
Air flow control dial
This dial has the following five positions. The outlets
from which air is supplied in each position are as fol-
lows:
: Instrument panel outlets: Instrument panel outlets and foot outlets
: Foot outlets and windshield defroster outlets (rel-
atively little air from windshield defroster outlets)
: Windshield defroster outlets and foot outlets
: Windshield defroster outlets
NOTE
When the dial is placed in the “ ” or “ ” po-
sition, the air conditioner compressor operates
automatically to defog the windshield quickly. At
the same time, the air inlet selection is automati-
cally set to “outside air” mode.

4-13
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
!Air inlet selection button
ON position (Recirculation): Interior air is recirculat-
ed inside the vehicle. Push the air inlet selection but-
ton to the ON position for fast cooling with the air con-
ditioner or when driving on a dusty road. The indicator
light will come on.
OFF position (Outside Air): Outside air is drawn into
the passenger compartment. Push the air inlet selec-
tion button to the OFF position when the interior has
cooled to a comfortable temperature and the road is
no longer dusty. The indicator light will go off.
Continued operation in the ON position may fog
up the windows. Switch to the OFF position as
soon as the outside dusty condition clears.
! Air conditioner button
The button’s positions and their functions are as fol-
lows:
ON: The air conditioner operates while the fan is run-
ning.
Push the button to select this position. The indicator
light will illuminate.
UG4048BA
UG4517BA

4-15
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
1. Fan speed control dial: AUTO position
2. Air flow control dial: position
3. Air temperature control dial: desired position
4. Air inlet selection button: OFF position
5. Air conditioner button: OFF position
NOTE "To heat the passenger compartment rapidly, set
the air temperature control dial to the 85 (30) posi-
tion and the air inlet selection button to the ON po-
sition. When the passenger compartment has
warmed up sufficiently, return the air inlet selec-
tion button to the OFF position. " Warm air also comes out from the right and left
air outlets. To stop warm air flow from these out-
lets, turn the corresponding knob clockwise. !
Rapid cooling
To cool the passenger compartment rapidly, make the
following settings:
1. Fan speed control dial: All the way to the right
2. Air flow control dial: “ ” position
3. Air temperature control dial: 65 (20) position
4. Air inlet selection button: ON position
5. Air conditioner button: ON position
NOTE
From time to time, return the air inlet selection but-
ton to the OFF position to draw outside air into the
passenger compartment.
UG4041BA

4-19
Climate control
– CONTINUED –
Operating tips for heater and air con-
ditioner !Cleaning ventilation grille
Always keep the front ventilation inlet grille free of
snow, leaves, or other 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 ac-
cumulation 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 closed during
the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool-
ing efficiency. ! Lubrication oil circulation in the refrig- erant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low en-
gine speed (at idle or low driving speeds) a few min-
utes each month during the off-season to circulate its
oil. ! Checking air conditioning system be-
fore 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.
UG4040BA

4-20
Climate control
!
Cooling and dehumidifying in high hu-
midity and low temperature weather
conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humid-
ity, low temperatures, 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 con-
ditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off
during air conditioner operation whenever the acceler-
ator is fully depressed such as during rapid accelera-
tion or when driving on a steep upgrade. ! Refrigerant for your climate control
system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, 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.Air filtration system (if equipped)
If your vehicle’s air conditioning system is equipped
with an air filtration system, replace the filter element
according to the replacement schedule shown below.
This schedule should be followed to maintain the fil-
ter’s dust collection ability. Under extremely dusty con-
ditions, the filter should be replaced more frequently. It
is recommended that you have your filter checked or
replaced by your SUBARU dealer. For replacement,
use only a genuine SUBARU air filter kit.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 7,500 miles (12,000 km) whichev-
er comes first