2006 SUBARU IMPREZA steering

7
Starting and operating
Fuel ...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ................................. ................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................... ................... 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ................ .... 7-5
Preparing to drive ................................ .............. 7-6
Starting the engine ............................... .............. 7-7
Manual transmission vehicle ....................... .......... 7-7
Automatic transmission vehicle .................... ........ 7-7
Stopping the engine ............................... ............ 7-8
Manual transmission – 6 speeds (WRX-STI) ... 7-9
Selecting reverse gear ............................ ............... 7-9
Shifting speeds ................................... .................... 7-9
Driving tips ...................................... ........................ 7-10
Manual transmission – 5 speeds (except
WRX-STI) .......................................... ................ 7-11
Shifting speeds ................................... .................... 7-11
Driving tips ...................................... ........................ 7-12
Driver ’s Control Center Differential (DCCD)
(WRX-STI) ......................................... ............... 7-12
Auto mode ......................................... ...................... 7-13
Manual mode ....................................... .................... 7-13
Temporary release ................................. ................. 7-15
Automatic transmission ............................ ........ 7-16
Selector lever for automatic transmission ......... .. 7-16
Shift lock release ................................ .................... 7-19
Limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) ..... 7-20
Power steering .................................... ............... 7-21Braking ...........................................
..................... 7-21
Braking tips ...................................... ....................... 7-21
Brake system ...................................... .................... 7-21
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............ .. 7-22
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ...................... .... 7-22
ABS system self-check ............................. ............. 7-22
ABS warning light ................................. .................. 7-23
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ............................................ .................. 7-24
Steps to take if EBD system fails ................. ......... 7-24
Parking your vehicle .............................. ............ 7-25
Parking brake ..................................... ..................... 7-25
Parking tips ...................................... ....................... 7-25
Cruise control .................................... ................. 7-27
To set cruise control ............................. ................. 7-27
To temporarily cancel the cruise control .......... ... 7-28
To turn off the cruise control .................... ............. 7-28
To change the cruising speed ...................... ......... 7-28

7-8 Starting and operating
ing.
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF ”
position and wait for at least 10 sec-
onds. After checking that the parking
brake is firmly set, turn the ignition
switch to the “START ” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal slightly
(approximately a quarter of the full
stroke). Release the accelerator pedal
as soon as the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch back to the “OFF ” posi-
tion and wait for at least 10 seconds.
Then fully depress the accelerator ped-
al and turn the ignition switch to the“ START ” position. If the engine starts,
quickly release the accelerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch again to the “OFF ” posi-
tion. After waiting for 10 seconds or
longer, turn the ignition switch to the“ START ” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, con-
tact your nearest SUBARU dealer for
assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone out after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make sure that the selector lever is at the
“P ” or
“ N ” position and that the parking brake is
applied.
NOTE
The engine may be difficult to start
when the battery has been disconnect-
ed and reconnected (for maintenance
or other purposes). This difficulty is
caused by the electronically controlled
throttle ’s self-diagnosis function. To
overcome it, keep the ignition switch in
the “ON ” position for approximately 10
seconds before starting the engine.
Stopping the engine
The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the selector
lever into the “N ” position. Do not
attempt to place the selector lever of
a moving vehicle into the “P ” posi-
tion.
Do not stop the engine when the ve-
hicle is moving. This will cause loss
of power to the power steering and
the brake booster, making steering
and braking more difficult. It could
also result in accidental activation
of the “LOCK ” position on the igni-
tion switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.

Starting and operating 7-13
– CONTINUED –
The driver’s control center differential al-
lows you to freely change the degree of
limitation of the differential action (limited
slip differential (LSD) torque) of your vehi-
cle ’s center differential.
By using the center differential control di-
al, you can set an initial LSD torque to
match the road surface conditions, driving
conditions and your driving style.
1) LSD torque
2) Traction torque
A) Initial LSD torque (adjustable)
B) Mechanical LSD torque
NOTE
If you rapidly depress and release the
accelerator pedal while driving at low
speed, you may hear a knocking sound
from the vicinity of the center differen-
tial and rear differential. This sound oc-
curs because of the structure of the
center differential. It does not indicate
a problem.
Auto mode
In the auto mode, the system estimates
the driving and road conditions using sig-
nals from the wheel speed sensor, throttle
position sensor, steering angle sensor
and brake switch, etc. According to the re-
sult, it electronically and automatically
controls the degree of limitation of the dif-
ferential action (LSD torque) to optimize
the differential action of the center differ-
ential. When the ignition switch is turned
ON, the “AUTO ” indicator light in the com-
bination meter comes on. The system can
be switched to a manual mode.
Manual mode
In the manual mode, you can use the cen-
ter differential control dial to adjust the ini-
In the event of failure of the driver
’s
control center differential, the “ ”
indicator light will flash. Have the
vehicle inspected by your SUBARU
dealer.
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LOCK1
2A
B
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7-20 Starting and operating
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired.Limited slip differential (LSD)
(if equipped)
The LSD provides optimum distribution of
power according to the difference in revo-
lutions between the right and left wheels
that may be caused by certain driving con-
ditions, thereby improving driving stability
on snow-covered, muddy or other slippery
roads or when high speed driving.
NOTE (WRX-STI)
The rear differential may emit a knock-
ing sound when the vehicle is driven
slowly with the steering wheel turned
fully to either side. This sound occurs
because of the design of the mechani-
cal LSD. It does not indicate a problem.
Never start the engine while a tire
on one side is jacked up, as the
vehicle may move.
If one tire is spinning in mud,
avoid continued spinning at high
speed as this could adversely af-
fect the LSD.
If you use a temporary spare tire
to replace a flat tire, be sure to use
the original temporary spare tire
stored in the vehicle. Using other
sizes will adversely affect the
LSD.

Starting and operating 7-21
– CONTINUED –
Power steering
The power steering system operates only
when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.
NOTE
Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is nor-
mal. It does not indicate power steering
system trouble.
Braking
Braking tips
When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a re-
sult, brake stopping distance will be long-
er. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at
a safe speed while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up the brakes.
Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
help prevent this, shift into a lower gear to
get stronger engine braking.
Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly when a tire is punctured. This could cause
a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually reduc-
ing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to
a safe place.
Brake system
Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has two separate circuit
brake systems. Each circuit works diago-
nally across the vehicle. If one circuit of
the brake system should fail, the other half
of the system still works. If one circuit fails,
the brake pedal will go down much closer
to the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the
vehicle.
Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. Do not
turn off the engine while driving because
that will turn off the brake booster, result-
ing in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to push the pedal much harder
than normal and the braking distance will
increase.
Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than five seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.

7-22 Starting and operating
Disc brake pad wear warning
indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, imme-
diately have your vehicle checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem)
The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. This helps prevent the loss of steering
control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h).
ABS system self-check
Just after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
the ABS system being carried out and
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Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with an ABS equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe fol-
lowing distance from other vehi-
cles.
When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be longer
for a vehicle with the ABS system
than one without. When driving
under these conditions, therefore,
reduce your speed and leave am-
ple distance from other vehicles.
When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.

7-26 Starting and operating
When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel. When the vehicle is head-
ed up the hill, the front wheels should be
turned away from the curb.
When facing downhill, the front wheels
should be turned into the curb.
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Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot or
sunny days, the temperature in a
closed vehicle could quickly be-
come high enough to cause se-
vere or possibly fatal injuries to
people.
Do not park the vehicle over flam-
mable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If engine
exhaust gas enters the passenger
compartment, occupants in the
vehicle could die from carbon
monoxide (CO) contained in the
exhaust gas.
If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (both
optional), pay attention to blocks
and other obstructions on the
ground when parking. The under-
spoilers could be damaged by con-
tact with them.

8-6 Driving tips
Off road drivingAll AWD models except
OUTBACK SPORT and vehi-
cles with 17 inch tires
Your AWD vehicle is neither a convention-
al off-road vehicle nor an all terrain vehi-
cle. It is a passenger vehicle designed pri-
marily for on-road use. The AWD feature
gives it some limited off-road capabilities
in situations in which driving surfaces are
relatively level, obstruction-free and other-
wise similar to on-road driving conditions.
Operating it under other than those condi-
tions could subject the vehicle to exces-
sive stress which might result in damage
not eligible for repair under warranty. If
you do take your SUBARU off road, you
should review the common sense precau-
tions in the next section (applicable to the
OUTBACK SPORT) for general guidance.
But please keep in mind that your vehi-
cle’s off-road capabilities are more limited
than those of the OUTBACK SPORT.
Never attempt to drive through pools and
puddles, or roads flooded with water. Wa-
ter entering the engine air intake or the ex-
haust pipe or water splashing onto electri-
cal parts may damage your vehicle and
may cause it to stall.
OUTBACK SPORT
Your Subaru can be driven on ordinary roads or off-road. But please keep in mind
that an AWD SUBARU is a passenger ve-
hicle and is neither a conventional off-road
vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you do
take your Subaru off-road, certain com-
mon sense precautions such as the fol-
lowing should be taken:
Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and the
like.
Do not drive across steep slopes. In-
stead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden braking
or under other similar conditions.
Always use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving an All-Wheel Drive
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.
Do not drive on rough roads or over
curbs in a vehicle that has 17-inch or
other ultra-low-profile tires. The
wheels and tires could be damaged
by shock forces, leading to abnor-
mal vibration or poor straight-line
tracking. Driving would then be
more difficult.