SUBARU BRZ 2023 Owners Manual

Automatic Transmission
235
Starting and Operating7
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■Driving TipsNOTEIf the accelerator and brake pedals are
depressed at the same time, driving
torque may be restrained. This is not a
malfunction.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an
upgrade. Either of those actions may
cause clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components. When it is necessary to reduce vehicle

speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to
labor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 5th, 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear
as necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you “ride” (over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon is not an indication of a
problem in your vehicle.
With the exception of cases where sudden
acceleration is required, do not drive the
vehicle with the pointer of the tachometer
inside the red area. Failure to observe this
precaution can lead to excessive engine
wear and poor fuel economy.
7-6. Automatic TransmissionThe automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 6 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed. It also has a
manual mode.
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the engine speed does not
enter the red zone. 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 slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accident
increased.
WARNING
Do not shift from the “P” or “N”
position into the “D” or “R” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle to
lurch forward or backward.
CAUTION
 Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to observe these
precautions could cause damage
to the transmission.
- Shift into the “P” or “R” posi- tion only after the vehicle has
completely stopped.- Do not shift from the “D” posi- tion into the “R” position or
vice versa until the vehicle
has completely stopped.
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Automatic Transmission
236NOTEWhen the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the transmission will
shift at higher engine speeds than
when the coolant temperature is suffi-
ciently high in order to shorten the
warm-up time and improve driveability.
The gearshift timing will automatically shift to the normal
timing after the
engine has warmed up.
 Immediately after transmission fluid
is replaced, you may feel that the trans-
mission 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 as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
 Place the shift boot to the original
position after it is lifted. If the shift lever
is operated with the shift boot in the
rolled up position, the shift boot may
have tension and it may disturb the
shift lever operation.
 When the vehicle is idling at high
rpm in order to warm up, and the
vehicle is on a slippery road, the trans-
mission may automatically shift to 2nd
gear for stopping and starting off.
■ Select Lever
: Shift with the brake pedal depressed
and push-button ignition switch in the “ON”
position. When shifting between “P” and “D”,
depress the brake pedal and securely stop
the vehicle before shifting.
The select lever has four positions, “P”,
“R”, “N”, “D” and also has a manual gate
for using the manual mode.NOTETo protect the engine while the select
lever is in the “P” or “N” position, the
engine is controlled so that the engine
speed may not become too high even
if the accelerator pedal is depressed
hard.
 Do not race the engine for more
than 5 seconds in any position
except the “N” or “P” position
when the brake is applied or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat. Never move the vehicle rearward
by inertia with the select lever set
in a forward driving position or
move the vehicle forward by
inertia with the select lever set in
the “R” position. Doing so may
result in an unexpected accident
or malfunction. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever in
the “P” position. Do not park for a
long time with the select lever in
any other position as doing so
could result in a dead battery.
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Automatic Transmission
237
Starting and Operating7
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▼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 apply the
parking brake, then shift into the “P” posi-
tion. Do not hold the vehicle with only the
mechanical friction of the transmission.
To shift the select lever from the “P” to any
other position, you should depress the
brake pedal fully then move the select
lever. This prevents the vehicle from
lurching when it is started.
▼ R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle. To
shift from the “N” to “R” position, stop the
vehicle completely th en move the lever to
the “R” position.
▼ N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled
engine. In this position, the transmission is
neutral, meaning that the wheels and
transmission are not locked. Therefore,
the vehicle will roll freely, even on the
slightest incline unless the parking brake
or foot brake is applied. ▼
D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving. The
transmission shifts automatically into a
suitable gear according to the vehicle
speed and the acceleration you require.
Also, while driving up and down a hill, the
transmission assists and controls the
driving performance and engine braking
while corresponding to the road grade.
When more acceleration is required in “D”
position, depress the accelerator pedal
fully to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will auto matically downshift.
When you release the pedal, the transmis-
sion will return to the original gear posi-
tion.
To use the manual mode, move the lever
from this position into the manual gate.
If one of the shift paddles behind the
steering wheel is operated while driving in
the “D” position, the transmission will
temporarily switch to the manual mode. In
this mode, you can shift into any gear position using the shift paddles. For

details about the manual mode, refer to
"Selection of Manual Mode" P239.
Once the vehicle speed stabilizes, the
transmission will switch from the manual
mode back to the “D” position for normal
driving.
▽ While climbing a grade
When driving up a hill, undesired upshift is
prevented from taking place when the
accelerator is releas ed. This minimizes
the chance of subsequent downshifting to
a lower gear when accelerating again.
This prevents repeated upshifting and
downshifting resulting in a smoother oper-
ation of the vehicle.
NOTEThe transmission may downshift,
depending on the way the accelerator
pedal is depressed to accelerate the
vehicle again.■ Adaptive ControlIn order to realize smoother driving while
driving in “D” position, an appropriate gear
is automatically selected by limiting
upshifting and performing downshifting
operations according to driver operations
and driving conditions.
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
select lever in the “N” (neutral)
position. Engine braking has no
effect in this co ndition and the risk
of an accident is consequently
increased.
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Automatic Transmission
238When driving uphill, prevents unneces-
sary upshifting and downshifting.
 When driving downhill, downshifting is
performed at engine speeds higher than
usual.
 When driving on curves, prevents
upshifting even when accelerating.
 When the brake pedal is depressed
firmly, downshifting is automatically
performed, fully utilizing engine braking.
 When the accelerator pedal is
suddenly released, prevents upshifting.NOTEAdaptive control operates automati-
cally when the select lever is in the “D”
position. The function is canceled
when the paddle shift levers are oper-
ated or the select lever is shifted to the
“M” position.■ Shift Lock FunctionThe shift lock function helps prevent the
improper operation of the select lever.
 The select lever cannot be operated
unless the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
 The select lever cannot be moved from
the “P” position to any other position
before the brake pedal is depressed. Depress the brake pedal first, and then

operate the select lever.
 Only the “P” position allows you to turn
the push-button ignition switch to the
“OFF” position.
▼ Shift lock release
If the select lever cannot be operated, turn
the ignition switch back to the “ON” posi-
tion then move the select lever to the “P”
position with the brake pedal depressed.
If the select lever does not move after
performing the above procedure, refer to
"Shift lock release using the shift lock
release portion" P238. ▼
Shift lock release using the shift
lock release portion
Perform the following procedure to
release the shift lock.
1. Apply the parking brake and stop the
engine.
2. Using a flathead screwdriver, remove
the cover. To prevent damage to the
vehicle, wrap the tip of the flathead screw-
driver with a rag, etc.
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Automatic Transmission
239
Starting and Operating7
– CONTINUED –
3. While depressing the brake pedal,
insert the screwdriver into the hole, press
the shift lock release portion using the
screwdriver, and then move the select
lever.
If the select lever does not move after
performing the above procedure, the shift
lock system may be malfunctioning.
Contact a SUBARU dealer for an inspec-
tion as soon as possible.■ Selection of Manual Mode▼ Selecting gears in manual modeShift the select lever to the “M” position to
change to manual mode.
When the upshift/downshift indicators are
illuminated, the vehicle can be driven in a
selected gear by shifti ng the select lever toward “-” or “+” or operating the “-” or “+”

shift paddle.
1) Upshift indicator
2) Downshift indicator
3) Upshift
4) Downshift
The gear changes once each time the
select lever or a shift paddle is operated.
The selected gear, from “M1” to “M6”, will
be displayed on the combination meter.
When in manual mode, the gear will not
change unless the select lever or a shift
paddle is operated, except in the following
situations.
 When the vehicle speed drops
(downshift only)
 When the engine oil temperature is
high and the engine speed approaches
close to the red zone
If an upshift is atte mpted while the vehicle
speed is low, the gear will not be changed.NOTE If a downshift is attempted at a
vehicle speed where a downshift is not
possible (when the engine speed
would enter the red zone if a downshift
is performed), the downshift warning
buzzer will sound to inform the driver
that a downshift cannot be performed.
 You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
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CAUTION
Do not place or hang anything on
the shift paddles. Doing so may
result in accidental gear shifting.
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Automatic Transmission
240the shift paddle twice in rapid succes-
sion.
If the temperature of the transmis-
sion fluid becomes too high, the “AT
OIL TEMP” warning light will illumi-
nate. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and let the engine idle until
the warning light turns off.▼ Temporary manual mode driving
While driving with the select lever in “D”, if
a shift paddle is operated, the gear can
temporarily be selected. In this case, “M”
and the selected gear number will be
displayed on the combination meter. (If
the engine speed approaches close to the
red zone, an upshift will automatically be
performed.)1) Upshift
2) Downshift
The selected gear, from “M1” to “M6”, will
be displayed on the combination meter.NOTE In the following situations, tempo-
rary manual mode will be cancelled. - When the vehicle speed is low
- When the accelerator pedal is
depressed continuously for a
certain amount of time or more
- When the accelerator pedal is
depressed heavily
- When the select lever is shifted
to a position other than “D”
- When the “+” shift paddle switch
is held down for a period of time
When a downshift is attempted at a
vehicle speed where a downshift is not
possible (when the engine speed
would enter the red zone if a downshift
is performed), the downshift warning
buzzer will sound to inform the driver
that a downshift cannot be performed.■ Driving TipsNOTEIf the accelerator and brake pedals are
depressed at the same time, driving
torque may be restrained. This is not a
malfunction.
 On a road surface where there is a risk
of wheelspin (for example, a snow- or gravel covered road), you can start off

from a standstill safely and easily by first
selecting Snow mode.
 Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D” or
“R” position.
 Make sure to apply the parking brake
when parking your vehicle. Do not hold
the vehicle with only the transmission.
 Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary
position on an uphill grade by using the
“D” position. Use the brake instead.
 The engine may, on rare occasions,
knock when the vehicle rapidly acceler-
ates or rapidly pulls away from a standstill.
This phenomenon does not indicate a
malfunction.
1
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Driving Mode Select Switch (If Equipped)
241
Starting and Operating7
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7-7. Driving Mode Select Switch (If Equipped)By pressing the driving mode select
switch the following modes can be
selected to suit driving and usage condi-
tions:■ Normal ModeProvides an optimal balance of fuel
economy, quietness, and dynamic perfor-
mance. Suitable for normal driving.■Sport ModeThe Sport mode indicator light comes on.
Use Sport mode for sporty driving or when
driving in mountainous regions with lots of
curves. If the mode is changed to Sport mode

while driving with the select lever in the “D”
position, the selected gear, from “D1” to
“D6”, will be displayed on the meter.
NOTE In Sport mode, lower gears are used
and gears change at a higher engine
speed.
 Sport mode cannot be changed to
when driving with adaptive cruise
control/cruise control activated.
 While the engine is cool, you cannot
change to Sport mode.
 If tire slip is detected on a slippery
road surface while in Sport mode,
Sport mode may be cancelled.■ Snow ModeThe Snow mode indicator light comes on. Use Snow mode for accelerating and

driving on slippery road surfaces such as
snow.
NOTETo prevent slipping, 1st gear cannot be
selected when in Snow mode.■ Driving Mode Select SwitchTo select the Sport mode, press the
SPORT switch.
 To select the Snow mode, press the
SNOW switch.
To cancel Sport mode or Snow mode,
press the same side of the switch again.
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Active Sound Control
242NOTEIn the following situations, the driving
mode will automatically change to nor-
mal mode:
 When the engine is turned off after
driving in Sport mode or Snow mode.
 When adaptive cruise control/cruise
control is activated while driving in
Sport mode.
 If a malfunction occurs in the engine
or automatic transmission electrical
control system while Sport mode or
Snow mode is selected.
 When in Sport mode and the idling
speed is high during warm-up or when
the road surface is slippery and stop-
ping/starting off is automatically
performed in second gear.
7-8. Active Sound ControlThe active sound control provides
dynamic engine sounds. When driving
with Sport mode selected, the engine
sounds will be particularly loud.NOTEThe operational/non-operational set-
ting of the Active Sound Control can
be changed by a SUBARU dealer. Con-
tact your SUBARU dealer for details.
When the driving mode is changed,
the sound of the active sound control
will be stopped for approximately 1
second, this is not a malfunction.
7-9. Power SteeringPower steering warning lightThe vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering system. When the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position, the
power steering warning light on the combi-
nation meter illuminates to inform the
driver that the warn ing system is func-
tioning properly. Then, if the engine
started, the warni ng light turns off to
inform the driver that the steering power
assist is operational.
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Braking
243
Starting and Operating7
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NOTEIf the steering wheel is operated in the
following ways, the power steering
control system may temporarily limit
the power assist in order to prevent
the system components, such as the
control computer and drive motor,
from overheating.
 The steering wheel is operated
frequently and turned sharply while the
vehicle is maneuvered at extremely low
speeds, such as while frequently
turning the steering wheel during
parallel parking.
 The steering wheel remains in the
fully turned position for a long period
of time.
At this time, there will be more resis-
tance when steering. However this is
not a malfunction. Normal steering
force will be restored after the steering
wheel is not operated for a while and the power steering control system has

an opportunity to cool down. However,
if the power steering is operated in a
non-standard way which causes
power assist limitation to occur too
frequently, this may result in a mal-
function of the power steering control
system.
7-10. Braking■ Braking Tips▼ When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a
result, brake stopping distance will be
longer. To dry the brakes, drive the
vehicle at a safe speed while lightly
depressing the brake pedal to heat up the
brakes.
▼ Use of engine brakingRemember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When
descending a grade, if only the foot brake
is used, the brakes may start working
improperly because of brake fluid over-
heating, caused by overheated brake
pads. To help prevent this, shift into a
lower gear to get stronger engine braking.
CAUTION
While the power steering warning
light is illuminated, there may be
more resistance when the steering
wheel is operated. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and
have the vehicle inspected immedi-
ately.
WARNING
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads.
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Braking
244▼Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenly
when a tire is punctured. This could cause
a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep
driving straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the
road to a safe place.■ Brake System▼ Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has a dual circuit brake
system. Each circuit works diagonally
across the vehicle. If one circuit of the
brake system should fail, the other half of
the system still works. If one circuit fails,
the brake pedal will go down much closer
to the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the
vehicle.
▼ Brake booster
The brake booster uses vacuum pump
system to assist brakin g force. Do not turn
off the engine while driving because that
will turn off the brake booster, resulting in
poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to depress the pedal much harder than normal and the braking

distance will increase.
▼ Supplemental booster function
when vacuum pressure fails
While the ignition switch is turned “ON”
and the engine is running, the supple-
mental booster function operates when
the brake booster performance is
decreased due to insufficient vacuum
boost.
When the brake pedal is depressed while
the supplemental booster function is oper-
ating, an operation sound and brake pedal
vibration may be generated. This is not a
malfunction.
▼ Brake assist system
Brake assist is a driver assistance system.
It assists the brake power when the driver
cannot depress the brake pedal strongly
and the brake power is insufficient.
Brake assist generates the brake power
according to the speed at which the driver
depresses the brake pedal.NOTEWhen you depress the brake pedal
strongly or suddenly, the following
phenomena occur. However, even
though these occur, they do not indi-
cate any malfunctions, and the brake
assist system is operating properly.
 You might feel that the brake pedal
is applied by lighter force and gener-
ates a greater braking force.
 You might hear the sound of ABS
operating from the engine compart-
ment.
WARNING
Do not be overconfident about the
brake assist. It is not a system that
brings more braking ability to the
vehicle beyond its braking capabil-
ity. Always use the utmost care
when driving regarding vehicle
speed and safe distance.
CAUTION
When you need to brake suddenly,
continue depressing the brake
pedal strongly to bring the effect of
the brake assist.
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