2016 SUBARU WRX check engine light

Starting and operating/Fuel
! MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl). If
you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/Mal-
function indicator light may turn on. If this
happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is
determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not
be covered by your warranty.
! Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent
additives will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system.
This helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part
for cleaner air. If you continuously use a
high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should never
need to add any fuel system cleaning
agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with
materials called oxygenates. Use of these
fuels can also help keep the air cleaner.
Oxygenated blend fuels, such as MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in your vehicle, but should contain no more
than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
Do not use any gasoline that contains
more than 10% ethanol, including from
any pump labeled E15, E30, E50 or E85
(which are only some examples of fuel
containing more than 10% ethanol).
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines,
which are designed to reduce vehicle
emissions. SUBARU approves the use of
reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains,
you should ask your service station
operators if their gasolines contain deter-
gents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emis-
sions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels
suited for your vehicle as explained in the
following description.
. Fuel should be unleaded and have an
octane rating no lower than that specified
in this manual.
. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is
sometimes mixed with unleaded gasoline.
Methanol can be used in your vehicle
ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the fuel
mixture AND if it is accompanied by sufficient quantities of the proper cosol-
vents and corrosion inhibitors required to
prevent damage to the fuel system. Do not
use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT
under these conditions.
. If undesirable driveability problems are
experienced and you suspect they may be
fuel related, try a different brand of gaso-
line before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer.
. Fuel system damage or driveability
problems which result from the use of
improper fuel are not covered under the
SUBARU Limited Warranty.
CAUTIONDo not let fuel spill on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels con-
taining alcohol may cause paint
damage, which is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.7-4

Starting and operating/Fuel
left. Do not remove the cap
quickly. Fuel may be under pres-
sure and spray out of the fuel
filler neck, especially in hot
weather. If you hear a hissing
sound while you are removing
the cap, wait for the sound to
stop and then slowly open the
cap to prevent fuel from spraying
out and creating a fire hazard.
3. Set the fuel filler cap on the cap holder
inside the fuel filler lid.
WARNING
. When refueling, insert the fuel
nozzle securely into the fuel filler
pipe. If the nozzle is lifted or not
fully inserted, its automatic stop- ping mechanism may not func-
tion, causing fuel to overflow the
tank and creating a fire hazard.
. Stop refueling when the auto-
matic stop mechanism on the
fuel nozzle activates. If you con-
tinue to add fuel, temperature
changes or other conditions
may cause fuel to overflow from
the tank and create a fire hazard.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler
pump automatically stops. Do not add any
more fuel.
5. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise
until you hear a clicking noise. Be certain
not to catch the tether under the cap while
tightening.
CAUTION
Make sure that the cap is tightened
until it clicks to prevent fuel spillage
in the event of an accident.
6. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
CAUTION
If you spill any fuel on the painted
surface, rinse it off immediately.
Otherwise, the painted surface could be damaged.
NOTE . You will see the “ ” sign in the fuel
gauge. This indicates that the fuel filler
door (lid) is located on the right side of
the vehicle.
. If the fuel filler cap is not tightened
until it clicks or if the tether is caught
under the cap, the CHECK ENGINE
warning light/malfunction indicator
light may illuminate. Refer to “ CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction in-
dicator light ” F 3-16.
CAUTION. Never add any cleaning agents to
the fuel tank. The addition of a
cleaning agent may cause da-
mage to the fuel system.
. After refueling, turn the cap
clockwise until it clicks to ensure
that it is fully tightened. If the cap
is not securely tightened, fuel
may leak out while the vehicle is
being driven or fuel spillage
could occur in the event of an
accident, creating a fire hazard.
. Do not let fuel spill on the exterior7-6

surfaces of the vehicle. Because
fuel may damage the paint, be
sure to wipe off any spilled fuel
quickly. Paint damage caused by
spilled fuel is not covered under
the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
. Always use a genuine SUBARU
fuel filler cap. If you use the
wrong cap, it may not fit or have
proper venting and your fuel tank
and emission control system
may be damaged. It could also
lead to fuel spillage and a fire.
. Immediately put fuel in the tank
whenever the low fuel warning
light illuminates. Engine misfires
as a result of an empty tank
could cause damage to the en-
gine. Continuing to operate your
vehicle at an extremely low fuel
level may result in a reduction of
engine performance. State emission testing (U.S.
only) WARNINGTesting of an All-Wheel Drive model
must NEVER be performed on a
single two-wheel dynamometer. At-
tempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and
may cause an accident or injuries to
persons nearby.
CAUTION. At state inspection time, remem-
ber to tell your inspection or
service station in advance not to
place your SUBARU AWD vehicle
on a two-wheel dynamometer.
Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
. Resultant vehicle damage due to
improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty and is the responsibility of
the state inspection program or
its contractors or licensees.
California and a number of federal states have Inspection/Maintenance programs to
inspect your vehicle ’ s emission control
system. If your vehicle does not pass this
test, some states may deny renewal of
your vehicle ’ s registration.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer
that monitors the performance of the
engine ’ s emission control system. Certi-
fied emission inspectors will inspect the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBDII) system as
part of the state emission inspection
process. The OBDII system is designed
to detect engine and transmission pro-
blems that might cause the vehicle emis-
sions to exceed allowable limits. OBDII
inspections apply to all 1996 model year
and newer passenger cars and trucks.
Over 30 states plus the District of Colum-
bia have implemented emission inspec-
tion of the OBDII system.
. The inspection of the OBDII system
consists of a visual operational check of
the “ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/mal-
function indicator light (MIL) and an
examination of the OBDII system with an
electronic scan tool.
. A vehicle
passes the OBDII system
inspection if proper operation of the
“ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light is ob-
served, there are no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBDII readiness
monitors are all complete.Starting and operating/State emission testing (U.S. only)
– CONTINUED –7-7

Starting and operating/Preparing to drive
. A vehicle fails the OBDII inspection if
the “ CHECK ENGINE ” warning light is not
properly operating (light is illuminated or is
not working due to a burned out bulb) or
there is one or more diagnostic trouble
codes stored in the vehicle ’ s computer.
. A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBDII system readiness monitors “ NOT
READY ” is greater than one. If the
vehicle ’ s battery has been recently re-
placed or disconnected, the OBDII system
inspection may indicate that the vehicle is
not ready for the emission test. Under this
condition, the vehicle driver should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to reset the readiness monitors and
return for an emission re-inspection.
. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their SUBARU Dealer for
service.
Some states still use dynamometers in
their emission inspection program. A
dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like
testing device that allows your vehicle ’ s
wheels to turn while the vehicle remains in
one place. Prior to your vehicle being put
on a dynamometer, tell your emission
inspector
not to place your SUBARU
AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dynam-
ometer. Otherwise, serious transmis-
sion damage will result. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and states using two-wheel
dynamometers in their emission testing
program have EXEMPTED SUBARU
AWD vehicles from the portion of the
testing program that involves a two-wheel
dynamometer. There are some states that
use four-wheel dynamometers in their
testing program. When properly used, this
equipment should not damage a SUBARU
AWD vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear
wheels be jacked off the ground, nor
should the driveshaft be disconnected for
state emission testing. Preparing to drive You should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition
of the tires. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks, and check that no small animal is
under the vehicle.
4. Check that no small animal enters the
engine compartment.
5. Check that the hood and trunk lid are
fully closed.
6. Check the adjustment of the seat.
7. Check the adjustment of the inside
and outside mirrors.
8. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
9. Check the operation of the warning
and indicator lights when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ ON ” position.
10. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.7-8

Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push – button start system)
. When starting the engine, be sure
to sit in the driver ’ s seat (except
when using the remote engine
start system).
NOTE . Avoid rapid racing and rapid accel-
eration immediately after the engine
has started.
. For a short time after the engine has
started, the engine speed is kept high.
When the warm-up is completed, the
engine speed lowers automatically.
. On rare occasions, it may be difficult
to start the engine depending on the
fuel and the usage condition (repeated
driving of a distance in which the
engine has not warmed up sufficiently).
In such a case, it is recommended that
you change to a different brand of fuel.
. On rare occasions, transient knock-
ing may be heard from the engine when
the accelerator is operated rapidly
such as a rapid start-up and a rapid
acceleration. This is not a malfunction.
. The engine starts more easily when
the headlights, air conditioner and rear
window defogger are turned off.
. After the engine starts, the engine
speed will be kept high until the engine
has warmed up sufficiently. ! MT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Depress the clutch pedal to the floor
and shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor while starting
the engine.
The starter motor will only operate when
the clutch pedal is depressed fully to the
floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ ON ”
position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to
“ Warning and indicator lights ” F 3-13.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “ START ”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the
following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“ LOCK ” position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “ START ” position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the ignition switch back to the “ LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “ START ” position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “ LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“ START ” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
(4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
! CVT models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Shift the select lever to the “ P ” or
“ N ”
position
(preferably the “ P ” position).
The starter motor will only operate when
the select lever is at the “ P ” or “ N ” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ ON ”7-10

position and check the operation of the
warning and indicator lights. Refer to
“ Warning and indicator lights ” F 3-13.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “ START ”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately
after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the
following.
(1) Turn the ignition switch to the
“ LOCK ” position and wait for at least
10 seconds. After checking that the
parking brake is firmly set, turn the
ignition switch to the “ START ” position
while depressing the accelerator pedal
slightly (approximately a quarter of the
full stroke). Release the accelerator
pedal as soon as the engine starts.
(2) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch back to the “ LOCK ”
position and wait for at least 10
seconds. Then fully depress the accel-
erator pedal and turn the ignition
switch to the “ START ” position. If the
engine starts, quickly release the
accelerator pedal.
(3) If this fails to start the engine, turn
the ignition switch again to the “ LOCK ”
position. After waiting for 10 seconds
or longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“ START ” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal. (4) If the engine still refuses to start,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
for assistance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have turned off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the
engine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the select lever is at the “ P ” or
“ N ” position and that the parking brake is
applied.
CAUTIONIf you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the select
lever into the “ N ” position. Do not
attempt to place the select lever of a
moving vehicle into the “ P ” posi-
tion.
& Stopping the engine The ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
WARNING
Do not stop the engine when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
loss of power to the power steering and the brake booster, making steer-
ing and braking more difficult. It
could also result in accidental acti-
vation of the “ LOCK ” position on the
ignition switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.Starting and operating/Starting and stopping the engine (models without push – button start system)
7-11

mode, the SI-DRIVE mode will stay in
the same mode as when the engine
was turned off.
. While the engine is running, if the
CHECK ENGINE warning light/malfunc-
tion indicator light illuminates, the SI-
DRIVE mode changes to the Sport (S)
mode. In this case, it is not possible to
change to the Sport Sharp (S#) mode or
Intelligent (I) mode.
. If there is a possibility that the
engine could overheat because of a
temperature increase of the engine
coolant, it is not possible to change to
the Sport Sharp (S#) mode. While the
vehicle is in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
it changes to the Sport (S) mode when
the engine coolant temperature in-
creases.
. If any of the SI-DRIVE indicators
blink, the SI-DRIVE system may be
malfunctioning. Contact your SUBARU
dealer.
. While the engine is cool, you cannot
change to Sport Sharp (S#) mode. SI-DRIVE (except STI: CVT
models) SI-DRIVE (SUBARU Intelligent Drive)
works to maximize engine performance,
control and efficiency.
This system consists of three modes:
Intelligent (I), Sport (S), and Sport Sharp
(S#). By operating the SI-DRIVE switches,
the character of the power unit changes.
& Intelligent (I) mode ! For smooth, efficient performance
driving
The linear acceleration characteristic of
the Intelligent (I) mode is ideal for normal
driving usage. The Intelligent (I) mode provides well-
balanced performance with greater fuel
efficiency and smooth driveability without
stress. Power delivery is moderate during
acceleration for maximum fuel efficiency.
This is ideal for around-town driving and
situations that do not require full power
output. It provides better control in difficult
driving conditions, such as slippery roads
or loose surfaces, due to gentler throttle
response.
& Sport (S) mode ! For all-around performance driving
The Sport (S) mode provides the engine
power desired by those who want to make
the driving experience their own personal
adventure.Starting and operating/SI – DRIVE (except STI: CVT models)
– CONTINUED –7-31

other than Sport Sharp (S#) mode is
selected.
NOTE . The next time you turn on the
engine, after you turned off the engine
in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode, the SI-
DRIVE mode changes to the Sport (S)
mode.
. The next time you turn on the
engine, after you turned off the engine
in the Sport (S) mode or Intelligent (I)
mode, the SI-DRIVE mode will stay in
the same mode as when the engine
was turned off.
. While the engine is running, if the
CHECK ENGINE warning light/malfunc-
tion indicator light illuminates, the SI-
DRIVE mode changes to the Sport (S)
mode. In this case, it is not possible to
change to another mode.
. If there is a possibility that the
engine could overheat because of a
temperature increase of the engine
coolant, it is not possible to change to
the Sport Sharp (S#) mode. While the
vehicle is in the Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
it changes to the Sport (S) mode when
the engine coolant temperature in-
creases.
. While the engine is cool, you cannot
change to Sport Sharp (S#) mode. Limited slip differential (LSD)
(STI) The LSD provides optimum distribution of
power according to the difference in
revolutions between the right and left
wheels that may be caused by certain
driving conditions, thereby improving driv-
ing stability on snow-covered, muddy or
other slippery roads or when high speed
driving.
CAUTION. Never start the engine while a tire
on one side is jacked up, as the
vehicle may move.
. If one tire is spinning in mud,
avoid continued spinning at high
speed as this could adversely
affect the LSD.
. If you use a temporary spare tire
to replace a flat tire, be sure to
use the original temporary spare
tire stored in the vehicle. Using
other sizes will adversely affect
the LSD. Power steering & STI The vehicle is equipped with a hydraulic
power steering system. The power steer-
ing system operates only when the engine
is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.
CAUTIONDo not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than 5 seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
NOTE Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is
normal. It does not indicate power
steering system trouble.Starting and operating/Limited slip differential (LSD) (STI)
– CONTINUED –7-33