SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 2005 2.G Owners Manual

6-16
Interior equipment
„
Stowage of the cover
The cargo area cover can be stowed under the cargo floor. „ To install the cover housing
1. Pull either sleeve on the end of the cover housing
to shorten the cover’s length. 2. Insert the projections located on the both ends of
the sleeve into the recesses of the retainers.
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6-17
Interior equipment
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Cargo tie-down hooks (if equipped)
The cargo area is equipped with four tie-down hooks
so that cargo can be secured with a cargo net or
ropes.
When using the tie-down hooks, turn them down out of
the storing recesses. When not in use, put the hooks up into the storing recesses.
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.
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6-18
Interior equipment
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.
y
Always keep the lids closed while driving to
reduce the risk of injury in the event of sudden
stop or an accident. y Do not store spray cans, containers with
flammable or corrosive liquids or any other
dangerous items in the storage compartment.
UG6517BA

7-1
7
Starting and operating
Fuel ................................................................ 7-2 Fuel requirements ............................................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap ........................................ 7-4
State emission testing (U.S. only) ............... 7-7
Preparing to drive ......................................... 7-9
Starting the engine ....................................... 7-9 Manual transmission vehicle ........................... 7-9
Automatic transmission vehicle ...................... 7-10
Stopping the engine ..................................... 7-11
Manual transmission – 6 speeds (WRX-STi) .................................................. 7-12Selecting reverse gear ...................................... 7-12
Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-13
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Manual transmission – 5 speeds (except WRX-STi) ...................................... 7-15Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-15
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-17
Driver’s Control Center Differential (DCCD) (WRX-STi) .................................................. 7-18Auto mode ......................................................... 7-18
Manual mode ..................................................... 7-19
Temporary release ............................................ 7-21
Automatic transmission ............................... 7-22 Selector lever for automatic transmission ..... 7-23
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-27
Limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) .............................................. 7-28
Power steering .............................................. 7-29 Braking ........................................................... 7-30
Braking tips ....................................................... 7-30
Brake system .................................................... 7-30
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-31
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-31 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-32
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-32
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system ........................................................ 7-34Steps to take if EBD system fails .................... 7-34
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-36 Parking brake .................................................... 7-36
Parking tips ....................................................... 7-36
Cruise control ................................................ 7-38 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-39
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-40
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-41
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-42

7-2
Starting and operating
Starting and operatingFuel
Use of a fuel which is low in quality or use of an
inappropriate fuel additive may cause engine
damage.
„ Fuel requirements
T 2.5-liter non-turbo models
The 2.5-liter non-turbo engine is designed to operate
using unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87
AKI or higher. T 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 gasoline is not
available, regular unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 87 AKI or higher may be temporarily used.
For optimum engine performance and driveability, it is
required that you use premium grade unleaded gaso-
line. T
2.5-liter turbo model
The 2.5-liter turbo engine is designed to operate using
super-premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rat-
ing of 93 AKI or higher. If super-premium unleaded
gasoline with an octane rating of 93 AKI or higher is
not available, premium unleaded gasoline with an oc-
tane rating of 91 AKI or higher can be used. For opti-
mum engine performance and driveability, it is recom-
mended that you use super-premium grade unleaded
gasoline with an octane rating of 93 AKI or higher. T Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the Research Oc-
tane and Motor Octane numbers and is commonly re-
ferred to as the Anti Knock Index (AKI).
Using a gasoline with a lower octane rating can cause
persistent and heavy knocking, which can damage the
engine. Do not be concerned if your vehicle some-
times 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 the specified octane
rating and your vehicle knocks heavily or persistently. T Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed to accept
only an unleaded gasoline filler nozzle. Under no cir-
cumstances should leaded gasoline be used because
it will damage the emission control system and may

7-3
Starting and operating
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impair driveability and fuel economy. TGasoline for California-certified LEV
Your vehicle was certified to California’s low emission
vehicle (LEV) standards as indicated on the under-
hood tune-up label. It is designed to optimize engine
and emission performance with gasoline that meets
the clean burning low-sulfur California gasoline speci-
fications. If you live in any other state than California,
your vehicle will operate on gasoline meeting Federal
specifications. Gasoline sold outside California is per-
mitted to have higher sulfur levels, which may affect
the performance of your vehicle’s catalytic converter
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell.
SUBARU recommends that you try a different brand of
unleaded gasoline having lower sulfur to determine if
the problem is fuel related before returning your vehi-
cle to an authorized dealer for service. T MMT
Some gasoline contains an octane-enhancing additive
called MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tri-
carbonyl). If you use such fuels, your emission control
system performance may deteriorate and the CHECK
ENGINE warning light/Malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on. If this happens, return to your authorized
SUBARU Dealer for service. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty. T
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 continu-
ously use a high quality fuel with the proper detergent
and other additives, you should 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 con-
tain no more than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the
proper operation of your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now produc-
ing reformulated gasolines, which are designed to re-
duce 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.

7-4
Starting and operating
As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for your
vehicle as explained below.y
Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rating
no lower than that specified in this manual.y Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes
mixed with unleaded gasoline. Methanol can be used
in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5% of the
fuel mixture AND if it is accompanied by sufficient
quantities of the proper cosolvents and corrosion in-
hibitors required to prevent damage to the fuel system.
Do not use fuel containing methanol EXCEPT under
these conditions. y If undesirable driveability problems are experienced
and you suspect they may be fuel related, try a differ-
ent brand of gasoline before seeking service at your
SUBARU dealer. y Fuel system damage or driveability problems which
result from the use of improper fuel are not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty.
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
T Refueling
0
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7-5
Starting and operating
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1. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the lid release lever
up. 1) Open
2) Close
2. Remove the fuel filler cap by turning it slowly coun-
terclockwise.
y 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 adjacent area. y 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
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1 2
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7-6
Starting and operating
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 un-
der 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. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section located in
chapter 3.
y Never add any cleaning agents to the fuel
tank. The addition of a cleaning agent may
cause damage to the fuel system. y Make sure that the cap is tightened until it
clicks to prevent fuel spillage in the event of an
accident. y
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. y 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 emis-
sion control system might be damaged.

7-7
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
State emission testing (U.S. only)
At state inspection time, remember to tell your in-
spection or service station in advance not to place
your Subaru AWD vehicle on a two-wheel dyna-
mometer. Otherwise, serious transmission dam-
age 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 vehi-
cle emission standards to reduce air pollution from ve-
hicles. A dynamometer is a treadmill or roller-like test-
ing device that allows your vehicle’s wheels to turn
while the vehicle remains in one place. Depending on
the severity of a state’s air pollution problems, the
states must adopt either a “basic” or “enhanced” vehi-
cle 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 problems are required to
adopt an enhanced vehicle emission 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) and states using two-wheel dynamometers in their emis-
sion testing programs have
EXEMPTED Subaru AWD
vehicles from the portion of the testing program that in-
volves a two-wheel dynamometer.
There are some states that use four-wheel dynamom-
eters in their testing programs. When properly used,
that equipment will not damage an AWD Subaru vehi- cle.
Under no circumstances should the rear wheels be
jacked off the ground, nor should the driveshaft be dis-
connected for state emission testing.
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must
NEVER be performed on a single two-wheel dy-
namometer. Attempting to do so will result in
uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause
an accident or injuries to persons nearby.
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper test-
ing is not covered under the SUBARU Limited
Warranty and is the responsibility of the state