2016 SUBARU WRX check engine light

Starting and operating/ABS (Anti – lock Brake System)
cate any malfunctions, and the brake
assist system is operating properly.
. You might feel that the brake pedal
is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force.
. You might hear an ABS operating
noise from the engine compartment.
& Disc brake pad wear warning
indicators
The disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, im-
mediately have your vehicle checked by
your SUBARU dealer. ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-
tem) The ABS prevents the lock-up of wheels
which may occur during sudden braking or
braking on slippery road surfaces. This
helps prevent the loss of steering control
and directional stability caused by wheel
lock-up.
When the ABS is operating, you may hear
a chattering noise or feel a slight vibration
in the brake pedal. This is normal when
the ABS operates.
The ABS will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph (10
km/h).
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving a vehicle with the
ABS could easily lead to a serious
accident.
CAUTION
. The ABS does not always de-
crease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe following distance from other
vehicles.
. When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be long-
er for a vehicle with the ABS than
one without. When driving under
these conditions, therefore, re-
duce your speed and leave ample
distance from other vehicles.
. When you feel the ABS operating,
you should maintain constant
brake pedal pressure. Do not
pump the brake pedal since
doing so may defeat the opera-
tion of the ABS system.
& ABS self-check Just after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
the ABS being carried out and does not
indicate any abnormal condition.7-36

Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
If the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps.
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe,
flat location.
2. Apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine.
3. Restart the engine.
4. Release the parking brake.
Even if both warning lights turn off:
The EBD system may be malfunctioning.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU
dealer and have the system inspected.
If both warning lights illuminate again
and remain illuminated after restarting
the engine:
1. Turn off the engine again.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Check the brake fluid level. For details
about checking the brake fluid level, refer
to “ Checking the fluid level ” F 11-25.
. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“ MIN ” mark, the EBD system may be
malfunctioning. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the
system inspected.
. If the brake fluid level is below the
“ MIN ” mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle.
Instead, have the vehicle towed to the nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
WARNING. Driving with the brake system
warning light illuminated is dan-
gerous. This indicates your brake
system may not be working
properly. If the light remains
illuminated, have the brakes in-
spected by a SUBARU dealer
immediately.
. If at all in doubt about whether
the brakes are operating prop-
erly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the
nearest SUBARU dealer for re-
pair. Vehicle Dynamics Control
system WARNINGAlways use the utmost care in
driving – overconfidence because
you are driving a vehicle with the
Vehicle Dynamics Control system
could easily lead to a serious acci-
dent.
CAUTION. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control
system, winter tires should be
used when driving on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced
considerably. Simply having a
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem does not guarantee that the
vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation.
. Activation of the Vehicle Dy-
namics Control system is an
indication that the road being
travelled on has a slippery sur-
face; since having Vehicle Dy-7-38

Engine hood To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the
windshield, return them to their original
position.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the
instrument panel. 3. Release the secondary hood release
by moving the lever between the front
grille and the hood toward the left.
4. Lift up the hood.
To close the hood:
1. Lower the hood to a height of approxi-
mately 11.8 in (30 cm) above its closed
position and then let it drop.
2. After closing the hood, be sure the
hood is securely locked.
If this does not close the hood, release it
from a slightly higher position. Do not push
the hood forcibly to close it. It could
deform the metal. WARNINGAlways check that the hood is
properly locked before you start
driving. If it is not, it might fly open
while the vehicle is moving and
block your view, which may cause
an accident and serious bodily in-
jury.
CAUTION. When you open the engine hood,
do not stand the wiper blades up.
Furthermore, while the hood is
open, do not operate the wind-
shield wipers. Doing so could
result in damage to the engine
hood and wiper blades.
. Be extremely careful not to catch
fingers or other objects when
closing the engine hood.
. Do not push the hood forcibly to
close it. It could deform the
metal.
. Be extremely careful opening the
engine hood when the wind is
strong. The engine hood could
close suddenly, possibly causing
injuries from slamming.
. Do not install accessories other Maintenance and service/Engine hood
– CONTINUED –11-9

Maintenance and service/Engine oil
Except STI
4. Drain out the engine oil by removing
the drain plug while the engine is still
warm. The used oil should be drained into
an appropriate container and disposed of
properly.
WARNING
Be careful not to burn yourself with
hot engine oil.
5. Wipe the seating surface of the drain
plug with a clean cloth and tighten it
securely with a new sealing washer after
the oil has completely drained out.
CAUTION
Thoroughly wipe off any engine oil that has spilled over the exhaust
pipe and/or under-cover. If spilled oil
is not promptly wiped up, the oil
could cause a fire.
6. Pour engine oil through the filler neck.
For the oil capacity (guideline), refer to
“ Engine oil ” F 12-4.
The oil quantity indicated above is only
guideline.
The necessary quantity of oil depends on
the quantity of oil that has been drained.
The quantity of drained oil differs slightly
depending on the temperature of the oil
and the time the oil is left flowing out. After
refilling the engine with oil, therefore, you
must use the level gauge to confirm that
the level is correct.
7. Start the engine and make sure that no
oil leaks appear around the drain plug.
8. Run the engine until it reaches the
normal operating temperature. Then stop
the engine and wait a few minutes to allow
the oil drain back. Check the oil level
again and if necessary, add more engine
oil.
CAUTION
Be careful not to spill engine oil
when adding it. If oil touches the exhaust pipe, it may cause a bad
smell, smoke, and/or a fire.
& Recommended grade and
viscosity CAUTIONUse only engine oil with the recom-
mended grade and viscosity.
Refer to “ Engine oil ” F 12-4.
NOTE Engine oil viscosity (thickness) affects
fuel economy. Oils of lower viscosity
provide better fuel economy. However,
in hot weather, oil of higher viscosity is
required to properly lubricate the en-
gine.
& Synthetic oil You must follow the oil and filter changing
intervals shown in the Warranty and
Maintenance booklet.
NOTE Synthetic oil of the grade and viscosity
noted in chapter 12 is the recom-
mended engine oil for optimum engine
performance. Conventional oil may be11-16

Brake booster If the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following, have it checked
by your SUBARU dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake
pedal several times, applying the same
pedal force each time. The distance the
pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start
the engine. The pedal should move
slightly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop
the engine and keep the pedal depressed
for 30 seconds. The pedal height should
not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for
approximately one minute then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times to
check the brake booster. The brake
booster operates properly if the pedal
stroke decreases with each depression.
NOTE When you depress the brake pedal
strongly or suddenly, you might feel
that lighter depression of the brake
pedal generates a greater braking
force. However, even though these
occur, they do not indicate any mal-
functions, and the brake assist system is operating properly.
Brake assist is not a system that brings
more braking ability to the vehicle
beyond its breaking capability.
Brake pedal Check the brake pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “ Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ” .
& Checking the brake pedal
free play
1) 0.02 – 0.11 in (0.5 – 2.7 mm)
Stop the engine and firmly depress the
brake pedal several times. Lightly pull the
brake pedal up with one finger to check
the free play with a force of less than 2 lbf
(10 N, 1 kgf).
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er. Maintenance and service/Brake booster
– CONTINUED –11-27

Maintenance and service/Clutch pedal (MT models)
& Checking the brake pedal
reserve distance
1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)
Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbf (294 N, 30 kgf) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact with your
SUBARU dealer. Clutch pedal (MT models) Check the clutch pedal free play and
reserve distance according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “ Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet ” .
& Checking the clutch function Check the clutch engagement and disen-
gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and
transmission smoothly couple without
any sign of slippage. & Checking the clutch pedal
free play
1) 0.16 – 0.43 in (4.0 – 11.0 mm)
Lightly depress the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper
specification, contact your SUBARU deal-
er.11-28

Booster ........................................................ 7-35, 11-27
Disc ..................................................................... 12-9
Fluid ............................................................ 11-25, 12-7
Pad and lining ...................................................... 11-30
Parking ........................................................ 7-44, 11-30
Pedal .................................................................. 11-27
System ................................................................. 7-35
Brake pedal
Free play ............................................................. 11-27
Reserve distance .................................................. 11-28
Brake system ............................................................ 7-35
Warning light ......................................................... 3-21
Braking ..................................................................... 7-35
Tips...................................................................... 7-35
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings ................... 11-30
BSD/RCTA ................................................................ 7-56
BSD/RCTA approach indicator light/warning buzzer .... 7-59
BSD/RCTA OFF switch ........................................... 7-61
BSD/RCTA warning indicator ................................... 7-60
Bulb
Chart .................................................................. 12-16
Replacing ............................................................. 11-44
C
Catalytic converter ....................................................... 8-3
Center
Console .................................................................. 6-5
Changing
Coolant ................................................................ 11-19
Flat tire ................................................................... 9-4
Oil and oil filter ..................................................... 11-15 Charge warning light ................................................... 3-17
CHECK ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator
light ....................................................................... 3-16
Checking
Brake pedal free play ............................................ 11-27
Brake pedal reserve distance ................................. 11-28
Clutch function ..................................................... 11-28
Clutch pedal free play ........................................... 11-28
Coolant level ........................................................ 11-18
Fluid level (brake fluid) .......................................... 11-25
Fluid level (clutch fluid) .......................................... 11-26
Fluid level (power steering fluid) ............................. 11-24
Fluid level (washer fluid) ........................................ 11-38
Oil level (engine oil) .............................................. 11-13
Child restraint systems ................................................ 1-21
Installation of a booster seat .................................... 1-28
Installation with ALR/ELR seatbelt ............................ 1-24
Lower and tether anchorages ................................... 1-29
Top tether anchorages ............................................ 1-32
Child safety ................................................................... 4
Locks .................................................................... 2-32
Chime
Key........................................................................ 3-5
Light ..................................................................... 3-94
Seatbelt. ................................................................ 3-14
Cigarette lighter ........................................................... 6-9
Cleaning
Aluminum
wheels ................................................... 10-3
Interior .................................................................. 10-5
Ventilation grille ....................................................... 4-9
Climate control system ................................................. 4-3 Index
14-3

Keyless access with push-button start system .. ............... 2-9
Disabling keyless access functions ........................... 2-16
Locking and unlocking doors ................................... 2-13
Opening trunk lid ................................................... 2-15
Warning chimes and warning light .................... 2-16, 3-28
When access key does not operate
properly ....................................... 2-18, 3-8, 7-14, 9-16
L
Lap belt pretensioner .................................................. 1-18
Leather seat materials ................................................ 10-5
License plate light ..................................................... 11-49
Light
Control switch ........................................................ 3-94
Daytime running. .................................................... 3-97
Dome ..................................................................... 6-2
Front fog ...................................................... 3-99, 11-47
Front position ................................................ 3-95, 3-99
Front side marker ................................................. 12-16
Ignition switch .......................................................... 3-6
License plate ........................................................ 11-49
Map ....................................................................... 6-2
Rear combination .................................................. 11-48
Rear side marker light ........................................... 11-48
Stop light ............................................................. 11-48
Tail light ............................................................... 11-48
Turn signal ................................................... 3-97, 11-48
Limited slip differential (LSD) ....................................... 7-33
Loading your vehicle .................................................. 8-10
Low fuel warning light ................................................. 3-24
Low tire pressure warning light .................................... 3-19 Lower and tether anchorage ........................................ 1-29
LSD (Limited slip differential) ........................................ 7-33
M
Maintenance
Precautions ........................................................... 11-3
Schedule ............................................................... 11-3
Seatbelt. ................................................................ 1-16
Tips ...................................................................... 11-6
Tools ...................................................................... 9-3
Malfunction indicator light (check engine warning light) .... 3-16
Manual
Climate control .................................................. 4-5, 4-6
Mode (continuously variable transmission) ................. 7-26
Seat ....................................................................... 1-4
Transmission ......................................................... 7-17
Transmission oil ........................................... 11-23, 12-6
Map light .................................................................... 6-2
Media operation ......................................................... 5-50
AUX. ..................................................................... 5-73
Bluetooth audio ...................................................... 5-60
CD ....................................................................... 5-50
iPod ...................................................................... 5-56
USB memory ......................................................... 5-53
Meters and gauges ...................................................... 3-8
Mirror defogger ........................................................ 3-112
Mirrors .................................................................... 3-103
Moonroof ...........................................................
2-38, 9-18
Multi function display ................................................... 3-48 Index
14-7