wheel SUBARU BRZ 2018 Repair Manual

Maintenance and care4
335
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior......... 336
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior.......... 342
Cleaning and protecting the Alcantara
® area ....... 346
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .................. 348
General maintenance....... 351
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs........................ 354 4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions .................... 355
Engine hood ..................... 358
Engine compartment ........ 360
Tires ................................. 374
Tire inflation pressure ...... 382
Wheels ............................. 386
Air conditioning filter......... 389
Transmitter/ access key battery ......... 392
Checking and replacing fuses .............................. 397
Light bulbs........................ 405

336
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime
condition.
● Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any
dirt and dust.
● Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a
chamois.
● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.

337
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
■
Automatic car washes
● Fold the mirrors before washing the vehicle. Start washing from the front
of the vehicle. Make sure to and extend the mirrors before driving.
● When having your vehicle washed in an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of suitable type to avoid scratches to the
vehicle surface and harm to your vehicle’s paint.
● Vehicles with a rear spoiler: In certain automatic car washes, the rear
spoiler may interfere with machine operation. This may prevent the vehi-
cle from being cleaned properly or result in damage to the rear spoiler.
● Vehicles with CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) parts: Do not use
automatic car washes as they may damage the rear wing or its finish.
■ High pressure car washes
● Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity
of the windows and door frames as water may enter the cabin.
● Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler lid on your vehicle is
closed properly.
■ Alloy wheels
● Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent.
● Wash detergent off with water immediately after use.
● To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following
precautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after
driving or parking in hot weather
■ Parts containing resin such as the bumper
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.

340 4-1. Maintenance and care
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
CAUTION
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (alloy wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
● If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
● To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
■ Protective film for side sill plates
Make sure to remove the protective film. Failure to do so may cause rust,
depending on conditions.
■ Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
● Do not apply wax on the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■ To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side
wiper arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning
the wipers to their original position, do so from the passenger side first.

352 4-2. Maintenance
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal • Moves smoothly (without uneven
pedal effort or catching)?
Automatic transmission “Park”
mechanism • Can the vehicle be held securely
on an incline with the select lever
in P?
Brake pedal • Moves smoothly?
• Does it have appropriate clear-
ance and correct amount of free
play?
Brakes • Not pull to one side when
applied?
• Loss of brake effectiveness?
• Spongy feeling brake pedal?
• Pedal almost touches floor?
Clutch pedal • Moves smoothly?
Head restraints • Move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzzers • Function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake • Moves smoothly?
• Can hold the vehicle securely on
an incline?
Seatbelts • Does the seatbelt system oper-
ate smoothly?
• Are the belts undamaged?
Seats • Do the seat controls operate
properly?
Steering wheel • Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?

353
4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Door/trunk lid • Operate smoothly?
Engine hood • The lock system works properly?
Fluid leaks • Is there any leakage after park-
ing?
Ti re • Inflation pressure is correct?
• Tire surfaces not worn or dam-
aged?
• Tires rotated according to the maintenance schedule?
• Wheel nuts are not loose?
Windshield wipers
•The wiper blades should not show
any signs of cracking, splitting,
wear, contamination or deforma-
tion.
•The wiper blades should clear the
windshield without streaking or
skipping.
WARNING
■ If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before per-
forming maintenance checks.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters (vehicles
with a tire pressure monitoring system)
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters must also be installed.
When new tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are
installed, new tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes
must be registered in the tire pressure warning computer and tire
pressure monitoring system must be initialized. Have tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter ID codes registered by your SUBARU
dealer. ( →P. 376)
Vehicles with a spare tire of the same wheel type as the
installed tires
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, SUBARU rec-
ommends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.
■The tire pressure monitoring system (if equipped)
Your SUBARU is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem that uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to
detect low tire inflation pressure before serious problems arise.
(→ P. 432)
Front

376 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
Registering ID codes (vehicles with a tire pressure monitoring
system)
The tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is equipped with a
unique ID code. When replacing a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter, it is necessary to register the ID code. Have the ID code
registered by your SUBARU dealer.
■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to
expose the fabric or bulges indicating internal damage
●A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be properly repaired due to the
size or location of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult with your SUBARU dealer.
■Replacing tires and wheels (vehicles with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system)
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not
registered, the tire pressure monitoring system will not work properly.
After driving for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning light comes
on after blinking for 1 minute to indicate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even
if they have seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.
■If the tread wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.
■Low profile tires
Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip perfor-
mance will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when compared to
standard tires. Be sure to use snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or
icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate for road and weather
conditions.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the
rear axle, whichever is greater.
■Tire types
1Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When
installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2 All season tires All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use
year round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Also,
all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performance
compared with summer tires in highway driving.
3 Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, con-
struction and load capacity as the originally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restriction. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels. ( →P. 277)
For the GAWR, see the Certification
Label. For the maximum load of the
tire, see the load limit at maximum cold
tire inflation pressure mentioned on the
sidewall of the tire. (
→P. 509)

380 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
BRZ_U (A4450BE-A)
CAUTION
■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves,
transmitters and tire valve caps (vehicles with a tire pressure moni-
toring system)
●When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, contact your SUBARU dealer as the tire pres-
sure warning valves and transmitters may be damaged if not handled
correctly.
●When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than
those specified. The cap may become stuck.
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or pot
holes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing
the cushioning ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may
cause damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels
and body.
■Low profile tires and wheels
Low profile tires may cause greater damage than usual to the wheel
when receiving impact from the road surface. Therefore pay attention to
the following:
●Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressure. If tires are under-inflated,
they may be damaged more severely.
●Avoid pot holes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards.
Failure to do so may lead to severe tire and wheel damage.