2006 SUBARU BAJA Owners Manual

10-4
Appearance care
„
Cleaning aluminum wheels
y Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels clean of any
kind of grime or agent. If dirt is left on too long, it may
be difficult to clean off. y Do not use soap containing grit to clean the wheels.
Be sure to use a neutral cleaning agent, and later rinse
thoroughly with water. Do not clean the wheels with a
stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed washing
device. y Clean the vehicle (including the aluminum wheels)
with water as soon as possible when it has been
splashed with sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or
driven on roads treated wit h salt or other agents.
„ Cleaning front fog light lens
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
2. Stop the engine and turn off the front fog lights. 1) Counter-clockwise
2) Light lens horizontal center line
3. Check that the front fog lights are not hot. Then,
grasp the protector and turn it approximately 10 °
counter-clockwise.
4. Pull the protector off the front fog light.
5. Wash the lens with water.
6. Apply the protector to t he lens at an angle of ap-
proximately 10 ° from the front fog light’s horizontal
center line. Then, turn the protector clockwise until it
stops. Finally, check that the protector’s horizontal
bars are parallel with the front fog light’s horizontal
center line.
1
2 10
UBA017BB

10-5
Appearance care
– CONTINUED –
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed and built to resist
corrosion. Special materials and protective finishes
have been used on most parts of the vehicle to help
maintain fine appearance, strength, and reliable oper-
ation. „Most common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retaining dirt and de-
bris in body panel sections, cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective coatings
caused by gravel and stone chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust control chemicals,
or used in coastal areas where there is more salt in the
air, or in areas where ther e is considerable industrial
pollution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity, especially
when temperatures range just above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the vehicle remains
for a long time, even though other parts of the vehicle
may be dry.
4. High temperatures will cause corrosion to parts of
the vehicle which cannot dry quickly due to lack of proper ventilation. „
To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent corrosion of the
body and suspension components. Also, wash the ve-
hicle promptly after driving on any of the following sur- faces: y roads that have been salt ed to prevent them from
freezing in winter y mud, sand, or gravel
y coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recommended that the
underbody be given a very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the condition of
underbody components, such as the exhaust system,
fuel and brake lines, brake cables, suspension, steer-
ing system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of them are
found to be rusted, they should be given an appropri-
ate rust prevention treatment or should be replaced.
Contact your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind of
maintenance and treatment if you need assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as soon as you
find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water and dirt ac-

10-6
Appearance care
cumulation under the floor mats because that could
cause corrosion. Occasionally check under the mats
to make sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do
not park your vehicle in a
damp, poorly ventilated garage. In such a garage, cor-
rosion can be caused by dampness. If you wash the
vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle into the garage
when wet or covered with snow, that can cause damp-
ness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather and/or in ar-
eas where road salts and other corrosive materials are
used, the door hinges a nd locks, and hood latch
should be inspected and lubricated periodically.Cleaning the interior
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate control
panel, audio equipment, instrument panel, center con-
sole, combination meter panel, and switches. (Do not
use organic solvents.) „ Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a vacuum
cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the fabric or hard to re-
move with a vacuum cleaner, use a soft blush then
vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly wrung cloth and
dry the seat fabric thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty,
wipe using a solution of mild soap and lukewarm water
then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a commercially-
available fabric cleaner. Use the cleaner on a hidden
place and make sure it does not affect the fabric ad-
versely. Use the cleaner according to its instructions.
NOTE
When cleaning the seat, do not use benzine, paint
thinner, or any similar materials.

10-7
Appearance care
– CONTINUED –
„Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high quality natural
product which will retain its distinctive appearance and
feel for many years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the surface can
cause the material to become brittle and to wear pre-
maturely. Regular cleaning with a soft, moist, natural
fiber cloth should be performed monthly, taking care
not to soak the leather or allow water to penetrate the
stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning woolen fabrics
may be used to remove difficult dirt spots, rubbing with
a soft, dry cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If your
SUBARU is to be parked for a long time in bright sun-
light, it is recommended th at the seats and headrests
be covered, or the windows shaded, to prevent fading
or shrinkage.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches may be treat-
ed with a commercial leather spray lacquer. You will
discover that each leather seat section will develop
soft folds or wrinkles, which is characteristic of genu-
ine leather. „ Synthetic leather upholstery
The synthetic leather material used on the SUBARU
may be cleaned using mild soap or detergent and wa- ter, after first vacuuming or brushing away loose dirt.
Allow the soap to soak in for a few minutes and wipe
off with a clean, damp clot
h. Commercial foam-type
cleaners suitable for synthetic leather materials may
be used when necessary.
NOTE
Strong cleaning agents such as solvents, paint
thinners, window cleaner or gasoline must never
be used on leather or syn thetic interior materials.
„ Climate control panel, audio panel, in-
strument panel, console panel, switch-
es, combination meter, and other plas-tic surfaces
Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the climate control
panel, audio equipment, instrument panel, center con-
sole, combination meter panel, and switches.
NOTE
Do not use organic solvents such as paint thin-
ners or gasoline, or strong cleaning agents that
contain those solvents.

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 Non-turbo models ............................................. 11-8
Turbo models .................................................... 11-9
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-10 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-10
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-12
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-15
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-16
Cooling system .... ....................................... .. 11-17
Hose and connections ...................................... 11-18
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-18
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-23 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-23
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-25 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-26
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-26
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-27 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-27
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-29
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-29 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-29
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-31
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-32
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-32
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-33
Rear differential gear oil . .............................. 11-33
Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-33
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-35
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-36 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-36
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-38
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-38 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-38
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-39
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-40 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-40
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-41
Brake booster ................................................ 11-42
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-42 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-42
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-43
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles) ..................................................... 11-43Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-43
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-44
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-44 Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .... 11-45
Parking brake stroke ......... ........................... 11-46
Tires and wheels ............. .............................. 11-46

11 - 2
Maintenance and service
Types of tires .................................................... 11-46
Tire inspection .................................................. 11-47
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-47
Wheel balance ................................................... 11-50
Wear indicators ................................................. 11-50
Tire rotation ....................................................... 11-51
Tire replacement ............................................... 11-51
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-52
Aluminum wheels ......................................... 11-53
Windshield washer fluid .............................. 11-53
Replacement of windshield wiper blades .. 11-55
Battery ........................................................... 11-58
Fuses ............................................................. 11-59
Main fuse ....................................................... 11-61
Installation of accessories .......................... 11-62
Replacing bulbs ............................................ 11-63 Headlight ........................................................... 11-66
Front fog light ................................................... 11-70
Front turn signal light, parking light and side marker light .................................................... 11-71
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-72
Tail light (on the tailgate) ................................. 11-74
License plate light ............................................ 11-76
Map light, dome light and door step light ...... 11-78
High mount stop and cargo light assembly ... 11-79
Sport activity lights (if equipped) .................... 11-81

11 - 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
Maintenance and serviceMaintenance scheduleMaintenance
Schedule
The scheduled maintenance items required to be ser-
viced at regular intervals are shown in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet”.
For details of your maintenance schedule, read the
separate “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
Maintenance precautionsMaintenance
Precautions
When maintenance and service are required, it is rec-
ommended that all work be done by an authorized
SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service by yourself,
you should familiarize yourself with the information
provided in this section on general maintenance and
service for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could cause improper
or unsafe vehicle operation. Any problems caused by
improper maintenance and service performed by you
are not eligible for warranty coverage.
y Testing of an All-Wh eel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel dy-
namometer or similar apparatus. Attempting to
do so will result in transmission damage and in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons nearby.y Always select a safe area when performing
maintenance on your vehicle.y Always be very careful to avoid injury when
working on the vehicle. Remember that some of