2011 SUBARU IMPREZA brakes

that full vehicle control will be
maintained at all times and under
all conditions, its activation
should be seen as a sign that
the speed of the vehicle should
be reduced considerably.
. Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a
vehicle, have an inspection of
that system performed by an
authorized SUBARU dealer.
. The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system is operating properly: – All four wheels should be
fitted with tires of the same
size, type, and brand. Further-
more, the amount of wear
should be the same for all
four tires.
– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to
the driver ’s side door pillar.
– Use only the specified tem-
porary spare tire to replace a
flat tire. With a temporary
spare tire, the effectiveness
of the Vehicle Dynamics Con- trol system is reduced and
this should be taken into ac-
count when driving the vehi-
cle in such a condition.
. If non-matching tires are used,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system may not operate cor-
rectly.
. The Vehicle Dynamics Control
system helps prevent unstable
vehicle motion such as skidding
using control of the brakes and
engine power. Do not turn off the
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem unless it is absolutely ne-
cessary. If you must turn off the
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem, drive very carefully based
on the road surface condition.
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine ’s output and the
wheels ’respective braking forces to help
maintain traction and directional control. . Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control. Activation of this function is indicated by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation indicator light. .
Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels ’tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is indicated by
flashing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light.
NOTE . The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem may be considered normal when
the following conditions occur.
–Slight twitching of the brake
pedal is felt. – The vehicle or steering wheel
shakes to a small degree.– An operating sound from the
engine compartment is heard
briefly when starting the engine
and when driving off after starting
the engine. – The brake pedal seems to jolt
when driving off after starting the engine.
. In the circumstances listed in the
following, the vehicle may be more
unstable than it feels to the driver. Starting and operating
7-35
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cially at higher speeds. .Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim. . If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle ’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your
vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover. . Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the
engine stops. This could create a firehazard. .
After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur. . Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle ’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over. . If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the select lever
back and forth between “D ” and “R ”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT). .
Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.. Frequent driving of an AWD model
under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the “Warranty and Mainte-
nance Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage. . Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly. Driving tips
8-7

!Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and
driving dangerous.
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
winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically. ! Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when
parking for long periods in cold weather
since it could freeze in that position.
Instead, you should observe the followingtips.
1. Place the shift lever in “1 ” or “R ”for MT
models, or the select lever in “P ” for AT
models.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them. When the vehicle has been left parked
after use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
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.
WARNING
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the enginerunning.
! Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically
designed for this purpose. When an
antifreeze 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
engine brake effectively to control the
vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear
when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-
vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-
hances your vehicle ’s braking perfor-
manceonsnowyandicyroads.For
information on braking on slippery sur-
faces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-32 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-34.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy Driving tips
8-9
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10-2Appearance care
Exterior care &Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up thebrakes.
. Do not wash the engine compart-
ment and area adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air in-
take, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will
cause engine trouble or a mal-
function of power steering.
. Do not use any organic solvents
when washing the surface of the
bulb assembly cover. However, if
a detergent with organic solvents
is used to wash the cover sur-
face, completely rinse off the
detergent with water. Otherwise,
the cover surface may be da-maged.
. For 5-door models, since your
vehicle is equipped with a rear wiper, automatic car-wash
brushes could become tangled
around it, damaging the wiper
arm and other components. Ask
the automatic car-wash operator
not to let the brushes touch the
wiper arm or to fix the wiper arm
on the rear window glass with
adhesive tape before operating
the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle ’s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in directsunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree
sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required.
If you use a light detergent, make certain
that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All cleaning agents should be promptly
flushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or softcloth. !
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-
rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-
derbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-sion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
the underbody. Carefully flush the suspen-
sion and axle parts, as they are particu-
larly prone to mud and sand buildup. Do
not use a sharp-edged tool to remove
caked mud.

crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and failure of the
tire(s). Possible resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident. !Measuring and adjusting air
pressure to achieve proper in-
flation
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month and
before any long journey. Check the
tire pressures when the tires are
cold. Use a pressure gauge to
adjust the tire pressures to the
specific values. Driving even a
short distance warms up the tires
and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected
by the outside temperature. It is
best to check tire pressure out-
doors before driving the vehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air
inside it expands, causing the tire
pressure to increase. Be careful not
to mistakenly release air from a
warm tire to reduce its pressure. &
Glossary of tire terminology
. Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of
those standard items which may be
replaced) of automatic transmis-
sion, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio,
and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in-
stalled equipment (whether in-
stalled or not). . Bead
The part of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced
by ply cords and that is shaped to fit
the rim.. Bead separation
A breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.. Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at alternate angles substantially
less than 90 degrees to the center-
line of the tread. . Carcass
The tire structure, except tread and sidewall rubber which, when in-
flated, bears the load. .
Chunking
The breaking away of pieces of the
tread or sidewall.. Cold tire pressure
The pressure in a tire that has been
driven less than 1 mile or has been
standing for three hours or more.. Cord
The strands forming the plies in the tire. . Cord separation
The parting of cords from adjacent
rubber compounds.. Cracking
Any parting within the tread, side-
wall, or inner liner of the tire
extending to cord material. . Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with
standard equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight
optional engine.
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-5
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.Passenger car tire
A tire intended for use on passen-
ger cars, multipurpose passenger
vehicles, and trucks, that have a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
of 10,000 lbs (4,535 kg) or less. . Ply
A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.. Ply separation
A parting of rubber compound
between adjacent plies.. Pneumatic tire
A mechanical device made of rub-
ber, chemicals, fabric and steel or
other materials, that, when
mounted on an automotive wheel,
provides the traction and contains
the gas or fluid that sustains theload. . Production options weight
The combined weight of those
installed regular production options
weighing over 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) in
excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously
considered in curb weight or acces- sory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim.
. Radial ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at substantially 90 degrees to
the centerline of the tread. . Recommended inflation pres-
sure
The cold inflation pressure recom-
mended by a vehicle manufacturer. . Reinforced tire
A tire designed to operate at higher
loads and at higher inflation pres-
sures than the corresponding stan-
dard tire. . Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire
and tube assembly upon which the
tire beads are seated. . Rim diameter
Nominal diameter of the bead seat. . Rim size designation
Rim diameter and width. .
Rim type designation
The industry of manufacturer ’s des-
ignation for a rim by style or code. . Rim width
Nominal distance between rim flanges. . Section width
The linear distance between the
exteriors of the sidewalls of an
inflated tire, excluding elevations
due to labeling, decoration, or
protective bands. . Sidewall
That portion of a tire between the
tread and bead.. Sidewall separation
The parting of the rubber com-
pound from the cord material in
the sidewall.. Test rim
The rim on which a tire is fitted for
testing, and it may be any rim listed
as appropriate for use with that tire.. Tread
That portion of a tire that comes
into contact with the road.
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-7
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13-14Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
The GVWR and front and rear
GAWRs are determined by not only
the maximum load rating of tires but
also loaded capacities of the vehi-cle ’s suspension, axles and other
parts of the body.
Therefore, this means that the
vehicle cannot necessarily be
loaded up to the tire ’s maximum
load rating on the tire sidewall. & Adverse safety conse-
quences of overloading on
handling and stopping and
on tires
Overloading could affect vehicle
handling, stopping distance, and
vehicle and tire performance in the
following ways. This could lead to
an accident and possibly result in
severe personal injury. . Vehicle stability will deteriorate.
. Heavy and/or high-mounted
loads could increase the risk of
rollover. . Stopping distance will increase.
. Brakes could overheat and fail. .
Suspension, bearings, axles and
other body parts could break or
experience accelerated wear that
will shorten vehicle life.
. Tires could fail.
. Tread separation could occur.
. Tire could separate from its rim.
& Steps for Determining Cor-
rect Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXXpounds ”on your vehicle ’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle. 3. Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or XXX pounds. 4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For exam-
ple, if the “XXX ”amount equals
1,400 lbs (635 kg) and there will be
five- 150 lbs (68 kg) passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of avail- able cargo and luggage load capa-
city is 650 lbs. (1,400
750 (5 6
150) = 650 lbs)
5. Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4. 6. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your ve-hicle. NOTE
Your vehicle is neither designed
nor intended to be used for
trailer towing. Therefore, never
tow a trailer with your vehicle.