
Wiper and washer
WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use thewindshield washer until the wind-shield is sufficiently warmed by thedefroster.
Otherwise the washer fluid canfreeze on the windshield, blockingyour view.
CAUTION
.Do not operate the washer con-tinuously for more than 10 sec-onds, or when the washer fluidtank is empty. This may causeoverheating of the washer motor.Check the washer fluid levelfrequently, such as at fuel stops.
.Do not operate the wipers whenthe windshieldor rear window isdry. This may scratch the glass,damage the wiper blades andcause the wiper motor to burnout. Before operating the wiperon a dry windshield or rearwindow, always use the wind-shield washer.
.In freezing weather, be sure thatthe wiper blades are not frozen tothe windshield or rear windowbefore switching on the wipers.Attempting to operate the wiperwith the blades frozen to thewindow glass could cause notonly the wiper blades to bedamagedbut also the wiper mo-tor to burn out. If the wiperblades are frozen to the windowglass, be sure to operate thedefroster, wiper deicer (ifequipped) or rear window defog-ger before turning on the wiper.
.If the wipers stop during opera-tion because of ice or some otherobstruction on the window, thewiper motor could burn out evenif the wiper switch is turned off. Ifthis occurs, promptly stop thevehicle in a safe place, turn theignition switch to the“LOCK”position and clean the windowglass to allow proper wiper op-eration.
.Use clean water if windshieldwasher fluid is unavailable. Inareas where water freezes inwinter, use SUBARU WindshieldWasher Fluid or the equivalent.Refer to“Windshield washer
fluid”F11-28.
Also, when driving the vehiclewhen there are freezing tempera-tures, use non-freezing type wi-per blades.
.Do not clean the wiper bladeswith gasoline or a solvent, suchas paint thinner or benzine. Thiswill cause deterioration of thewiper blades.
NOTE
.The front wiper motor is protectedagainst overloads by a circuit breaker.The motor operates continuously un-der an unusually heavy load, the circuitbreaker may trip to stop the motortemporarily. If this happens, park yourvehicle in a safe place, turn off thewiper switch, and wait for approxi-mately 10 minutes. The circuit breakerwill reset itself, and the wipers willagain operate normally..Clean your wiper blades and win-dow glass periodically with a washersolution to prevent streaking, and toremove accumulations of road salt orroad film. Operate the windshieldwasher for at least 1 second so thatwasher solution will be sprinkled allover the windshield or rear window.
Instruments and controls3-33
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When the wiper switch is in the“”position, turn the dial to adjust the operat-ing interval of the wiper.
The operating interval can be adjusted innine steps.
The intermittent operation interval variesdepending on the vehicle speed in any ofthe adjustment steps (longer when thevehicle speed is low; shorter when thevehicle speed is high).
!Washer
To wash the windshield, push the washerbutton at the end of the wiper control lever.The washer fluid sprays until you releasethe washer button. The wipers operatewhile you push the button.
NOTE
The windshield washer fluid warninglightilluminates when the washer fluidlevel in the tank has dropped to thelower limit. If the warning light illumi-nates, refill the tank with fluid. For thetank refilling method, refer to“Wind-shield washerfluid”F11-28.
&Rear window wiper and
washer switch
: Washer (accompanied by wiper operation)ON: ContinuousINT: IntermittentOFF: Off: Washer
!Rear wiper
To turn the rear wiper on, turn the knob onthe end of the wiper control lever upwardto the“INT”or“ON”position.
To turn the wiper off, return the knob onthe end of the lever to the“OFF”position.
With the switch turned to the“INT”position, the rear wiper will operate inter-mittently at intervals corresponding to thevehicle speed (longer when the vehicle
Instruments and controls3-35
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3-36Instruments and controls
speed is low; shorter when the vehiclespeed is high).
When you subsequently move the selectlever of the automatic transmission to the“R”position, the rear wiper will switch tocontinuous operation. When you move theselect lever from the“R”position to someother position, the rear wiper will return tointermittent operation.
!Washer
To wash the rear window while the rearwiperis operating, turn the knob on theend of the wiper control lever upward tothe“”position. The washer fluid spraysuntil you release the knob.
To wash the rear window when the rearwiper is not in use, turn the knob on theend of the wiper control lever downward tothe“”position. The washer fluid spraysand the wiper operates until you releasetheknob.
Windshield wiper deicer
The windshield wiper deicer operates onlywhen the ignition switch is in the“ON”position.
To turn on the windshield wiper deicer,push the control switch. The indicator lightlocated on the switch illuminates while thewindshield wiper deicer is operating.
To turn it off, push the control switch again.It also turns off when the ignition switch isturned to the“Acc”or“LOCK”position.
The windshield wiper deicer will automa-tically shut off after approximately 15minutes. If the windshield wiper bladeshave been deiced completely before thattime, push the control switch to turn it off. Ifdeicing is not complete, you have to push
the control switch to turn it on again.
Your SUBARU dealer can set your wind-shield wiper deicer to the continuousoperation mode. Contact your SUBARUdealer for details.
Once the windshield wiper deicer hasbeen set to the continuous operationmode, it should be in the continuousoperation mode at any time when thecontrol switch is pushed to the“ON”position.
If the battery voltage drops below thepermissible level, continuous operation ofthe windshield wiper deicer is canceledand the system stops operating.
CAUTION
To prevent the battery from beingdischarged, do not operate thewindshield wiper deicer continu-ously for any longer than necessary.
NOTE
.Turn on the windshield wiper deicerif the wipers are frozen to the wind-shield..If the windshield is covered withsnow, remove the snow so that thewindshield wiper deicer works effec-

8-8Driving tips
Winter driving
&Operation during cold
weather
Carry some emergency equipment, suchas a window scraper, a bag of sand,flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Coldtemperatures reduce battery capacity.The battery must be in good condition toprovide enough power for cold winterstarts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade andviscosity for cold weather. Heavy summeroil will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing bysquirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damageor separate the rubber weather stripsaround the door. If the door is frozen,use hot water to melt the ice, and after-wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-tains an antifreeze solution. Do not useengine antifreeze or other substitutesbecause they may damage the paint ofthe vehicle.
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%surfactant, by volume. Its freezing tem-perature varies according to how much itis diluted, as indicated in the followingtable.
Washer Fluid Con-centrationFreezing Temperature
30% 10.48F(!128C)
50%!48F(!208C)
100%!498F(!458C)
In order to prevent freezing of washerfluid, check the freezing temperatures inthe table above when adjusting the fluidconcentration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid witha different concentration from the oneused previously, purge the old fluid fromthe piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washerfor a certain period of time. Otherwise, ifthe concentration of the fluid remaining inthe piping is too low for the outsidetemperature, it may freeze and block thenozzles.
CAUTION
.Adjust the washer fluid concen-tration appropriately for the out-side temperature. If the concen-tration is inappropriate, sprayedwasher fluid may freeze on thewindshield and obstruct yourview, and the fluid may freeze inthe reservoir tank.
.State or local regulations onvolatile organic compounds mayrestrict the use of methanol, acommon windshield washer anti-freeze additive. Washer fluidscontaining non-methanol anti-freeze agents should be usedonly if they provide cold weatherprotection without damagingyour vehicle’s paint, wiper bladesor washer system.
!Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove anysnow or ice from your shoes because that

10-2Appearance care
Exterior care
&Washing
CAUTION
.When washing the vehicle, thebrakes may get wet. As a result,the brake stopping distance willbe longer. To dry the brakes,drive the vehicle at a safe speedwhile lightly pressing the brakepedal to heat up the brakes.
.Do not wash the engine compart-ment and areas adjacent to it. Ifwater enters the engine air in-take, electrical parts or the powersteering fluid reservoir, it willcause engine trouble or a mal-functionof the power steering.
.Do not use any organic solventswhen washing the surface of thebulb assembly cover. However, ifa detergent with organic solventsis used to wash the cover sur-face, completely rinse off thedetergent with water. Otherwise,the cover surface may be da-maged.
.Since your vehicle is equippedwith a rear wiper, automatic car-wash brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging thewiper arm and other compo-nents. Ask the automatic car-wash operator not to let thebrushes touch the wiper arm orto fix the wiper arm on the rearwindow glass with adhesive tapebefore operating the machine.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed inan automatic car wash, make surebeforehand that the car wash is ofsuitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle’sbeauty is frequent washing. Wash thevehicleat least once a month to avoidcontamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plentyof lukewarm or cold water. Do not washthe vehicle with hot water and in directsunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, treesap, and bird droppings should be washedoff by using a light detergent, as required.If you use a light detergent, make certainthat it is a neutral detergent. Do not usestrong soap or chemical detergents. Allcleaning agents should be promptlyflushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughlywith plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe theremaining water off with a chamois or softcloth.
!Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used fordeicing road surfaces are extremely cor-rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-derbody components, such as the exhaustsystem, fuel and brake lines, brakecables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-pension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-side of the fenders with lukewarm or coldwater at frequent intervals to reduce theharmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbodycomponents may accelerate their corro-sion.
Afterdriving off-road or muddy or sandyroads, wash the mud and sand off theunderbody.
Carefully flushthe suspension and axleparts, as they are particularly prone tomud and sand buildup. Do not use asharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.
NOTE
Be careful not to damage brake hoses,sensor harnesses, and other partswhen washing suspension compo-

Maintenance schedule....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions................................... 11-3Before checking or servicing in the enginecompartment.................................................... 11-4When you do checking or servicing in the enginecompartment while the engine is running.......... 11-4
Engine hood....................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview.......................... 11-6
Engine oil............................................................ 11-7Checking the oil level......................................... 11-7Changing the oil and oil filter.............................. 11-8Recommendedgrade and viscosity.................... 11-9Synthetic oil....................................................... 11-9
Cooling system................................................ 11-10Hose and connections...................................... 11-10Engine coolant................................................. 11-11
Air cleaner element.......................................... 11-12Replacing the air cleaner element..................... 11-12
Spark plugs...................................................... 11-13Recommended spark plugs.............................. 11-13
Drive belts........................................................ 11-13
Automatic transmission fluid.......................... 11-14Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-14Recommended fluid......................................... 11-15
Front differential gear oil................................. 11-15Checking the oil level....................................... 11-15Recommended grade and viscosity.................. 11-16
Rear differential gear oil.................................. 11-16Recommended grade and viscosity.................. 11-16
Power steering fluid........................................ 11-16Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-16Recommended fluid......................................... 11-17
Brake fluid........................................................ 11-17Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-17Recommended brake fluid............................... 11-18
Brakebooster.................................................. 11-18
Brake pedal...................................................... 11-19Checking the brake pedal free play.................. 11-19Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-19
Replacement of brake pad and lining............ 11-19Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings....... 11-20
Parking brake stroke....................................... 11-20
Tires and wheels.............................................. 11-21Types of tires................................................... 11-21Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).......... 11-21Tire inspection................................................. 11-22Tire pressuresand wear.................................. 11-23Wheel balance................................................. 11-25Wear indicators............................................... 11-25Tire rotation direction mark.............................. 11-25Tire rotation..................................................... 11-26Tire replacement.............................................. 11-26Wheel replacement.......................................... 11-27
Aluminum wheels............................................ 11-27
Windshield washer fluid.................................. 11-28
Replacement of wiper blades......................... 11-29Windshield wiper blade assembly..................... 11-30Windshield wiper blade rubber ......................... 11-30Rear window wiper blade assembly.................. 11-31
Maintenance and service
11

11-4Maintenance and service
guard against getting oil or fluidsin your eyes. If something doesget in your eyes, thoroughlywash them out with clean water.
.Do not tamper with the wiring ofthe SRS airbag system or seat-belt pretensioner system, or at-tempt to take its connectorsapart, as that may activate thesystem or it can render it inop-erative. NEVER use a circuittester for these wiring. If yourSRS airbag or seatbelt preten-sioner needs service, consultyour nearest SUBARU dealer.
&Before checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
WARNING
.Always stop the engine and setthe parking brake firmly to pre-vent the vehicle from moving.
.Always let the engine cool down.Engine parts become very hotwhen the engine is running andremain hot for some time afterthe engine is stopped.
.Do not spill engine oil, enginecoolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components.This may cause a fire.
.Always remove the key from theignition switch. When the ignitionswitch is in the“ON”position,the cooling fan may operatesuddenly even when the engineis stopped.
&When you do checking or
servicing in the engine com-
partment while the engine is
running
WARNING
A running engine can be dangerous.Keep your fingers, hands, clothing,hair and tools away from the coolingfan, belts and any other movingengine parts. Removing rings,watches and ties is advisable.
Engine hood
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off thewindshield, return them to their originalpositions.
2. Pull the hood release knob under theinstrument panel.

side temperature. If the concen-tration is inappropriate, sprayedwasher fluid may freeze on thewindshield and obstruct yourview, and the fluid may freeze inthe reservoir tank.
.State or local regulations onvolatileorganic compounds mayrestrict the use of methanol, acommon windshield washer anti-freeze additive. Washer fluidscontaining non-methanol anti-freeze agents should be usedonly if they provide cold weatherprotection without damagingyour vehicle’s paint, wiper bladesor washer system.
Replacement of wiper blades
Grease, wax, insects, or other materialson the windshield or the wiper bladeresults in jerky wiper operation and streak-ing on the glass. If you cannot remove thestreaks after operating the windshieldwasher or if the wiper operation is jerky,clean the outer surface of the windshield(or rear window) and the wiper bladesusing a sponge or soft cloth with a neutraldetergent or mild abrasive cleaner. Aftercleaning,rinse the windshield and wiperblades with clean water. The windshield isclean if beads do not form when you rinsethe windshield with water.
CAUTION
.Do not clean the wiper bladeswith gasoline or a solvent, suchas paint thinner or benzine. Thiswill cause deterioration of thewiper blades.
.When you wish to raise thepassenger-side wiper arm, firstraise the driver-side wiper arm.Otherwise, the passenger-sidewiper assembly and driver-sidewiper assembly will touch eachother, possibly resulting inscratches.
.While removing the wiper bladesfrom the wiper arms, do notreturn the wiper arms to theoriginal positions. Otherwise,the windshield surface may bescratched.
.When returning the raised wiperarms to the original positions,carefully return the wiper armson the windshield while support-ing them with your hands. Youshould not return the wiper armsto the windshield only by thereturn spring. Otherwise, the wi-per arms may be deformed and/or the windshield surface may bescratched.
.Return the passenger-side wiperarm to its original position beforereturning the driver-side wiperarm to its original position.Otherwise, the passenger-sidewiper assembly and driver-sidewiper assembly will touch eachother, possibly resulting inscratches.
If you cannot eliminate the streaking evenafter following this method, replace thewiperblades using the following proce-dures. Be sure to use genuine SUBARUwiper blade rubbers as replacements.
Maintenance and service11-29
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