Starting and operating 7-3
– CONTINUED –
function indicator lamp may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is deter-
mined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs may not be cov-
ered by your warranty. T
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent addi-
tives will help prevent deposits from form-
ing in your engine and fuel system. This
helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly,
and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality
fuel with the proper detergent and other
additives, you should never need to add
any fuel system cleaning agents to your
fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with ma-
terials called oxygenates. Use of these fu-
els can also help keep the air cleaner. Ox-
ygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE (Me- thyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol (ethyl
or grain alcohol) may be used in your ve-
hicle, but should contain no more than
15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the proper
operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station oper-
ators if their gasolines contain detergents
and oxygenates and if they have been re-
formulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in the
following. y
Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual. y Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents
and corrosion inhibitors required to pre-
vent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT un-der these conditions. y
If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a di fferent brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer. y Fuel system damage or driveability
problems which result from the use of im-
proper fuel are not covered under the
SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Driving tips 8-9
– CONTINUED –
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. T
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and t he 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)” and “Vehicle
Dynamics Control system (if equipped)”
section in chapter 7 for information on
braking on slippery surfaces. T
Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button/dial in the “ ” position
and the temperature control dial set for
maximum warmth until the wiper blades
are completely thawed out. If your vehicle
is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on th e surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control button/dial
in “ ” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effe ctively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
