2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX check engine

4-18
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 (Turbo model
only)
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

7-1
7
Starting and operating
Fuel ................................................................ 7-2 Fuel requirements ............................................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................ 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ............... 7-7
Preparing to drive ......................................... 7-9
Starting the engine ....................................... 7-9 Manual transmission vehicle ........................... 7-9
Automatic transmission vehicle ...................... 7-10
Stopping the engine ..................................... 7-11
Manual transmission – 6 speeds (WRX-STi) .................................................. 7-12Selecting reverse gear ...................................... 7-12
Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-13
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Manual transmission – 5 speeds (except WRX-STi) ...................................... 7-15Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-15
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-17
Driver’s Control Center Differential (DCCD) (WRX-STi) .................................................. 7-18Auto mode ......................................................... 7-18
Manual mode ..................................................... 7-19
Temporary release ............................................ 7-21
Automatic transmission ............................... 7-22 Selector lever for automatic transmission ..... 7-23
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-27
Limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .............................................. 7-28
Power steering .............................................. 7-29 Braking ........................................................... 7-30
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-30
Brake system .................................................... 7-30
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-31
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-31 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-32
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-32
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ........................................................ 7-34Steps to take if EBD system fails .................... 7-34
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-36 Parking brake .................................................... 7-36
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-36
Cruise control ................................................ 7-38 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-39
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-40
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-41
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-42

7-3
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
impair driveability and fuel economy. TGasoline for California-certified LEV
Your vehicle was certified to California’s low emission
vehicle (LEV) standards as indicated on the under-
hood tune-up label. It is designed to optimize engine
and emission performance with gasoline that meets
the clean burning low-sulfur California gasoline speci-
fications. If you live in any other state than California,
your vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting Federal
specifications. Gasoline sold outside California is per-
mitted to have higher sulfur levels, which may affect
the performance of your vehicle’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell.
SUBARU recommends that you try a different brand of
unleaded gasoline having lower sulfur to determine if
the problem is fuel related before returning your vehi-
cle to an authorized dealer for service. T MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-enhancing additive
called MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tri-
carbonyl). If you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and the CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on. If this happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty. T
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system. This helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly, and is a
way of doing your part for cleaner air. If you continu-
ously use a high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never need to add any
fuel system cleaning agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials called
oxygenates. Use of these fuels can also help keep the
air cleaner. Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol (ethyl or grain
alcohol) may be used in your vehicle, but should con-
tain no more than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now produc-
ing reformulated gasolines, which are designed to re-
duce vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the use of reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasolines
contain detergents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.

7-6
Starting and operating
weather, which may cause injury.
3. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler pump auto-
matically stops. Do not add any more fuel.
4. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise until you hear
a clicking noise. Be certain not to catch the tether un-
der the cap while tightening.
5. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface, rinse it off
immediately. Otherwise, the painted surface could be
damaged.
NOTE
If the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks or
if the tether is caught under the cap, the CHECK
ENGINE warning light may come on. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section located in
chapter 3.
y Never add any cleaning agents to the fuel
tank. The addition of a cleaning agent may
cause damage to the fuel system. y Make sure that the cap is tightened until it
clicks to prevent fuel spillage in the event of an
accident. y
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces of
the vehicle.
Fuels may cause paint damage, which is not
covered under the SUBARU Limited Warranty. y Always use a genuine SUBARU fuel filler cap.
If you use the wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting, and your fuel tank and emis-
sion control system might be damaged.

7-8
Starting and operating
inspection program or its contractors or licens-
ees.
The EPA has issued regulations for inspecting the On-
Board Diagnostic (OBD) system as part of the state
emissions inspection. The OBD system is designed to
detect engine and transmission problems that might
cause vehicle emissions to exceed allowable limits.
These inspections apply to all 1996 model year and
newer passenger cars and light tracks. Several states
plus the District of Columbia have opted to start the
OBD system inspection prior to the required EPA reg-
ulation effective date of January 1, 2002. Other states
will add OBD system inspection in 2002. y The inspection of the OBD system consists of a vi-
sual operational check of the “ CHECK ENGINE” warn-
ing light/malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and an ex-
amination of the OBD system with an electronic scan
tool while the engine is running. y A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if
proper the “ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illumi-
nation is observed, there is no stored diagnostic trou-
ble codes, and the OBD system readiness monitors
are complete. y A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “ CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is not properly operating or there is one or more diagnostic trouble codes stored
in vehicle’s computer with the “
CHECK ENGINE”
warning light/MIL illuminated. y A state emission inspection may reject (not pass or
fail) a vehicle if the number of OBD system readiness monitors “ Not Ready ” is greater than three. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be instructed to
drive his/her vehicle for a few days to set the monitors
and return for an emission re-inspection. y Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should contact
their Subaru Dealer for service.

7-9
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjust-
ments every day before you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are
clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of the tires.
Also check tires for proper inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear gate are fully
closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mir-
rors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passengers
have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator
lights when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po- sition.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights af-
ter starting the engine.
NOTE
Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer flu-
id and other fluid levels should be checked daily,
weekly or at fuel stops.
Starting the engine
Do not operate the starter motor continuously
for more than ten seconds. If the engine fails to
start after operating the starter for five to ten
seconds, wait for ten seconds or more before
trying again.
„ Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the shift
lever into neutral. Hold the clutch pedal to the floor
while starting the engine.
The starter motor will only operate when the clutch
pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicator lights.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started.

7-10
Starting and operating
If the engine does not start, try the following:
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and
wait for at least 10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the ignition switch to
the “ON” position while depressing the accelerator
pedal slightly (about a quarter of the full stroke). Re-
lease the accelerator pedal as soon as the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch back to the “OFF” position and wait for at
least 10 seconds. Then fully depress the accelerator
pedal and turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position. If the engine starts, quickly release the ac-
celerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch again to the “OFF” position. After waiting for
10 seconds or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, contact your
nearest SUBARU dealer for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have
gone off after the engine has started. The fuel injection
system automatically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up. „
Automatic transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N” position
(preferably “P” position).
The starter motor will only operate when the select le-
ver is at the “P” or “N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicator lights.
Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the following: 1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and
wait for at least 10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the ignition switch to
the “ON” position while depressing the accelerator
pedal slightly (about a quarter of the full stroke). Re-
lease the accelerator pedal as soon as the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition
switch back to the “OFF” position and wait for at
least 10 seconds. Then fully depress the accelerator
pedal and turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position. If the engine starts, quickly release the ac-

7-32
Starting and operating
y
When driving on badly surfaced roads, gravel
roads, icy roads, or over deep newly fallen
snow, stopping distances may be longer for a
vehicle with the ABS system than one without.
When driving under these conditions, there-
fore, reduce your speed and leave ample dis-
tance from other vehicles. y When you feel the ABS system operating,
you should maintain constant brake pedal pres-
sure. Do not pump the brake pedal since doing
so may defeat the operation of the ABS system.
„ ABS system self-check
You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and
hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine com-
partment just after the vehicle is started. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS sys-
tem being carried out and does not indicate any abnor-
mal condition. „
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after
about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such
as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning
light may come on. This is due to the low battery volt-
age and does not indicate a malfunction. When the
battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out.
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