
7-30Starting and operating
ing engine operation, the mode of the 
Vehicle Dynamics Control System will bechanged. ! Vehicle Dynamics Control mode
When the ignition switch is on, this mode 
is selected. 
This mode enables all controls for ABS, 
the Traction Control System, and the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system. Select
this mode for most driving situations.
When this mode is selected, the indicator
light on the combination meter turns off. ! Traction mode
This mode restricts the functions of the 
Traction Control System and Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and thus delays
utilizing their functions as a reaction to
vehicle behavior in comparison with the
Vehicle Dynamics Control mode. This
mode should be used in driving situations
where the vehicle dynamic performance
will improve without decreasing engine
torque control. 
When the switch is pressed briefly during 
engine operation, the indicator light on the
combination meter illuminates in green.
When the switch is pressed again to
reactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, the indicator light turns off. !
Vehicle Dynamics Control OFFmode
This mode allows only the ABS control.
This mode should be used in an emer-
gency situation such as getting out of 
snow or mud. 
When the switch is pressed for more than 
approximately 3 seconds during engine
operation, the indicator light on the com-
bination meter illuminates in yellow. When
the switch is pressed again to reactivate
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the
indicator light turns off.
NOTE . The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem will be activated automatically 
when the engine is started.. If the switch is held down for 10
seconds or longer, the indicator light
turns off, the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is activated, and the system
ignores any further pressing of the
switch. To make the switch usable
again, turn the ignition switch to the“ LOCK ”position and restart the en-
gine.. When the Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF mode is selected, the vehicle ’s
running performan ce is comparable
with that of a vehicle that does not
have a Vehicle Dynamics Control sys- tem. Do not deactivate the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system except when
absolutely necessary..
Even when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF mode is selected, compo-
nents of the brake control system may
still activate. When the brake control
system is activated, the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation indicator
light illuminates. & Vehicle Dynamics Control 
OFF switch (except STI)
Indicator light  

Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF switch
Pressingtheswitchtodeactivatethe 
Vehicle Dynamics Control system can
facilitate the following operations: . a standing start on a steeply sloping
road with a snowy, gravel-covered, or 
otherwise slippery surface . extrication of the vehicle when its
wheels are stuck in mud or deep snow 
When the switch is pressed during engine 
operation, the Vehicle Dynamics Control 
OFF indicator light on the combination 
meter illuminates. The Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will be deactivated and the
vehicle will behave like a model not
equipped with the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system. When the switch is pressed
again to reactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF indicator light turns off. 
With the Vehicle Dynamics Control system 
deactivated, traction and stability en-
hancement offered by Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is unavailable. Therefore
you should not deactivate the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system except under
above-mentioned situations.
NOTE . The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem will be activated automatically 
when the engine is started.. If the switch is held down for 10
seconds or longer, the indicator light
turns off, the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is activated, and the system
ignores any further pressing of the
switch. To make the switch usable
again, turn the ignition switch to the“ LOCK ”position and restart the en-
gine.. When the switch is pressed to
deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol system, the vehicle ’s running per-
formance is comparable with that of a
vehicle that does not have a Vehicle
Dynamics Control system. Do not de-
activate the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system except when absolutely neces-
sary. .
Even when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system is deactivated, compo-
nents of the brake control system may
still activate. When the brake control
system is activated, the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation indicator
light illuminates. Starting and operating
7-31  

7-36Starting and operating
4. Confirm the following items.
.The ABS warning light turns off.
. The Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF
indicator light turns off. . The Brake system warning light
illuminates.5. Press the Vehicle Dynamics Control 
mode switch and hold it until the Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
turns off. The Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF indicator light will illuminate in green,
change to yellow, remain illuminated in
yellow for several seconds and then turn
off. 
6. Within 5 seconds after the Vehicle 
Dynamics Control OFF indicator light
turns off, release the Vehicle Dynamics
Control mode switch.7. Within 2 seconds after releasing the 
Vehicle Dynamics Control mode switch,
press the Vehicle Dynamics Control mode
switch once again. Then the Hill start
assist OFF indicator light illuminates. 
8. Turn off the engine.
9. Restart the engine. 
While the Hill start assist system is 
deactivated, the Hill start assist OFF
indicator light illuminates continuously. ! To activate
When the procedure to deactivate the Hill 
start assist system is performed again, the
system is activated. When the Hill start
assist system is activated, the Hill start
assist OFF indicator light turns off.    

!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 ”.
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 7-26 and “Vehicle Dynamics
Control system ”F 7-28.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on 
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of Driving tips
8-7
– CONTINUED – 

11-18Maintenance and service
Brake fluid &Checking the fluid level
1) “MAX ”level mark
2) “MIN ”level mark
Check the fluid level monthly. 
Check the fluid level on the outside of the 
reservoir. If the level is below “MIN ”, add
the recommended brake fluid to “MAX ”.
Use only brake fluid from a sealed 
container.
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.
Alcohol contained in the brake
fluid may damage them.
. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
when adding it. If brake fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If brake fluid gets on the
exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe itoff. &
Recommended brake fluid
Refer to “Fluids ”F 12-7.
CAUTION
Never use different brands of brake 
fluid together. Also, avoid mixing
DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids even if
they are the same brand.  

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  

Fuse
panel Fuse
rating Circuit
16 10A .Illumination
17 15A .Seat heaters
18 10A .Backup light
19 Empty 
20 10A .Accessory power outlet
(instrument panel)
21 7.5A .Starter relay
22 15A .Air conditioner
. Rear window defogger
relay coil
23 15A .Rear wiper
. Rear window washer
24 15A .Audio unit
25 15A .SRS airbag system
26 7.5A .Power window relay
. Radiator main fan relay
27 15A .Blower fan
28 15A .Blower fan
29 15A .Fog light
30 30A .Front wiper
31 7.5A .Auto air conditioner unit
. Integrated unit Fuse
panel Fuse
rating Circuit
32 Empty
33 7.5A .ABS/Vehicle Dynamics
Control unit Specifications
12-11
– CONTINUED – 

12-12Specifications
&Fuse panel located in the engine compartment
A) Main fuse Fuse
panel Fuse
rating Circuit
1 30A .ABS unit
. Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol unit
2 25A .Main fan (cooling fan)
3 10A .Secondary air combina-
tion valve (turbo models)
4 25A .Sub fan (cooling fan)
5 Empty
6 10A .Audio
7 30A .Headlight (low beam)
8 15A .Headlight (high beam)
9 20A .Back-up
10 15A .Horn
11 25A .Rear window defogger
. Mirror heater
12 15A .Fuel pump
13 10A .Automatic transmission
control unit
14 7.5A .Engine control unit
15 15A .Turn and hazard warn-
ing flasher
16 15A .Tail and illumination re-
lay
17 7.5A .Alternator