
Maintenance and serviceClutch pedal (MT models) ................................ 11-33
Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-33
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-34
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............. 11-34
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ........ 11-34
Tires and wheels .............................................. 11-35
Types of tires ................................................... 11-35
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ................................................... 11-35
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-37
Tire pressures and wear ................................... 11-37
Wheel balance .................................................. 11-39
Wear indicators ................................................ 11-39
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-40
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-40
Tire replacement .............................................. 11-41
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-41
Aluminum wheels ............................................. 11-42
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-42
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-43
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-44
Windshield wiper blade rubber ......................... 11-44 Rear window wiper blade assembly
(Outback) ...................................................... 11-45
Rear window wiper blade rubber (Outback) ...... 11-46
Battery .............................................................. 11-47
Fuses ................................................................ 11-48
Main fuse .......................................................... 11-50
Installation of accessories .............................. 11-50
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-50
Headlight ......................................................... 11-50
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-53
Front position light .......................................... 11-53
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-53
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-54
Tail/Back-up light (Outback) ............................. 11-56
License plate light ........................................... 11-57
Dome light ....................................................... 11-58
Map light ......................................................... 11-59
Vanity mirror light ............................................ 11-59
Door step light ................................................. 11-60
Cargo area light (Outback) ............................... 11-60
Trunk light (Legacy) ......................................... 11-60
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-60

11-8Maintenance and service
3. Release the secondary hood release
by moving the lever between the front
grille and the hood toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Lower the hood to a height of approxi-
mately 5.9 in (15 cm) above its closed
position and then let it drop.
2. After closing the hood, be sure the
hood is securely locked.
If this does not close the hood, release it
from a slightly higher position. Do not push
the hood forcibly to close it. It could
deform the metal.
WARNING
Always check that the hood is
properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open
while the vehicle is moving and
block your view, which may cause
an accident and serious bodily in-
jury.

11-12Maintenance and service
Engine oil
NOTE .When the engine low oil level warn-
ing light illuminates, have your vehicle
inspected by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.. 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. If you check the oil level
just after stopping the engine, wait a few
minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil
pan before checking the level.
2. Pull out the level gauge, wipe it clean,
and insert it again.
3. Be sure the level gauge is correctly
inserted until it stops with the graphic
symbol “
”on its top appearing as
shown in the illustration.

2.5 L turbo models
3.6 L models
6. Remove the oil filter with an oil filter wrench.
7. Before installing a new oil filter, apply a
thin coat of engine oil to the seal. 8. Clean the rubber seal seating area of
the bottom of engine and install the oil
filter by hand turning. Be careful not to
twist or damage the seal.
9. Tighten the oil filter by the amount
indicated in the following table after the
seal makes contact with the bottom ofengine.
Model Oil filter
color Part
number Amount of
rotation
2.5 L models Black 15208AA100 1 rotation
Blue 15208AA12A 7/8
rotation
3.6 L models Black 15208AA031 3/4
rotation
CAUTION
. Never over tighten the oil filter
because that can result in an oil leak.
. Thoroughly wipe off any engine
oil that has spilled over the
exhaust pipe and/or under-cover.
If left unremoved, the oil could
catch fire.
10. Reinstall the cover under the oil filter.
11. Pour engine oil through the filler neck. Oil capacity (guideline):
2.5 L models: 4.2 US qt (4.0 liters, 3.5 Imp qt)
3.6 L models: 6.7 US qt (6.3 liters, 5.5 Imp qt)
The oil quantity indicated above is only a
guideline. The necessary quantity of oil
depends on the quantity of oil that has
been drained. The quantity of drained oil
differs slightly depending on the tempera-
ture of the oil and the time the oil is left
flowing out. After refilling the engine with
oil, therefore, you must use the level
gauge to confirm that the level is correct.
12. Start the engine and make sure that no
oil leaks appear around the filter ’s rubber
seal and drain plug.
13. Keep the engine idling until the engine
reaches the normal operating temperature
range, as indicated by the temperature
gauge on the combination meter. After
that, check the engine oil level again. For
further details about the check procedure,
refer to “Checking the oil level ”F 11-12.
Maintenance and service
11-15
– CONTINUED –

&Recommended grade and
viscosity under severe driv-
ing conditions
If the vehicle is used in desert areas, in
areas with very high temperatures, or
used for heavy-duty applications such as
towing 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
WARNING
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has cooled down
completely. Since the coolant is
under pressure, you may suffer
serious burns from a spray of boil-
ing hot coolant when the cap isremoved.
CAUTION
. Vehicles are filled at the factory
with SUBARU Super Coolant that
does not require the first change
for 11 years/137,500 miles (11
years/220,000 km). This coolant
should not be mixed with any
other brand or type of coolant
during this period. Mixing with a
different coolant will reduce the
life of the coolant. Should it be
necessary to top off the coolant
for any reason, use only
SUBARU Super Coolant.
If the SUBARU Super Coolant is
diluted with another brand or
type, the maintenance interval is shortened to that of the mixingcoolant.
. Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
& Cooling fan, hose and con- nections
Your vehicle employs an electric cooling
fan which is thermostatically controlled to
operate when the engine coolant reaches
a specific temperature.
If the radiator cooling fan does not operate
even when the coolant temperature high
warning light illuminates, the cooling fan
circuit may be defective. Check the fuse
and replace it if necessary. Refer to“ Fuses ”F 11-48 and “Fuses and circuits ”
F 12-6. If the fuse is not blown, have the
cooling system checked by your SUBARU
dealer.
If frequent addition of coolant is neces-
sary, there may be a leak in the engine
cooling system. It is recommended that
the cooling system and connections be
checked for leaks, damage, or looseness. Maintenance and service
11-17
– CONTINUED –

11-32Maintenance and service
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed
container. &Recommended clutch fluid
FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid
CAUTION
Avoid mixing DOT 3 and DOT 4
brake fluids even if they are of the
same brand. Brake booster
If the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following procedure, have
it checked by your SUBARU dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake
pedal several times, applying the same
pedal force each time. The distance the
pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start
the engine. The pedal should move
slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop
the engine and keep the pedal depressed
for 30 seconds. The pedal height should
not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for
approximately 1 minute then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times to
check the brake booster. The brake
booster operates properly if the pedal
stroke decreases with each depression. NOTE
When you depress the brake pedal
strongly or suddenly, the following
phenomena occur. However, even
though these occur, they do not indi-
cate any malfunctions, and the brake
assist system is operating properly. .
You might feel that the brake pedal is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force..
You might hear the sound of ABS
operating from the engine compart-ment.
Brake assist is not a system that brings
more braking ability to the vehicle
beyond its breaking capability.

Brake pedal
Check the brake pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”.
& Checking the brake pedal
free play
1) 0.08 –0.18 in (2 –5 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the
brake pedal several times. Lightly pull the
brake pedal up with one finger to check
the free play with a force of less than 2 lbf
(10 N, 1 kgf).
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. &
Checking the brake pedal
reserve distance
1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbf (294 N, 30 kgf) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact with your
SUBARU dealer. Clutch pedal (MT models)
Check the clutch pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the
“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ”.
& Checking the clutch function
Check the clutch engagement and disen-gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and
transmission smoothly couple without
any sign of slippage. Maintenance and service
11-33
– CONTINUED –

11-34Maintenance and service
&Checking the clutch pedal
free play
1) 0.19 –0.44 in (5 –11 mm)
Lightly press the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. Replacement of brake pad
and lining
CAUTION
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
brake pad wear indicator, it will
result in the need for costly brake
rotor repair or replacement.
The right front disc brake and the right rear
disc brake have audible wear indicators
on the brake pads. If the brake pads wear
close to their service limit, the wear
indicator makes a very audible scraping
noise when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time you apply the brake pedal, have the brake
pads serviced by your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
& Breaking-in of new brake
pads and linings
When replacing the brake pad or lining,
use only genuine SUBARU parts. After
replacement, the new parts must be
broken in as follows: ! Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40
mph (50 to 65 km/h), step on the brake
pedal lightly. Repeat this five or moretimes. ! Parking brake lining
The break-in maintenance for the parking
brake linings should be performed at a
SUBARU dealer.