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Maintenance and service
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loosen the drain plug.
3. Loosen the radiator cap to drain the coolant from
the radiator. Then drain the coolant from the reserve
tank. Tighten the drain plug securely.
Never attempt to remove the radiator cap until
the engine has been shut off and has cooled
down completely. Since the coolant is under
pressure, you may suffer serious burns from a
spray of boiling hot coolant when the cap is re-
moved.
4. Install the under cover. Non-turbo models
A) Fill up to here
A
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Maintenance and service
Turbo models
A) Fill up to here
5. Slowly pour the coolant and fill up to just below the
filler neck, allowing enough room to add genuine Sub-
aru cooling system conditioner in the radiator. Add
genuine Subaru cooling system conditioner until the
coolant level reaches the filler neck. Do not pour the
coolant too quickly, as this may lead to insufficient air
bleeding and trapped air in the system.
Coolant capacity (Guideline): 2.5-liter non-turbo models: MT. 6.8 US qt (6.4 liters, 5.6 Imp qt)
AT. 6.7 US qt (6.3 liters, 5.5 Imp qt)
2.5-liter turbo models: MT. 7.7 US qt (7.3 liters, 6.4 Imp qt)
AT. 7.6 US qt (7.2 liters, 6.3 Imp qt)
3.0-liter models:
7.6 US qt (7.2 liters, 6.3 Imp qt)
" Be careful not to spill engine coolant when
adding it. If coolant touches the exhaust pipe, it
may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. " Do not splash the engine coolant over paint-
ed parts. The alcohol contained in the engine
coolant may damage the paint surface.
A
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Maintenance and service
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6. Pour the coolant and fill to the reservoir tank’s
“FULL” level mark. A) Rubber gaskets
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.
FULL
LOW
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Maintenance and service
Air cleaner 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.
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 dry type. It is unnecessary
to clean or wash the element. ! Replacing the air cleaner element
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. !
Non-turbo models
0
A) Connector
B) Duct
C) Clamp
1. Unplug the connector that is attached to the top of
the air cleaner case.
2. Remove the hose that is located at the bottom of
the side surface of the air cleaner case.
3. Undo the screw and pull the air duct out of the air
cleaner case.
4. Unsnap the two clamps holding the air cleaner
case cover.
A
C
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Maintenance and service
Drive belts
The alternator, power steering pump, and air condi-
tioner compressor depend on drive belts. Satisfactory
performance requires that belt tension be correct. !
2.5-liter models
A) Power steering pump pulley
B) Air conditioner compressor pulley
C) Crank pulley in (mm)
To check belt tension, place a straightedge (ruler)
across two adjacent pulleys and apply a force of 22 lbs
(98 N, 10 kg) midway between the pulleys by using a
spring scale. Belt deflection should be the amount
specified. ! 3.0-liter models
It is unnecessary to check belt tension periodically be-
cause your engine is equipped with an automatic belt
tension adjuster. However, replacement of the belt
should be done according to the maintenance sched-
ule in the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”. Con-
sult your SUBARU dealer for replacement.
If a belt is loose, cracked, or worn, contact your SUB-
ARU dealer.
B
C a
b
A
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Deflection
New belt Used belt
a 0.28 – 0.35 (7.0 – 9.0) 0.35 – 0.43 (9.0 – 11.0)
b 0.30 – 0.33 (7.5 – 8.5) 0.35 – 0.40 (9.0 – 10.0)
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Maintenance and service
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Automatic transmission fluid !Checking the fluid level
The automatic transmission fluid expands largely as
its temperature rises; the fluid level differs according to
fluid temperature. Therefore, there are two different
scales for checking the level of hot fluid and cold fluid
on the dipstick.
Though the fluid level can be checked without warm-
ing up the fluid on the “COLD” range, we recommend
checking the fluid level when the fluid is at operating
temperature. ! Checking the fluid level when the fluid is hot
Check the fluid level monthly.
1. Drive the vehicle several miles to raise the temper-
ature of the transmission fluid up to normal operating
temperature; 158 to 176 °F (70 to 80 °C) is normal.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the park-
ing brake.
3. First shift the selector lever in each position. Then
shift it in the “P” position, and run the engine at idling
speed. 4 speed automatic transmission
A) Yellow handle
A
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Maintenance and service
Check the fluid level on the outside of the reservoir. If
the level is below “MIN” level mark, add the recom-
mended clutch fluid to “MAX” level mark.
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed container. !
Recommended clutch fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid
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.
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Maintenance and service
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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
A) 0.02 – 0.08 in (0.5 – 2.0 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the brake pedal
several times. Lightly pull the brake pedal up with one
finger to check the free play with a force of less than 2
lbs (10 N, 1 kg).
If the free play is not within proper specification, con- tact your SUBARU dealer. !
Checking the brake pedal reserve dis-
tance
A) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approximately 66 lbs
(294 N, 30 kg) and measure the distance between the
upper surface of the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than the specifica-
tion, or when the pedal does not operate smoothly,
contact with your SUBARU dealer.
A
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A
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