SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 2003 2.G Owners Manual

Interior equipment
6-18
CAUTION
Always keep the lids closed while driving to
reduce the risk of injury in the event of sud- den stop or an accident. Do not store spray cans, containers with
flammable or corrosive liquids or any otherdangerous items in the storage compartment.

7
7-1
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Fuel 7-2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel requirements 7-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel filler lid and cap 7-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State emission testing (U.S. only) 7-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing to drive 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission vehicle 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission vehicle 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine during cold weather
below –4 °F ( –20 °C) 7-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting a flooded engine 7-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stopping the engine 7-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission 7-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shifting speeds 7-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips 7-13
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Automatic transmission 7-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selector lever for automatic transmission 7-15 . . . .
Shift lock release 7-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear viscous limited slip differential
(LSD) (WRX) 7-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power steering 7-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 7-22
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Braking tips 7-22
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Brake system 7-22
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Disc brake pad wear warning indicators 7-23 . . . . . .
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) 7-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS system self-check 7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS warning light 7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parking your vehicle 7-26
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Parking brake 7-26
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Parking tips 7-26
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Cruise control (if equipped) 7-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To set cruise control 7-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To temporarily cancel the cruise control 7-30 . . . . . .
To turn off the cruise control 7-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To change the cruising speed 7-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting and operating

Starting and operating
7-2
Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality or use of an inappropriate fuel additive may cause en- gine damage.
Fuel requirements
2.5 Liter models
The 2.5 Liter engine is designed to operate using
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI or
higher.
2.0 Liter (turbo) models
The 2.0 Liter turbo engine is designed to operate
using premium unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 91 AKI or higher. If premium unleaded gas-
oline is not available, regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher may be tempo-
rarily used. For optimum engine performance and
driveability, it is recommended that you use pre-
mium grade unleaded gasoline.
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the ResearchOctane and Motor Octane numbers and is com-
monly referred to as the Anti Knock Index (AKI).Using a gasoline with a lower octane rating cancause persistent and heavy knocking, which can
damage the engine. Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly when you drive up a hill or when you accelerate. See your dealer or a
qualified service technician if you use a fuel with thespecified octane rating and your vehicle knocks
heavily or persistently.
Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed to acceptonly an unleaded gasoline filler nozzle. Under no
circumstances should leaded gasoline be used be-
cause it will damage the emission control system
and may impair driveability and fuel economy.
Gasoline for California-certified LEV
Your vehicle was certified to California ’s low emis-
sion vehicle (LEV) standards as indicated on the
underhood tune-up label. It is designed to optimize
engine and emission performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur California gaso-
line specifications. If you live in any other state than
California, your vehicle will operate on gasoline

Starting and operating
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meeting Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher sulfur lev-
els, which may affect the performance of your ve-
hicle’s catalytic converter and may produce a sulfur
exhaust odor or smell. SUBARU recommends that
you try a different brand of unleaded gasoline hav-
ing lower sulfur to determine if the problem is fuel
related before returning your vehicle to an autho-rized dealer for service.
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine
and fuel system. This helps keep your engine in
tune and your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality fuel with
the proper detergent and other additives, youshould never need to add any fuel system cleaning agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials
called oxygenates. Use of these fuels can also help
keep the air cleaner. Oxygenated blend fuels, such
as MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in your vehicle,
but should contain no more than 15% MTBE or 10%
ethanol for the proper operation of your SUBARU. In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now pro-
ducing reformulated gasolines, which are designed
to reduce vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the
use of reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasolines
contain detergents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for
your vehicle as explained below.
Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rat-
ing no lower than that specified in this manual. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes
mixed with unleaded gasoline. Methanol can beused in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5%
of the fuel mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors required to prevent damage to the
fuel system. Do not use fuel containing methanolEXCEPT under these conditions.
If undesirable driveability problems are experi-
enced and you suspect they may be fuel related, try
a different brand of gasoline before seeking service
at your SUBARU dealer. Fuel system damage or driveability problems
which result from the use of improper fuel are not

Starting and operating
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covered under the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
CAUTION
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces of the vehicle. Fuels containing alcohol may
cause paint damage, which is not covered un-
der the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
Fuel filler lid and cap
Refueling
1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid release lever up.

Starting and operating
7-5
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1) Open 2) Close
2. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it slowly
counterclockwise.
WARNING
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. Before
refueling, always first stop the engine and
make sure that there are no lighted cigarettes,open flames or electrical sparks in the adja-cent area. When opening the cap, do not remove the
cap quickly. Fuel may be under pressure and spray out of the fuel filler neck especially in
hot weather, which may cause injury.
3. Stop filling the tank after the fuel filler pump auto-
matically stops. Do not add any more fuel.
4. Put the cap back on, turn it clockwise until you
hear a clicking noise. Be certain not to catch the
tether under the cap while tightening.
5. Close the fuel filler lid completely.
If you spill any fuel on the painted surface, rinse it
off immediately. Otherwise, the painted surface
could be damaged. NOTE If the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks or if the tether is caught under the cap, the
CHECK ENGINE warning light may come on. Re-fer to the “Warning and indicator lights ” section
located in chapter 3.CAUTION
Never add any cleaning agents to the fuel
tank. The addition of a cleaning agent may
cause damage to the fuel system. Make sure that the cap is tightened until it
clicks to prevent fuel spillage in the event of an accident.

Starting and operating
7-6
Do not let fuel spill on the exterior surfaces
of the vehicle. Fuels may cause paint damage, which is not
covered under the SUBARU Limited Warranty. Always use a genuine SUBARU fuel filler
cap. If you use the wrong cap, it may not fit or have proper venting, and your fuel tank and
emission control system might be damaged. State emission testing (U.S. only) At state inspection time, remember to tell your inspection or service station in advance not to
place your Subaru AWD vehicle on a two-wheel
dynamometer. Otherwise, serious transmission
damage will result.
Some states have started using dynamometers in
their state inspection programs in order to meet their
obligation under federal law to implement stricter
vehicle emission standards to reduce air pollution
from cars. A dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like testing device that allows your car
’s wheels to turn
while the car remains in one place. Depending onthe severity of a state ’s air pollution problems, the
states must adopt either a “basic” or “enhanced”
vehicle emission inspection test. Normally, a portion of the basic emission test consists of an emission
inspector inserting an analyzer probe into the
exhaust pipe of an idling vehicle for a short period
of time. States with more severe air pollution prob-
lems are required to adopt an enhanced vehicleemission test. This test simulates actual driving
conditions on a dynamometer and permits more
accurate measurement of tailpipe emitted pollution
than the basic emission test.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Starting and operating
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and states using two-wheel dynamometers in their
emission testing programs have EXEMPTED
Subaru AWD vehicles from the portion of the testing
program that involves a two-wheel dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel
dynamometers in their testing programs. When
properly used, that equipment will not damage an
AWD Subaru vehicle.
Under no circumstances should the rear wheels be
jacked off the ground, nor should the driveshaft be
disconnected for state emission testing.
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel
dynamometer. Attempting to do so will result in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may
cause an accident or injuries to persons
nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper testing is not covered under the SUBARU Lim-
ited Warranty and is the responsibility of the state inspection program or its contractors orlicensees.
The EPA has issued regulations for inspecting the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system as part of the state emissions inspection. The OBD system is de-
signed to detect engine and transmission problemsthat might cause vehicle emissions to exceed allow-able limits. These inspections apply to all 1996 mod-el year and newer passenger cars and light trucks.
Several states plus the District of Columbia have
opted to start the OBD system inspection prior to
the required EPA regulation effective date of January1, 2002. Other states will add OBD system inspec-
tion in 2002. The inspection of the OBD system consists of a
visual operational check of the “CHECK ENGINE ”
warning light/malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and
an examination of the OBD system with an electron-ic scan tool while the engine is running. A vehicle passes
the OBD system inspection if
proper the “CHECK ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illu-

Starting and operating
7-8
mination is observed, there is no stored diagnostic
trouble codes, and the OBD system readiness moni-
tors are complete. A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the “CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL is not properly operating
or there is one or more diagnostic trouble codes
stored in vehicle ’s computer with the “CHECK
ENGINE ” warning light/MIL illuminated.
A state emission inspection may reject (not pass
or fail) a vehicle if the number of OBD system readi- ness monitors “Not Ready ” is greater than three.
Under this condition, the vehicle operator should be instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few days to
set the monitors and return for an emission re-in-spection. Owners of rejected or failing vehicles should con-
tact their Subaru Dealer for service. Preparing to drive
You should perform the following checks and adjust-
ments every day before you start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and lights are
clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of the tires.
Also check tires for proper inflation.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear gate are fullyclosed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside
mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your passen-gers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and indicator
lights when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”
position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warning lights
after starting the engine. NOTE Engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, washer
fluid and other fluid levels should be checked
daily, weekly or at fuel stops.

Starting and operating
7-9
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Starting the engine
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter motor continuously
for more than ten seconds. If the engine fails to start after operating the starter for five to ten seconds, wait for ten seconds or more be-fore trying again.
Manual transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and shift the
shift lever into neutral. Hold the clutch pedal to the
floor while starting the engine.
The starter motor will only operate when the clutch
pedal is pressed fully to the floor.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicatorlights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator light ” sec-
tion (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started. If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait
a while and then turn the ignition switch to the
“START”
position again while depressing the accel-
erator pedal half way down.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator lights have
gone off after the engine has started. The fuel injec-
tion system automatically lowers the idle speed as
the engine warms up. Automatic transmission vehicle
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N” position
(preferably “P” position).
The starter motor will only operate when the selectlever is at the “P” or “N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and
check the operation of the warning and indicatorlights. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ”
section (chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START” position
without depressing the accelerator pedal. Release
the key immediately after the engine has started.
If the engine does not start within ten seconds, wait
a while and then turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position again while depressing the accel-