8-13
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
!Parking in cold weather
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine running.
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmissionvehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows,
raise the wiper blades off the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor braking action.
Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc
brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle. If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful
not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses andABS harness. !
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel sys-
tem and the risk of its freezing, use of an antifreeze ad-
ditive in the fuel tank is recommended during cold
weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for
this purpose. When an antifreeze additive is used, its
effect lasts longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extend-
ed period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capac- ity. ! Driving on snowy and icy roads
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads
such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause
loss of vehicle control.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden brak-
8-17
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
!Tire chains
Tire chains cannot be used on tires listed below
because of lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body. "2.5-liter non-turbo models (except OUT-
BACK): P205/55R16 tires " 2.5-liter turbo models (except OUTBACK):
215/45ZR17 tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo models (OUTBACK): P225/
60R16 tires" 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P225/55R17 tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P225/60R16 winter (snow) tires " 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P215/60R16 winter (snow) tires " 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models (OUT-
BACK): P215/55R17 winter (snow) tires
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads may require the
use of tire chains, in which case put the chains on the
front wheels only. Use only SAE class S type chains
that are of the correct size for your tires so as not to
damage the vehicle body or suspension. When driving with tire chains, drive at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h). When a temporary spare tire is on
a front wheel, replace the temporary spare tire with the
rear tire on the same side of the vehicle, and then fit
chains on the front tires.
Always use the utmost care when driving with tire
chains – overconfidence because you are driving with
tire chains could easily lead to a serious accident. !
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand,
or mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and
move the selector lever back and forth between “D”
and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when
trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can
obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the
transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
Refer to the “Automatic transmission” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on holding the transmission in 2nd
position.
8-42
Driving tips
!
Driving on grades
" Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts." When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating." When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all vehicles)
and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively prone to
overheating under these conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3.
NOTE
With AT vehicles, the temperature of engine cool-
ant is less likely to rise to the OVERHEAT zone in
the “D” position than in the manual mode position. " If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. !
Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehicle and trailer
when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly. You
should not park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you should take the
following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the
vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release the
regular brakes slowly until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the park-
ing brake; slowly release the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual transmission)
or “P” (automatic transmission) and shut off the en-
gine.
9-4
In case of emergency
1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
" When the wear indicator appears on the tread, re-
place the tire.NOTE
If your vehicle is an AWD type with an automatic
transmission but is neither a Turbo model nor a
3.0-liter model, deactivate its all-wheel-drive capa-
bility as follows: Before driving your vehicle with
the temporary spare tire, put a spare fuse inside
the FWD connector located in the engine compart-
ment and confirm that the “ ” warning light
comes on. The all wheel drive capability of the ve-
hicle has now been deactivated. After re-installing
the conventional tire, remove the spare fuse from
the FWD connector in order to reactivate all wheel
drive.
1
2
US9525BBUBB501BA
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 this jack. " 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
9-28
In case of emergency
!
Towing with all wheels on the ground
"Never turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction of
the wheels will be locked." Remember that the brake booster and power
steering do not function when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is turned off, it will
take greater effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
" If transmission failure occurs, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck. " Do not run the engine while being towed us-
ing this method. Transmission damage could
result if the vehicle is towed with the engine
running. " For vehicles with automatic transmission,
the traveling speed must be limited to less than
20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling distance to
less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds
and distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-
sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position
while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.UB9219BA
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 non-turbo models ................................ 11-8
2.5-liter non-turbo California-spec. models .... 11-9
2.5-liter turbo models ....................................... 11-10
3.0-liter models .................................................. 11-11
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-12 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-12
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-13
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-16
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-17
Cooling system ............................................. 11-18 Hose and connections ...................................... 11-19
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-19
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-24 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-24
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-29 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-29
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-30 2.5-liter models .................................................. 11-30
3.0-liter models .................................................. 11-30
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-31 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-31
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-32
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-33 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-33
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-35
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-35 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-35
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-36
Rear differential gear oil ............................... 11-37 Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-37
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-40
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-41 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-41
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-42
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-42 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-42
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-43
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-43 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-43
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-44
Brake booster ................................................ 11-44
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-45 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-45
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-45
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles) ..................................................... 11-46Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-46
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-46
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-47
11 - 8
Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overview !
2.5-liter non-turbo models
12 3 45 6
7
8
9
10
11
13 12
UBB207BB
1) Power steering fluid reservoir
(page 11-41)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge (MT) (page 11-31) or Dif-
ferential gear oil level gauge
(AT) (page 11-35)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-
43)
4) Automatic transmission fluid lev- el gauge (page 11-33)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11- 42)
6) Fuse box (page 11-68)
7) Battery (page 11-67)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-58)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-12)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-19)
11) Radiator cap (page 11-19)
12) Engine oil level gauge (page 11- 12)
13) Air cleaner element (page 11- 24)