
12 &Interior
! Passenger compartment area
1) Lower anchorages for child restraint
system (page 1-29)
2) Seatbelt (page 1-9)
3) Moonroof (page 2-24)
4) Parking brake lever (page 7-24)
5) Front seat (page 1-2)
6) Rear seat (page 1-6)

3-14Instruments and controls
Warning and indicator lights
Several of the warning and indicator lights
come on momentarily and then go out
when the ignition switch is initially turned
to the“ON ”position. This permits check-
ing the operation of the bulbs.
Apply the parking brake and turn the
ignition switch to the “ON ”position. The
following lights come on: . Seatbelt warning light
. SRS airbag system warning light
. Front passenger ’s frontal airbag ON
indicator light. Front passenger ’s frontal airbag OFF
indicator light. CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-
function indicator lamp. Charge warning light
. Oil pressure warning light
. AT OIL temperature warning light (AT
vehicles). ABS warning light
. Brake system warning light
. All-Wheel Drive warning light (AWD AT
vehicles). Cruise control indicator light
. Cruise control set indicator light
If any lights fail to come on, it indicates a
burned-out bulb or a malfunction of the corresponding system.
Consult your authorized SUBARU dealer
for repair. &
Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt
warning device at the driver ’s seat, as
required by current safety standards.
There is a seatbelt warning light in the
combination meter.
If the driver has not yet fastened the
seatbelt when the ignition switch is turned
to the “ON ”position, the seatbelt warning
light will flash for 6 seconds, to warn that
the seatbelt is unfastened. If the driver ’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a chime will also
sound simultaneously.
If the driver ’s seatbelt is still not fastened 6
seconds later, the warning light will remain
lit for 15 seconds. If the driver ’s seatbelt is
still not fastened even 15 seconds later
(21 seconds after turning ON the ignition
switch), the warning lights will alternate
between flashing and steady illumination
at 15-second intervals, and the chime will
sound while the warning light is flashing.
Alternate flashing and steady illumination
of the warning lights and sounding of the
chime will continue until the driver fastens
the seatbelt. NOTE .
If the driver unfastens the seatbelt
after fastening, the seatbelt warning
device operates as follows according
to the vehicle speed.
.At speeds lower than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate
between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals. The
chime will not sound. . At speeds higher than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate
between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals and
the chime will sound while the
warning light is flashing.
. It is possible to cancel the warning
operation that follows the 6-second
warning after turning ON the ignition
switch. When the ignition switch is
turned ON next time, however, the
complete sequence of the warning
operation resumes. For further details
about canceling the warning operation,
please contact your SUBARU dealer. & SRS airbag system
warning light
When the ignition switch is turned to the

3-18Instruments and controls
.The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON ”position.
. The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned tothe “ON ”position, but it does not
go out even when the vehicle
speed exceeds approximately 8
mph (12 km/h).
. The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If any of these conditions occur,
have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by
your SUBARU dealer.
With a vehicle equipped with an EBD
system, the ABS warning light comes on
together with the brake system warning
light if the EBD system becomes faulty.
For further details of the EBD system fault
warning, refer to “Brake system warning
light ”.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as
described in the following, the ABS
system may be considered normal. . The warning light comes on right
after the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.. The warning light remains on after the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h)..
The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately and
remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out. & Brake system warning light
WARNING
. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, we recom-
mend that you have the brakes
inspected by a SUBARU dealer
immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re- pair.
This light has the following three functions: ! Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the“ ON ”position. It goes out when the
parking brake is fully released. ! Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid
level has dropped to near the “MIN ”level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON ”position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON ”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN ”mark in the
reservoir, do not drive the vehicle. Have
the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU
dealer for repair. ! Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning
The brake system warning light also

illuminates if a malfunction occurs in the
EBD system. In that event, it comes on
together with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning if
the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are
applied harder than usual and the vehi-cle’s motion may therefore become some-
what harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, apply the
parking brake and then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level. 5. If the brake fluid level is not below the“
MIN ”mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest
SUBARU dealer and have the systeminspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “ MIN ”mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
& Door open warning light
The door open warning light comes on if
any door or the rear gate is not fullyclosed.
Always make sure this light is out before
you start to drive. &All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (AWD AT vehicles –if equipped)
The All-Wheel Drive warning light comes
on when the ignition switch is turned to the“ON ”position and goes out after the
engine has started.
This light comes on when All-Wheel Drive
is disengaged and the drive mechanism is
switched to Front Wheel Drive for main-
tenance or similar purposes (Non-turbo vehicles). It flashes if the vehicle is driven with tires
of differing diameters fitted on the wheels
or with an excessively low air pressure in
any of the tires.
CAUTION
Continuing to drive with the AWD
warning light flashing can damage
the powertrain. If the AWD warning
light starts to flash, promptly park in
a safe place and check whether the
tires have differing diameters and
whether any of the tires has an
excessively low inflation pressure.
& Intercooler water spray
warning light (WRX-STI)
This light comes on when the water level
in the intercooler water spray tank falls to
the lower limit (approximately 0.4 US qt,
0.4 liter, 0.4 Imp qt). Instruments and controls
3-19
– CONTINUED –

&High/low beam change (dim- mer)
To change from low beam to high beam,
push the turn signal lever forward. When
the headlights are on high beam, the high
beam indicator light “
”on the instru-
ment panel is also on.
To switch back to low beam, pull the lever
back to the detent position. &
Headlight flasher
To flash the headlights, pull the lever
toward you and then release it. The high
beam will stay on for as long as you hold
the lever. The headlight flasher works
even though the light switch is in the“OFF ”position.
When the headlights are on high beam,
the high beam indicator light “
”on the
instrument panel also comes on.
CAUTION
Do not hold the lever in the flashing
position for more than just a fewseconds. &
Daytime running light system
! WRX-STI
The low beam headlights, side marker
lights, tail lights, parking lights, and license
plate lights will automatically come on
when the engine has started, under the
following conditions: . The parking brake is fully released.
. The light switch is in the “OFF ”or “
”
position. . The automatic transmission selector
lever is set at other than the “P ”position.
WARNING
The light switch must always be
turned to the “
”position when it
is dark outside.
! Except WRX-STI
The low beam headlights will automati-
cally come on at reduced brightness when
the engine has started, under the followingconditions: . The parking brake is fully released.
. The light switch is in the “OFF ”or “
”
position. . The automatic transmission selector
lever is set at other than the “P ”position.
Instruments and controls
3-23
– CONTINUED –

of the lid. &Pocket (if equipped)
CAUTION
Do not use the pocket as an ashtray
or leave a lighted cigarette in the
pocket. This could cause a fire.
To use the pocket, push lightly on the lid
below the climate controls. Cup holders
CAUTION
Take care to avoid spills. Beverages,
if hot, might burn you or your
passengers. Spilled beverages may
also damage upholstery, carpets or
audio equipment.
& Front passenger ’s cup holder
CAUTION
Do not pick up a cup from the cup
holder or put a cup in the holder
while you are driving, as this may
distract you and lead to an accident.A dual cup holder is built in the center
console, beside the parking brake lever. Interior equipment
6-5
– CONTINUED –

Fuel...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements ............................................... 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................... 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ...................... 7-5
Preparing to drive ............................................... 7-6
Starting the engine .............................................. 7-7
Manual transmission vehicle ................................ 7-7
Automatic transmission vehicle ........................... 7-7
Stopping the engine ............................................ 7-8
Manual transmission –6 speeds (WRX-STI) ..... 7-9
Selecting reverse gear ......................................... 7-9
Shifting speeds ................................................... 7-9
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-10
Manual transmission –5 speeds (except
WRX-STI) .......................................................... 7-11
Shifting speeds .................................................. 7-11
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-12
Driver ’s Control Center Differential (DCCD)
(WRX-STI) ........................................................ 7-12
Auto mode ......................................................... 7-13
Manual mode ..................................................... 7-13
Temporary release .............................................. 7-15
Automatic transmission ..................................... 7-15
Selector lever ..................................................... 7-16 Shift lock release
............................................... 7-19
Limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .................................................... 7-20
Power steering ................................................... 7-20
Braking ............................................................... 7-20
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-20
Brake system .................................................... 7-21
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ............. 7-21
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-21
ABS system self-check ...................................... 7-22
ABS warning light .............................................. 7-22
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ............................................................. 7-23
Steps to take if EBD system fails ....................... 7-23
Parking your vehicle ......................................... 7-24
Parking brake .................................................... 7-24
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-25
Cruise control .................................................... 7-26
To set cruise control .......................................... 7-26
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-27
To turn off the cruise control .............................. 7-27
To change the cruising speed .. .......................... 7-28
Starting and operating
7

Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than 10 sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for 5 to 10
seconds, wait for 10 seconds or
more before trying again.
& Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and
shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold the
clutch pedal to the floor while starting theengine.
The starter motor will only operate when
the clutch pedal is pressed fully to the
floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to the“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START ”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the“OFF ”position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “START ”position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “OFF ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “START ”position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “OFF ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the“ START ”position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto- matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
NOTE
The engine may be difficult to start
when the battery has been discon-
nected and reconnected (for mainte-
nance or other purposes). This diffi-
culty is caused by the electronically
controlled throttle ’s self-diagnosis
function. To overcome it, keep the
ignition switch in the “ON ”position
for approximately 10 seconds before
starting the engine. & Automatic transmission ve- hicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac- cessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P ”or “N ”
position (preferably “P ”position).
The starter motor will only operate when
the selector lever is at the “P ” or “N ”
position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to the“ Warning and indicator lights ”section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START ”
Starting and operating
7-7
– CONTINUED –