
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. !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
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter theengine ’sintakesystemandmay
hinder the airflow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or evenbreakdown.
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 about braking on slippery
surfaces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake
System) ”F 7-20 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-23.
! Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button in the “
”position and the
temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth until the wiper blades are com-
pletely thawed out. The wiper deicer is
helpful to thaw the windshield wiper
blades. To thaw out the rear wiper blade,
use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow control button in “
”and
the temperature control dial set for max-
imum warmth. After the windshield gets
warmed enough to melt the frozen snow
on it, wash it away using the windshield
washer. Driving tips
8-9
– CONTINUED –

.Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn. . If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed
immediately by the nearest SUBARU
dealer. ! Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts. . When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating. . When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the water temperature gauge
pointer and AT OIL TEMP warning light
because the engine and transmission are
relatively prone to overheating under
these conditions. If the water temperature
gauge pointer approaches the OVER-
HEAT zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning
light illuminates, immediately turn off the air conditioner and stop the vehicle in the
nearest safe location. For further instruc-
tions and additional information, refer to
the following sections.
–“If you park your vehicle in an
emergency ”F 9-2
–“ Engine overheating ”F 9-14
–“ Temperature gauge ”F 3-9
–“ AT OIL TEMP warning light ”F 3-13
NOTE
The temperature of engine coolant is
less likely to rise to the OVERHEAT
zone in the “D ” position than in the
manual mode position. . Avoid using the accelerator pedal to
stay stationary on an uphill slope instead
of using the parking brake or foot brake.
That may cause the transmission fluid tooverheat. ! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps.
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle and trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release the regular brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then
apply the parking brake; slowly release
the regular brakes.
5. Shift into
“P ”and shut off the engine. Driving tips
8-27

11-18Maintenance and service
power steering fluid touches the
exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire. If
power steering fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff.
The power steering fluid expands greatly
as its temperature rises; the fluid level
differs according to fluid temperature.
Therefore, the reservoir tank has two
different checking ranges for hot and coldfluids.
Check the power steering fluid level
monthly.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface,
and stop the engine.
2. Check the fluid level of the reservoir tank.
When the fluid is hot after the vehicle has
been run: Check that the oil level isbetween “HOT MIN ”and “HOT MAX ”on
the surface of the reservoir tank.
When the fluid is cool before the vehicle is
run: Check that the oil level is between“ COLD MIN ”and “COLD MAX ”on the
surface of the reservoir tank.
3. If the fluid level is lower than the
applicable “MIN ”line, add the recom-
mended fluid as necessary to bring the
level between the “MIN ”and “MAX ”line. If the fluid level is extreme low, it may
indicate possible leakage. Consult your
SUBARU dealer for inspection.
& Recommended fluid
Refer to “Fluids ”F 12-7. Brake fluid &
Checking the fluid level
WARNING
. Never let brake fluid contact your
eyes because brake fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If brake
fluid gets in your eyes, immedi-
ately flush them thoroughly with
clean water. For safety, when
performing this work, wearing
eye protection is advisable.
. Brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause a dangerous loss
of braking performance.
. If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
. When adding brake fluid, be care-
ful not to allow any dirt into the
reservoir.
. Never splash the brake fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.

14-2Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................................... 7-20
Warning light ................................................. 3-15, 7-21
Accessories ....................................................... 5-2, 11-37
Accessory power outlet ............................................... 6-10
Active head restraint ..................................................... 1-6
Air cleaner element ................................................... 11-13
Air conditioner Automatic climate control system ............................... 4-5
Air filtration system ..................................................... 4-11
Airflow ........................................................................ 4-2
Airflow mode selection .................................................. 4-3
Airflow selection
Automatic climate control system ............................... 4-8
Alarm system ............................................................ 2-16
All-Wheel Drive warning light ....................................... 3-18
Aluminum wheel ....................................................... 11-28
Cleaning ............................................................... 10-3
Antenna system ........................................................... 5-2
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ..................................... 7-20
Arming the system ..................................................... 2-17
Armrest ..................................................................... 1-13
AT OIL TEMP warning light ......................................... 3-13
Audio Antenna system ....................................................... 5-2
Auxiliary input jack ................................................. 5-28
Control button ........................................................ 5-26
Set......................................................................... 5-3
Auto-dimming mirror/compass .............................. 3-37, 3-40
Automatic climate control system ................................... 4-5
Automatic transmission ............................................... 7-12 Fluid
........................................................... 11-15, 12-7
MANUAL mode ...................................................... 7-16
Oil temperature warning light (AT OIL TEMP) ............. 3-13
Select lever ........................................................... 7-13
Shift lock function ................................................... 7-14
Shift lock release .................................................... 7-14
SPORT mode ........................................................ 7-18
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ........... 1-18
Auxiliary input jack ...................................................... 5-28
B Battery .................................................................... 11-34
Drainage prevention function ..................................... 2-6
Jump starting ......................................................... 9-11
Replacement (remote keyless entry system) .............. 2-11
Booster seat .............................................................. 1-37
Bottle holder ............................................................... 6-9
Brake Assist .................................................................... 7-19
Booster ....................................................... 7-19, 11-19
Fluid ........................................................... 11-18, 12-7
Pad and lining ...................................................... 11-21
Parking ....................................................... 7-29, 11-21
Pedal .................................................................. 11-20
System .................................................................. 7-19
Brake pedal Free play ............................................................. 11-20
Reserve distance .................................................. 11-20
Brake system ............................................................. 7-19
Warning light .......................................................... 3-16
Braking ..................................................................... 7-19

14-10Index
Weight.................................................................. 8-20
Traction Control system OFF indicator light .......................................... 3-18, 7-25
OFF switch ........................................................... 7-27
Trailer Connecting ............................................................ 8-18
Hitch ............................................................ 8-18, 8-23
Towing .................................................................. 8-20
Towing tips ............................................................ 8-26
Trip meter ................................................................... 3-7
Turn signal Indicator lights ....................................................... 3-20
Lever .................................................................... 3-28
U
Under-floor storage compartment ................................. 6-16
V
Valet mode ................................................................ 2-18
Vanity mirror ...................................................... 6-5, 11-44
Vehicle Capacity weight ..................................................... 8-12
Identification ........................................................ 12-16
Symbols .................................................................... 3
Vehicle Dynamics Control Operation indicator light .................................. 3-18, 7-25
System ................................................................. 7-23
Warning light ................................................. 3-18, 7-25
Ventilator .................................................................... 4-2 W
Warning and indicator lights
.......................................... 3-9
Warning chimes
Seatbelt. ........................................................ 1-18, 3-10
Warning light ABS.............................................................. 3-15, 7-21
All-Wheel Drive ...................................................... 3-18
AT OIL TEMP ......................................................... 3-13
Brake system ......................................................... 3-16
Charge .................................................................. 3-13
CHECK ENGINE .................................................... 3-12
Door open ............................................................. 3-17
Low fuel ......................................................... 3-8, 3-17
Low tire pressure .................................................... 3-14
Oil pressure ........................................................... 3-13
Rear differential oil temperature ................................ 3-14
Seatbelt. ........................................................ 1-18, 3-10
SRS airbag system ................................................. 3-11
Vehicle Dynamics Control ................................ 3-18, 7-25
Windshield washer fluid ........................................... 3-18
Warranties ..................................................................... 1
Warranties and maintenance ........................................ 8-20
Washing .................................................................... 10-2
Waxing and polishing .................................................. 10-3
Wear indicators ........................................................ 11-26
Wheel Alignment .............................................................. 12-9
Aluminum ............................................................ 11-28
Balance ............................................................... 11-26
Nut tightening torque ............................................... 12-8
Replacement. ....................................................... 11-28