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8-2Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving –the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km)
The performance and long life of your
vehicle 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
allow engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm
except 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
acceleration, except in an emergency.. Avoid hard braking, except in an
emergency.
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
maintain that speed for as long aspossible. . 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 thedriver ’s side. Low pressure will increase
tire wear and fuel consumption. . Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.. Keep the front and rear wheels in
proper alignment.. Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo. Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
WARNING
. Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains
carbon monoxide, a colorless
and odorless gas which is dan-
gerous, or even lethal, if inhaled.
. Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from enter-
ing 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
vehicle for a lengthy time while
the engine is running. If that is
unavoidable, then use the venti-
lation 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 al-
ways works properly.
. If at any time you suspect that
Page 284 of 364

11-8Maintenance and service
Engine oil NOTE .The engine oil consumption rate is
not stabilized, and therefore cannot be
determined until the vehicle has tra-
veled at least several thousand miles
(kilometers). Even after break-in, when
the vehicle is used under severe driv-
ing conditions such as those men-
tionedintheWarrantyandMainte-
nance Booklet, engine oil is consumed
or deteriorated more quickly than un-
der normal driving conditions. If you
drive your vehicle under these severe
conditions, you should check the oil
level at least at every second fuel fill-up
time, and change the oil more fre-
quently. Please refer to the Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet for more de-tails.. If the oil consumption rate seems
abnormally high after the break-in
period, for example more than 1 quart
per 1,200 miles or 1 liter per 2,000
kilometers, we recommend that you
contact your SUBARU dealer. &
Checking the oil level
Check the engine oil level at each fuelstop.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
stop the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
insert it again.
3. Be sure the dipstick is correctly in-
serted until it stops with the graphicsymbol
on its top appearing as
shown in the illustration.
1) Notch
2) Upper level
3) Lower level
4. Pull out the dipstick again and check
the oil level on it. If it is below the lower
level, add oil to bring the level up to the
upper level.
CAUTION
. Use only engine oil with the
recommended grade and vis-
cosity.
. Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
Page 308 of 364
11-32Maintenance and service
.Correct tire pressure (tread worn
evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is
responsive. Rolling resistance is low, so
fuel consumption is also lower. .
Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con-
sumption is also higher. .
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire
magnifies the effects of road-surface
bumps and dips, possibly resulting in
vehicle damage.
If the tire placard shows tire pressures for
the vehicle when fully loaded and for the
vehicle when towing a trailer, adjust the
tire pressures to the values that match
current loading conditions.
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause