2006 SUBARU BAJA check engine

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Maintenance and service
a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If engine oil
gets on the exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
If you check the oil level just after stopping the engine,
wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil
pan before checking the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not add any
additional oil above the upper level when the engine is cold.
The dipstick has a notch above the upper level.
Just after driving or while the engine is warm, the en-
gine oil level reading may be in a range between the
upper level and the notch mark. This is caused by ther-
mal expansion of the engine oil. „ Changing the oil and oil filter
„
Changing
„ Oil and oil filterChange the oil and oil filter according to the mainte-
nance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed more fre-
quently than listed in the maintenance schedule when
driving on dusty roads, when short trips are frequently
made, or when driving in extremely cold whether.
1. Warm up the engine by letting the engine idle for
approximately 10 minutes to ease draining the engine oil.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the en-
gine.
3. Remove the oil filler cap.
1) Drain plug
4. Drain out the engine oil by removing the drain plug
while the engine is still warm. The used oil should be
drained into an appropriate container and disposed of
properly.
Be careful not to burn yourself with hot engine
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Maintenance and service
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Oil capacity (Guideline):
4.2 US qt (4.0 liters, 3.5 Imp qt)
The oil quantity indicated above is only a guideline.
The necessary quantity of o il depends on the quantity
of oil that has been drained. The quantity of drained oil
differs slightly depending on the temperature of the oil
and the time the oil is left flowing out. After refilling the
engine with oil, therefore, you must use the dipstick to
confirm that the level is correct.
14.Start the engine and make sure that no oil leaks ap-
pear around the filter’s rubber seal and drain plug.
15.Run the engine until it reaches the normal operat-
ing temperature. Then stop the engine and wait a few
minutes to allow the oil drain back. Check the oil level
again and if necessary, add more engine oil. „ Recommended grade and viscosity
„Recommended
„ Oil grade and viscosity
Use only engine oil with the recommended
grade and viscosity.
Oil grade:
ILSAC GF-4, which can be identified with the IL-
SAC certification mark (Starburst mark)
or API classification SM with the words “ENERGY
CONSERVING”
These recommended oil grades can be identified by
looking for either or both of the following marks dis-
played on the oil container.
ILSAC Certification Mark (Starburst Mark)
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Maintenance and service
ed parts. The alcohol contained in the engine
coolant may damage the paint surface.
„ Hose and connections
„Hose and connectionsYour vehicle employs an electric cooling fan which is
thermostatically controlled to operate when the engine
coolant reaches a s pecific temperature.
If the radiator cooling f an does not operate even when
the engine coolant temperature gauge exceeds the
normal operating range, the cooling fan circuit may be
defective. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary.
If the fuse is not blown, have the cooling system
checked by your SUBARU dealer.
If frequent addition of coolant is necessary, there may
be a leak in th e engine cooling syst em. It is recom-
mended that the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness. „
Engine coolant
„
Engine
„ Coolant
TChecking the coolant level
1) “FULL” level mark
2) “LOW” level mark
Check the coolant level at each fuel stop.
1. Check the coolant level on the outside of the reser-
voir while the engine is cool.
2. If the level is close to or lower than the “LOW” level
mark, add coolant up to the “FULL” level mark. If the
reserve tank is empty, remove the radiator cap and re-
fill as required.
FULL
LOW1 2
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Maintenance and service
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1) Rubber gaskets
3. After refilling the reserve tank and the radiator, re-
install the caps and check that the rubber gaskets in-
side the radiator cap are in the proper position.
y Be careful not to spill engine coolant when
adding it. If coolant touches the exhaust pipe, it
may cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine coolant gets on the exhaust pipe, be
sure to wipe it off.y Do not splash the engine coolant over paint-
ed parts. The alcohol contained in the engine
coolant may damage the paint surface.
T Changing the coolant
Always add genuine SUBARU cooling system condi-
tioner whenever the coolant is replaced.
Change the engine coolant and add genuine SUBARU cooling system cond itioner using the following proce-
dures according to the maintenance schedule in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
1. Remove the under cover.
Non-turbo models
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Maintenance and service
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„Recommended grade and viscosity„
Recommended
„ Oil grade and viscosityEach oil manufacturer has its own base oils and addi-
tives. Never use differ ent brands together.
Oil grade:
API classification GL-5
SAE viscosity No. and applicable temperature
Automatic transmission fluidAutomatic transmission
Fluid
Fluid level
Automatic transmission
„ Checking the fluid level„Checking
„ Fluid levelThe automatic transmission fluid expands largely as
its temperature rises; the fluid level differs according to
fluid temperature. Therefore, there are two different
scales for checking the level of hot fluid and cold fluid
on the dipstick.
Though the fluid level can be checked without warm-
ing up the fluid on the “COLD” range, we recommend
checking the fluid level when the fluid is at operating
temperature. T Checking the fluid level when the fluid is hot
Check the fluid level monthly.
1. Drive the vehicle several miles to raise the temper-
ature of the transmission fluid up to normal operating
temperature; 158 to 176 °F (70 to 80 °C) is normal.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the park-
ing brake.
3. First shift the selector lever in each position. Then
shift it in the “P” position, and run the engine at idling
speed.
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40
-20 0 60 20
80W
75W/90 80 100
40
85W 90
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Maintenance and service
Brake boosterBrake
Booster
If the brake booster does not operate as described in
the following, have it checked by your SUBARU deal-er.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake pedal sever-
al times, applying the same pedal force each time. The
distance the pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start the engine.
The pedal should move slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the engine
and keep the pedal depressed for 30 seconds. The
pedal height should not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for approximately
one minute then turn it off. Depress the brake pedal
several times to check the brake booster. The brake
booster operates properly if the pedal stroke decreas-
es with each depression.
Brake pedalBrake
Pedal
Check the brake pedal free play and reserve distance
according to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”. „ Checking the brake pedal free play
„Checking
„ Brake pedal free play
„ Brake pedal
„ Free play
1) 0.04 – 0.12 in (1.0 – 3.0 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the brake pedal
several times. Lightly press the brake pedal down with
one finger to check the free play with a force of less
than 2 lbs (10 N, 1 kg).
If the free play is not within proper specification, con-
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Maintenance and service
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tact your SUBARU dealer. „Checking the brake pedal reserve dis- tance
„Checking
„ Brake pedal reserve distance
„ Brake pedal
„ Reserve distance
1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approximately 66 lbs
(294 N, 30 kg) and measure the distance between the
upper surface of the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than the specifica-
tion, or when the pedal does not operate smoothly,
contact with your SUBARU dealer. Clutch pedal (Manual transmission
vehicles)Clutch pedal
Check the clutch pedal free play and reserve distance
according to the maintenance schedule in the “War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”. „
Checking the clutch function
„Checking
„ Clutch functionCheck the clutch engagement and disengagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there are no ab-
normal noises when the clutch pedal is depressed,
and that shifting into 1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal slowly to
check that the engine a nd transmission smoothly cou-
ple without any sign of slippage.
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Maintenance and service
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Aluminum wheelsAluminum wheels
Aluminum wheels can be scratched and damaged
easily. Handle them carefully to maintain their appear-
ance, performance, and safety. yWhen any of the wheels is removed and replaced
for tire rotation or to c hange a flat, always check the
tightness of the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose, tighten it to
the specified torque. y Never apply oil to the threaded parts, wheel nuts, or
tapered surface of the wheel.y Never let the wheel rub against sharp protrusions or
curbs. y Be sure to fit tire chains on uniformly and completely
around the tire, otherwise t he chains may scratch the
wheel. y When wheel nuts, balance weights, or the center
cap is replaced, be sure to replace them with genuine
SUBARU parts designed for aluminum wheels.
Windshield washer fluidWindshield
Washer fluid
Never use engine coolant as washer fluid be-
cause it could cause paint damage.
Check the level of the washer fluid at each fuel stop. If
the level is low, fill the fluid up to the neck of the reser- voir.
Use windshield washer fluid. If windshield washer fluid
is unavailable use clean water.
In areas where water freezes in winter, use an anti-
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