2006 SUBARU BAJA ABS

8-14
Driving tips
Avoid prolonged continuous driving in snow-
storms. Snow will enter the engine’s intake sys-
tem and may hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even breakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden brak-
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, po ssibly 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-lo ck Brake System)” section in
chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery sur- faces. T
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 wit h the airflow control 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.
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 dial in “ ”
and the temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth. After the windshield gets warmed enough to
melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away using 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 pl ace, 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

8-35
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
yBacking up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate
or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to the left
for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn.
y If the ABS warning li ght illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal-er. T Driving on grades
y 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 ef fect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts.y When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating.y 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 ai r conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and indicator lights” se
ction in chapter 3.
NOTE (Turbo models only)
In a vehicle that has an automatic transmission,
the engine is less likely to overheat with the “D”
range selected than it is with the manual mode se-
lected. y If your vehicle has an autom atic 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. y Non-turbo models only: If your vehicle has an auto-
matic transmission, place the selector lever as follows:
Uphill slopes: “D” position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear position to use en-
gine braking T 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

8-36
Driving tips
vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release theregular 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.

9-25
In case of emergency
– CONTINUED –
Vehicle with trailer hitch (if equipped)
1) Tie-down hook T
Towing hook cover removal procedure
The towing hook cover is secured by tabs that fit into
corresponding slots in the vehicle body.
To remove the cover:
1. Free the tabs on the towing hook cover by firmly
pressing the point indicated by an arrow with the palm
of your hand.
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9-26
In case of emergency
2. Pull off the towing hook cover.
T
Towing hook cover installation procedure
To reinstall the towing hook cover, push it in on both
sides while pushing it back to its original position.
Make certain that the tabs at the end of the cover are
securely inserted into the corresponding slots in the vehicle’s body.
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11 - 2 0
Maintenance and service
Turbo models
2. Place a proper container under the drain plug and
loosen the drain plug.
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. 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.
NOTE (Turbo models)
The cap (without tabs) on top of the radiator does
not need to be removed. To add coolant, remove
the cap (with tabs) on th
e coolant tank on top of
the engine.
Non-turbo models
1) Filler neck
2) Fill up to here
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11 - 3 8
Maintenance and service
tion. „
Recommended fluid
„Recommended
„ Power steering fluid
“Dexron III” Type Automatic Transmission Fluid
Brake fluidBrake
Fluid
Fluid level
Brake
„ Checking the fluid level„Checking
„ Fluid level
yNever let brake fluid contact your eyes be-
cause brake fluid can be harmful to your eyes.
If brake fluid gets in your eyes, immediately
flush them thoroughly with clean water. For
safety, when performing this work, wearing eye
protection is advisable.y Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause a dangerous
loss of braking performance.y If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there
may be a leak. If you suspect a problem, have
the vehicle checked at your SUBARU dealer.
y Never use different brands of brake fluid to-
gether. Also, avoid mixing DOT 3 and DOT 4
brake fluids even if they are of the same brand.y When adding brake fluid, be careful not to al-
low any dirt into the reservoir.

11 - 4 0
Maintenance and service
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles)Clutch fluid
Fluid level
Clutch
„ Checking the fluid level„Checking
„ Fluid level
Never let clutch fluid contact your eyes be-
cause clutch fluid can be harmful to your eyes.
If clutch fluid gets in your eyes, immediately
flush them thoroughly with clean water. For
safety, when performing this work, wearing eye
protection is advisable.
y Clutch fluid absorbs mo isture from the air.
Any absorbed moisture can cause improper
clutch operation. y If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there
may be a leak. If you suspect a problem, have
the vehicle checked at your SUBARU dealer. y Never use different brands of clutch fluid to-
gether. y When clutch fluid is added, be careful not to
allow any dirt into the tank.y Never splash the clutch fluid over painted surfaces or rubber parts. Alcohol contained in
the clutch fluid may damage them.y
Be careful not to spill clutch fluid when add-
ing it. If clutch fluid touches the exhaust pipe, it
may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
clutch fluid gets on the exhaust pipe, be sure to
wipe it off.
1) “MAX” level mark
2) “MIN” level mark
MAXMIN
1
2
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