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Warranties
Warranties for U.S.A.
All SUBARU vehicles distributed by
Subaru of America, Inc. and sold at retail
by an authorized SUBARU dealer in the
United States come with the following
warranties:
SUBARU Limited Warranty
Emission Control Systems Warranty
Emissions Performance Warranty
All warranty information, including details
of coverage and exclusions, is in the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet .
Please read these warranties carefully.
Warranties for Canada
All SUBARU vehicles distributed by
Subaru Canada, Inc. and sold at retail by
an authorized SUBARU dealer in Canada
come with the following warranties:
SUBARU Limited Warranty
Anti-Corrosion Warranty
Emission Control Warranty
All warranty information, including details
of coverage and exclusions, is in the War-
ranty and Service Booklet. Please read
these warranties carefully.
WRX-STI
All models except WRX-STI
How to use this owner s man-
ual
Using your Owner s manual
Before you operate your vehicle, carefully
read this manual. To protect yourself and
extend the service life of your vehicle, fol-
low the instructions in this manual. Failure
to observe these instructions may result in
serious injury and damage to your vehicle.
This manual is composed of fourteen
chapters. Each chapter begins with a brief
table of contents, so you can usually tell at
a glance if that chapter contains the infor-
mation you want.
Chapter 1: Seat, seatbelt and SRS air-
bags
This chapter informs you how to use the
seat and seatbelt and contains precau-
tions for the SRS airbags.
Chapter 2: Keys and doors
This chapter informs you how to operate
the keys, locks and windows.
Chapter 3: Instruments and controls
This chapter informs you about the opera-
tion of instrument panel indicators and
how to use the instruments and other
switches.
Chapter 4: Climate Control
This chapter informs you how to operate
WRX-STI models are equipped with
High Intensity Discharge (HID) head-
lights that contain mercury. For that
reason, it is necessary to remove
HID headlights before vehicle dis-
posal. Once removed, please reuse,
recycle or dispose of the HID head-
lights as hazardous waste.
This vehicle does not contain mer-
cury devices or parts.
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the climate control.
Chapter 5: Audio
This chapter informs you how to operate
your audio system.
Chapter 6: Interior equipment
This chapter informs you how to operate
interior equipment.
Chapter 7: Starting and operating
This chapter informs you how to start and
operate your SUBARU.
Chapter 8: Driving tips
This chapter informs you how to drive your
SUBARU in various conditions and ex-
plains some safety tips on driving.
Chapter 9: In case of emergency
This chapter informs you what to do if you
have a problem while driving, such as a
flat tire or engine overheating.
Chapter 10: Appearance care
This chapter informs you how to keep your
SUBARU looking good.
Chapter 11: Maintenance and service
This chapter informs you when you need
to take your SUBARU to the dealer for
scheduled maintenance and informs you
how to keep your SUBARU running prop-
erly.
Chapter 12: Specifications
This chapter informs you about dimension
and capacities of your SUBARU.
Chapter 13: Consumer information and
Reporting safety defectsThis chapter informs you about Uniform
tire quality grading standards and Report-
ing safety defects.
Chapter 14: Index
This is an alphabetical listing of all that
s in
this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
Safety warnings
You will find a number of WARNINGs,
CAUTIONs and NOTEs in this manual.
These safety warnings alert you to poten-
tial hazards that could result in injury to
you or others.
Please read these safety warnings as well
as all other portions of this manual careful-
ly in order to gain a better understanding
of how to use your SUBARU vehicle safe-
ly.
NOTE
A NOTE gives information or sugges-
tions how to make better use of your
vehicle.
Safety symbol
You will find a circle with a slash through it
in this manual. This symbol means Do
not , Do not do this , or Do not let this
happen , depending upon the context.
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which serious injury or death could
result if the warning is ignored.
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which injury or damage to your vehi-
cle, or both, could result if the cau-
tion is ignored.
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Table of contentsSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Keys and doors
Instruments and controls
Climate control
Audio
Interior equipment
Starting and operating
Driving tips
In case of emergency
Appearance care
Maintenance and service
Specifications
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Index
1-20 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seatbelt pretensioners
The driver s and front passenger s seat-
belts have a seatbelt pretensioner. The
seatbelt pretensioners are designed to be
activated in the event of an accident in-
volving a moderate to severe frontal colli-
sion.
The pretensioner sensor also serves as
the frontal SRS airbag sensor. If the sen-
sor detects a certain predetermined
amount of force during a frontal collision,
the front seatbelt is quickly drawn back in
by the retractor to take up the slack so that
the belt more effectively restrains the front
seat occupant.
When a seatbelt pretensioner is activated, an operating noise will be heard and a
small amount of smoke will be released.
These occurrences are normal and not
harmful. This smoke does not indicate a
fire in the vehicle.
Once the seatbelt pretensioner has been
activated, the seatbelt retractor remains
locked. Consequently, the seatbelt can
not be pulled out and retracted and there-
fore must be replaced.
NOTE
Seatbelt pretensioners are not de-
signed to activate in minor frontal im-
pacts, in side or rear impacts or in roll-
over accidents.
The driver s seat and passenger s
seat pretensioners and frontal SRS air-
bag operate simultaneously.
Pretensioners are designed to func-
tion on a one-time-only basis. In the
event that a pretensioner is activated,
both the driver s and front passenger s
seatbelt retractor assemblies must be
replaced only by an authorized
SUBARU dealer. When replacing seat-
belt retractor assemblies, use only
genuine SUBARU parts.
If either front seatbelt does not re-
tract or cannot be pulled out due to a
malfunction or activation of the preten-
sioner, contact your SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
If the front seatbelt retractor assem-
bly or surrounding area has been dam-
aged, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
When you sell your vehicle, we urge
you to explain to the buyer that it has
seatbelt pretensioners by alerting him
to the contents of this section.
100121
To obtain maximum protection,
the occupants should sit in an up-
right position with their seatbelts
properly fastened. Refer to the Seatbelts section in this chap-
ter.
Do not modify, remove or strike
the front seatbelt retractor assem-
blies or surrounding area. This
could result in accidental activa-
tion of the seatbelt pretensioners
or could make the system inoper-
ative, possibly resulting in seri-
ous injury. Seatbelt pretensioners
have no user-serviceable parts.
For required servicing of front
seatbelt retractors equipped with
seatbelt pretensioners, see your
nearest SUBARU dealer.
1-22 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
System servicing
NOTE
If the front part of the vehicle is dam-
aged in an accident to the extent that
the seatbelt pretensioner does not op-
erate, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
Precautions against vehicle
modification
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
When discarding a seatbelt retrac-
tor assembly or scrapping the en-
tire vehicle damaged by a colli-
sion, consult your SUBARU deal-
er.
Tampering with or disconnecting
the system s wiring could result in
accidental activation of the seat-
belt pretensioner and/or SRS air-
bag or could make the system in-
operative, which may result in se-
rious injury. The wiring harnesses
of the seatbelt pretensioner and
SRS airbag systems are covered
with yellow insulation and the
connectors of the system are yel-
low for easy identification. Do not
use electrical test equipment on
any circuit related to the seatbelt
pretensioner and SRS airbag sys-
tems. For required servicing of
the seatbelt pretensioner, see
your nearest SUBARU dealer.
The front sub sensors are located in
both front fenders and the SRS air-
bag control module including the
impact sensors is located under the
center console. If you need service
or repair in those areas or near the
front seatbelt retractors, we recom-
mend that you have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform the work.
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the driver s door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner s
Manual.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-45
CONTINUED
When a heavy article is placed on the
seat.
When the front passenger s seat is occu-
pied by an adult, observe the following
precautions. Failure to do so may lessen
the load on the front passenger s seat, de-
activating the front passenger s SRS fron-
tal airbag despite the fact that the seat is
occupied by an adult.
Do not allow the rear seat occupant to
lift the front passenger s seat cushion us-
ing his/her feet.
Do not place any article under the front
passenger s seat, or squeeze any article
from behind and under the seat. This may
lift the seat cushion.
Do not squeeze any article between the
front passenger s seat and side trim/pillar,
door or center console box. This may lift
the seat cushion.
If the passenger s frontal airbag
OFF indicator illuminates and the
ON indicator extinguishes even
when the front passenger s seat is
occupied by an adult
This can be caused by the adult incorrect-
ly sitting in the front passenger s seat.
Turn the ignition switch to the OFF posi-
tion. Ask the front passenger to set the
seatback to the upright position, sit up
straight in the center of the seat cushion, correctly fasten the seatbelt, position his/
her legs out forward, and adjust the seat
to the rearmost position. Turn the ignition
switch to the
ON position. If the OFF in-
dicator remains illuminated while the ON
indicator remains extinguished, take the
following actions.
Turn the ignition switch to the OFF po-
sition.
Ensure that there is no article, book,
shoe, or other object trapped under the
seat, at the rear of the seat, or on the side
of the seat.
Ensure that the backward-forward posi-
tion and seatback of front passenger s
seat are locked into place securely by
moving the seat back and forth.
Next, turn the ignition switch to the ON
position and wait 6 seconds to allow the
system to complete self-checking. Follow-
ing the system check, both indicators ex-
tinguish for 2 seconds. Now, the ON indi-
cator should illuminate while the OFF indi-
cator remains extinguished.
If the OFF indicator still illuminates while
the ON indicator remains extinguished,
ask the occupant to move to the rear seat
and immediately contact your SUBARU
dealer for an inspection.
Effect vehicle modifications made
for persons with disabilities may
have on Subaru advanced frontal
airbag system operation (U.S. only)
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, seat belts, front bumper, front side
frame, instrument panel, combination
meter, steering wheel, steering column,
tire, suspension or floor panel can affect
the operation of the Subaru advanced air-
bag system. If you have any questions,
you may contact the following Subaru dis-
tributors:
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Dealer Services Department
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)
Schuman Carriage Motors, Inc.
1234 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI
96814
808-592-4497
Triple J Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 6066, Tamuning, Guam 96931
671-646-9126
1-58 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
In the event that the SRS airbag is de-
ployed, replacement of the system
should be performed only by an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer. When the com-
ponents of the SRS airbag system are
replaced, use only genuine SUBARU
parts.
To ensure their long-term reliability, the
SRS airbags must be inspected by a
SUBARU dealer ten years after the date
of manufacture, which is shown on the
certification plate attached to the driver s door jamb.
NOTE
In the following cases, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
The front part of the vehicle was in-
volved in an accident in which only the
driver s SRS frontal airbag or both driv-
er s and front passenger s SRS frontal
airbags did not deploy.
The pad section of the steering
wheel or front passenger s frontal air-
bag cover is scratched, cracked, or
otherwise damaged.
In addition, if your vehicle is equipped
with SRS side airbags, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible in
the following cases.
Either center pillar or a nearby area
of the vehicle was involved in an acci-
dent in which the SRS side airbag did
not deploy.
The fabric or leather of either front
seatback is cut, frayed, or otherwise
damaged.
Precautions against vehicle
modification
If you need service or repair in areas
listed in the following, have an au-
thorized SUBARU dealer perform
the work. The SRS airbag control
module, impact sensors and airbag
modules are stored in these areas.
Under the center console
Inside each front fender
Steering wheel and column and
nearby areas
Top of the dashboard on front
passenger s side and nearby ar-
eas
Each front seat and nearby area
Inside each center pillar
To avoid accidental activation of
the system or rendering the sys-
tem inoperative, which may result
in serious injury, no modifications
should be made to any compo-
nents or wiring of the SRS airbag
system.
This includes following modifica-
tions:
Installation of custom steering
wheels
Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
Installation of custom seats
Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
Installation of additional fabric
or leather on the front seat
Instruments and controls 3-17
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is at the proper level but the light remains
on, contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.
AT OIL TEMPerature
warning light (AT vehi-
cles)
The AT oil temperature warning light
comes on when the ignition switch is
turned to the
ON position and goes out
after approximately two seconds.
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the automatic
transmission fluid temperature is too hot.
If the light comes on while driving, it is un-
necessary to stop the vehicle, but avoid
driving up steep grades or in stop and go
traffic.
Automatic transmission control
system warning
If the light flashes after the engine starts,
it may indicate that the automatic trans-
mission control system is not working
properly. Contact your nearest SUBARU dealer for service immediately.
Rear differential oil tem-
perature warning light
(WRX-STI)
If this light comes on when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the rear differ-
ential oil temperature is too hot.
At this time, the driver
s control center dif-
ferential will automatically cancel the cur-
rent torque-distribution ratio setting and
adopts its minimum ratio.
If the light comes on while driving, reduce
vehicle speed and stop the vehicle at the
nearest safe place.
Park the vehicle for several minutes. After
the light goes out, you can start driving.
If the light does not go out, contact the
nearest SUBARU dealer for service.
NOTE
If the tire pressures are not correct
and/or the tires are not all the same
size and brand, the rear differential will
be heavily loaded when the vehicle is
driven, resulting in an abnormally high
oil temperature.
The rear differential oil will deterio-
rate if its temperature increases
enough for the rear differential oil tem-
perature warning light to come on. It is
advisable to have the rear differential
oil replaced as soon as possible.
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.
Do not operate the engine with the
oil pressure warning light on. This
may cause serious engine damage.
Reduce vehicle speed and park the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as
possible if the R.DIFF TEMP light
comes on. Continued driving with
this light on can damage the rear dif-
ferential and other parts of the pow-
ertrain.
If the warning light behaves as fol-
lows, the ABS system may not work
properly.
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally.
(U.S.)
(Canada)