engine SUBARU BAJA 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

Instruments and controls3-19
–
CONTINUED –
To flash the headlights, pull the lever toward you and then release it.
The high beam will stay on for as long as you hold the lever. The
headlight flasher works even though the lighting switch is in the “OFF”
position.
When the headlights are on high beam, the high beam indicator light “ a ” on the instrument panel also comes on.
Daytime running light system
WARNING
The tail lights, parking lights, and side marker lights are notturned on by the daytime running light system. The light switchmust always be turned to the “a ” position when it is dark out-
side.
The low beam headlights will automatically come on at reduced bright-
ness when the engine has started, under the following conditions: The parking brake is fully released.
The light switch is in the “OFF” or “p ” position.
Turn signal lever
HB2015BB
Right turn Left turn
To activate the right turn signal, push the turn signal lever up. To activate
the left turn signal, push the turn signal lever down. When the turn is fin-

Climate control4-5
–
CONTINUED –
: Air flows through the foot outlets and some through the wind-
shield defroster outlets.
: Air flows through the windshield defroster outlets and foot outlets.
: Air flows through the windshield defroster outlets.
NOTE When the dial is placed in the “
” or “”position, the air
conditioner compressor operates automatically regardless of the position of the air conditioner button to defog the windshield
quickly. At the same time, the air inlet selection is automaticallyset to “Outside air ” mode.
In this state, you cannot select “recirculation” mode by manually
pressing the air inlet selection button. n Air conditioner button
HB5010BB
The air conditioner operates only when the engine is running.
Push the air conditioner button while the fan is in operation to turn on
the air conditioner. The indicator light will come on.
Push it again to turn off the air conditioner.

4-12
Operating tips for heater and air conditionerCleaning ventilator grille
HBF046BA
Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille free of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions to ensure efficient heating and defrosting. Since the
condenser is located in front of the radiator, this area should be kept
clean because cooling performance is impaired by any accumulation
of insects and leaves on the condenser. Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with the windows open for a few
minutes to allow outside air to circulate into the heated interior. This
results in quicker cooling by the air conditioner. Keep the windowsclosed during the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool-
ing 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-sea-
son to circulate its oil. Checking air conditioning system before summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks, hose conditions,
and proper operation each spring. This check is best performed by
your SUBARU dealer.

Climate control4-13
–
CONTINUED –
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low tempera- ture weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humidity, low tempera-
tures, etc.) a small amount of water vapor emission from the air outlets
may be noticed. This condition is normal and does not indicate any
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 com-
pressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner op-
eration whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as duringrapid acceleration or when driving on a steep upgrade. Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant HFC134a. There-
fore, the method 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 (if equipped) If your vehicle ’s air conditioning system is equipped with a optional air
filtration system, replace the filter element according to the replacement
schedule shown below. 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.
Replacement schedule: Every 12 months or 9,300 miles (15,000 km) whichever comes first
NOTE The filter can influence the air conditioning, heating and defroster performance if not properly maintained.

Interior and exterior equipments6-11
–
CONTINUED –
CAUTION
Use only in-car use electrical appliances which are designed
for 12V DC and which consume less than 120W. Overloading the
socket can cause a short circuit. Do not use double adapters ormore than one electrical appliance. If the plug on your electric appliance is either too loose or too
tight for the socket, this can result in a poor contact or cause the
plug to get stuck. Only use plugs that fit properly. Use of an electric appliance in the socket for a long period of
time while the engine is not running can cause battery discharge. Before driving your vehicle, make sure that the plug and the
cord on your electrical appliance will not interfere with your shift-ing gears and operating the accelerator and brake pedals. If theydo, do not use the electrical appliance while driving.
If the socket has been used for electrical appliances, damage may
have been done to the internal mechanism that cause a cigarette
lighter to “pop-out” after its element has been heated. For that reason,
a cigarette lighter, even if it is a genuine part, should not be used in
the socket. If you want to use the socket for a cigarette lighter again,
or to protect your purchaser before you sell your car, have your
SUBARU dealer replace the socket with a new one.

7
Starting and operating Fuel7-2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel requirements 7-2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel filler door and cap 7-4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State emission testing (U.S. only) 7-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing to drive 7-8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine 7-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine for manual transmission vehicle 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine for automatic transmission vehicle 7-10 . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine during cold weather below –4
°F (–20°C) 7-10 . . .
Starting a flooded engine 7-11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stopping the engine 7-11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission 7-11
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission 7-14
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selector lever 7-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shift lock release 7-20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear viscous limited slip differential (LSD) (if equipped) 7-21 . . .
Power steering 7-21
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 7-22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking tips 7-22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system 7-22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators 7-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) 7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parking your vehicle 7-26
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cruise control 7-28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-2
FuelCAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality or use of an inappropriate fuel additive may cause engine damage.
Fuel requirements
The 2.5 Liter engine is designed to operate using unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher.
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the Research Octane and Motor
Octane numbers and is commonly referred 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 sometimes knocks lightly when you drive up a hill or
when you accelerate. See your dealer or a qualified service techni-
cian if you use a fuel with the specified octane rating and your vehicle
knocks heavily or persistently. Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed to accept only an unleaded
gasoline filler nozzle. Under no circumstances should leaded gaso-
line be used because 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 emission vehicle (LEV)
standards as indicated on the underhood tune-up label. It is designed
to optimize engine and emission control system performance with
gasoline that meets the clean burning low-sulfur California gasoline
specifications. If you live in any other state than California, your ve-hicle will operate on gasoline meeting Federal specifications. Gaso-
line sold outside California is permitted to have higher sulfur levels,
which may affect the performance of your vehicle ’s catalytic converter

Starting and operating7-3
–
CONTINUED –
and may produce a sulfur exhaust odor or smell. SUBARU recom-
mends that you try a different brand of unleaded gasoline having low-
er sulfur to determine if the problem is fuel related before returningyour vehicle to an authorized dealer for service. Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will help prevent depos-
its 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 con-
tain no more than 15% MTBE or 10% ethanol for the proper operationof your SUBARU.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing reformulated
gasoline, which is 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 gasoline contains detergents and oxygenates
and if they have been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions. As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for your vehicle as ex-
plained below. Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rating no lower than
that specified in this manual. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes mixed with un-
leaded 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 cosolvent and corrosion inhibitors
required to prevent damage to the fuel system. Do not use fuel con-

7-4
taining methanol EXCEPT under these conditions.
If undesirable drivability problems are experienced and you sus-
pect they may be fuel related, try a different brand of gasoline before
seeking service at your SUBARU dealer. Fuel system damage or drivability problems which result from the
use of improper fuel are not covered under the SUBARU Limited War-
ranty.
Fuel filler door and cap Refueling
WARNING
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. Before refueling, always
first stop the engine and make sure that there are no lighted ciga- rettes, open flames or electrical sparks in the adjacent area. When opening the cap, do not remove the cap quickly. Fuel
may be under pressure and spray out of the fuel filler neck espe-
cially in hot weather, which may cause injury. Never fill gasoline containers on the cargo bed. Static electric-
ity may ignite gasoline vapor when filling portable containers.
Approved containers must be removed from the vehicle and
placed on the ground when filling.Do not fill any portable container on a vehicle.
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. 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

7-6
NOTE
HG3016AA
You will see the “FUEL DOOR p” sign in the combination
meter. This indicates that the fuel filler door (lid) is located on the right side of the vehicle. 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 maycome on. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights ” section lo-
cated in chapter 3.
State emission testing (U.S. only)
WARNING
Testing of an All-Wheel Drive vehicle must NEVER be performed
on a single two-wheel dynamometer. Attempting to do so willresult in uncontrolled vehicle movement and may cause an acci-
dent or injuries to persons nearby.
CAUTION
Resultant vehicle damage due to improper testing is not covered
under the SUBARU Limited Warranty and is the responsibility ofthe state inspection program or its contractors or licensees.