Rear tie-down hooks:
The rear tie-down hooks are located near
each of the jack-up reinforcements.
WARNING
Use the rear tie-down hooks only for
downward anchoring. If they are
used to anchor the vehicle in any
other direction, cables may slip off
the hooks, possibly causing a dan-
gerous situation. &
Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your
vehicle. Use the following procedures to
ensure safe transportation.
1. Shifttheshiftleverintothe “1st ”
position.
2. Pull up the parking brake lever firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier
properly with safety chains. Each safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (both
optional), be careful not to scrape
them when placing the vehicle on
the carrier and when removing the
vehicle from the carrier.
& Towing with all wheels on the ground
1. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in the neutral position.
2. The ignition switch should be in the “Acc ”position while the vehicle is being
towed.
3. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
In case of emergency/Towing9-15
– CONTINUED –
9-16In case of emergency/Rear gate–if the rear gate cannot be unlocked
WARNING
. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ”position while the
vehicle is being towed because
the steering wheel and the direc-
tion of the wheels will be locked.
. Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is
turned off, it will take greater
effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
CAUTION
. If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
. Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the
engine running. Rear gate
–if the rear gate
cannot be unlocked
In the event that you cannot open the rear
gate by operating the rear gate opener
button, you can open it from inside the
cargo area.
1. Remove the access cover at the
bottom-center of the rear gate trim.
2. Locate the rear gate open lever behind
the rear gate trim panel.
CAUTION
Never operate the rear gate open
lever with fingers because doing so
may cause an injury. Always use a
flat-head screwdriver or a similartool.
3. Slide the lever to the right position
using a flat-head screwdriver to open the
rear gate.
Exterior care....................................................... 10-2
Washing ............................................................. 10-2
Waxing and polishing ......................................... 10-3
Cleaning aluminum wheels ................................. 10-3
Corrosion protection .......................................... 10-4
Most common causes of corrosion ..................... 10-4
To help prevent corrosion ................................... 10-4 Cleaning the interior
.......................................... 10-5
Seat fabric ......................................................... 10-5
Leather seat materials ........................................ 10-5
Synthetic leather upholstery ............................... 10-5
Climate control panel, audio panel, instrument panel, console panel, and switches .................. 10-5
Navigation monitor (if equipped) ........................ 10-6
Appearance care
10
CAUTION
. Be careful not to damage brake
hoses, sensor harnesses, and
other parts when washing sus-
pension components.
. Be careful not to flush the engine
bottom for a long time. It may
cause damage of some electricalparts.
! Using a warm water washer
. Keep a good distance of 12 in (30 cm)
or more between the washer nozzle and
the vehicle. . Do not wash the same area continu-
ously.. If a stain will not come out easily, wash
by hand. Some warm water washers are
of the high temperature, high pressure
type, and they can damage or deform the
resin parts such as moldings, or cause
water to leak into the vehicle.
& Waxing and polishing
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing and polishing.
Use a good quality polish and wax and
apply them according to the manufac-turer ’s instructions. Wax or polish when
the painted surface is cool. Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim,
as well as the painted surfaces. Loss of
wax on a painted surface leads to loss of
the original luster and also quickens the
deterioration of the surface. It is recom-
mended that a coat of wax be applied at
least once a month, or whenever the
surface no longer repels water.
If the appearance of the paint has dimin-
ished to the point where the luster or tone
cannot be restored, lightly polish the
surface with a fine-grained compound.
Never polish just the affected area, but
include the surrounding area as well.
Always polish in only one direction. A
No. 2000 grain compound is recom-
mended. Never use a coarse-grained
compound. Coarse-grained compounds
have a smaller grain-size number and
could damage the paint. After polishing
with a compound, coat with wax to restore
the original luster. Frequent polishing with
acompoundoranincorrectpolishing
technique will result in removing the paint
layer and exposing the undercoat. When
in doubt, it is always best to contact your
SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specia-list.
CAUTION
Do not use any agents with organic solvents on the surface of the bulb
assembly cover. However, if a polish
or wax with organic solvents is
applied to the cover surface, com-
pletely wipe off the polish or wax.
Otherwise, the cover surface may bedamaged.
NOTE
Be careful not to block the windshield
washer nozzles with wax when waxing
the vehicle. & Cleaning aluminum wheels
. Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels
clean of any kind of grime or agent. If dirt
is left on too long, it may be difficult to
clean off. . Do not use soap containing grit to
clean the wheels. Be sure to use a neutral
cleaning agent, and later rinse thoroughly
with water. Do not clean the wheels with a
stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed
washing device. . Clean the vehicle (including the alumi-
num wheels) with water as soon as
possible when it has been splashed with
sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or
driven on roads treated with salt or otheragents.
Appearance care/Exterior care10-3
Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions ................................... 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................... 11-4
When checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is running .......... 11-5
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-5
Engine compartment overview .......................... 11-6
Turbo models except STI .................................... 11-6
STI..................................................................... 11-7
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-8
Checking the oil level ......................................... 11-8
Changing the oil and oil filter .............................. 11-9
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-10
Synthetic oil ..................................................... 11-10
Cooling system ................................................ 11-11
Cooling fan, hose and connections ................... 11-11
Engine coolant ................................................. 11-12
Air cleaner element .......................................... 11-13
Replacing the air cleaner element ..................... 11-13
Spark plugs ...................................................... 11-14
Recommended spark plugs .............................. 11-14
Drive belts ........................................................ 11-15
Manual transmission oil .................................. 11-16
Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-16
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-16
Rear differential gear oil .................................. 11-17
Recommended grade and viscosity .................. 11-17Power steering fluid
........................................ 11-17
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-17
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-18
Brake fluid ........................................................ 11-18
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-18
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-19
Clutch fluid ....................................................... 11-19
Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-19
Recommended clutch fluid ............................... 11-20
Brake booster .................................................. 11-20
Brake pedal ...................................................... 11-21
Checking the brake pedal free play .................. 11-21
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-21
Clutch pedal ..................................................... 11-21
Checking the clutch function ............................ 11-21
Checking the clutch pedal free play .................. 11-22
Hill start assist system .................................... 11-22
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............ 11-22
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ....... 11-23
Parking brake stroke ....................................... 11-23
Tires and wheels .............................................. 11-24
Types of tires ................................................... 11-24
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ...................................................... 11-24
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-25
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-26
Wheel balance ................................................. 11-28
Wear indicators ............................................... 11-28
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-29
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-29
Maintenance and service
11
Maintenance and serviceTire replacement .............................................. 11-29
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-30
Aluminum wheels ............................................. 11-31
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-31
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-32
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-33
Windshield wiper blade rubber (type A and type B) .................................................................. 11-34
Rear window wiper blade assembly (5-door models). ......................................................... 11-35
Rear window wiper blade rubber (5-door models). ......................................................... 11-35
Battery. .............................................................. 11-37
Fuses ................................................................ 11-38 Installation of accessories
.............................. 11-39
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-39
Headlights (models with HID headlights) ........... 11-39
Headlights (models without HID headlights) ...... 11-40
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-42
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-42
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-43
Backup light (5-door) ....................................... 11-45
License plate light ........................................... 11-46
Map light ......................................................... 11-46
Dome light and cargo area light ....................... 11-47
Trunk light ....................................................... 11-47
High-mounted stop light (4-door) ... ................... 11-48
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-48
Maintenance schedule
The scheduled maintenance items re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals
are shown in the“Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the separate “Warranty and Main-
tenance Booklet ”. Maintenance precautions
When maintenance and service are re-
quired, it is recommended that all work be
done by an authorized SUBARU dealer.
If you perform maintenance and service
by yourself, you should familiarize yourself
with the information provided in this
section on general maintenance and
service for your SUBARU.
Incorrect or incomplete service could
cause improper or unsafe vehicle opera-
tion. Any problems caused by improper
maintenance and service performed by
you are not eligible for warranty coverage.
WARNING
. Testing of an All-Wheel Drive
model must NEVER be per-
formed on a single two-wheel
dynamometer or similar appara-
tus. Attempting to do so will
result in transmission damage
and in uncontrolled vehicle
movement and may cause an
accident or injuries to persons
nearby.
. Always select a safe area when
performing maintenance on yourvehicle. .
Always be very careful to avoid
injury when working on the vehi-
cle. Remember that some of the
materials in the vehicle may be
hazardous if improperly used or
handled, for example, batteryacid.
. Your vehicle should only be ser-
viced by persons fully competent
to do so. Serious personal injury
may result to persons not experi-
enced in servicing vehicles.
. Always use the proper tools and
make certain that they are wellmaintained.
. Never get under the vehicle sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use
safety stands to support thevehicle.
. Never keep the engine running in
a poorly ventilated area, such as
a garage or other closed areas.
. Do not smoke or allow open
flames around the fuel or battery.
This will cause a fire.
. Because the fuel system is under
pressure, replacement of the fuel
filter should be performed only
by your SUBARU dealer.
. Wear adequate eye protection to
Maintenance and service/Maintenance schedule11-3
– CONTINUED –
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.Drivethevehicleataspeedof
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 strokeCheck 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.
Maintenance and service/Parking brake stroke11-23