check engine light SUBARU LEGACY 2001 3.G Owners Manual
Page 130 of 453
3
Instruments and controls Ignition switch3-3
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Key reminder chime 3-5
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Key interlock release (AT vehicles only) 3-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Hazard warning flasher 3-6
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Meters and gauges 3-7
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Speedometer 3-7
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Odometer/Trip meter 3-7
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Tachometer (if equipped) 3-8
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Outside temperature indicator (if equipped) 3-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fuel gauge 3-9
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Temperature gauge 3-9
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Warning and indicator lights 3-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seatbelt warning light and chime 3-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
SRS airbag system warning light 3-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
CHECK ENGINE warning light/Malfunction 
indicator lamp 3-11
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Charge warning light 3-12
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Oil pressure warning light 3-13
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AT OIL TEMPerature warning light (for AT vehicles) 3-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
ABS warning light 3-13
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VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) warning light  (if equipped) 3-15
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Brake system warning light 3-16
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Door open warning lights 3-16
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Low fuel warning light 3-16
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Front-wheel drive warning light (for AT vehicles) 3-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) operation indicator 
light (if equipped) 3-17
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VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) OFF indicator light 
(if equipped) 3-17
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Security system status indicator light (if equipped) 3-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shift position indicator (for AT vehicles) 3-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Turn signal indicator lights 3-18
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High beam indicator light 3-18
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Clock 3-19
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Light control switch 3-19
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Daytime running light system 3-21
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Turn signal lever 3-21
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Illumination brightness control 3-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Parking light switch 3-23
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Page 139 of 453
3-10We rec ommend  that you d rive mod erately until the p o
inter of the temp er-
ature g aug e reac hes near the mid d le of the rang e. E ng ine op eration is
op timum with the eng ine c oolant at this temp erature  rang e and  hig h rev-
ving  op eration when eng ine is not warmed  up  enoug h  should  b e
avoid ed . 
Warning and indicator lights 
Several of the warning  and  ind ic ator lig hts c ome on  momentarily and
then g o out when the ig nition switc h is initially t urned  to the “ON ” p osi-
tion. This p ermits c hec king  the op eration of the b u lb s.
Ap p ly the p arking  b rake and  turn the ig nition switc h to the “ON ” p osition.
The following  lig hts c ome on:
Seatb elt warning  lig ht 
SRS airb ag  system warning  lig ht
CHECK ENGINE warning  lig ht / Malfunc tion ind ic ator  lamp
Charg e warning  lig ht
Oil p ressure warning  lig ht
AT OIL temp erature warning  lig ht (AT vehic les)
ABS warning  lig ht
VDC warning  lig ht (if eq uip p ed )
VDC op eration ind ic ator lig ht (if eq uip p ed )
VDC OFF ind ic ator lig ht (if eq uip p ed )
Brake system warning  lig ht
If any lig hts fail to c ome on, it ind ic ates a b urne d -out b ulb  or a malfunc -
tion of the c orresp ond ing  system.
Consult your authorized  SUBARU d ealer for rep air.   Seatbelt warning light and chime
When the ig nition switc h is turned  to the  “ON ” p osition, the seatb elt
warning  lig ht will c ome on and  the remind er c hime w ill sound  for ab out
six sec ond s to remind  the d river to fasten the seat b elt.
The seatb elt warning  lig ht remains on for ab out six  sec ond s and  turns off
automatic ally after six sec ond s. 
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Instruments and controls3-11
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 CONTINUED  –
The seatb elt remind er c hime will turn off when the 
d river’s sid e seatb elt is
b uc kled  or it will turn off automatic ally after six  sec ond s.
  SRS airbag system warning light AIRBAG
When the ig nition switc h is turned  to the  “ON ” p osition, the SRS airb ag
system warning  lig ht will c ome on for ab out six sec ond s and  g o out. This
shows the SRS frontal airb ag  and  SRS sid e airb ag  (i f eq uip p ed ) and
seatb elt p retensioners are in normal op eration. 
If this lig ht c omes on while d riving  or remains ill uminated  even after a
p eriod  of ab out 6 sec ond s from when the ig nition ha s b een turned  on, it
may ind ic ate that the SRS frontal airb ag  system or  SRS sid e airb ag  sys-
tem (if eq uip p ed ) or seatb elt p retensioner system i s not working  p rop er-
ly. Contac t your nearest SUBARU d ealer immed iately.   CHECK ENGINE warning light/Malfunction  indicator lamp
CAUTION
If the CHECK ENGINE light comes on while you are driving, have 
your vehicle checked/repaired by your SUBARU dealer as soonas possible. Continued vehicle operation without having the
emission control system checked and repaired as necessarycould cause serious damage, which may not be covered by your
vehicle’ s warranty.
If this lig ht c omes on stead ily or b links while the  eng ine is running , it may
ind ic ate that there is a p rob lem or p otential p rob l em somewhere in the
emission c ontrol system.
  If the light comes on steadily:
If the lig ht c omes on stead ily while d riving  or d oe s not g o out after the
eng ine starts, an emission c ontrol system malfunc ti on has b een d e-
tec ted .
You should  have your vehic le c hec ked  b y an authoriz ed  SUBARU
d ealer immed iately.  
Page 141 of 453
3-12NOTE This light also comes on when the fuel filler cap is not tightened until it clicks. 
If you have rec ently refueled  your vehic le, the c au
se of the CHECK
ENGINE warning  lig ht/malfunc tion ind ic ator lamp  c om ing  on c ould  b e a
loose or missing  fuel filler c ap . Remove the c ap  an d  retig hten it until it
c lic ks. Make sure nothing  is interfering  with the s ealing  of the c ap .
Tig htening  the c ap  will not make the CHECK ENGINE w arning  lig ht
turn off immed iately. It may take several d riving  t rip s. If the lig ht d oes
not g o out, take your vehic le to your authorized  SU BARU d ealer
immed iately.   If the light is blinking:
If the lig ht is b linking  while d riving , an eng ine m isfire c ond ition has
b een d etec ted  whic h may d amag e the emission c ontrol  system.
To p revent serious d amag e to the emission c ontrol s ystem, you
should  d o the following :   Red uc e vehic le sp eed .
  Avoid  hard  ac c eleration.
  Avoid  steep  up hill g rad es.
  Red uc e the amount of c arg o, if p ossib le.
  Stop  towing  a trailer as soon as p ossib le.
The CHECK ENGINE warning  lig ht may stop  b linking  an d  c ome on
stead ily after several d riving  trip s. You should  ha ve your vehic le
c hec ked  b y an authorized  SUBARU d ealer immed iately.
  Charge warning light
If this lig ht c omes on when the eng ine is running ,  it may ind ic ate that the
c harg ing  system is not working  p rop erly. 
If the lig ht c omes on while d riving  or d oes not g o  out after the eng ine
starts, stop  the eng ine at the first safe op p ortuni ty and  c hec k the alterna-
tor b elt. If the b elt is loose, b roken or if the b e lt is in g ood  c ond ition b ut
the lig ht remains on, c ontac t your nearest SUBARU d ealer immed iately.