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316 4-1. Maintenance and care
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
●Do not wash the engine compartment and area adjacent to it. If water
enters the engine air intake or electrical parts it will cause engine trouble or
a malfunction of the power steering.
●When washing the vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a result, the brake
stopping distance will be longer. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a
safe speed while lightly depressing the brake pedal to heat up the brakes.
●When washing inner fenders, underbody, bumpers and protruding objects
such as exhaust pipes and exhaust finishers, be careful to prevent injuries
from contacting sharp ends.
■Precautions regarding the exhaust pipes
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipes and rear bumper diffusers to
become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipes and diffusers
until they have cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipes and rear
bumper diffusers can cause burns.
CAUTION
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
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317 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■Protective film for side sill plates
Make sure to remove the protective film. Failure to do so may cause rust,
depending on conditions.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax on the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side
wiper arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning
the wipers to their original position, do so from the passenger side first.
■When using a high pressure car wash
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin manufactured
cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they
come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
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328 4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• Moves smoothly (without uneven
pedal effort or catching)?
Automatic transmission “Park”
mechanism• Can the vehicle be held securely
on an incline with the select lever
in P?
Brake pedal• Moves smoothly?
• Does it have appropriate clear-
ance and correct amount of free
play?
Brakes• Not pull to one side when
applied?
• Loss of brake effectiveness?
• Spongy feeling brake pedal?
• Pedal almost touches floor?
Clutch pedal • Moves smoothly?
Head restraints• Move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzzers • Function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake• Moves smoothly?
• Can hold the vehicle securely on
an incline?
Seatbelts• Does the seatbelt system oper-
ate smoothly?
• Are the belts undamaged?
Seats• Do the seat controls operate
properly?
Steering wheel• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?
Page 345 of 540
343 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary items.
Fluid type
FMVSS No.116 fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid
Items
Clean funnel
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking effi-
ciency. Use only newly opened brake fluid.
WARNING
■When filling the reservoir
Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and damage
painted surfaces.
If fluid gets in your eyes, flush your eyes with clean water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.
CAUTION
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads
wear or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, it may indicate a serious problem.
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400
5-1. Essential information
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible.
■Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Vehicles with a monochrome multi-information display: The
engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points
higher than normal
●Vehicles with a color multi-information display: The high
engine coolant temperature warning light flashes or illumi-
nates
■Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor
Page 404 of 540
402
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a war ning buzzer sounds...
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
SUBARU dealer.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada and
Mexico)Brake system warning light
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system
This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is fully
released the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights turn
on or flash. If a light turns on or flashes, but then turns off, this does
not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.
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404 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Have the vehicle inspected immediately.
Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your SUBARU dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada and
Mexico)Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system;
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
SRS airbag system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The seatbelt pretensioner system;
• The front passenger occupant detection system.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada and
Mexico)ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS;
• The brake assist system.
Electric power steering warning light (warning buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the electric power steering sys-
tem.
Slip indicator
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The Vehicle stability control (VSC) system;
• The TRAC system;
• The hill start assist system.
Automatic headlight leveling system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the automatic headlight leveling
system.
Page 413 of 540
5
When trouble arises
411 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on (if equipped)
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If the tire is flat, change to the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired
by the nearest SUBARU dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur (vehicles with a tire
pressure monitoring system)
The tire pressure monitoring system may not activate immediately.