ECU SUBARU IMPREZA 2006 2.G Service Manual

Interior equipment 6-11
The cargo area cover can be stowed un-
der the cargo floor.
To install the cover housing
1. Pull either sleeve on the end of the cov-
er housing to shorten the cover ’s length.
2. Insert the projections located on the
both ends of the sleeve into the recesses
of the retainers.
Cargo tie-down hooks (Wag-
on – if equipped)
The cargo area is equipped with four tie-
down hooks so that cargo can be secured
with a cargo net or ropes.
When using the tie-down hooks, turn them
down out of the storing recesses. When
not in use, put the hooks up into the stor-
ing recesses.
600228
600229
The cargo tie-down hooks are de-
signed only for securing light cargo.
Never try to secure cargo that ex-
ceeds the capacity of the hooks. The
maximum load capacity is 44 lbs (20
kg) per a hook.

Driving tips 8-7
with your fingers and thumbs on the out-
side of the rim.
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle ’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your ve-
hicle and may cause it to stall. Never at-
tempt to drive through rushing water; re-
gardless of its depth, it can wash away the
ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle
rollover.
Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
Do not drive or park over or near flam-
mable materials such as dry grass or fall-
en leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after the engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
After driving through tall grass, mud, rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
Secure all cargo carried inside the vehi-
cle and make certain that it is not piled
higher than the seatbacks. During sudden
stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be
thrown around in the vehicle and cause in-
jury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof.
Those loads raise the vehicle ’s center of
gravity and make it more prone to tip over.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelera-
tor pedal slightly and move the selector le-
ver back and forth between “D ” and “R ” re-
peatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the
wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slip-
pery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
Never equip your vehicle with tires larg-
er than those specified in this manual.
Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle un-
der hard-driving conditions such as rough
roads or off roads will necessitate more frequent replacement of engine oil, brake
fluid and transmission oil than that speci-
fied in the maintenance schedule de-
scribed in the
“Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet ”.
Remember that damage done to your
Subaru while operating it off-road and not
using common sense precautions such as
those listed above is not eligible for war-
ranty coverage.
Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.

Driving tips 8-13
– CONTINUED –
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.
Vehicle capacity weight
The load capacity of your vehicle is deter-
mined by weight, not by available cargo
space. The maximum load you can carry
in your vehicle is shown on the vehicle
When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle han-
dles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle.
Do not place anything on the rear
shelf behind the rear seatback (for
sedan) or the extended luggage
cover (for wagon). Such items
could tumble forward in the event
of a sudden stop or a collision.
This could cause serious injury.
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
800260
B00164

8-14 Driving tips
placard attached to the driver ’s side door
pillar. It includes the total weight of the
driver and all passengers and their be-
longings, any optional equipment such as
a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier,
etc., and the tongue load of a trailer.
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Ve-
hicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The certification plate attached to the driv-
er ’s side door jamb shows GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR
(Gross Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must
never exceed the GVWR. GVW is the
combined total of weight of the vehicle, fu-
el, driver, all passengers, luggage, any optional equipment and trailer tongue
load. Therefore, the GVW changes de-
pending on the situation. The GVWR
equals Curb Weight (actual weight of your
vehicle
– including standard equipment,
fluids, emergency tools and spare tire as-
sembly) plus the vehicle capacity weight.
In addition, the total weight applied to
each axle (GAW) must never exceed the
GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
adjusted by relocating luggage inside the
vehicle.
Even if the total weight of your luggage is
lower than the vehicle capacity weight, ei-
ther front or rear GAW may exceed the
GAWR, depending on the distribution of
the luggage.
When possible, the load should be evenly
distributed throughout the vehicle.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you
should confirm that GVW and front and
rear GAWs are within the GVWR and
GAWR by putting your vehicle on a vehi-
cle scale, found at a commercial weighing
station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower
load range than the originals because
they may lower the GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a high-
er load range than the originals do not in-
crease the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Roof rail and crossbar (if
equipped)
1) Crossbar kit
The roof rail is not designed to carry cargo
by itself. Cargo can be carried after secur-
ing the roof crossbar kit to the roof rail and
installing the appropriate carrying attach-
ment. When installing the roof crossbar
kit, follow the manufacturer ’s instructions.
When you carry cargo on the roof using
the roof crossbar kit and a carrying attach-
ment, never exceed the maximum load
limit explained in the following. You should
also be careful that your vehicle does not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) and front and rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). See the “Loading
800261
1
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Driving tips 8-15
– CONTINUED –
your vehicle
” section in this chapter for in-
formation on loading cargo into or onto
your vehicle. The maximum load limit of
the cargo, crossbars and carrying attach-
ment must not exceed 100 lbs (45 kg).
Place the heaviest load at the bottom,
nearest the roof, and evenly distribute the
cargo. Always properly secure all cargo.
Installing carrying attachments on
the crossbars
When installing any carrying attachment
such as a bike carrier, ski carrier, kayak carrier, cargo basket, etc. on the cross-
bars, follow the manufacturer
’s instruc-
tions and make sure that the attachment is
securely fixed to the crossbars. Use only
attachments designed specifically for the
crossbars. A set of the crossbars is de-
signed to carry loads (cargo and attach-
ment) of not more than 100 lbs (45 kg).
Before operating the vehicle, make sure
that the cargo is properly secured on the
attachment.
NOTE
Remember that the vehicle ’s center of
gravity is altered with the weight of the
load on the roof, thus affecting the
driving characteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard
cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind
effects will be increased.
Removal and installation of the
crossbars
The crossbars can be removed when you
do not use the roof to carry cargo.
To remove the crossbar
1. Loosen and remove the T-30 torx Æ
head screw from the top of each crossbar
end support.
2. Rotate the lower clamp on the bottom
of each end support downward approxi-
mately 90 . 3. Carefully raise the crossbar from roof
rails.
To install the crossbar
Front crossbar:
Front crossbar has 100 LBS. Load Label
on left-hand side.
For cargo carrying purposes, the
roof rail must be used together
with a roof crossbar kit and the
appropriate carrying attachment.
The roof rail must never be used
alone to carry cargo. Otherwise,
damage to the roof or paint or a
dangerous road hazard due to
loss of cargo could result.
When using the roof crossbar kit,
make sure that the total weight of
the crossbars, carrying attach-
ment and cargo does not exceed
the maximum load limit. Overload-
ing may cause damage to the ve-
hicle and create a safety hazard.
1 2
3 4
5
6
7
a
8
F
F
800263

8-16 Driving tips
F: Front of vehicle
1) T30 torx Æ head screw
2) Front arrow label
3) Front crossbar
4) 100LBS load label
5) Lower clamp
6) Roof rail end support
7) Joint line
8) Front arrow label
a: 3 inches (76 mm)
1. Before placing the crossbar on the roof
rails, make sure that the T-30 torx Æ head
screw is removed from the top of each
crossbar end support.
2. Rotate the lower clamp on the bottom
of each end support downward approxi-
mately 90 .
3. With the front direction arrow label on
the top right side of the crossbar pointing
toward the front of the vehicle, carefully
place the crossbar across the top of the
vehicle so that the crossbar end supports
rest on the top of the roof rails approxi-
mately 3 inches (76 mm) rearward from
the seam (joint) between the front roof rail
support and the roof rail.
4. Rotate (raise) the lower clamp up to the
bottom of the roof rail and loosely tighten
the T-30 torx Æ head screw with the torx Æ
wrench provided, through the top of the
end support and into the threaded insert in
the lower clamp on each end of the cross- bar.
NOTE
It may be necessary to squeeze the
lower clamp and the end support to-
gether to compress the pads and gain
a better alignment of the pieces while
trying to start the screw. Use care not
to crossthread the screw in the insert.
5. Adjust the alignment of the crossbar on
the roof rails, and if available, use a T-30
torx
Æ bit and torque wrench and tighten
the T-30 torx Æ head screws to 30 to 35
lbf ∑in (3.4 to 4.0 N ∑m, 0.35 to 0.41 kgf ∑m)
of torque (or tighten securely with the
torx Æ wrench provided). Rear crossbar:
F: Front of vehicle
1) T30 torx
Æ head screw
2) Front arrow label
3) Rear crossbar
4) Roof rail end support
5) Joint line
6 3
F
2
1
5
a
4
F
800264

8-18 Driving tips
2. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the
hitch receiver tube so that the pin passes
through the ball mount.
3. Insert the safety pin securely into the
hitch pin.
4. Pull the ball mount to make sure it does not come off the hitch receiver.
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate
for the ball mount and your trailer. The
hitch ball must be securely installed on the
ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with
safety chains that will hold the trailer
’s
maximum gross weight. The chains
should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping onto the
ground in case it should disconnect from
the hitch ball. Allow sufficient slack in the
chains taking tight-turn situations into ac-
count; however, be careful not to let them
drag on the ground.
800265
800266
1
2
800267
Do not connect safety chains to part
of the vehicle other than the safety
chain hooks.
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8-22 Driving tips
Certification label
To check both GVWR and GAWR and to
confirm that the total weight and weight
distribution are within safe driving limits,
you should have your vehicle and trailer
weighed at a commercial weighing sta-
tion.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving.
Tongue load
Tongue load
Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from
8 to 11 percent of the total trailer weight
and does not exceed the maximum value
of 200 lbs (90 kg).
1) Jack
2) Bathroom scale
The tongue load can be weighed with a
bathroom scale as shown in the following
illustration. When weighing the tongue
load, be sure to position the towing cou-
pler at the height at which it would be dur-
ing actual towing, using a jack as shown.
800261
800214
1 2
800270

Driving tips 8-23
– CONTINUED –
F: Front of vehicle
The tongue load can be adjusted by prop-
er distribution of the load in the trailer.
Never load the trailer with more weight in
the back than in the front; approximately
60 percent of the trailer load should be in
the front and approximately 40 percent in
the rear. Also, distribute the load as even-
ly as possible on both the left and right
sides.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving.
Trailer hitches
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer.
WAGON including OUTBACK
SPORT
The use of a genuine SUBARU trailer
hitch is recommended. A genuine
F
60% 40% 50%
50%
800216
If the trailer is loaded with more
weight in the back of trailer
’s axle
than in the front, the load is taken off
the rear axle of the towing vehicle.
This may cause the rear wheels to
skid, especially during braking or
when vehicle speed is reduced dur-
ing cornering, resulting in over-
steer, spin out and/or jackknifing.Never drill the frame or under-body
of your vehicle to install a commer-
cial trailer hitch. If you do, danger-
ous exhaust gas, water or mud may
enter the passenger compartment
through the drilled hole. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a
colorless and odorless gas which is
dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled.
Also, drilling the frame or under-
body of your vehicle could cause
deterioration of strength of your ve-
hicle and cause corrosion around
the drilled hole.
Do not modify the vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, or other
systems when installing a hitch or
other trailer towing equipment.
Do not use axle-mounted hitches
as they can cause damage to the
axle housing, wheel bearings,
wheels or tires.

Driving tips 8-25
– CONTINUED –
Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors pro-
vide a good rearward field of view without
significant blind spots. If significant blind
spots occur with the vehicle ’s standard
side mirrors, use towing mirrors that con-
form with Federal, state/province and/or
other applicable regulations.
Trailer lights
Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-
cle ’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to in-
crease its capacity and accommodate wir-
ing changes. To ensure the trailer lights
are connected properly, please consult
your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper
operation of the turn signals, the brake lights and parking lights each time you
hitch up.
Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated to the pressure spec-
ified on the tire placard located on the left
center pillar of your vehicle.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in ac-
cordance 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.Trailer towing tips
Before starting out on a trip
Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
800026
Direct splicing or other improper
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle ’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle ’s lighting system.
Never tow a trailer when the tempo-
rary spare tire is used. The tempo-
rary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly coun-
try on hot days.
When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. For
safety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a trail-
er and you should never speed.
You should also keep the follow-
ing tips in mind: