2006 SUBARU BAJA engine

6-11
Interior and exterior equipments
– CONTINUED –
„Using as an accessory power outlet
Electrical power (12V DC) from the battery is available
at the socket when the ignition switch is either in the
“ACC” or “ON” position.
If you use the socket as an accessory power outlet,
take the following precautions.
When the socket is not in use, always put the cap on
the socket to prevent any foreign object from entering
it.
y Use only in-car use electrical appliances
which are designed for 12V DC and which con-
sume less than 120W. Overloading the socket
can cause a short circuit. Do not use double
adapters or more than one electrical appliance. y If the plug on your elec tric appliance is either
too loose or too tight for the socket, this can re-
sult in a poor contact or cause the plug to get
stuck. Only use plugs that fit properly. y Use of an electric appliance in the socket for
a long period of time while the engine is not
running can cause battery discharge. y Before driving your vehicle, make sure that
the plug and the cord on your electrical appli-
ance will not interfere wi th your shifting gears and operating the accelerator and brake pedals.
If they do, do not use the electrical appliance
while driving.
If the socket has been used for electrical appliances,
damage may have been done to the internal mecha-
nism that cause a cigarette lighter to “pop-out” after its
element has been heated. For that reason, a cigarette
lighter, even if it is a ge nuine part, should not be used
in the socket. If you want to use the socket for a ciga-
rette lighter again, or to pr otect your purchaser before
you sell your vehicle, have your SUBARU dealer re-
place the socket with a new one.

7-1
7
Starting and operating
Fuel ................................................................ 7-2 Fuel requirements ............................................. 7-2
Fuel filler door and cap .................................... 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ............... 7-6
Preparing to drive ......................................... 7-8
Starting the engine ....................................... 7-9 Manual transmission vehicle ........................... 7-9
Automatic transmission vehicle ...................... 7-10
Stopping the engine ..................................... 7-11
Manual transmission .................................... 7-12 Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-13
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Automatic transmi ssion (Non-turbo
models) ...................................................... 7-14 Selector lever .................................................... 7-15
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-19
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-19
Automatic transmission (Turbo models) ... 7-21
Selector lever .................................................... 7-22
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ...... 7-25
Selection of SPORTSHIFT mode (manual mode) ................................................ 7-26
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-29
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-29
Limited slip differential (LSD) ...................... 7-30
Power steering .............................................. 7-31
Braking .......................................................... 7-31 Braking tips ....................................................... 7-31
Brake system ..................................................... 7-32 Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-32
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-33 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-33
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-34
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-35
Cruise control ................................................ 7-37 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-38
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-39
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-39
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-39
Cruise control set indicator light .................... 7-40

7-2
Starting and operating
Starting and operatingFuel
Use of a fuel which is low in quality or use of an
inappropriate fuel ad
ditive may cause engine
damage.
„ Fuel requirements
T Non-turbo models
The 2.5-liter engine is designed to operate using un-
leaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI or
higher. T Turbo models
The 2.5-liter turbo engine is designed to operate using
premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of
91 AKI or higher. If premium unleaded gasoline is not
available, regular unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 87 AKI or higher may be temporarily used.
For optimum engine performance and driveability, it is
required that you use premium grade unleaded gaso-
line. T
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the av erage of the Research Oc-
tane and Motor Octane numbers and is commonly re-
ferred to as the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane rating can cause
persistent and heavy knocking, which can damage the
engine. Do not be concerned if your vehicle some-
times knocks lightly when you drive up a hill or when
you accelerate. See your dealer or a qualified service
technician if you use a fuel with the specified octane
rating and your vehicle kno cks heavily or persistently.
T Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed to accept
only an unleaded gasoline filler nozzle. Under no cir-
cumstances should leaded gasoline be used because
it will damage the emission control system and may
impair driveability and fuel economy. T Gasoline for Califo rnia-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 control system performance with gaso-
line that meets the clean bu rning low-sulfur California
gasoline specifications. If you live in any other state
than California, your vehicle will operate on gasoline
meeting Federal specifications. Gasoline sold outside

7-3
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
California is permitted 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 sul-
fur to determine if the problem is fuel related before re-
turning your vehicle to an authorized dealer for ser-
vice. 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 de teriorate 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 yo ur engine in tune and your
emission control system work ing 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 gasoline, which is designed to reduce
vehicle emissions. SUBARU ap
proves the use of re-
formulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station oper ators if their gasoline con-
tains detergents and oxy genates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for your
vehicle as explained in the following. y Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rating
no lower than that specified in this manual. y Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes
mixed with unleaded gasoline. Methanol can be used
in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the
fuel mixture AND if it is accomp anied by sufficient
quantities of the proper cosolvent and corrosion inhib-

7-4
Starting and operating
itors required to prevent
damage to the fuel system.
Do not use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT under
these conditions. y If undesirable driveability problems are experienced
and you suspect they may be fuel related, try a differ-
ent brand of gasoline before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer. y Fuel system damage or driv eability problems which
result from the use of improper fuel are not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty. „ Fuel filler door and cap
T Refueling
yGasoline vapor is high ly flammable. Before
refueling, always first stop the engine and make
sure that there are no lighted cigarettes, open
flames or electrical sparks in the adjacent area. y When opening the cap, do not remove the
cap quickly. Fuel may be under pressure and
spray out of the fuel filler neck especially in hot
weather, which may cause injury. y Never fill gasoline containers on the cargo
bed. Static electricity may ignite gasoline vapor
when filling portable containers. Approved containers must be removed from the vehicle
and placed on the ground when filling.
Do not fill any portable container on a vehicle.
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 Limit-
ed 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.

7-6
Starting and operating
NOTE y
You will see the “FUEL DOOR ” sign in the
tachometer. This indicates that the fuel filler door
(lid) is located on the right side of the vehicle.y 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 (Turbo models only) Prom ptly put fuel in the
tank whenever the low fuel warning light comes
on. Engine misfires as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the engine.State emission testing (U.S. only)
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel dy-
namometer. Attempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons nearby.
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper test-
ing is not covered under the SUBARU Limited
Warranty and is the responsibility of the state
inspection program or its contractors or licens-
ees.
At state inspection time, remember to tell your in-
spection or service station in advance not to place
your SUBARU AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dyna-
mometer. Otherwise, ser ious transmission dam-
age will result.
Some states have start ed using dynamometers in
their state inspection programs in order to meet their
HS3023AA

7-7
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
obligation under federal law to implement stricter vehi-
cle emission standards to reduce air pollution from ve-
hicles. A dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like test-
ing device that allows your vehicle’s wheels to turn
while the vehicle remains in one place. Depending on
the severity of a state’s air pollution problems, the
states must adopt either a “basic” or “enhanced” vehi-
cle emission inspection test. Normally, a portion of the
basic emission test consists of an emission inspector
inserting an analyzer probe into the exhaust pipe of an
idling vehicle for a short period of time. States with
more severe air pollution problems are required to
adopt an enhanced vehicle emission test. This test
simulates actual driving conditions on a dynamometer
and permits more accurate measurement of tailpipe
emitted pollution than the basic emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Pr otection Agency (EPA) and
states using two-wheel dyna mometers in their emis-
sion testing programs have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the testing program
that involves a two-wheel dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel dynamom-
eters in their testing pr ograms. When properly used,
that equipment will not damage an AWD SUBARU ve-
hicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear wheels be jacked off the ground, nor should the driveshaft be dis-
connected for state emission testing. The EPA has issued regulation
s 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 andnewer passenger cars and li ght trucks. Over 30 states
plus the District of Columbia have implemented the
OBD system inspection. y The inspection of the OBD system consists of a vi-
sual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE”
warning light/malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and an examination of the OBD system with an electronic
scan tool while the engine is running.y A vehicle passes the OB D system inspection if
proper the “CHECK ENGINE” warning light/MIL illu-
mination is observed, there is no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBD system readiness moni-tors 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 di agnostic trouble codes stored
in vehicle’s computer with the “CHECK ENGINE”
warning light/MIL illuminated.

7-8
Starting and operating
y
A state emission inspection may reject (not pass or
fail) a vehicle if the numbe r of OBD system readiness
monitors “Not Ready” is greater than one. Under this
condition, the vehicle opera tor 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.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 is 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.