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): yDo not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency. y Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast orslow. y Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency. y Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to a newly installed or overhauled
engine or when brake pads or brake lin-
ings are replaced with new ones.
Fuel economy hints
The following suggestions will help to save your fuel. y Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions. y 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. y Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine. y Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
y Keep the engine properly tuned.
y 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. y Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary. y Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment. y Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo. Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
y
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.
yAlways properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
yNever 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.
yAvoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy ti me while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use th e ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
yAlways keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.
Maintenance and service 11 - 3
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Maintenance and serviceMaintenance schedule
The scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the separate “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet”.Maintenance precautions
When maintenance and service are re-
quired, it is recommended that all work be
done by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service
by yourself, you should familiarize your-
self with the information provided in this
section on general maintenance and ser-
vice for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could
cause improper or unsafe vehicle opera-
tion. Any problems caused by improper
maintenance and service performed by
you are not eligible for warranty coverage.
yTesting of an All-Wheel Drive ve-
hicle must NEVER be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamome-ter or similar apparatus. Attempt-
ing to do so will result in transmis-
sion damage and in uncontrolled
vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons
nearby.
y Always select a safe area when
performing maintenance on yourvehicle.
yAlways be very careful to avoid in-
jury when working on the vehicle.
Remember that some of the mate-
rials in the vehicle may be hazard-
ous if improperly used or handled,
for example, battery acid.
yYour vehicle should only be ser-
viced by persons fully competent
to do so. Serious personal injury
may result to persons not experi-
enced in servicing vehicles.
yAlways use the proper tools and
make certain that they are well
maintained.
yNever get under the vehicle sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use
a safety stands to support the ve- hicle.
yNever keep the engine running in
a poorly ventilated area, such as a
garage or other closed areas.
yDo not smoke or allow open
flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire.
yBecause the fuel system is under
pressure, replacement of the fuel
filter should be performed only by
your SUBARU dealer.
Maintenance and service 11 - 1 3
– CONTINUED –
SAE viscosity number and applicable
temperature
*: 5W-30 is preferred.
Engine oil viscosity (t hickness) affects fuel
economy. Oils of lower viscosity provide
better fuel economy. However, in hot
weather, oil of higher viscosity is required
to properly lubricate the engine. „ Recommended grade and
viscosity under severe driv-
ing conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in ar-
eas with very high temperatures, or used
for heavy-duty applications such as tow-
ing a trailer, use of oil with the following
grade and viscosities is recommended.
API classification SM (or SL):
SAE viscosity No.:
30, 40, 10W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50
Cooling system
B00503
5W-30*
10W-30, 10W-40
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40
-20
06 0
20 80 100 40Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down com-
pletely. Since the coolant is under
pressure, you may suffer serious
burns from a spray of boiling hot
coolant when the cap is removed. yThe cooling system has been
filled at the factory with a high
quality, corrosion-inhibiting, year-
around coolant which provides
protection against freezing down to –33 °F (–36 °C). For adding, use
genuine SUBARU coolant or an
equivalent: a mixture of 50% soft
water and 50% ethylene-glycol ba-
sis coolant. Use of improper cool-
ants may result in corrosion in the
cooling system. It is important to
maintain protection against freez-
ing and corrosion, even if freezing
temperatures are not expected.
Never mix different kinds of cool-
ant.
Maintenance and service 11 - 3 5
– CONTINUED –
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on oth-
er rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and ap-
proach the curbs as squarely as possi-
ble. Also, make sure the tires are not
pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle. y
If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the ve-
hicle in a straight line, one of the tires
and/or wheels may be damaged. Drive
slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicle
inspected. „ Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires’ service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey. Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving the vehi- cle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to in-
crease. Be careful no
t to mistakenly re-
lease air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTE y The air pressure in a tire increases
by approximately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm 2
) when the tire becomes warm.
y The tires are considered cold when
the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours or has been driven less
than one mile (1.6 km).
Incorrect tire pressures detract from con-
trollability and ride comfort, and they
cause the tires to wear abnormally.
B00128Do not let air out of warm tires to ad-
just pressure. Doing so will result in
low tire pressure.