parking brake SUBARU IMPREZA 2003 2.G User Guide

Starting and operating
7-19
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NOTE
In order to prevent over-revving during decelera-
tion of the vehicle, the transmission will remain
in the current gear if the speed of the vehicle isin excess of the Maximum Allowable Speed for
the gear to which the selector lever has beenmoved.
WARNING
When shifting down a gear, ensure that the
vehicle is not travelling at a speed exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear which is about to be selected. Failure toobserve this precaution can lead to engine
over-revving and this in turn can result inengine 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 belost and the risk of an accident increased.
Driving tips
Always apply the foot or parking brake when the
vehicle is stopped in the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R”
position. Always set the parking brake when parking your
vehicle. Do not hold the vehicle with only the trans-mission. Do not keep the vehicle in a stationary position on
an uphill grade by using the “D”, “3”, “2”, or “1”
position. Use the brake instead.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock when the
vehicle rapidly accelerates or rapidly pulls away
from a standstill. This phenomenon does not indi-
cate a fault.
Shift lock release
If the selector lever does not move from the “P” posi-
tion with the brake pedal depressed and the ignitionswitch in the “ON” position, perform the following
steps:
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the engine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool bag.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the edge with the
regular screwdriver.

Starting and operating
7-26
Parking your vehicle Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firm- ly and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slight-
ly, press the release button, then lower the lever
while keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is
running, 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 (chap-
ter 3).
CAUTION
Never drive while the parking brake is set be-
cause this will cause unnecessary wear on the brake linings. Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake has been ful-ly released.
Parking tips
When parking your vehicle, 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 parking brake firmly when parking your ve-
hicle. Never rely on the transmission alone to holdthe vehicle.

Driving tips
8-11
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cold weather. Heavy summer oil will cause harder
starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting themwith deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or sepa-
rate the rubber weather strips around the door. If the
door is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and af-
terwards thoroughly wipe the water away. Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or oth-
er substitutes because they may damage the paint of the vehicle.
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the ped-
als slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all oth-
er controls operate smoothly. Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated un-
der the fenders to avoid making steering difficult.
During severe winter driving, stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders peri-
odically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that
position. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission vehicles, and in “P” for automatic transmis-
sion vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it
snows, raise the wiper blades off the glass to pre-vent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on
roads heavily covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may develop onthe brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the sus-
pension, disc brakes and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being care-ful not to damage the disc brakes and brake hoses
and ABS harness.

Driving tips
8-26
Hitch harness connector – Wagon
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black four –pin
wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch wire harness
by individually activating the brake, right turn signal,
left turn signal, stop, and parking lights on the trailer. NOTE Always disconnect the trailer wire harness be- fore launching or retrieving a watercraft. When you do not tow a trailer
Remove the ball mount from the hitch receiver
tube and insert the receiver cover onto the hitch re- ceiver tube.
Place the dust cap over the four –pin connector of
the hitch wire harness to protect against possibledamage. Occasionally lubricate terminals of the four –pin
connector using terminal grease.

Driving tips
8-35
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eral, state/province and/or other applicable regula- tions.
Trailer lights
Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle ’s electrical
system requires modifications to the vehicle ’s light-
ing circuit to increase its capacity and accommo-
date wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights are
connected properly, please consult your SUBARU
dealer. Check for proper operation of the turn sig-nals, the brake lights and parking lights each timeyou hitch up.
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper connection
of trailer lights may damage your vehicle ’s
electrical system and cause a malfunction ofyour vehicle ’s lighting system.
Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are prop-
erly inflated to the pressure specified on the tire
placard located on the left center pillar of your ve-hicle.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper
inflation pressure should be in accordance with the trailer manufacturer
’s specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire when towing
a trailer, ask a commercial road service to repair the
flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your vehicle
or trailer as a precaution against getting a flat tire,
be sure that the spare tire is firmly secured.
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not
designed to sustain the towing load. Use ofthe temporary spare tire when towing canresult in failure of the spare tire and/or less
stability of the vehicle.
Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when tow-
ing a trailer in hilly country on hot days. When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performancewill be different from normal operation. For

Driving tips
8-38
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission,
avoid using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an uphill slope instead of using the parking brakeor foot brake. That may cause the transmission fluid
to overheat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission, avoid driving with the gear selector lever in “D” when towing a heavy trailer to
prevent fluid overheating. A lower gear should be used.
Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
You should not park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a hill or slope cannot be avoided, you shouldtake the following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under boththe vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release the
regular brakes slowly until the blocks absorb theload.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the
parking brake; slowly release the regular brakes.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual transmis- sion) or “P” (automatic transmission) and shut off the
engine.

In case of emergency
9-5
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Flat tires
If you have a flat tire while driving, never brake sud- denly; keep driving straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to asafe place. Changing a flat tire
WARNING
Do not jack up the vehicle on an incline or a
loose road surface. The jack can come out of
the jacking point or sink into the ground and this can result in a severe accident. Use only the jack provided with your ve-
hicle. The jack supplied with the vehicle is de-signed only for changing a tire. Never get un-der the vehicle while supporting the vehicle with this jack. Always turn the engine off before raising the
flat tire off the ground using the jack. Neverswing or push the vehicle supported with the
jack. The jack can come out of the jackingpoint due to a jolt and this can result in a
severe accident. 1. Park on a hard, level surface, whenever possible,
then stop the engine.
2. Set the parking brake securely and shift a manual
transmission vehicle in reverse or an automatictransmission vehicle in the
“P” (Park) position.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher and have ev-
eryone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear of the tire
diagonally opposite the flat tire.

In case of emergency
9-22
tion.
1. Shift the selector lever into the “P” position for au-
tomatic transmission vehicles or “1st” for manual
transmission vehicles.
2. Pull up the parking brake lever firmly.
3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier properly with safety chains. Each of safety chain should be
equally tightened and care must be taken not to pull
the chains so tightly that the suspension bottomsout.
CAUTION
If your vehicle has a front underspoiler and rear underspoiler (both optional), be carefulnot to scrape them when placing the vehicleon the carrier and when removing the vehicle
from the carrier.
Towing with all wheels on the ground
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” posi-
tion while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent
damage to the vehicle.

11
11-1
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Maintenance schedule 11-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance precautions 11-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine hood 11-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine compartment overview 11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.5 liter model 11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.0 liter (Turbo) model 11-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine oil 11-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the oil level 11-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing the oil and oil filter 11-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended grade and viscosity 11-13 . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended grade and viscosity under
severe driving conditions 11-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Synthetic oil 11-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling system 11-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling fan, hose and connections 11-16 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine coolant 11-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air cleaner element 11-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing the air cleaner element 11-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spark plugs 11-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended spark plugs 11-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drive belts 11-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission oil 11-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the oil level 11-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended grade and viscosity 11-26 . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission fluid 11-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the fluid level 11-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended fluid 11-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) 11-29
. . . . .
Checking the oil level 11-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended grade and viscosity 11-30 . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear differential gear oil 11-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the gear oil level 11-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended grade and viscosity 11-32 . . . . . . . . . . .
Power steering fluid 11-32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the fluid level 11-32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended fluid 11-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake fluid 11-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the fluid level 11-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended brake fluid 11-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) 11-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the fluid level 11-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommended clutch fluid 11-36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake booster 11-36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake pedal 11-37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the brake pedal free play 11-37 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance 11-37 . .
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) 11-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the clutch function 11-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the clutch pedal free play 11-38 . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacement of brake pad and lining 11-39 . . . . . . . .
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings 11-39 . . .
Parking brake stroke 11-40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires and wheels 11-41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of tires 11-41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance and service

Maintenance and service
11-4
Always be very careful to avoid injury when
working on the vehicle. Remember that some of the materials in the vehicle may be hazard-
ous if improperly used or handled, for exam-ple, battery acid. Your vehicle should only be serviced by per-
sons fully competent to do so. Serious per-sonal injury may result to persons not experi-enced in servicing vehicles. Always use the proper tools and make cer-
tain that they are well maintained. Never get under the vehicle supported only
by a jack. Always use a safety stands to sup-port the vehicle. Never keep the engine running in a poorly
ventilated area, such as a garage or other
closed areas. Do not smoke or allow open flames around
the fuel or battery. This will cause a fire. Because the fuel system is under pressure,
replacement of the fuel filter should be per-
formed only by your SUBARU dealer. Wear adequate eye protection to guard
against getting oil or fluids in your eyes. If something does get in your eyes, thoroughly
wash them out with clean water. Do not tamper with the wiring of the SRS airbag system or seatbelt pretensioner sys-tem, or attempt to take its connectors apart,as that may activate the system or it can ren-der it inoperative. The wiring and connectorsof these systems are yellow for easy identifi-cation. NEVER use a circuit tester for these wiring. If your SRS airbag or seatbelt pretensionerneeds service, consult your nearest SUBARU
dealer.
Before checking or servicing in the
engine compartment
Always stop the engine and set the parking
brake firmly to prevent the vehicle from mov- ing. Always let the engine cool down. Engine
parts become very hot when the engine is run-
ning and remain hot for some time after theengine is stopped. Do not spill engine oil, engine coolant, brake
fluid or any other fluid on hot engine compo-nents. This may cause a fire. Always remove the key from the ignition
switch. When the ignition switch is in the
“ON” position, the cooling fan may operate