2006 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX manual transmission

Driving tips 8-7
with your fingers and thumbs on the out-
side of the rim.
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle ’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your ve-
hicle and may cause it to stall. Never at-
tempt to drive through rushing water; re-
gardless of its depth, it can wash away the
ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle
rollover.
Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
Do not drive or park over or near flam-
mable materials such as dry grass or fall-
en leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after the engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
After driving through tall grass, mud, 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 underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
Secure all cargo carried inside the vehi-
cle and make certain that it is not piled
higher than the seatbacks. During sudden
stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be
thrown around in the vehicle and cause in-
jury. 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.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelera-
tor pedal slightly and move the selector le-
ver back and forth between “D ” and “R ” re-
peatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the
wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slip-
pery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
Never equip your vehicle with tires larg-
er than those specified in this manual.
Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle un-
der hard-driving conditions such as rough
roads or off roads will necessitate more frequent replacement of engine oil, brake
fluid and transmission oil than that speci-
fied in the maintenance schedule de-
scribed in the
“Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your
Subaru while operating it off-road and not
using common sense precautions such as
those listed above is not eligible for war-
ranty coverage.
Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.

Driving tips 8-9
– CONTINUED –
do so and check under the fenders period-
ically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1 ” or “R ” for
manual transmission 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 af-
ter 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 har-
ness.
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze 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 extended period, it is best to have the
fuel tank filled to capacity.
Driving on snowy and icy
roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, 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 sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle
’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System) ” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces.
NOTE
The following tires are summer tires.
Compared with winter and all-season
tires, summer tires give significantly
less grip on snowy and icy road surfac-
es. Avoid driving on snowy and icy
road surface with summer tires.
225/45R17 tires for WRX-STI
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 cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.

Driving tips 8-27
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts.
When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating.
When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the water temperature gauge
pointer (for all vehicles) and AT OIL TEMP
warning light (for AT vehicles) since the
engine and transmission are relatively
prone to overheating under these condi-
tions. If the water temperature gauge
pointer approaches the OVERHEAT zone
or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illumi-
nates, immediately switch off the air con-
ditioner and stop the vehicle at the nearest
safe place. Refer to the “Engine overheat-
ing ” section in chapter 9, and “Warning
and indicator lights ” section in chapter 3.
If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, avoid using the accelerator pedal
to stay stationary on an uphill slope in-
stead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat.
If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the selector lever as fol-
lows:
Uphill slopes: “D ” position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking
Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehi-
cle and trailer when parking. Apply the
parking brake firmly. You should not park
on a hill or slope. But if parking on a hill or
slope cannot be avoided, you should take
the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal
down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un-
der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, re-
lease the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then ap-
ply the parking brake; slowly release the
regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission) or “P ” (automatic transmis-
sion) and shut off the engine.

9-4 In case of emergency
Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never
brake suddenly; keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing speed.
Then slowly pull off the road to a safe
place.
Changing a flat tire1. Park on a hard, level surface, whenev-
er possible, then stop the engine.
2. Set the parking brake securely and
shift a manual transmission vehicle in re-
verse or an automatic transmission vehi-
cle in the “P ” (Park) position.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher and
have everyone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire diagonally opposite the flat tire.
Sedan
1) Jack
2) Jack handle
3) Spare tireDo not jack up the vehicle on an
incline or a loose road surface.
The jack can come out of the jack-
ing point or sink into the ground
and this can result in a severe ac-
cident.
Use only the jack provided with
your vehicle. The jack supplied
with the vehicle is designed only
for changing a tire. Never get un-
der the vehicle while supporting
the vehicle with this jack.
Always turn off the engine before
raising the flat tire off the ground
using the jack. Never swing or
push the vehicle supported with
the jack. The jack can come out of
the jacking point due to a jolt and
this can result in a severe acci-
dent.
900000
1
2 3
900267

9-14 In case of emergency
or “1st ” for manual transmission vehicles.
2. Pull up the parking brake lever firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier
properly with safety chains. Each safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
Towing with all wheels on the
ground
1. Check the transmission and differential
oil levels and add oil to bring it to the upper
level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the“ ACC ” position while the vehicle is being
towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (both
optional), be careful not to scrape
them when placing the vehicle on
the carrier and when removing the
vehicle from the carrier.
900065
Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ” position while the ve-
hicle is being towed because the
steering wheel and the direction
of the wheels will be locked.
Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not run-
ning. Because the engine is
turned off, it will take greater ef-
fort to operate the brake pedal and
steering wheel.
If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the en-
gine running.
For vehicles with automatic trans-
mission, the traveling speed must
be limited to less than 20 mph (30
km/h) and the traveling distance
to less than 31 miles (50 km). For
greater speeds and distances,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.

11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ........................... ....... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment ....................................... ................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine
compartment while the engine is running ......... 11 -4
Engine hood ....................................... ................ 11-4
Engine compartment overview ....................... .. 11-6
Non-turbo models .................................. ................. 11-6
Turbo models ...................................... .................... 11-7
Engine oil ........................................ .................... 11-8
Checking the oil level ............................ ................. 11-8
Changing the oil and oil filter ................... ............. 11-8
Recommended grade and viscosity ................... .. 11-10
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions ......................... ........... 11-11
Synthetic oil ..................................... ....................... 11-11
Cooling system .................................... .............. 11-12
Cooling fan, hose and connections ................. ..... 11-12
Engine coolant .................................... .................... 11-12
Air cleaner element ............................... ............. 11-15
Replacing the air cleaner element ................. ........ 11-15
Spark plugs ....................................... .................. 11-17
Recommended spark plugs ........................... ........ 11-17
Drive belts ....................................... .................... 11-18
Manual transmission oil ........................... ......... 11-18
Checking the oil level ............................ ................. 11-18
Recommended grade and viscosity ................... .. 11-19Automatic transmission fluid ......................
...... 11-20
Checking the fluid level .......................... ................ 11-20
Recommended fluid ................................. .............. 11-21
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ......... ... 11-21
Checking the oil level ............................ ................. 11-21
Recommended grade and viscosity ................... .. 11-22
Rear differential gear oil ........................ ............ 11-22
Checking the gear oil level ....................... ............. 11-22
Recommended grade and viscosity ................... .. 11-23
Power steering fluid .............................. ............. 11-24
Checking the fluid level .......................... ................ 11-24
Recommended fluid ................................. .............. 11-24
Brake fluid ....................................... .................... 11-25
Checking the fluid level .......................... ................ 11-25
Recommended brake fluid ........................... .......... 11-25
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ........................ .......... 11-26
Checking the fluid level .......................... ................ 11-26
Recommended clutch fluid .......................... .......... 11-26
Brake booster ..................................... ................ 11-27
Brake pedal ....................................... .................. 11-27
Checking the brake pedal free play ................ ...... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ......... 11-27
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) ........................ ........ 11-28
Checking the clutch function ...................... .......... 11-28
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... ...... 11-28
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............... 11-28
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ......... . 11-29
Parking brake stroke .............................. ............ 11-29

11-6 Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overview
Non-turbo models
1 2 3 4 5 6
7
8
9
10
11
13 12
B00464
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-15)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-18) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-21)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-20)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-41)
7) Battery (page 11-40)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-36)
9) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-
12)
10) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-8)
11) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-8)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-12)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-24)

Maintenance and service 11-7
Turbo models
1 2 3 4 5 6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
B00466
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-15)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-18) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-21)
3) Automatic transmission fluid level gauge (page 11-20)
4) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-41)
7) Battery (page 11-40)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-36)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-8)
10) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11- 12)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-8)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-12)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir (page
11-24)