2017 SUBARU BRZ Owners Manual

5
When trouble arises
455 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Starting the engine when the battery is discharged
The engine cannot be started by push-starting.
■Avoiding a discharged battery
●Turn off the headlights and the air conditioning system while the engine is
off.
●Turn off any unnecessary electrical components when the vehicle is run-
ning at a low speed for an extended period, such as in heavy traffic, etc.
■Charging the battery
The electricity stored in the battery will discharge gradually even when the
vehicle is not in use, due to natural discharge and the draining effects of cer-
tain electrical appliances. If the vehicle is left for a long time, the battery may
discharge, and the engine may be unable to start. (The battery recharges
automatically during driving.)
■Precautions when the battery is discharged (vehicles with a keyless
access with push button start system)
●In some cases, it may not be possible to unlock the doors using the key-
less access with push button start system when the battery is dis-
charged. Use the remote keyless entry system or the mechanical key to
lock or unlock the doors.
●The engine may not start on the first attempt after the battery has
recharged but will start normally after the second attempt. This is not a
malfunction.
●The push-button ignition switch mode is memorized by the vehicle. When
the battery is reconnected, the system will return to the mode it was in
before the battery was discharged. Before disconnecting the battery, turn
the push-button ignition switch off.
If you are unsure what mode the push-button ignition switch was in
before the battery discharged, be especially careful when reconnecting
the battery.

456 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■Avoiding battery fires or explosions
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidentally igniting the flam-
mable gas that may be emitted from the battery.
●Make sure the jumper cable is connected to the correct terminal and that it
is not unintentionally in contact with any part other than the intended termi-
nal.
●Do not allow the jumper cables to come into contact with the “+” and “-” ter-
minals.
●Do not allow open flame or use matches, cigarette lighters or smoke near
the battery.
■Battery precautions
The battery contains poisonous and corrosive acidic electrolyte, while
related parts contain lead and lead compounds. Observe the following pre-
cautions when handling the battery.
●When working with the battery, always wear safety glasses and take care
not to allow any battery fluids (acid) to come into contact with skin, clothing
or the vehicle body.
●Do not lean over the battery.
●In the event that battery fluid comes into contact with the skin or eyes,
immediately wash the affected area with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the affected area until medical attention
can be received.
●Always wash your hands after handling the battery support, terminals, and
other battery-related parts.
●Do not allow children near the battery.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
Do not pull- or push-start the vehicle as the three-way catalytic converter
may overheat and become a fire hazard.

5
When trouble arises
457 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■When handling jumper cables
Be careful that the jumper cables do not become tangled in the cooling fans
or any of the belts when connecting or disconnecting them.
■When closing the doors
While pushing the door glass towards the inside of the vehicle, slowly close
the door.
Because the side window open/close function linked to door operation will
not operate, the window may interfere with the vehicle body, possibly
scratching both the vehicle body and window, or even shattering the window.

458
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle overheats
Correction procedures
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air condition-
ing system, and then stop the engine.
If you see steam:
Carefully lift the hood after the steam subsides.
If you do not see steam:
Carefully lift the hood.
After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, inspect the
hoses and radiator core (radia-
tor) for any leaks.
Radiator
Cooling fans
If a large amount of coolant leaks,
immediately contact your
SUBARU dealer.
The following may indicate that your vehicle is overheating.
●Vehicles with a monochrome multi-information display: The
engine coolant temperature gauge (oP. 194) enters the red
zone or a loss of engine power is experienced (for example, the
vehicle speed does not increase).
Vehicles with a color multi-information display: The high engine
coolant temperature warning light (oP. 198) flashes or illumi-
nates or a loss of engine power is experienced (for example, the
vehicle speed does not increase).
●Steam comes out from under the hood.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

5
When trouble arises
459 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The coolant level is satisfactory if
it is between the “FULL” and
“LOW” lines on the reservoir.
Reservoir
“FULL”
“LOW”
Radiator cap
Add coolant if necessary.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency if coolant is unavailable.
Start the engine and turn the air conditioning system on to
check that the radiator cooling fans operate and to check for
coolant leaks from the radiator or hoses.
The fans operate when the air conditioning system is turned on
immediately after a cold start. Confirm that the fans are operating by
checking the fan sound and air flow. If it is difficult to check these,
turn the air conditioning system on and off repeatedly.
(The fans may not operate in freezing temperatures.)
If the fans are not operating:
Stop the engine immediately and contact your SUBARU
dealer.
If the fans are operating:
Have the vehicle inspected at the nearest SUBARU dealer.
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
STEP 7

460 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of
your vehicle
●If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until
the steam has subsided. The engine compartment may be very hot, caus-
ing serious injuries such as burns.
●Keep hands and clothing (especially a tie, a scarf or a muffler) away from
the fans and belts. Failure to do so may cause the hands or clothing to be
caught, resulting in serious injury.
●Do not loosen the radiator cap and the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine and radiator are hot.
Serious injury, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam
released under pressure.
CAUTION
■When adding engine coolant
Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too
quickly can cause damage to the engine.
■To prevent damage to the cooling system
Observe the following precautions:
●Avoid contaminating the coolant with foreign matter (such as sand or dust
etc.).
●Do not use any coolant additives.

5
When trouble arises
461
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
■When it is difficult to free the vehicle Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow:
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the select
lever to P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or shift
lever to neutral (vehicles with a manual transmission).
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the rear
wheels.
Place wood, stones or some other material under the rear
wheels to help provide traction.
Restart the engine.
Shift the select lever to the D or R position (vehicles with an
automatic transmission) or shift lever to 1 or R position
(vehicles with a manual transmission) and release the park-
ing brake. Then, while exercising caution, depress the
accelerator pedal.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Press to turn off TRAC. (oP. 252)

462 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■When attempting to free a stuck vehicle
If you choose to push the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the sur-
rounding area is clear to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or people. The
vehicle may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes free.
Use extreme caution.
■When shifting the select lever
For vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the select
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
CAUTION
■To avoid damage to the transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the rear wheels and depressing the accelerator pedal more
than necessary.
●If the vehicle remains stuck even after these procedures are performed,
the vehicle may require towing to be freed.