
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
After that, this indicator light/warning light
changes toBLUEand maintains illumina-
tion inBLUE. ThisBLUEilluminated light
turns off when the engine is warmed up
sufficiently.
If the engine coolant temperature in-
creases over the specified range, the
indicator light/warning light blinks in
RED. At this time, the engine is close to
overheating.
If the engine coolant temperature in-
creases further, the indicator light/warning
light illuminates inREDcontinuously. At
this time, the engine may be overheating.
When the indicator light/warning light
blinks inREDor illuminates inRED, safely
stop the vehicle as soon as possible, and
refer to the emergency steps to take in the
case of engine overheating. Refer to
“Engine overheating”F9-12. After that,
have the system checked by your nearest
SUBARU dealer.
Also, if the indicator light/warning light
often blinks inRED, the electrical system
may be malfunctioning. Contact your
SUBARU dealer for an inspection.
NOTE
If the engine is restarted after a certain
driving condition, this indicator light/warning light may illuminate in RED.
However, this is not a malfunction if the
indicator light/warning light turns off
after a short time.
&Charge warning light
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the charging
system is not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or does
not turn off after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the alternator belt. If the belt is
loose, broken or if the belt is in good
condition but the light remains illuminated,
contact your nearest SUBARU dealer
immediately.
&Oil pressure warning
light
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the engine oil
pressure is low and the lubricating system
is not working properly.
If the light illuminates while driving or does
not turn off after the engine starts, stop the
engine at the first safe opportunity and
check the engine oil level. If the oil level is
low, add oil immediately. If the engine oil is
at the proper level but the light remainsilluminated, contact your nearest
SUBARU dealer immediately.
For details about checking the engine oil
level or adding the engine oil, refer to
“Engine oil”F11-8.
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine with the
oil pressure warning light illumi-
nated. This may cause serious en-
gine damage.
&Engine low oil level
warning light
This light illuminates when the engine oil
level decreases to the lower limit.
If the engine low oil level warning light
illuminates while driving, park the vehicle
in a safe and level location, and then
check the engine oil level. When the
engine oil level is not within the normal
range, refill with engine oil. Refer to
“Engine oil”F11-8.
If the warning light does not turn off after
refilling the engine oil, or the warning light
illuminates even though the engine oil
level is within the normal range, have the
vehicle checked by a SUBARU dealer.
3-18

NOTE
.After replacing or adding the engine
oil, if the engine oil level is within the
normal range when restarting the en-
gine on a level surface, the warning
light will turn off.
.The warning light may illuminate
temporarily in the following conditions
because a low oil level may be detected
as a result of significant oil movement
in the engine.
–when the vehicle is considerably
inclined on an uphill or steep slope
–when the vehicle has continu-
ously accelerated and decelerated
–when the vehicle is continuously
turned
–when the vehicle is driven on a
road that alternates continuously
between uphill and downhill
&Windshield washer
fluid warning light
This light illuminates when the fluid level in
the windshield washer fluid tank de-
creases to the lower limit (approximately
1.1 US qt, 1.0 liter, 0.9 Imp qt).
&AT OIL TEMP warning
light (CVT models)
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the transmis-
sion fluid temperature is too hot.
If the light illuminates while driving, im-
mediately stop the vehicle in a safe place
and let the engine idle until the warning
light turns off.
!Transmission control system warn-
ing
If the“AT OIL TEMP”warning light flashes
after the engine has started, it may
indicate that the transmission control
system is not working properly. Contact
your nearest SUBARU dealer for service
immediately.
&Low tire pressure
warning light (U.S.-spec.
models)
When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”position, the low tire pressure warn-
ing light will illuminate for approximately 2
seconds to check that the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is functioning
properly. If there is no problem and all tires
are properly inflated, the light will turn off.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
–CONTINUED–3-19

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 conditions
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
Your vehicle’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system.
Replace the air filter element according
to the replacement schedule found in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”. This
schedule should be followed to maintain
the filter’s dust 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.
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-
mance if not properly maintained.
4-12

Maintenance and service/Maintenance precautions
erative. NEVER use a circuit
tester for this wiring. If your
SRS airbag or seatbelt preten-
sioner needs service, consult
your nearest SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
SUBARU does not endorse the use of
non-SUBARU approved flushing sys-
tems and strongly advises against
performing these services on a
SUBARU vehicle. Non-SUBARU ap-
proved flushing systems use chemi-
cals and/or solvents which have not
been tested or approved by SUBARU.
SUBARU warranties do not cover any
part of the vehicle which is damaged by
adding or applying chemicals and/or
solvents other than those approved or
recommended by SUBARU.
&Before checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
WARNING
.Always stop the engine and apply
the parking brake firmly to pre-
vent the vehicle from moving.
.Always let the engine cool down.
Engine parts become very hotwhen the engine is running and
remain hot for some time after
the engine has stopped.
.Do not spill engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components.
This may cause a fire.
.When the ignition switch is in the
“ON”position, the cooling fan
may operate suddenly even
when the engine is stopped. If
your body or clothes come into
contact with a rotating fan, that
could result in serious injury. To
avoid risk of injury, perform the
following precautions.
–Models with push-button start
system:
Always turn the push-button
ignition switch to the“OFF”
position and confirm that the
operation indicator on the
switch is turned off. Then take
the access key out from the
vehicle.
–Models without push-button
start system:
Always remove the key from
the ignition switch.
.Before performing any servicing
on a vehicle equipped with aremote engine start system (a
dealer option), temporarily place
the remote engine start system in
service mode to prevent it from
unexpectedly starting the engine.
&When checking or servicing
in the engine compartment
CAUTION
.Do not contact the drive belt
cover while checking the compo-
nents in the engine compart-
ment. Doing so may cause your
hand to slip off the cover and
result in an unexpected injury.
.Do not touch the oil filter until the
11-4

Maintenance and service/Engine oil
Engine oil
CAUTION
.If the level gauge cannot be
pulled out easily, twist the level
gauge right and left, then gently
pull it out. Otherwise, you may be
injured accidentally straining
yourself.
.Use only engine oil with the
recommended grade and vis-
cosity.
.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. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
&Engine oil consumption
Some engine oil will be consumed while
driving. The rate of consumption can be
affected by such factors as transmission
type, driving style, terrain and tempera-
ture. Under the following conditions, oil
consumption can be increased and thus
require refilling between maintenance
intervals:
.When the engine is new and within thebreak-in period
.When the engine oil is of lower quality
.When the incorrect oil viscosity is used
.When engine braking is employed
(repeatedly)
.When the engine is operated at high
engine speeds (for extended periods of
time)
.When the engine is operated under
heavy loads (for extended periods of time)
.When towing a trailer
.When the engine idles for extended
periods of time
.When the vehicle is operated in stop
and go and/or heavy traffic situations
.When the vehicle is used under severe
thermal conditions
.When the vehicle accelerates and
decelerates frequently
Under these or similar conditions, you
should check your oil at least every 2nd
fuel fill-up and change your engine oil
more frequently. Different drivers in the
same car may experience different results.
If your oil consumption rate is greater than
expected, contact your authorized
SUBARU retailer who may perform a test
under controlled conditions.
&Checking the oil level
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK”/
“OFF”position. If you check the oil level
just after turning the ignition switch to the
“LOCK”/“OFF”position, wait a few minutes
for the oil to drain back into the oil pan
before checking the level.
1) Oil level gauge
2) Oil filler cap
3) Oil filter
11-8

CAUTION
If the level gauge cannot be pulled
out easily, twist the level gauge right
and left, then gently pull it out.
Otherwise, you may be injured acci-
dentally straining yourself.
2. Pull out the level gauge, wipe it clean,
and insert it again.
3. Be sure the level gauge is correctly
inserted until it stops.
1) Full level
2) Low level
3) Approximately 1.1 US qt (1.0 liter, 0.9
Imp qt) from low level to full level
4. Pull out the oil level gauge again.
5. Check the oil levels on both sides of
the level gauge. The engine oil level mustbe judged by the lowest of the two levels.
If the oil level is below the low level mark,
add oil so that the full level is reached.
CAUTION
.Be careful not to touch the en-
gine oil filter when removing the
oil filler cap. Doing so may result
in a burn, a pinched finger, or
may cause some other injury.
.Use only engine oil with the
recommended grade and vis-
cosity.
.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. If
engine oil gets on the exhaust
pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
To add engine oil, remove the engine oil
filler cap and slowly pour engine oil
through the filler neck. After pouring oil
into the engine, you must use the level
gauge to confirm that the oil level is
correct.
NOTE
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do
not add any additional oil above the
upper level when the engine is cold.
&Changing the oil and oil filter
Change the oil and oil filter according to
the maintenance schedule in the“War-
ranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be
changed more frequently than listed in
the maintenance schedule when driving
on dusty roads, when short trips are
frequently made, or when driving in
extremely cold weather.
NOTE
.Changing the engine oil and oil filter
should be performed by a well-trained
expert. Contact your SUBARU dealer
for changing the engine oil and oil filter.
Fully trained mechanics are on standby
at a SUBARU dealer to utilize the
special tools, spare parts and recom-
mended oil for this work, and also,
used oils are properly disposed of.
.If performing oil replacement your-
self, observe the local regulations and
dispose of waste oil properly.
Maintenance and service/Engine oil
–CONTINUED–11-9

Continuously variable trans-
mission fluid
It is not necessary to check the transmis-
sion fluid level. Check that there are no
cracks, damage or leakage. However, the
fluid inspection should be performed
according to the maintenance schedule
in the“Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let”. Consult your SUBARU dealer for
details.
Front differential gear oil
(CVT models) and rear differ-
ential gear oil
It is not necessary to check the gear oil
level. Check that there are no cracks,
damage or leakage. However, the oil
inspection should be performed according
to the maintenance schedule in the
“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.
Consult your SUBARU dealer for details.
&Recommended grade and
viscosity
Each oil manufacturer has its own base
oils and additives. Never use different
brands together. For details, refer to
“Manual transmission, front differential
and rear differential gear oil”F12-6.
CAUTION
Using a differential gear oil other
than the specified oil may cause a
decline in vehicle performance.
Brake fluid
&Checking the fluid level
WARNING
.Never let brake fluid contact your
eyes because brake fluid can be
harmful to your eyes. If brake
fluid gets in your eyes, immedi-
ately flush them thoroughly with
clean water. For safety, when
performing this work, wearing
eye protection is advisable.
.Brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air. Any absorbed moist-
ure can cause a dangerous loss
of braking performance.
.If the vehicle requires frequent
refilling, there may be a leak. If
you suspect a problem, have the
vehicle checked at your SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
.When adding brake fluid, be care-
ful not to allow any dirt into the
reservoir.
.Never splash the brake fluid over
painted surfaces or rubber parts.
Maintenance and service/Continuously variable transmission fluid
–CONTINUED–11-15

Maintenance and service/Aluminum wheels
Aluminum wheels
Aluminum wheels can be scratched and
damaged easily. Handle them carefully to
maintain their appearance, performance,
and safety.
.When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to change
a flat tire, always check the tightness of
the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose,
tighten it to the specified torque.
.Never apply oil to the threaded parts,
wheel nuts, or tapered surface of the
wheel.
.Never let the wheel rub against sharp
protrusions or curbs.
.When wheel nuts, balance weights, or
the center cap is replaced, be sure to
replace them with genuine SUBARU parts
designed for aluminum wheels.
Windshield washer fluid
Windshield washer fluid warning light
(type A)
Windshield washer fluid warning light
(type B)
When there is only a small amount of
washer fluid remaining, the windshield
washer fluid warning light will illuminate.
When this occurs, refill the washer fluid.
&Adding the windshield
washer fluid
CAUTION
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.
Remove the washer tank filler cap, then
add windshield washer fluid until it
reaches the“FULL”mark on the tank.
11-28