roof SUBARU IMPREZA 2003 2.G Owners Manual

14
Illustrated index Exterior
1) Engine hood (page 11-5)
2) Headlight switch (page 3-16)
3) Replacing bulbs (page 11-62)
4) Wiper switch (page 3-22)
5) Roof rails (page 8-18)
6) Door locks (page 2-3)
7) Tire pressure (page 11-42)
8) Flat tires (page 9-5)
9) Tire chains (page 8-14)
10) Front fog light switch (page
3-20)
11) Tie-down eyes (page 9-18)
12) Towing eye (page 9-18)

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-54
pole or sign pole, or if it slides under a truck’s load
bed, or if it sustains an oblique offset frontal impact,
the SRS frontal airbag may not deploy depending on
the level of accident forces involved. n
When will the SRS frontal airbag not deploy?
The SRS frontal airbag is basically not designed to
deploy if the vehicle is struck from side or from
behind, or if it rolls onto its side or roof, or if it is in-
volved in a low-speed frontal collision.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-61
– CONTINUED –
nWhen is the SRS side airbag unlikely to deploy?
1) The vehicle is involved in an
oblique side-on impact.
2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on impact in an area outside the vicin- ity of the passenger compartment.
3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or similar object.
4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact from a motorcycle.
5) The vehicle rolls onto its side or
roof.

Interior equipment
6-17
– CONTINUED –
CAUTION
The cargo tie-down hooks are designed only for securing light cargo. Never try to secure
cargo that exceeds the capacity of the hooks. The maximum load capacity is 44 lbs (20 kg)per an hook. Under-floor storage compartment (if equipped)
The storage compartment is located under the floor
of the cargo area and can be used to store small
items. To open the lid, pull the tab up.
Hang the hook provided on the under side of the lid
on the rear edge of the roof to keep the lid open. NOTE When storing a flat tire, put the storage tray in the cargo area.

8
8-1
– CONTINUED –
New vehicle break-in driving –
the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) 8-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel economy hints 8-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) 8-3 . . . .
Catalytic converter 8-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Periodic inspections 8-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving in foreign countries 8-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips for AWD vehicles 8-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Off road driving 8-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
All AWD models except OUTBACK SPORT 8-8 . . .
OUTBACK SPORT 8-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Winter driving 8-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation during cold weather 8-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving on snowy and icy roads 8-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corrosion protection 8-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Snow tires 8-13
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire chains 8-14
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rocking the vehicle 8-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loading your vehicle 8-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle capacity weight 8-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) 8-17 . . . . . .
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) 8-18 . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer hitch (if equipped) 8-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting a trailer 8-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When you do not tow a trailer 8-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer towing 8-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warranties and maintenance 8-27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maximum load limits 8-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer hitches 8-32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting a trailer 8-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer towing tips 8-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips

Driving tips
8-9
– CONTINUED –
aid kit and portable phone or citizens band radio. Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain. Slow down and employ extra caution at all times.
When driving off-road, you will not have the benefit
of marked traffic lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and the like. Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive
either straight up or straight down the slopes. A ve-
hicle can much more easily tip over sideways than it
can end over end. Avoid driving straight up or down
slopes that are too steep. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at
higher speeds. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injureyour hands. Instead drive with your fingers andthumbs on the outside of the rim. If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and
ensure that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The water
should be shallow enough that it does not reach the
vehicle’ s undercarriage. Water entering the engine
air intake or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never attempt to drive through
rushing water; regardless of its depth, it can wash
away the ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle rollover.
Always check your brakes for effectiveness im-
mediately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do
this by driving slowly and stepping on the brake
pedal. Repeat that process several times to dry outthe brake discs and brake pads. Do not drive or park over or near flammable mate-
rials such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the engine stops.
This could create a fire hazard. After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand,
rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, pa-
per, rags, stones, sand, etc. adhering to or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these ma-
terials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a
mechanical breakdown or fire could occur. Secure all cargo carried inside the vehicle and
make certain that it is not piled higher than the seat-
backs. During sudden stops or jolts, unsecured car-
go could be thrown around in the vehicle and cause
injury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof. Thoseloads raise the vehicle ’s center of gravity and make

Driving tips
8-16
WARNING
When you carry something inside the ve-
hicle, secure it whenever you can to prevent it from being thrown around inside the vehicleduring sudden stops, sharp turns or in an ac- cident. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof. These
loads raise the vehicle ’s center of gravity and
make it more prone to tip over. Secure lengthy items properly to prevent
them from shooting forward and causing seri- ous injury during a sudden stop. Never exceed the maximum load limit. If you
do, some parts on your vehicle can break, or itcan change the way your vehicle handles.This could result in loss of control and cause
personal injury. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. Do not place anything on the rear shelf
behind the rear seatback (for sedan) or the ex-
tended luggage cover (for wagon). Such itemscould tumble forward in the event of a suddenstop or a collision. This could cause serious
injury.
CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containers with flam- mable or corrosive liquids or any other dan- gerous items inside the vehicle.
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry unneeded cargo. Vehicle capacity weight

Driving tips
8-17
– CONTINUED –
The load capacity of your vehicle is determined by
weight, not by available cargo space. The maximum
load you can carry in your vehicle is shown as the
Vehicle Capacity Weight on the tire information label
attached to the driver ’s side door jamb. It includes
the total weight of driver and all passengers andtheir belongings, any optional equipment such as a
trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier, etc., and the
tongue load of a trailer.
The tire information label also shows recommended
tire inflation pressure under full loading and trailer
towing conditions. Adjust tire inflation pressures
according to the loading conditions. For the tire inflation pressures, refer to the
“Tires and wheel ”
section in Chapter 11. GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating and Gross Axle WeightRating)
The certification plate attached to the driver ’s side
door jamb shows GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing) and GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must never ex- ceed the GVWR. GVW is the combined total of
weight of the vehicle, fuel, driver, all passengers,
luggage, any optional equipment and trailer tongue

Driving tips
8-18
load. Therefore, the GVW changes depending on
the situation. The GVWR equals Curb Weight (actualweight of your vehicle – including standard equip-
ment, fluids, emergency tools and spare tire assem-bly) plus the vehicle capacity weight. In addition, the total weight applied to each axle
(GAW) must never exceed the GAWR. The front and
rear GAWs can be adjusted by relocating luggageinside the vehicle.Even if the total weight of your luggage is lower than
the vehicle capacity weight, either front or rear GAW
may exceed the GAWR, depending on the distribu-
tion of the luggage.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you should
confirm that GVW and front and rear GAWs are with-
in the GVWR and GAWR by putting your vehicle on
a vehicle scale, found at a commercial weighing sta- tion.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower load range than the originals because they may lower the
GVWR and GAWR limitations. Replacement tireswith a higher load range than the originals do not in-
crease the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped)
1) Crossbar kit
The roof rail is not designed to carry cargo by itself.
Cargo can be carried after securing the roof cross-
bar kit to the roof rail and installing the appropriate
carrying attachment. When installing the roof cross-
bar kit, follow the manufacturer ’s instructions.
When you carry cargo on the roof using the roof
crossbar kit and a carrying attachment, never ex-
ceed the maximum load limit explained below. You
should also be careful that your vehicle does not ex-
ceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and

Driving tips
8-19
– CONTINUED –
front and rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). See the “Loading your vehicle ” section in this chap-
ter for information on loading cargo into or onto your
vehicle. The maximum load limit of the cargo, cross-
bars and carrying attachment must not exceed 100
lb. (45 kg). Place the heaviest load at the bottom,
nearest the roof, and evenly distribute the cargo. Al-
ways properly secure all cargo.
CAUTION
For cargo carrying purposes, the roof rail
must be used together with a roof crossbar kit and the appropriate carrying attachment. The roof rail must never be used alone to carrycargo. Otherwise, damage to the roof or paint
or a dangerous road hazard due to loss of car-go could result. When using the roof crossbar kit, make sure
that the total weight of the crossbars, carryingattachment and cargo does not exceed the
maximum load limit. Overloading may cause
damage to the vehicle and create a safety haz-ard.
Installing carrying attachments on the cross-bars
When installing any carrying attachment such as a
bike carrier, ski carrier, kayak carrier, cargo basket,
etc. on the crossbars, follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions and make sure that the attachment is
securely fixed to the crossbars. Use only attach-
ments designed specifically for the crossbars. A set
of the crossbars is designed to carry loads (cargo
and attachment) of not more than 100 lb. (45 kg).
Before operating the vehicle, make sure that the car-
go is properly secured on the attachment. NOTE Remember that the vehicle ’s center of gravity is
altered with the weight of the load on the roof, thus affecting the driving characteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard corneringand abrupt stops. Crosswind effects will beincreased.
Removal and installation of the crossbars
The crossbars can be removed when you do not
use the roof to carry cargo.
n To remove the crossbar
1. Loosen and remove the T –30 torx head screw
from the top of each crossbar end support.