2006 SUBARU BAJA ECU

6-40
Interior and exterior equipments
1. Before placing the crossbar on the roof rails, make
sure that the T-30 torx® head screw is fully loosened
from each end support.
2. Spread the inner clamp and the end support as far
apart as possible.
3. With the front direction arrow label on the top right
side of the crossbar pointing toward the front of the ve-
hicle, carefully place the cro
ssbar across the top of the
vehicle so that the crossbar end supports rest on the
top of the roof rails 7 inches (180 mm) rearward in the
front radius of the roof rail.
4. Move the end support and inner clamp to hook un-
der the end of the roof rail on both sides and loosely
assemble the T-30 torx® head screw with the tool pro- vided into the threaded insert in the inner clamp on
each end of the crossbar.
NOTE
It may be necessary to start the inner clamp and
end support at the center of the roof rail for easier
installation, then move the crossbar forward. Use
care not to cross-thread the screw in the insert if it
has been removed.
5. Adjust the alignment of the crossbar on the roof
rails, and if available, use a T-30 torx® bit and torque
wrench and tighten the T-30 torx® head screws to 30
to 35 lbf·in (3.4 to 4.0 N·m, 0.35 to 0.41 kgf·m) of
torque (or tighten securely with the torx® wrench pro-
7 in (180 mm)
UB6052BB
UB6053BA

7-15
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
yWhen parking the vehicle, first securely apply
the parking brake and then place the selector
lever in the “P” position. Avoid parking for a
long time with the selector lever in any other
position as doing so could result in a dead bat-
tery.
The automatic transmission is electronically controlled
and provides 4 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed.
NOTE y When the engine coolant temperature is still
low, your vehicle’s automatic transmission will
up-shift at higher engine speeds than when the
coolant temperature is suffi ciently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve driveabili-
ty. The gearshift timing wil l automatically shift to
the normal timing after the engine has warmed up.
y Immediately after a disconnected battery is re-
connected or ATF (automatic transmission fluid)
is replaced, you may feel that the automatic trans-
mission operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data the on-board
computer has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the most appro-
priate times for the current condition of your vehi-
cle. Optimized shifting will be restored as the vehi- cle continues to be driven for a while. „
Selector lever
P
RND321
HS7009AA

7-21
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
Automatic transmission (Turbo mod-
els)
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N” position into
the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. This may cause
the vehicle to jump forward or backward.
y Shift into the “P” or “R” position only after
the vehicle is completely stopped. Shifting
while the vehicle is moving may cause damage
to the transmission.y Do not race the engine for more than five sec-
onds in any position except the “N” or “P” po-
sition when the brake is set or when chocks are
used in the wheels. This may cause the auto-matic transmission fluid to overheat.
y Avoid shifting from one of the forward driving
positions into the “R” position or vice versa un-
til the vehicle has completely stopped. Such
shifting may cause dama ge to the transmis-
sion. y
When parking the vehicle, first securely apply
the parking brake and then place the selector
lever in the “P” position. Avoid parking for a
long time with the selector lever in any other
position as doing so could result in a dead bat-
tery.
The automatic transmission is electronically controlled
and provides 4 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed.
Also, it has a manual mode.
NOTE y When the engine coolant temperature is still
low, your vehicle’s auto matic transmission will
up-shift at higher engine speeds than when the
coolant temperature is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve driveabili-
ty. The gearshift timing w ill automatically shift to
the normal timing after th e engine has warmed up.
y Immediately after ATF (automatic transmission
fluid) is replaced, you may feel that the automatic
transmission operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data which the
on-board computer has collected and stored in
memory to allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current condition
of your vehicle. Optimized shifting will be restored

8-10
Driving tips
less of its depth, it can wa
sh away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover. y Always check your brakes for effectiveness immedi-
ately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by
driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Re-
peat that process several times to dry out the brake
discs and brake pads.y Do not drive or park over or near flammable materi-
als such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after engine stops. This
could create a fire hazard. y After driving thro ugh tall grass, m ud, rocks, sand,
rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stones, sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from the under-
body. If the vehicle is used with these materials
trapped or adhering to the underbody, a mechanical
breakdown or fire could occur.y Secure all cargo carried inside the vehicle and make
certain that it is not pi led higher than the seatbacks.
During sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could
be thrown around in the vehicle and cause injury. y Do not pile heavy loads on the roof. Those loads
raise the vehicle’s center of gravity and make it more
prone to tip over. y
Cargo should be evenly distributed over the cargo
bed. Keep heavier items as low and far forward as
possible. Loading the vehicle improperly can deterio-
rate handling capability and contribute to loss of vehi-
cle control.y Be sure the cargo is secured properly. Unsecured
cargo in the cargo bed can be thrown around when
driving on off-road. To prev ent loose cargo from enter-
ing the passenger compartment, always close the
switchback door while driving off-road. y Always close the tailgate while driving off-road. Also
remove the bed extender (if so equipped) to avoid
damage. y If you must rock the vehicle to free it from sand or
mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and move
the selector lever back and forth between “D” and “R”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the best pos-
sible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to
free the vehicle. y When the road surface is extremely slippery, you
can obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with
the transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT). y Never equip your vehicle with tires larger than those
specified in this manual. y Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-road driving.
Suspension components are particularly prone to dirt
buildup, so they need to be washed thoroughly.

8-18
Driving tips
event of a sudden stop or accident. Keep lug-
gage or cargo low, as close to the floor as pos-sible. y
When you carry something inside the vehicle,
secure it whenever you can to prevent it from
being thrown around inside the vehicle during
sudden stops, sharp turns or in an accident. y Do not pile heavy loads on the roof. These
loads raise the vehicle’s center of gravity and
make it more prone to tip over. y Secure lengthy items properly to prevent
them from shooting forward and causing seri-
ous injury during a sudden stop. y Never exceed the maximum load limit. If you
do, some parts on your vehicle can break, or it
can change the way your vehicle handles. This
could result in loss of control and cause per-
sonal injury. Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle. y Cargo should be evenly distributed over the
cargo bed. Keep heavier items as low and far
forward as possible. Loading the vehicle im-
properly can deteriorate handling capability
and contribute to loss of vehicle control. y Be sure the cargo is secured properly. Unse-
cured cargo in the cargo bed can be thrown
around during sudden braking, in a sharp turn or during rapid acceleration, which could cre-
ate a dangerous road hazard.
Do not carry spray cans, containers with flam-
mable or corrosive liquids or any other danger-
ous items inside the passenger compartment.
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry unneeded
cargo.

8-22
Driving tips
3. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the hitch receiv-
er tube so that the pin passes through the ball mount.
4. Insert the safety pin into the hitch pin securely.
5. Pull the ball mount to make sure it does not come
off the hitch receiver.
UB8018BAHS8012BA

8-23
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
6. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate for the ball
mount and your trailer. The hitch ball must be securely
installed on the ball mount.
7. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
8. Connect the trailer and the hitch with safety chains
that will hold the trailer’s maximum gross weight. The
chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent
the tongue from dropping onto the ground in case it
should disconnect from the hitch ball. Allow sufficient
slack in the chains taking tight-turn situations into ac-
count; however, be careful not to let them drag on the ground.
Do not connect sa
fety chains to part of the ve-
hicle other than the safety chain hooks.
1 2UB8020BBUG8034BA

8-28
Driving tips
T
Gross Axle Weight (GAW) and Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR)
Gross Axle Weight
The total weight applied to each axle (GAW) must nev-
er exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The
front and rear GAWs can be adjusted by relocating
passengers and luggage inside the vehicle. The front and rear GAWR are also shown on the cer- tification label.
To check both GVWR and GAWR and to confirm that
the total weight and weight distribution are within safe
driving limits, you should have your vehicle and trailer
weighed at a commercial weighing station.
Be sure that all cargo is
firmly secured to prevent a
change in weight distribution while driving.
UB8039BA
UB8043BA