warning light SUBARU BAJA 2005 1.G User Guide

3-9
Instruments and controls
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the engine coolant at this temperature range and high
revving operation when the engine is not warmed up
enough should be avoided.Warning and indicator lights
Several of the warning and indicator lights come on
momentarily and then go out when the ignition switch
is initially turned to the “ON” position. This permits
checking the operation of the bulbs.
Apply the parking brake and turn the ignition switch to
the “ON” position. The following lights come on:
Seatbelt warning light
SRS airbag system warning light
CHECK ENGINE warning light / Malfunction indica- tor lamp
Charge warning light
Oil pressure warning light
AT OIL temperature warning light (AT vehicles) ABS warning light
Brake system warning light
All-Wheel Drive warning light (AT vehicles)
If any lights fail to come on, it indicates a burned-out
bulb or a malfunction of the corresponding system.
Consult your authorized SUBARU dealer for repair. „ Seatbelt warning light and chime
When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position,
the seatbelt warning light will come on and the remind-

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Instruments and controls
er chime will sound for about six seconds to remind the
driver to fasten the seatbelt.
The seatbelt warning light remains on for about six
seconds and turns off automatically after six seconds.
The seatbelt reminder chime will turn off when the
driver’s side seatbelt is buckled or it will turn off auto-
matically after six seconds. „
SRS airbag system warning light
If the warning light exhibits any of the following
conditions, there may be a malfunction in the
seatbelt pretensioners and/or SRS airbag sys-
tem. Immediately take your vehicle to your
nearest SUBARU dealer to have the system
checked. Unless checked and properly re-
paired, the seatbelt pretensioners and/or SRS
airbag will not operate properly in the event of
a collision, which may increase the risk of inju-
ry.yFlashing or flickering of the indicator light.
y No illumination of the warning light when the
ignition switch is first turned to the “ON” posi-
tion. y
Continuous illumination of the warning light.
y Illumination of the warning light while driv-
ing.
When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position,
the SRS airbag system warning light will come on for
about six seconds and go out. This shows the SRS
frontal airbag and seatbelt pretensioners are in normal
operation. „ CHECK ENGINE warning light/
Malfunction indicator lamp
If the CHECK ENGINE light comes on while you
are driving, have your vehicle checked/repaired
by your SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
Continued vehicle operation without having the
emission control system checked and repaired
as necessary could cause serious damage,
which may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty.
If this light comes on steadily or blinks while the engine

3-11
Instruments and controls
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is running, it may indicate that there is a problem or po-
tential problem somewhere in the emission controlsystem. TIf the light comes on steadily:
If the light comes on steadily while driving or does not
go out after the engine starts, an emission control sys-
tem malfunction has been detected.
You should have your vehicle checked by an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer immediately.
NOTE
This light also comes on when the fuel filler cap is
not tightened until it clicks.
If you have recently refueled your vehicle, the cause of
the CHECK ENGINE warning light/malfunction indica-
tor lamp coming on could be a loose or missing fuel fill-
er cap. Remove the cap and retighten it until it clicks.
Make sure nothing is interfering with the sealing of the
cap. Tightening the cap will not make the CHECK EN-
GINE warning light turn off immediately. It may take
several driving trips. If the light does not go out, take
your vehicle to your authorized SUBARU dealer im-
mediately. T If the light is blinking:
If the light is blinking while driving, an engine misfire
condition has been detected which may damage the emission control system.
To prevent serious damage to the emission control
system, you should do the following: y
Reduce vehicle speed.
y Avoid hard acceleration.
y Avoid steep uphill grades.
y Reduce the amount of cargo, if possible.
y Stop towing a trailer as soon as possible.
The CHECK ENGINE warning light may stop blinking
and come on steadily after several driving trips. You
should have your vehicle checked by an authorized
SUBARU dealer immediately. „ Charge warning light
If this light comes on when the engine is running, it
may indicate that the charging system is not working
properly.
If the light comes on while driving or does not go out
after the engine starts, stop the engine at the first safe
opportunity and check the alternator belt. If the belt is
loose, broken or if the belt is in good condition but the
light remains on, contact your nearest SUBARU deal-
er immediately.

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Instruments and controls
„
Oil pressure warning light
Do not operate the engine with the oil pressure
warning light on. This may cause serious en-
gine damage.
If this light comes on when the engine is running, it
may indicate that the engine oil pressure is low and the
lubricating system is not working properly.
If the light comes on while driving or does not go out
after the engine starts, stop the engine at the first safe
opportunity and check the engine oil level. If the oil lev-
el is low, add oil immediately. If the engine oil is at the
proper level but the light remains on, contact your
nearest SUBARU dealer immediately. „ AT OIL TEMPerature warning
light (AT vehicles)
The AT oil temperature warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position and
goes out after about two seconds.
If this light comes on when the engine is running, it
may indicate that the automatic transmission fluid tem-
perature is too hot. If the light comes on while driving, it is unnecessary to
stop the vehicle, but avoid driving up steep grades or
in stop and go traffic. T
Automatic transmission control system warn- ing
If the light flashes after the engine starts, it may indi-
cate that the automatic transmission control system is
not working properly. Contact your nearest SUBARU
dealer for service immediately. „ ABS warning light
The ABS warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes out after
about two seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system is working
properly.
If the warning light behaves as follows, the ABS
system may not work properly.
When the warning light is on, the ABS function
shuts down; however, the conventional brake
system continues to operate normally.y The warning light does not come on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position.
(U.S.) (Canada)

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Instruments and controls
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yThe warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, but it
does not go out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12 km/h). y The warning light comes on during driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system repaired at
the first available opportunity by your SUBARU
dealer.
NOTE
If the warning light behavior is as described be-
low, the ABS system may be considered normal.y The warning light comes on right after the en-
gine is started but goes out immediately, remain-
ing off.y The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the vehicle
speed reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h).y The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage such
as when the engine is jump started, the ABS warning
light may come on. This is due to the low battery volt-
age and does not indicate a malfunction. When the
battery becomes fully charged, the light will go out. „
Brake system warning light
yDriving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake sys-
tem may not be working properly. If the light re-
mains on, have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately. y If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are
operating properly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
This light has the following two functions: T Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake applied
while the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. It goes
out when the parking brake is fully released. T Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid level has
dropped to near the “MIN” level of the brake fluid res-
ervoir with the ignition switch in the “ON” position and
with the parking brake fully released.
(U.S.) (Canada)

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Instruments and controls
If the brake system warning light should come on while
driving (with the parking brake fully released and with
the ignition switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn brake pads.
If this occurs, immediately stop the vehicle at the near-
est safe place and check the brake fluid level. If the flu-
id level is below the “MIN” mark in the reservoir, do not
drive the vehicle. Have the vehicle towed to the near-
est SUBARU dealer for repair. „
Door ajar warning lights
The specific door ajar warning light comes on if any
door is not fully closed.
Always make sure this light is out before you start to
drive. „ Switchback door indicator light
While the ignition switch is in the “ON” position, the
switchback door indicator light comes on when the
switchback door is open.
While the ignition switch is in the “LOCK” or “ACC” po-
sition, the switchback door indicator light flashes for
about 20 seconds and goes off when the switchback
door is open. „
Low fuel warning light
The low fuel warning light comes on when the tank is
nearly empty about 2.6 US gal (10.0 liters, or 2.2 Imp
gal). It only operates when the ignition switch is in the“ON” position.
NOTE
This light does not go out unless the tank is re-
plenished up to an internal fuel quantity of about
3.7 US gal (14 liters, 3.1 Imp gal).
Promptly put fuel in the tank whenever the low
fuel warning light comes on. If the engine mis-
fired as a result of an empty tank, resulting cat-
alyzer damage could cause damage to the tur-
bocharger.
„ All-Wheel Drive warning light
(AT vehicles)
The All-Wheel Drive warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position and goes
out after about two seconds.

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Instruments and controls
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TTurbo models
This light flashes if the vehicle is driven with tires of dif-
ferent diameters or with the air pressure excessively
low in any of its tires. T Non-turbo models
This light comes on when All-Wheel Drive is disen-
gaged and the drive mechanism is switched to Front
Wheel Drive for maintenance or similar purposes.
This light flashes if the vehicle is driven with tires of dif-
ferent diameters or with the air pressure excessively
low in any of its tires.
Continued driving with the AWD warning light
flashing can lead to powertrain damage. If the
AWD warning light flashes, promptly park in a
safe place then check whether all four tires are
the same diameter and whether any of the tires
has a puncture or has lost air pressure for
some other reason. „
Security system status indicator
light (if equipped)
This light is found at the bottom center of the combina-
tion meter panel.
On vehicles equipped with a security system, it blinks
to show the driver the operational status of the security
system. For detailed information, refer to the “Security
system (if equipped)” in Chapter 2. „ Selector lever position indicator (AT
vehicles)
This indicator shows the position of the selector lever.
UB3025AA

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Instruments and controls
Light control switch
To prevent battery discharge resulting from ac-
cidentally leaving your lights on when your ve-
hicle is parked, the light switch operates only
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” posi-
tion. In any other position, the vehicle’s lights
will be out.
If you park your vehicle on a roadside at night,
use the hazard warning flasher to alert the other
drivers.
The light switch operates only when the ignition switch
is in the “ON” position. „
Headlights
To turn on the headlights, turn the knob on the end of
the turn signal lever. first position
Parking lights, instrument panel illumination, tail lights
and license plate light are on.
second position
Headlights, parking lights, instrument panel illumina-
tion, tail lights, and license plate light are on.HS3026BA

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7
Starting and operating
Fuel ................................................................ 7-2 Fuel requirements ............................................. 7-2
Fuel filler door 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 ..................................... 7-12
Manual transmission .................................... 7-12 Shifting speeds ................................................. 7-13
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-14
Automatic transmission (Non-turbo models) ................................... 7-15Selector lever .................................................... 7-16
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-19
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-20
Automatic transmission (Turbo models) ... 7-21 Selector lever .................................................... 7-22
Selector lever reverse inhibiting function ...... 7-25
Selection of SPORTSHIFT mode (manual mode) ................................................ 7-27
Driving tips ........................................................ 7-29
Shift lock release .............................................. 7-30
Limited slip differential (LSD) ...................... 7-31
Power steering .............................................. 7-31
Braking .......................................................... 7-32 Braking tips ....................................................... 7-32
Brake system ..................................................... 7-32 Disc brake pad wear warning indicators ........ 7-33
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) ..................... 7-33 ABS system self-check .................................... 7-34
ABS warning light ............................................. 7-34
Parking your vehicle ..................................... 7-36
Cruise control ................................................ 7-38 To set cruise control ........................................ 7-38
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ....... 7-39
To turn off the cruise control ........................... 7-40
To change the cruising speed ......................... 7-40
Cruise control set indicator light .................... 7-41

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Starting and operating
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California is permitted 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 sul-
fur to determine if the problem is fuel related before re-
turning your vehicle to an authorized dealer for ser-
vice. TMMT
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 gasoline, which is designed to reduce
vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the use of re-
formulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasoline con-
tains 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. 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 cosolvent and corrosion inhib-