2005 SUBARU LEGACY wiper blades

3-51
Instruments and controls
– CONTINUED –
Wiper and washer
In freezing weather, do not use the windshield washer until the windshield is sufficiently
warmed by the defroster.
Otherwise the washer fluid can freeze on the
windshield, blocking your view.
"Do not operate the washer continuously for
more than ten seconds, or when the washer flu-
id tank is empty. This may cause overheating of
the washer motor. Check the washer fluid level
frequently, such as at fuel stops. " Do not operate the wipers when the wind-
shield or rear window is dry. This may scratch
the glass, damage the wiper blades and cause
the wiper motor to burn out. Before operating
the wiper on a dry windshield or rear window,
always use the windshield washer." In freezing weather, be sure that the wiper
blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear
window before switching on the wipers. At- tempting to operate the wiper with the blades
frozen to the window glass could cause not
only the wiper blades to be damaged but also
the wiper motor to burn out. If the wiper blade
is frozen to the window glass, be sure to oper-ate the defroster, wiper deicer (if equipped) or
rear window defogger before turning on the
wiper."
If the wipers stop during operation because
of ice or some other obstruction on the window,
the wiper motor could burn out even if the wiper
switch is turned off. If this occurs, promptly
stop the vehicle in a safe place, turn the ignition
switch to the “LOCK” position and clean the
window glass to allow proper wiper operation. " Use clean water if windshield washer fluid is
unavailable. In areas where water freezes in
winter, use SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid
or the equivalent. (See “Windshield washer flu-
id” section in chapter 11.)
Also, when driving the vehicle when there are
freezing temperatures, use non-freezing type
wiper blades." Do not clean the wiper blades with gasoline
or a solvent, such as paint thinner or benzene.
This will cause deterioration of the wiper

3-52
Instruments and controls
blades.
NOTE "
The front wiper motor is protected against over-
loads by a circuit breaker. If the motor operates
continuously under an unusually heavy load, the
circuit breaker may trip to stop the motor tempo-
rarily. If this happens, park your vehicle in a safe
place, turn off the wiper switch, and wait for ap-
proximately 10 minutes. The circuit breaker will re-
set itself, and the wipers will again operate nor- mally. " Clean your wiper blades and window glass peri-
odically with a washer solution to prevent streak-
ing, and to remove accumulations of road salt or
road film. Keep the washer button depressed at
least for 1 second so that washer solution will be
sprinkled all over the windshield or rear window. " Grease, wax, insects or other material on the
windshield or the wiper blades results in jerky wip-
er operation and streaking on the glass. If you can-
not remove those streaks after operating the
washer or if the wiper operation is jerky, clean the
outer surface of the windshield or rear window
and the wiper blades using a sponge or soft cloth
with a neutral detergent or mild-abrasive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the window glass and wiper
blades with clean water. The glass is clean if no
beads form on the glass when you rinse with wa- ter. "
If you cannot eliminate the streaking even after
following this procedure, replace the wiper blades
with new ones. Refer to the “Replacement of wiper
blades” section (chapter 11) for replacement in-
structions. ! Windshield wiper and washer switches
The wiper operates only when the ignition switch is in
the “ON” or “ACC” position.

3-56
Instruments and controls
Windshield wiper deicer (if equipped)
The windshield wiper deicer operates only when the
ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
Before turning on the windshield wiper deicer, remove
any snow from the windshield. To turn on the wind-
shield wiper deicer, push the button. The indicator light
located on the button lights up while the windshield
wiper deicer is operating.
The windshield wiper deicer will automatically shut off
after about 15 minutes. If the windshield wiper blades
have been deiced completely before that time, push
the button to turn it off. It also turns off when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
If deicing is not complete, you have to push the button
to turn the deicer on again.
Your SUBARU dealer can set your windshield wiper
deicer for continuous operation. Contact your SUBA-
RU dealer for details.
Once the windshield wiper deicer has been set for
continuous operation, pressing the button results in
continuous operation. The windshield wiper deicer au-
tomatically stops operating if any one of the following
conditions occurs during continuous operation."
The outside temperature becomes 41 °F (5 °C) or
higher." The vehicle speed remains at 9 mph (15 km/h) or
lower for 15 minutes. " The battery voltage decreases below the permissi-
ble level.
UB3213BA

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-

8-14
Driving tips
ing, abrupt acceleration, high-speed driving, and
sharp turning when driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle ahead of you to avoid the need for sud-
den braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake
effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a
lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can
cause the wheels to lock, possibly leading to loss of
vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehi-
cle’s braking performance on snowy and icy roads.
Refer to the “ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)” and “Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control system (if equipped)” section
in chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery sur- faces. !
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure the wiper
blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear window.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow control but-
ton/dial in the “ ” position and the temperature
control dial set for maximum warmth until the wiper
blades are completely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To thaw out the rear wiper
blade, use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts to stick on
the surface of the windshield despite wiper operation,
use the defroster with the airflow control button/dial in
“ ” and the temperature control dial set for maxi-
mum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed
enough to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away us-
ing the windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the wiper from
working effectively. If snow is stuck on the wiper arm,
pull off the road to a safe place, then remove it. If you
stop the vehicle at road side, use the hazard warning
flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades
(winter blades) during the seasons you could have
snow and sub-zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions.
Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehi- cle. !
Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section (chapter
10).

11 - 2
Maintenance and service
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ... 11-47
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-48
Tires and wheels .......................................... 11-49 Types of tires .................................................... 11-49
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ................................................... 11-49
Tire inspection .................................................. 11-51
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-52
Wheel balance ................................................... 11-54
Wear indicators ................................................. 11-55
Tire rotation ....................................................... 11-55
Tire replacement ............................................... 11-56
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-57
Aluminum wheels ......................................... 11-57
Windshield washer fluid .............................. 11-58
Replacement of wiper blades ...................... 11-60 Windshield wiper blades assembly ................ 11-60
Windshield wiper blade rubber ....................... 11-61
Rear window wiper blade assembly ............... 11-63
Rear window wiper blade rubber .................... 11-64
Battery ........................................................... 11-67
Fuses ............................................................. 11-68
Main fuse ....................................................... 11-71
Installation of accessories .......................... 11-72
Replacing bulbs ............................................ 11-73 Headlight ........................................................... 11-74
Parking light ...................................................... 11-76
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-76
Front fog light (if equipped) ............................. 11-76
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-76
Backup light (Station wagon) .......................... 11-79
License plate light ............................................ 11-80 Dome light ......................................................... 11-82
Map light ............................................................ 11-83
Door step light .................................................. 11-84
Cargo area light ................................................ 11-85
Trunk light ......................................................... 11-86
High mount stop light ...................................... 11-86

11 - 5
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
even when the engine is stopped.
! When you do checking or servicing in
the engine compartment while the en-
gine is running
A running engine can be dangerous. Keep your
fingers, hands, clothing, hair and tools away
from the cooling fan, belts and any other mov-
ing engine parts. Removing rings, watches and
ties is advisable.
Engine hood
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the windshield, re-
turn them to their original positions.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the instrument
panel.
UBB212BA

11 - 6 0
Maintenance and service
Replacement of wiper blades
Grease, wax, insects, or other materials on the wind-
shield or the wiper blade results in jerky wiper opera-
tion and streaking on the glass. If you cannot remove
the streaks after operating the windshield washer or if
the wiper operation is jerky, clean the outer surface of
the windshield (or rear window) and the wiper blades
using a sponge or soft cloth with a neutral detergent or
mild-abrasive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the wind-
shield and wiper blades with clean water. The wind-
shield is clean if beads do not form when you rinse the
windshield with water.
"
Do not clean the wiper blades with gasoline
or a solvent, such as paint thinner or benzene.
This will cause deterioration of the wiper
blades. " When you wish to raise the passenger-side
wiper arm, first raise the driver-side wiper arm.
Otherwise, the passenger-side wiper assembly
and driver-side wiper assembly will touch each
other, possibly resulting in scratches." Return the passenger-side wiper arm to its
original position before returning the driver- side wiper arm to its original position. Other-
wise, the passenger-side wiper assembly and
driver-side wiper assembly will touch each oth-
er, possibly resulting in scratches.
If you cannot eliminate the streaking even after follow-
ing this method, replace the wiper blades using the fol-
lowing procedures: ! Windshield wiper blades assembly
1. Raise the windshield wiper arm on the driver’s side.
2. Next, raise the windshield wiper arm on the pas-
senger’s side.