2006 SUBARU BAJA wiper blades

3-25
Instruments and controls
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Wiper and washerWiper and washer
In freezing weather, do not use the windshield
washer until the winds hield is sufficiently
warmed by the defroster.
Otherwise the washer fluid can freeze on the
windshield, blocking your view.
y Do not operate the washer continuously for
more than ten seconds, or when the washer flu-
id tank is empty. This may cause overheating of
the washer motor. Check the washer fluid level
frequently, such as at fuel stops. y Do not operate the wipers when the wind-
shield or rear window is dry. This may scratch
the glass, damage the wiper blades and cause
the wiper motor to burn out. Before operating
the wiper on a dry windshield or rear window,
always use the windshield washer.y In freezing weather, be sure that the wiper
blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear
window before switching on the wipers. At- tempting to operate th
e wiper with the blades
frozen to the window glass could cause not
only the wiper blades to be damaged but also
the wiper motor to burn out. If the wiper blades
are frozen to the window glass, be sure to oper-
ate the defroster, wiper deicer (if equipped) or
rear window defogger before turning on the
wiper.y If the wipers stop during operation because
of ice or some other obstruction on the window,
the wiper motor could burn out even if the wiper
switch is turned off. If this occurs, promptly
stop the vehicle in a safe place, turn the ignition
switch to the “LOCK” position and clean the
window glass to allow proper wiper operation. y Use clean water if wind shield washer fluid is
unavailable. In areas where water freezes in
winter, use SUBARU Wind shield Washer Fluid
or the equivalent. (See “Windshield washer flu-
id” section in chapter 11.)
Also, when driving the vehicle when there are
freezing temperatures, use non-freezing type
wiper blades.y Do not clean the wiper blades with gasoline
or a solvent, such as paint thinner or benzene.
This will cause deterioration of the wiper

3-26
Instruments and controls
blades.
NOTE y
The wiper operates only when the ignition
switch is in the “O N” or “ACC” position.
y Clean your wiper blades and window glass peri-
odically with a washer solution to prevent streak-
ing, and to remove accumulations of road salt or
road film. Keep the washer button depressed at
least for 1 second so that washer solution will be
sprinkled all over the windshield or rear window. y Grease, wax, insects or other material on the
windshield or the wiper blades results in jerky wip-
er operation and streaking on the glass. If you can-
not remove those streaks after operating the
washer or if the wiper operation is jerky, clean the
outer surface of the windshield or rear window
and the wiper blades using a sponge or soft cloth
with a neutral detergent or mild-abrasive cleaner.
After cleaning, rinse the window glass and wiper
blades with clean water. The glass is clean if no
beads form on the glass when you rinse with wa-ter. y If you cannot eliminate the streaking even after
following this procedure, replace the wiper blades with new ones. Refer to the “Replacement of wind- shield wiper blades” section (chapter 11) for re-
placement instructions. „
Windshield wiper and washer switches
„Windshield
„ Wiper and washer switches
TWindshield wipers
1) MIST
To turn the wipers on, push the wiper control lever
down. : Intermittent
LO: Low speed
HI: High speed
PULLLMIST
OFF
INT
LO
HI
1
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3-29
Instruments and controls
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Windshield wiper de icer (if equipped)Windshield
Wiper deicer
To prevent the battery from being discharged,
do not operate the windshield wiper deicer con-
tinuously for any longer than necessary.
The windshield wiper deicer operates only when the
ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
Before turning on the windshield wiper deicer, remove
any snow from the windshield. To turn on the wind- shield wiper deicer, push the button. The indicator light
located on the button lights up while the windshield
wiper deicer is operating.
The windshield wiper deicer will automatically shut off
after approximately 15 minutes. If the wiper blades
have been deiced completely before that time, push
the button to turn it off. It also turns off when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
If deicing is not complete when you restart your vehi-
cle, you have to push the
button to turn the deicer on
again.
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8-13
Driving tips
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severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe
to do so and check under the fenders periodically. TParking in cold weather
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine running.
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows,
raise the wiper blades off the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor braking action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc
brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful
not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses and ABS harness. T
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel sys-
tem and the risk of its freez ing, use of an antifreeze ad-
ditive in the fuel tank is recommended during cold
weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for
this purpose. When an antifreeze additive is used, its
effect lasts longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extend-
ed period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capac-
ity. „ Driving on snowy and icy roads
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads
such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause
loss of vehicle control.

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

8-15
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions.
Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehi-cle.
During high-speed driving, non-freezing type
wiper blades may not perform as well as stan-
dard wiper blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freezing type wip-
er blades is over, replace them with standard wip-
er blades. „Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section (chapter
10). „ Snow tires
yWhen replacing original tires with winter
(snow) tires, make sure you use only the same size and construction as recommended. Using
other sizes and construction may affect speed-
ometer/odometer calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also may be danger-
ous and lead to loss of vehicle control.y
You must install four winter tires that are of
the same size, circumferences, construction,
brand, and load range. Mixing other sizes, cir-
cumferences or constructions may result in se-
vere mechanical damage to the drive train of
your vehicle and may affect ride, handling,
braking and speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion. It also may be dangerous and lead to loss
of vehicle control.y Do not use a combination of radial, belted
bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristi cs and lead to an acci-
dent.
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season tires” which
are designed to provide an adequate measure of trac-tion, handling and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to enhance per-
formance through use of tires designed specifically for
winter driving conditions.
If you choose to install winte r tires on your vehicle, be
sure to use the correct tire size and type. You must in-

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 - 5
Maintenance and service
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even when the engine is stopped.
„ When you do checking or servicing in
the engine compartment while the en-
gine is running
A running engine can be dangerous. Keep your
fingers, hands, clothing, hair and tools away
from the cooling fan, belts and any other mov-
ing engine parts. Removing rings, watches and
ties is advisable.
Engine hoodEngine
Hood0
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the windshield, re-
turn them to their original positions.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the instrument
panel.
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