automatic transmission SUBARU BAJA 2006 1.G User Guide

7-16
Starting and operating
: With the brake pedal depressed, move the lever
along the gate.
: Move the lever along the gate.
The selector lever has seven positions.
T P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and starting the
engine.
In this position, the transmission is mechanically
locked to prevent the vehicle from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the parking brake
fully, then shift into the “P” position. Do not hold the ve-
hicle with only the transmission. A shift interlock function is employed in the automatictransmission system to ensure
safe starting of the ve-
hicle.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to the any other
position, you have to depress the brake pedal fully
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. This
prevents the vehicle from lu rching when it is started.
If the shift lever does not move from the “P” position
with the brake pedal depressed, refer to the “Shift lock
release” section in this chapter.
T R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from “N” to “R” posi tion, first stop the vehicle
completely then move the lever to “R” position.T N (Neutral)
Do not drive the vehicle with the selector lever
in the “N” (neutral) po sition. Engine braking
has no effect in this condition and the risk of an
accident is consequently increased.
This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
HS7010BA

7-17
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
In this position the wheels and transmission are not
locked. In this position, the transmission is neutral; the
vehicle will roll freely, even on the slightest incline un-
less the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neutral.
During coasting, the engine braking does not act. T D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 4th according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original
gear position. V While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to 4th gear is
prevented from taking place when the accelerator is
released. This minimizes the chance of subsequent
downshifting to a lower gear when accelerating again.
This prevents repeated upshifting and downshifting re-
sulting in a smoother operation of the vehicle.NOTE
The transmission may downshift to 2nd or 1st
gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal
is pressed to accelerate the vehicle again. V While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing the brake
pedal will cause the transmission to downshift to 3rd
gear, thus applying engine braking. Reacceleration for
a short time will cause the transmission to upshift nor- mally.
NOTE
In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a
downhill grade does not result in an automatic
downshift to 3rd gear. This can happen when the
automatic transmission fluid temperature is very
low, for example, during driving shortly after the
vehicle has been parked for an extended period of
time. When the ATF temperature has risen to a cer-tain level, automatic downshift normally takes
place. In the meantime, downshift manually for en-
gine braking as required.
Also, downshifting when braking downhill will not
occur at speeds above approximately 50 mph (80 km/h).

7-18
Starting and operating
T
3 (Third)
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a grade.
The transmission automatica lly shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 3rd according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear
position. T 2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a steep grade.
In this position, the transm ission holds in the 2nd gear.
Use this position when starting off from a standstill on
slippery road surfaces such as mud or snow. It will en-
sure greater traction. T 1 (First)
This position is for driving up or down very steep
grades, or driving through mud or sand, or on slippery
surfaces. In this position, the transmission holds in the
1st gear. T
Maximum speeds
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the ve-
hicle is not travelling at a speed exceeding the
Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear which
is about to be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-revving and
this in turn can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine
brakes when the vehicle is travelling on a slip-
pery surface can lead to wheel locking; as a
consequence, control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident increased.
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear.
When shifting down a gear, it is important to confirm
that the current vehicle spee d is not in excess of the
Maximum Allowable Speed of the gear which is about
to be selected.

7-21
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
Automatic transmission (Turbo mod-
els)
Do not shift from the “P ” or “N” position into
the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. This may cause
the vehicle to jump forward or backward.
y Shift into the “P” or “R” position only after
the vehicle is completely stopped. Shifting
while the vehicle is moving may cause damage
to the transmission.y Do not race the engine for more than five sec-
onds in any position except the “N” or “P” po-
sition when the brake is set or when chocks are
used in the wheels. This may cause the auto-matic transmission fluid to overheat.
y Avoid shifting from one of the forward driving
positions into the “R” position or vice versa un-
til the vehicle has completely stopped. Such
shifting may cause dama ge to the transmis-
sion. y
When parking the vehicle, first securely apply
the parking brake and then place the selector
lever in the “P” position. Avoid parking for a
long time with the selector lever in any other
position as doing so could result in a dead bat-
tery.
The automatic transmission is electronically controlled
and provides 4 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed.
Also, it has a manual mode.
NOTE y When the engine coolant temperature is still
low, your vehicle’s auto matic transmission will
up-shift at higher engine speeds than when the
coolant temperature is sufficiently high in order to
shorten the warm-up time and improve driveabili-
ty. The gearshift timing w ill automatically shift to
the normal timing after th e engine has warmed up.
y Immediately after ATF (automatic transmission
fluid) is replaced, you may feel that the automatic
transmission operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data which the
on-board computer has collected and stored in
memory to allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current condition
of your vehicle. Optimized shifting will be restored

7-23
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
locked to prevent the vehicle from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the parking brake
fully, then shift into the “P” position. Do not hold the ve-
hicle with only the transmission.
A shift interlock function is employed in the automatic
transmission system to ensure safe starting of the ve-
hicle.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to any other po-
sition, you have to depress the brake pedal fully then
push the release button on the selector lever when the
ignition switch is in the “ON” position. This prevents
the vehicle from lurching when it is started.
If the shift lever does not move from the “P” position
with the brake pedal depressed, the release button
pushed in, and the ignition switch in the ON position,
refer to the “Shift lock release” section in this chapter. T R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.To shift from the “N” to “R” position, first stop the vehi-
cle completely then move the lever to the “R” position
while pressing the release button. T
N (Neutral)
Do not drive the vehicle with the selector lever
in the “N” (neutral) position. Engine braking
has no effect in this condition and the risk of an
accident is consequently increased.
This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
In this position the wheels and transmission are not
locked. In this position, the transmission is neutral; the
vehicle will roll freely, even on the slightest incline un-
less the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neutral.
During coasting, there is no engine braking effect.
NOTE
If the selector lever is in the “N” position when you
stop the engine for parking, you may not subse-
quently be able to move it to the “R” and “P” posi-
tions. If this happens, tu rn the ignition switch to
the “ON” position. You wi ll then be able to move
the selector lever to the “P” position.
T D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.

7-24
Starting and operating
The transmission automatica
lly shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 4th according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original
gear position.
To use the SPORTSHIFT mode, move the lever from
this position into the manual gate. V While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift to 4th gear is
prevented from taking place when the accelerator is
released. This minimizes the chance of subsequent
downshifting to a lower gear when accelerating again.
This prevents repeated upshifting and downshifting re-
sulting in a smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTE
The transmission may downshift to 2nd or 1st
gear, depending on the way the accelerator pedal
is pressed to accelerate the vehicle again. V While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing the brake
pedal will cause the transmission to downshift to 3rd gear, thus applying engine braking. Reacceleration for
a short time will cause the transmission to upshift nor-mally.
NOTE
In some cases, depressing the brake pedal on a
downhill grade does not result in an automatic
downshift to 3rd gear. This can happen when the
automatic transmission fluid temperature is very
low, for example, during driving shortly after the
vehicle has been parked for an extended period of
time. When the ATF temperature has risen to a cer-
tain level, automatic downshift normally takes
place. In the meantime, downshift manually for en-
gine braking as required.
Also, downshifting when braking downhill will not
occur at speeds above approximately 50 mph (80
km/h). T
3 (Third)
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a grade.
The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 3rd according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold

7-25
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position. T2 (Second)
To shift from the “3” to “2” position, push the release
button.
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a steep grade.
In this position, the transmission holds in the 2nd gear.
Use this position when starting off from a standstill on
slippery road surfaces such as mud or snow. It will en-
sure greater traction. T 1 (First)
This position is for driving up or down very steep
grades, or driving through mud or sand, or on slippery
surfaces. In this position, the transmission holds in the
1st gear. „ Selector lever reverse inhibiting func- tion
This function prevents accidental movement of the se-
lector lever to the “R” position while the vehicle is mov-
ing. The function becomes operational when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
Once operational, it prevents the selector lever from
being moved from the “N” position to the “R” position.
When the vehicle speed drops below 6 mph (10 km/h),
the function is canceled. Th
e selector lever can then
be moved to the “R” and “P” positions.
When the ignition switch has been turned to the “OFF”
position, movement of the selector lever from the “N”
position to the “R” position is possible for a limited time
period and then becomes impossible. Also, the selec-
tor lever cannot be moved to the “R” position when it
has been placed in the “P” position and then placed
again in the “N” position. When movement of the se-
lector lever from the “N” position to the “R” position has
become impossible, turn the ignition switch back to the
“ON” position then move the selector lever to the “P”
position. Pressing the selector lever release button
also makes it possible to mo ve the selector lever to the
“P” position at this time.

7-28
Starting and operating
matic transmission from damage. y
The transmission does not automatically shift
up in the SPORTSHIFT mo de. Perform gearshifts
in accordance with road conditions so that the ta-
chometer needle does not enter the red zone. If the
engine speed reaches a predetermined level, a
fuel-cut function will operate. Shift up if this hap-
pens.y If you attempt to shi ft down when the engine
speed is too high, i.e., when a downshift would
push the tachometer needle beyond the red zone,
beeps will be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible. y If you attempt to shift up when the vehicle speed
is too low, the transmission will not respond. y You can perform a skip-shift (for example, from
4th to 2nd or from 2nd to 4th) by operating the se-
lector lever twice in rapid succession. y The transmission automatically selects 1st gear
when the vehicle stops moving. It will not permit a
standing start in 2nd gear. T Maximum speeds
When down shifting a gear, ensure that the ve-
hicle is not travelling at a speed exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear which
is about to be selected. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to engine over-revving and
this in turn can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of engine brak-
ing caused by downshifting when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can lead to
wheel locking; as a consequence, control of the
vehicle may be lost and
the risk of an accident
increased.
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear.
When down shifting, it is im portant to confirm that the
current vehicle speed is not in excess of the Maximum
Allowable Speed of the gear which is about to be se- lected. mph (km/h)
*: SPORTSHIFT mode Position Turbo models
1 29 (47), 36 (58) *
2 60 (96), 62 (100) *
3 102 (164), 102 (164) *

7-36
Starting and operating
make sure that the parking brake has been fully
released.
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firmly
and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly,
press the release button, then lower the lever while
keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is run-
ning, the parking brake warning light comes on. After
starting the vehicle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Refer to the “Warning and indicator lights” section (chapter 3).
When parking your vehicl
e, always set the parking
brake firmly and put the shift lever in the “1” (1st) for an
upgrade or “R” (Reverse) for a downgrade for manual
transmission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) position for
automatic transmission vehicles. Always set the park-
ing brake firmly when parking your vehicle. Never rely
on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
When parking on a hill, always turn the steering wheel.
When the vehicle is headed up the hill, the front
wheels should be turned away from the curb.
UB4001BA
UB7033AA

7-39
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
When the accelerator pedal is released, the vehicle
will return to and maintain the previous cruising speed. „To temporarily cancel the cruise con- trol
There are five ways to cancel the cruise control tem-
porarily: y Depress the brake pedal.
y Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction.
y Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmission ve-
hicles only). y Shift the selector lever into the “N” position (auto-
matic transmission vehicles only). y Shift the shift lever into neutral position (manual
transmission vehicles only).
The “ ” indicator light in the combination meter
goes off when the cruise control is cancelled.
To resume the cruise control after it has been tempo-
rarily canceled and with vehicle speed of approximate-
ly 20 mph (32 km/h) or more , push the control lever up-
ward in the “ACCEL, RESUME ” direction to return to
the original cruising speed automatically.
The “ ” indicator light in the combination meter
will automatically come on at this time. „
To turn off the cruise control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: y Push the main switch again.
y Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” position (but
only when the vehicle is completely stopped). „ To change the cruising speed
T To increase the speed (by control lever)
Push the control lever upward in the “ACCEL, RE-
SUME” direction and hold it until the vehicle reaches
the desired speed. Then, release the control lever.
The vehicle speed at that moment will be memorized
and treated as the new set speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed
and the set speed is less than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the
set speed can be increased 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each
time by pressing the control lever upward in the “AC-
CEL, RESUME” direction quickly. T To increase the speed (by accelerator pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to accelerate the ve-
hicle to the desired speed.
2. Push the control lever downward in the “SET,
COAST” direction once. Now the desired speed is set
and the vehicle will keep running at that speed without