
3-28Instruments and controls
km/h). Be sure to install the speci- 
fied size for the front and rear tires.
& ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the 
ignition switch is turned to the “ON ”
position and goes out after approximately
two seconds. 
This is an indication that the ABS system 
is working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as 
follows, the ABS system may not
work properly. 
When the warning light is on, the 
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. . 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 to the “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.
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, 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   

7-18Starting and operating
engine over-revving and this in turn 
can result in engine damage. 
In addition, sudden application of 
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accidentincreased.
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear. The tachometer ’s needle will
enter the red area if these speeds areexceeded. 
With the exception of cases where sudden 
acceleration is required, the vehicle
should not be driven with the tachometer ’s
needle inside the red area. Failure to
observe this precaution can lead to
excessive engine wear and poor fuel
economy.
Gear mph (km/h)1st 33 (54)
2nd 51 (83)
3rd 69 (112)4th 90 (147) 
5th 125 (204) 6th Top speed NOTE 
Never exceed posted speed limits. &
Driving tips
Do not drive with your foot resting on the 
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage. 
Do not drive with your hand resting on the 
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components. 
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle 
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor. 
On steep downgrades, downshift the 
transmission to 5th, 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear
as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life. 
In this way, the engine provides a braking 
effect. Remember, if you “ride ”(over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly. 
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock 
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon does not indicate a problem. Automatic transmission
–4-
speed 
The automatic transmission is electroni- 
cally controlled and provides 4 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. Also, it has a
manual mode and a SPORT mode.
WARNING
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N ”
position into the “D ” or “R ” position
while depressing the accelerator 
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION
. Shift into the “P ” or “R ” position
only after the vehicle is comple- 
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more
than five seconds in any position
except the “N ” or “P ” position
when the brake is set or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.
. Avoid shifting from one of the 

7-24Starting and operating
4. Insert the screwdriver into the hole. 
5. Push down on the screwdriver and 
move the selector lever from the “P ”to the
“ N ”position.
6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start theengine. 
Take your vehicle to the nearest SUBARU 
dealer immediately to have the systemrepaired. Automatic transmission
–5-
speed 
The automatic transmission is electroni- 
cally controlled and provides 5 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. Also, it has a
manual mode. 
For turbo models, it also has an SI-DRIVE mode. 
For non-turbo models, it also has a 
SPORT mode.WARNING
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N ”
position into the “D ” or “R ” position
while depressing the accelerator 
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION
. Shift into the “P ” or “R ” position
only after the vehicle is comple- 
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more
than five seconds in any position
except the “N ” or “P ” position
when the brake is set or when chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.
. Avoid shifting from one of the
forward driving positions into the“ R ” position or vice versa until
the vehicle has completely
stopped. Such shifting may
cause damage to the transmis-sion.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P ” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the selector
lever in any other position as
doing so could result in a dead
battery.
NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, your vehicle ’s auto-
matic transmission will up-shift at 
higher engine speeds than when the
coolant temperature is sufficiently high
in order to shorten the warm-up time
and improve driveability. The gearshift
timing will automatically shift to the
normal timing after the engine has
warmed up.. Immediately after ATF (automatic  

7-36Starting and operating
position and goes out after approximately 
two seconds. 
This is an indication that the ABS system 
is working properly.
CAUTION
If the warning light behaves as 
follows, the ABS system may not
be working properly. 
When the warning light is on, the 
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. . 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 to the “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 these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your SUBARU dealer. 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. Electronic Brake Force Dis- 
tribution (EBD) system 
The EBD system maximizes the effective- 
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle
’s
loading condition and speed. 
The EBD system is an integral part of the 
ABS system and uses some of the ABSsystem ’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working. 
When the EBD system is operating, you 
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction. 

8-8Driving tips
Winter driving
&Operation during cold weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such 
as tire chains, a window scraper, a bag of
sand, flares, a small shovel, and jumpercables. 
Check the battery and cables. Cold 
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winterstarts. 
Use an engine oil of proper grade and 
viscosity for cold weather. Heavy summer
oil will cause harder starting. 
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage 
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after- 
wards thoroughly wipe the water away. 
Use a windshield washer fluid that con- 
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle. 
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con- 
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the followingtable.
Washer Fluid Con- centration Freezing Temperature
30% 10.4 8F(  12 8C)
50%  48F(  20 8C)
100%  
49 8F(  45 8C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration to the outside temperature. 
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with 
a different concentration from the one used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside
temperature, it may freeze and block thenozzles.
CAUTION
Adjust the washer fluid concentra- 
tion appropriately for the outside
temperature. If the concentration is
inappropriate, sprayed washer fluid
may freeze on the windshield and 
obstruct your view, and the fluid 
may freeze in the reservoir tank.
! Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery anddangerous. 
While warming up the vehicle before 
driving, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly. 
Clear away ice and snow that has 
accumulated under the fenders to avoid 
making steering difficult. During severe  

If you park your vehicle in an emergency......... 9-2
Temporary spare tire ........................................... 9-2
Flat tires ............................................................... 9-4
Changing a flat tire .............................................. 9-4
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ...................................................... 9-9
Jump starting ..................................................... 9-10
How to jump start ............................................... 9-10
Engine overheating ............................................ 9-12
If steam is coming from the engine compartment .................................................... 9-12 If no steam is coming from the engine
compartment ................................................... 9-12
Towing ................................................................ 9-13
Towing and tie-down hooks. ............................... 9-13
Using a flat-bed truck. ........................................ 9-16
Towing with all wheels on the ground ................. 9-16
Rear gate (Station wagon) –if the rear gate
cannot be unlocked ........................................ 9-17
Maintenance tools ............................................. 9-18
Jack .................................................................. 9-18
Jack handle ....................................................... 9-18
Other maintenance tools .................................... 9-19
In case of emergency
9 

9-10In case of emergency
Jump starting
WARNING
. Battery fluid is SULFURIC ACID.
Do not let it come in contact with 
the eyes, skin, clothing or thevehicle. 
If battery fluid gets on you, 
thoroughly flush the exposed
area with water immediately. Get
medical help if the fluid has
entered your eyes. 
If battery fluid is accidentally 
swallowed, immediately drink a
large amount of milk or water,
and obtain immediate medicalhelp. 
Keep everyone including chil- 
dren away from the battery.
. The gas generated by a battery
explodes if a flame or spark is
brought near it. Do not smoke or
light a match while jump starting.
. Never attempt jump starting if the
discharged battery is frozen. It
could cause the battery to burst
or explode.
. Whenever working on or around
a battery, always wear suitable eye protectors, and remove metal
objects such as rings, bands or
other metal jewelry.
. Be sure the jumper cables and
clamps on them do not have
loose or missing insulation.
. Do not jump start unless cables
in suitable condition are avail-able.
. A running engine can be danger-
ous. Keep your fingers, hands,
clothing, hair and tools away
from the cooling fan, belts and
any other moving engine parts.
Removing rings, watches and
ties is advisable.
. Jump starting is dangerous if it is
done incorrectly. If you are un-
sure about the proper procedure
for jump starting, consult a com-
petent mechanic.
When your vehicle does not start due to a
run down (discharged) battery, the vehicle
may be jump started by connecting your
battery to another battery (called the
booster battery) with jumper cables. &
How to jump start
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12
volts and the negative terminal isgrounded. 
2. If the booster battery is in another 
vehicle, do not let the two vehicles touch. 
3. Turn off all unnecessary lights and accessories. 
4. Connect the jumper cables exactly in 
the sequence illustrated. 

14-2Index
A 
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................................... 7-35
Warning light ................................................. 3-28, 7-35
Accessories ....................................................... 5-4, 11-49
Accessory power outlet ................................................. 6-8
Active head restraint ..................................................... 1-7
Air cleaner element ................................................... 11-17
Air conditioner ............................................................. 4-7
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-13
Air flow selection .......................................................... 4-2
Alarm system ............................................................ 2-14
All-Wheel Drive warning light (AT vehicles) .................... 3-30
Aluminum wheels ...................................................... 11-41
Antenna system ........................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ..................................... 7-35
Arming the system ..................................................... 2-15
Armrest ..................................................................... 1-11
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light ............................... 3-26
Audio control button ................................................... 5-26
Audio set .................................................................... 5-5
Auto-dimming mirror/compass ...................................... 3-48
Automatic climate control system ................................... 4-8
Automatic transmission 4-speed ................................................................ 7-18
5-speed ................................................................ 7-24
Capacities ............................................................. 12-4
Fluid .................................................................... 11-22
Manual mode ................................................ 7-21, 7-27
Selector lever ................................................ 7-19, 7-25
Shift lock release ........................................... 7-23, 7-30
SPORT ......................................................... 7-23, 7-30 Temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP)
................. 3-26
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ........... 1-14
BBattery .................................................................... 11-46
Jump starting ......................................................... 9-10
Replacement (Remote keyless entry system) .............. 2-8
Brake
Booster ............................................................... 11-31
Fluid ................................................................... 11-29
Pad and lining ...................................................... 11-33
Parking ............................................................... 11-33
Pedal .................................................................. 11-31
Brake pedal
Free play ............................................................. 11-31
Reserve distance .................................................. 11-31
Brake system ............................................................. 7-34
Warning light .......................................................... 3-28
Braking ..................................................................... 7-34
Tips ...................................................................... 7-34
Breaking
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ............... 11-33
Bulb Chart .................................................................... 12-9
Replacing ............................................................ 11-50
CCapacities ................................................................. 12-4
Cargo area Cover .................................................................... 6-12
Light ...................................................................... 6-2