2012 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX brake

Clutch fluid &Checking the fluid level
Check the fluid level on the outside of the
reservoir. If the level is below “MIN ”level
mark, add the recommended clutch fluidto “MAX ”level mark.
Use only clutch fluid from a sealed
container.
WARNING
Never let clutch fluid contact your
eyes because clutch fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If clutch fluid
gets in your eyes, immediately flush
them thoroughly with clean water.
For safety, when performing this
work, wearing eye protection is advisable.
CAUTION
. Clutch fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause improper clutchoperation.
. If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
. When clutch fluid is added, be
careful not to allow any dirt into
the tank.
. Never splash the clutch fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.
Alcohol contained in the clutch
fluid may damage them.
. Be careful not to spill clutch fluid
when adding it. If clutch fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If clutch fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff. &
Recommended clutch fluid
Refer to “Fluids ”F 12-7.CAUTION
Never use different brands of clutch
fluid together. Also, avoid mixing
DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids even if
they are the same brand. Maintenance and service
11-19

11-20Maintenance and service
Brake booster
If the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following, 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 one 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
For vehicles equipped with the brake
assist system, when you depress the
brake pedal strongly or suddenly, you
might feel that lighter depression of the
brake pedal generates a greater brak-
ing force. However, even though these
occur, they do not indicate any mal- functions, and the brake assist system
is operating properly.
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) 0.02 –0.08 in (0.5 –2.0 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
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. &
Checking the clutch pedal
free play1) 0.16 –0.43 in (4.0 –11.0 mm)
Lightly depress 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. Maintenance and service
11-21

11-22Maintenance and service
Hill start assist system
Ensure that the Hill start assist system
operates properly under the followingcircumstances:
1. Stop the vehicle on an uphill grade by
depressing the brake pedal and clutch
pedal, with the engine running.
2. Make sure that the vehicle does not
move backward even after the brake
pedal is released.
3. Then make sure the vehicle starts
climbing the grade by following the normal
starting procedures.
If the Hill start assist system does not
operate as described above, contact with
your SUBARU dealer. Replacement of brake pad
and lining
The disc brakes 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 isapplied.
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.
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.
& 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
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button
pushed in, pull the parking brake lever
SLOWLY and GENTLY (pulling with a
force of approximately 33.7 lbf [150 N,
15.3 kgf]).
3. Drive the vehicle for approximately
220 yards (200 meters) in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking
brake to cool down. Repeat this proce-dure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the
parking brake stroke is out of the specified

range, adjust it by turning the adjusting nut
located on the parking brake lever.Parking brake stroke: 7–8 notches / 45 lbf (200 N, 20.4 kgf)
WARNING
A safe location and situation should
be selected for break-in driving.
CAUTION
Pulling the parking brake lever too
forcefully may cause the rear
wheels to lock. To avoid this, be
certain to pull the lever up slowly
and gently. Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the“
Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
When the parking brake is properly
adjusted, braking power is fully applied
by pulling the lever up 7 to 8 notches
gently but firmly (approximately 45 lbf [200
N, 20.4 kgf]). If the parking brake lever
stroke is not within the specified range,
have the brake system checked and
adjusted at your SUBARU dealer. Tires and wheels &
Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle. ! All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON ”and/or “M+S ”(Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall. ! Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-
covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to
replace all four tires. Maintenance and service
11-23
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one minute.
When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal
operation of the tire pressure monitoring
system. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not illuminate briefly after the
ignition switch is turned ON or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-
ing for approximately one minute,
you should have your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System checked at a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-ble.
If this light illuminates while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
If this light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible.
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
& Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem. NOTE . When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle
’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and
approach the curbs as squarely as
possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle.. If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the
vehicle in a straight line, one of the
tires and/or wheels may be damaged.
Drive slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicleinspected.
& Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires ’service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey. Maintenance and service
11-25
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11-30Maintenance and service
ance between the body and tires.
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control.
. You must install four tires that are
of the same size, circumference,
construction, manufacturer,
brand (tread pattern), degree of
wear, speed symbol and load
index. Mixing tires of different
types, sizes or degrees of wear
can result in damage to the
vehicle ’s power train. Use of
different types or sizes of tires
can also dangerously reduce
controllability and braking per-
formance and can lead to anaccident.
. Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
an accident.
& Wheel replacement
When replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available from SUBARU dealers.
WARNING
Use only those wheels that are
specified for your vehicle. Wheels
not meeting specifications could
interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub
against the wheel well housing dur-
ing turns. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident.
NOTE
When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to
change a flat tire, always check the
tightness of the wheel nuts after driv-
ing approximately 600 miles (1,000 km).
If any nut is loose, tighten it to the
specified torque. Aluminum wheels
Aluminum wheels can be scratched and
damaged easily. Handle them carefully to
maintain their appearance, performance,
and safety. .
When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to change
a flat tire, always check the tightness of
the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose,
tighten it to the specified torque. . Never apply oil to the threaded parts,
wheel nuts, or tapered surface of the wheel. . Never let the wheel rub against sharp
protrusions or curbs.. When wheel nuts, balance weights, or
the center cap is replaced, be sure to
replace them with genuine SUBARU parts
designed for aluminum wheels.

1) View from driver’s left-hand side
2) View from driver ’s right-hand side
4. Remove the bulb.
5. Replace the bulb with a new one.
6. After replacing the bulb, reattach the
mud guard. &
Rear combination lights
! 4-door models
1. Remove the clip from the rear trunk
trim with a screwdriver.
2. Open the rear portion of the side trunk
trim panel.
1) Brake/tail and rear side marker light
2) Rear turn signal light
3) Back-up light
3. Remove the bulb socket from the rear
combination light assembly by turning itcounterclockwise.
4. Pull the bulb out of the bulb socket and
replace it with a new one.
5. Set the bulb socket into the rear
combination light assembly and turn it
clockwise until it locks.
6. Secure the rear trunk trim panel with
the clips. Maintenance and service
11-43
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