2006 SUBARU IMPREZA engine

Starting and operating 7-23
does not indicate any abnormal condition.
ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately two
seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal.
The warning light comes on right af-
ter the engine is started but goes out immediately, remaining off.
The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).
The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
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If the warning light behaves as fol-
lows, the ABS system may not be
working properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ” position.
The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ ON ” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12
km/h).
The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your SUBARU dealer.

7-24 Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Dis-
tribution (EBD) system
The EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle ’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS
system ’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.
Steps to take if EBD system
fails
If a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously during driv-
ing.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are ap-
plied harder than usual and the vehicle ’s
motion may therefore become somewhat
harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat
place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty. Drive carefully to the near-
est SUBARU dealer and have the system
inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the“
MIN ” mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the system in-
spected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the“ MIN ” mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle. In-
stead, have the vehicle towed to the near-
est SUBARU dealer for repair.
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Starting and operating 7-25
– CONTINUED –
Parking your vehicle
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake
pedal firmly and hold it down while fully
pulling up the parking brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the le-
ver up slightly, press the release button,
then lower the lever while keeping the but-
ton pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the
engine is running, the parking brake warn-
ing light comes on. After starting the vehi-
cle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Re-
fer to the “Warning and indicator lights ”
section (chapter 3).
Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, always set the
parking brake firmly and put the shift lever
in the “1 ” (1st) for an upgrade or “R ” (Re-
verse) for a downgrade for manual trans-
mission vehicles, or in the “P ” (Park) posi-
tion for automatic transmission vehicles.
Always set the parking brake firmly when
parking your vehicle. Never rely on the
transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
If at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
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Never drive while the parking brake
is set because this will cause unnec-
essary wear on the brake linings.
Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake
has been fully released.

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
Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000
miles (1,600 km) .................................. ............ 8-2
Fuel economy hints ................................ ........... 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ......... 8-2
Catalytic converter ............................... .............. 8-3
Periodic inspections .............................. ............ 8-4
Driving in foreign countries ...................... ........ 8-4
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ..................... ...... 8-5
Off road driving .................................. ................ 8-6
All AWD models except OUTBACK SPORT and vehicles with 17 inch tires ....................... ............ 8-6
OUTBACK SPORT ..................................... ............. 8-6
Winter driving .................................... ................. 8-8
Operation during cold weather ..................... ......... 8-8
Driving on snowy and icy roads .................... ........ 8-9
Corrosion protection .............................. ................ 8-10
Snow tires ........................................ ....................... 8-10
Tire chains ....................................... ........................ 8-11
Rocking the vehicle ............................... ................. 8-12
Loading your vehicle .............................. ........... 8-12
Vehicle capacity weight ........................... .............. 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ..................... ...... 8-14
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) .............. ....... 8-14
Trailer hitch (if equipped) ....................... ........... 8-17
Connecting a trailer .............................. .................. 8-17
When you do not tow a trailer ..................... .......... 8-19Trailer towing ....................................
.................. 8-19
Warranties and maintenance ........................ ......... 8-19
Maximum load limits ............................... ............... 8-20
Trailer hitches ................................... ...................... 8-23
Connecting a trailer .............................. .................. 8-24
Trailer towing tips ............................... .................... 8-25

8-2 Driving tips
Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km)
The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent on how you handle
and care for your vehicle while it is new.
Follow these instructions during the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km):
Do not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency.
Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.
Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency.
Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to an overhauled engine, newly
mounted engine or when brake pads or
brake linings are replaced with new ones.
Fuel economy hints
The following suggestions will help to
save your fuel.
Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.
Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain that speed for as long as possible.
Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.
Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
Keep the engine properly tuned.
Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire placard, which
is located under the door latch on the driv-
er ’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.
Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.
Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.
Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.
Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
Never run the engine in a closed
space, such as a garage, except
for the brief time needed to drive
the vehicle in or out of it.
Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy time while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use the ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.

Driving tips 8-3
– CONTINUED –
NOTE
Due to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal.
Catalytic converter
Turbo models
Non-turbo modelsThe catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust gas-
es, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic convert-
er:
Use only unleaded fuel. Even a small
amount of leaded fuel will damage the cat-
alytic converter.
Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.
Avoid racing the engine.
Never turn off the ignition switch while
the vehicle is moving.
Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
Do not apply undercoating or rust pre-
vention treatment to the heat shield of cat-
alytic converter and the exhaust system.
If at any time you suspect that ex-
haust fumes are entering the vehi-
cle, have the problem checked
and corrected as soon as possi-
ble. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all win-
dows fully open.
Keep the trunk lid (Sedan) or rear
gate (Wagon) closed while driving
to prevent exhaust gas from en-
tering the vehicle.
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Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive or
park the vehicle anywhere near
flammable materials (e.g. grass,
paper, rags or leaves), because
the catalytic converter operates at
very high temperatures.

8-4 Driving tips
Periodic inspections
To keep your vehicle in the best condition
at all times, always have the recommend-
ed maintenance services listed in the
maintenance schedule in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet ” performed at
the specified time or mileage intervals.
Driving in foreign countries
When planning to use your vehicle in an-
other country:
Confirm the availability of the correct fu-
el. (Refer to the “Fuel requirements ” sec-
tion in chapter 7.)
Comply with all regulations and require-
ments of each country.
Keep everyone and flammable
materials away from the exhaust
pipe while the engine is running.
The exhaust gas is very hot.