Ventilator control................................................. 4-2
Center ventilators................................................ 4-2
Side ventilators................................................... 4-2
Rear ventilators (if equipped)............................... 4-2
Climate control panel.......................................... 4-3
Type A ................................................................ 4-3
Type B ................................................................ 4-4
Automatic climate control system (type B)....... 4-5Temperature sensors........................................... 4-5
Manual climate control....................................... 4-6Airflow mode selection........................................ 4-6
Temperature control............................................ 4-7
Fan speed control............................................... 4-8
Air conditioner control........................................ 4-8
Air inlet selection................................................ 4-8
Defrosting............................................................ 4-9Operating tips for heater and air
conditioner........................................................ 4-9
Cleaning ventilator grille...................................... 4-9
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight............................................................. 4-9
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit.............................................................. 4-10
Checking air conditioning system before summer
season............................................................ 4-10
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and
low temperature weather condition................... 4-10
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine
is heavily loaded.............................................. 4-10
Refrigerant for your climate control system ........ 4-10
Air filtration system (if equipped)..................... 4-10Replacing an air filter......................................... 4-11
Climate control
4
Climate control/Air filtration system
allow outside air to circulate into the
heated interior. This results in quicker
cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the
windows closed during the operation of
the air conditioner for maximum cooling
efficiency.
&Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil.
&Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-
son
Check the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper
operation each spring. Have the air con-
ditioning system checked by your
SUBARU dealer.
&Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.) a
small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicateany problem with the air conditioning
system.
&Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is designed
to temporarily shut off during air condi-
tioner operation whenever the accelerator
is fully depressed such as during rapid
acceleration or when driving on a steep
upgrade.
&Refrigerant for your climate
control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the meth-
od of adding, changing or checking the
refrigerant is different from the method for
CFC12 (freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty.
Air filtration system (if
equipped)
Your vehicle’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system.
Replace the air filter element according
to the replacement schedule shown in the
following table. This schedule should be
followed to maintain the filter’sdust
collection ability. Under extremely dusty
conditions, the filter should be replaced
more frequently. Have your filter checked
or replaced by your SUBARU dealer. For
replacement, use only a genuine
SUBARU air filter kit. For the replacement
schedule, refer to the“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet”.
CAUTION
Contact your SUBARU dealer if the
following occurs, even if it is not yet
time to change the filter.
.Reduction of the airflow through
the vents.
.Windshield gets easily fogged or
misted.
NOTE
The filter can influence the air condi-
tioning, heating and defroster perfor-
4-10
mance if not properly maintained.
&Replacing an air filter
1. Remove the glove box.
(1) Open the glove box.
(2) Remove the damper shaft from the
glove box.
(3) Push both sides of the glove box
inward to unlock the stoppers and then
pull down the glove box as far as it will
go.
(4) Pull out the glove box horizontally
and remove the hinge portion. Whendoing this, be careful not to damage
the hinge.
2. Remove the cover of the air filter.
3. Remove the air filter according to the
following procedure in order to prevent
Climate control/Air filtration system
–CONTINUED–4-11
Climate control/Air filtration system
dust on the air cleaner from falling to the
inside of its housing.
(1) Pull the air filter approximately 3.9
inches (10 cm) first.
(2) Gently push the near side of the air
filter down.
(3) Pull out the air filter.
4. Replace the air filter element with a
new one.
5. Reinstall the cover of the air filter.
CAUTION
The arrow mark on the filter must
point UP.
6. Reinstall the glove box, and connect
the damper shaft.
7. Close the glove box.
4-12
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 (2.5 L models)............................. 11-5
When checking or servicing in the engine
compartment while the engine is running.......... 11-5
Maintenance tips................................................ 11-5Removing and reinstalling clips.......................... 11-5
Engine hood....................................................... 11-7
Engine compartment overview.......................... 11-9
2.5 L models...................................................... 11-9
3.6 L models.................................................... 11-10
Engine oil.......................................................... 11-11Engine oil consumption.................................... 11-11
Checking the oil level....................................... 11-11
Changing the oil and oil filter............................ 11-13
Recommended grade and viscosity.................. 11-13
Synthetic oil..................................................... 11-13
Cooling system................................................ 11-14
Cooling fan, hose and connections................... 11-14
Engine coolant................................................. 11-14
Air cleaner element.......................................... 11-15Replacing the air cleaner element..................... 11-15
Spark plugs...................................................... 11-18Recommended spark plugs.............................. 11-18
Drive belts........................................................ 11-18
Manual transmission oil.................................. 11-18
Recommended grade and viscosity.................. 11-18
Continuously variable transmission fluid...... 11-19
Front differential gear oil (CVT models) and
rear differential gear oil................................ 11-19
Recommended grade and viscosity.................. 11-19
Brake fluid........................................................ 11-19Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-19
Recommended brake fluid............................... 11-21
Clutch fluid (MT models)................................. 11-21Checking the fluid level.................................... 11-21
Recommended clutch fluid............................... 11-22
Brake booster.................................................. 11-22
Brake pedal...................................................... 11-22
Checking the brake pedal free play.................. 11-22
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance....... 11-23
Clutch pedal (MT models)............................... 11-23Checking the clutch function............................ 11-23
Checking the clutch pedal free play.................. 11-23
Replacement of brake pad.............................. 11-24Breaking-in of new brake pads ......................... 11-24
Tires and wheels.............................................. 11-24Types of tires................................................... 11-24
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if
equipped)...................................................... 11-25
Tire inspection................................................. 11-26
Tire pressures and wear.................................. 11-27
Wheel balance................................................. 11-28
Wear indicators............................................... 11-29
Tire rotation direction mark.............................. 11-29
Tire rotation..................................................... 11-29
Tire replacement.............................................. 11-30
Maintenance and service
11
&When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
(2.5 L models)
CAUTION
.Do not contact the belt cover
while checking the components
in the engine compartment.
Doing so may cause your hand
to slip off the belt cover and
result in an unexpected injury.
.Do not touch the oil filter until the
engine has cooled down comple-
tely. Doing so may result in a
burn or other injury. Note that the
oil filter becomes very hot when
the engine is running and re-
mains hot for some time afterthe engine has stopped.
&When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
while the engine is running
WARNING
A running engine can be dangerous.
Keep your fingers, hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from the cooling
fan, belts and any other moving
engine parts. Removing rings,
watches and ties is advisable.
Maintenance tips
Some clips and fender linings must be
removed before replacing the air cleaner
elements or specific bulbs.
&Removing and reinstalling
clips
!Removing clips
There are several types of clips used for
your vehicle.
!Type A and D clips
Type A clips Maintenance and service/Maintenance tips
–CONTINUED–
11-5
Engine compartment overview
&2.5 L models
1) Brake fluid reservoir/Clutch fluid reservoir
(MT) (page 11-19)
2) Fuse box (page 11-38)
3) Windshield washer tank (page 11-32)
4) Battery (page 11-37)
5) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-11)
6) Engine coolant reservoir (page 11-14)
7) Radiator cap (page 11-14)
8) Engine oil filter (page 11-13)
9) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-11)
10) Air cleaner case (page 11-15) Maintenance and service/Engine compartment overview
–CONTINUED–
11-9
CAUTION
.Be careful not to spill engine
coolant when adding it. If coolant
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If engine coolant gets on
the exhaust pipe, be sure to wipe
it off.
.Do not splash the engine coolant
over painted parts. The alcohol
contained in the engine coolant
may damage the paint surface.
!Changing the coolant
It may be difficult to change the coolant.
Have the coolant changed by your
SUBARU dealer if necessary.
The coolant should be changed according
to the maintenance schedule in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
Air cleaner element
WARNING
Do not operate the engine with the
air cleaner element removed. The air
cleaner element not only filters
intake air but also stops flames if
the engine backfires. If the air
cleaner element is not installed
when the engine backfires, you
could be burned.
CAUTION
When replacing the air cleaner ele-
ment, use a genuine SUBARU air
cleaner element. If it is not used,
there is the possibility of causing a
negative effect to the engine.
The air cleaner element functions as a
filter screen. When the element is perfo-
rated or removed, engine wear will be
excessive and engine life shortened.
The air cleaner element is a dry type. It is
unnecessary to clean or wash the ele-
ment.
&Replacing the air cleaner
element
Replace the air cleaner element according
to the maintenance schedule in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”. Un-
der extremely dusty conditions, replace it
more frequently. It is recommended that
you always use genuine SUBARU parts.
!2.5 L models
1) Clip
1. Unsnap the two clips holding the air
cleaner case (rear).
Maintenance and service/Air cleaner element
–CONTINUED–11-15