suspension SUBARU IMPREZA 2006 2.G Owners Manual

1-22 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
System servicing
NOTE
If the front part of the vehicle is dam-
aged in an accident to the extent that
the seatbelt pretensioner does not op-
erate, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
Precautions against vehicle
modification
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
When discarding a seatbelt retrac-
tor assembly or scrapping the en-
tire vehicle damaged by a colli-
sion, consult your SUBARU deal-
er.
Tampering with or disconnecting
the system ’s wiring could result in
accidental activation of the seat-
belt pretensioner and/or SRS air-
bag or could make the system in-
operative, which may result in se-
rious injury. The wiring harnesses
of the seatbelt pretensioner and
SRS airbag systems are covered
with yellow insulation and the
connectors of the system are yel-
low for easy identification. Do not
use electrical test equipment on
any circuit related to the seatbelt
pretensioner and SRS airbag sys-
tems. For required servicing of
the seatbelt pretensioner, see
your nearest SUBARU dealer.
The front sub sensors are located in
both front fenders and the SRS air-
bag control module including the
impact sensors is located under the
center console. If you need service
or repair in those areas or near the
front seatbelt retractors, we recom-
mend that you have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform the work.
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the driver ’s door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner ’s
Manual.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-45
– CONTINUED –
When a heavy article is placed on the
seat.
When the front passenger ’s seat is occu-
pied by an adult, observe the following
precautions. Failure to do so may lessen
the load on the front passenger ’s seat, de-
activating the front passenger ’s SRS fron-
tal airbag despite the fact that the seat is
occupied by an adult.
Do not allow the rear seat occupant to
lift the front passenger ’s seat cushion us-
ing his/her feet.
Do not place any article under the front
passenger ’s seat, or squeeze any article
from behind and under the seat. This may
lift the seat cushion.
Do not squeeze any article between the
front passenger ’s seat and side trim/pillar,
door or center console box. This may lift
the seat cushion.
If the passenger ’s frontal airbag
OFF indicator illuminates and the
ON indicator extinguishes even
when the front passenger ’s seat is
occupied by an adult
This can be caused by the adult incorrect-
ly sitting in the front passenger ’s seat.
Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF ” posi-
tion. Ask the front passenger to set the
seatback to the upright position, sit up
straight in the center of the seat cushion, correctly fasten the seatbelt, position his/
her legs out forward, and adjust the seat
to the rearmost position. Turn the ignition
switch to the
“ON ” position. If the OFF in-
dicator remains illuminated while the ON
indicator remains extinguished, take the
following actions.
Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF ” po-
sition.
Ensure that there is no article, book,
shoe, or other object trapped under the
seat, at the rear of the seat, or on the side
of the seat.
Ensure that the backward-forward posi-
tion and seatback of front passenger ’s
seat are locked into place securely by
moving the seat back and forth.
Next, turn the ignition switch to the “ON ”
position and wait 6 seconds to allow the
system to complete self-checking. Follow-
ing the system check, both indicators ex-
tinguish for 2 seconds. Now, the ON indi-
cator should illuminate while the OFF indi-
cator remains extinguished.
If the OFF indicator still illuminates while
the ON indicator remains extinguished,
ask the occupant to move to the rear seat
and immediately contact your SUBARU
dealer for an inspection.
Effect vehicle modifications made
for persons with disabilities may
have on Subaru advanced frontal
airbag system operation (U.S. only)
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, seat belts, front bumper, front side
frame, instrument panel, combination
meter, steering wheel, steering column,
tire, suspension or floor panel can affect
the operation of the Subaru advanced air-
bag system. If you have any questions,
you may contact the following Subaru dis-
tributors:
of Columbia>
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Dealer Services Department
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)

Schuman Carriage Motors, Inc.
1234 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI
96814
808-592-4497

Triple J Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 6066, Tamuning, Guam 96931
671-646-9126

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-59
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.
Installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment such
as a mobile two-way radio on or
near the SRS airbag system
components and/or wiring is
not advisable. This could inter-
fere with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system.
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
Attachment of any equipment
(brush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the driver ’s door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner ’s
Manual.
Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors,
etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.

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 8-9
– CONTINUED –
do so and check under the fenders period-
ically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1 ” or “R ” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P ”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.
Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your SUBARU is not going to be used for
an extended period, it is best to have the
fuel tank filled to capacity.
Driving on snowy and icy
roads
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle
’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System) ” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces.
NOTE
The following tires are summer tires.
Compared with winter and all-season
tires, summer tires give significantly
less grip on snowy and icy road surfac-
es. Avoid driving on snowy and icy
road surface with summer tires.
225/45R17 tires for WRX-STI
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.

Driving tips 8-19
– CONTINUED –
Hitch harness connector – Wagon
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black
four-pin wire connector to the towing trail-
er ’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 har-
ness before 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 receiver tube.
Place the dust cap over the four-pin
connector of the hitch wire harness to pro-
tect against possible damage.
Occasionally lubricate terminals of the
four-pin connector using terminal grease.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle ’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safe-
ty and satisfaction depend upon proper
use of correct equipment and cautious op-
eration of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your SUBARU dealer to assist you in pur-
chasing a hitch and other necessary tow-
ing equipment appropriate for your vehi-
cle. In addition, be sure to follow the in-
structions on correct installation and use
provided by the trailer and other towing
equipment manufacturers.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for in-
juries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any er-
rors or omissions in the instructions ac-
companying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.
Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to vehi-
cle damage or malfunction caused by trail-
er towing. If you use your vehicle to tow a
trailer, more frequent maintenance will be
800210

In case of emergency 9-13
– CONTINUED –
Tie-down hooks:
1) Tie-down hook
2) Towing and tie-down hook
Using a flat-bed truck
This is the best way to transport your vehi-
cle. Use the following procedures to en-
sure safe transportation.
1. Shift the selector lever into the “P ” po-
sition for automatic transmission vehicles
To prevent deformation to the front
bumper and the towing hook, do not
apply excessive lateral load to the
towing hook.
1
1
1
2
900274
Use only the specified towing
hook and tie-down hook. Never
use suspension parts or other
parts of the body for towing or tie-
down purposes.
Never use the tie-down hook on
the underside of the vehicle clos-
est to the muffler for towing pur-
poses.
900064

9-14 In case of emergency
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 safety
chain should be equally tightened and
care must be taken not to pull the chains
so tightly that the suspension bottoms out.
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
transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the“ ACC ” position while the vehicle is being
towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler (both
optional), be careful not to scrape
them when placing the vehicle on
the carrier and when removing the
vehicle from the carrier.
900065
Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK ” position while the ve-
hicle is being towed because the
steering wheel and the direction
of the wheels will be locked.
Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not run-
ning. Because the engine is
turned off, it will take greater ef-
fort to operate the brake pedal and
steering wheel.
If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the en-
gine running.
For vehicles with automatic trans-
mission, the traveling speed must
be limited to less than 20 mph (30
km/h) and the traveling distance
to less than 31 miles (50 km). For
greater speeds and distances,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.

Appearance care 10-3
– CONTINUED –
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or soft
cloth.
Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for deic-
ing road surfaces are extremely corrosive,
accelerating the corrosion of underbody
components, such as the exhaust system,
fuel and brake lines, brake cables, floor
pan and fenders, and suspension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-
side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corro-
sion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
the underbody. Carefully flush the sus-
pension and axle parts, as they are partic-
ularly prone to mud and sand buildup. Do
not use a sharp-edged tool to remove
caked mud.
NOTE
Be careful not to damage brake hoses,
sensor harnesses, and other parts
when washing suspension compo-
nents.
Using a warm water washer
Keep a good distance of 12 in (30 cm)
or more between the washer nozzle and
the vehicle.
Do not wash the same area continuous-
ly.
If a stain will not come out easily, wash
by hand. Some warm water washers are
of the high temperature, high pressure
type, and they can damage or deform the
resin parts such as mouldings, or cause
water to leak into the vehicle.
Waxing and polishing
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing and polishing.
Use a good quality polish and wax and ap-
ply them according to the manufacturer ’s
instructions. Wax or polish when the paint-
ed surface is cool.
Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim,
as well as the painted surfaces. Loss of
wax on a painted surface leads to loss of
the original luster and also quickens the
deterioration of the surface. It is recom-
mended that a coat of wax be applied at
least once a month, or whenever the sur-
face no longer repels water.
If the appearance of the paint has dimin-
ished to the point where the luster or tone cannot be restored, lightly polish the sur-
face with a fine-grained compound. Never
polish just the affected area, but include
the surrounding area as well. Always pol-
ish in only one direction. A No. 2000 grain
compound is recommended. Never use a
coarse-grained compound. Coarser
grained compounds have a smaller grain-
size number and could damage the paint.
After polishing with a compound, coat with
wax to restore the original luster. Frequent
polishing with a compound or an incorrect
polishing technique will result in removing
the paint layer and exposing the under-
coat. When in doubt, it is always best to
contact your SUBARU dealer or an auto
paint specialist.
NOTE
Be careful not to block the windshield
washer nozzles with wax when waxing
the vehicle.
Cleaning aluminum wheels
Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels
clean of any kind of grime or agent. If dirt
is left on too long, it may be difficult to
clean off.
Do not use soap containing grit to clean
the wheels. Be sure to use a neutral clean-
ing agent, and later rinse thoroughly with
water. Do not clean the wheels with a stiff

10-4 Appearance care
brush or expose them to a high-speed
washing device.
Clean the vehicle (including the alumi-
num wheels) with water as soon as possi-
ble when it has been splashed with sea
water, exposed to sea breezes, or driven
on roads treated with salt or other agents.
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed and
built to resist corrosion. Special materials
and protective finishes have been used on
most parts of the vehicle to help maintain
fine appearance, strength, and reliable
operation.
Most common causes of cor-
rosion
The most common causes of corrosion
are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retaining
dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle
when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust control
chemicals, or used in coastal areas where
there is more salt in the air, or in areas
where there is considerable industrial pol-
lution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity, es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the vehi-
cle remains for a long time, even though other parts of the vehicle may be dry.
4. High temperatures will cause corrosion
to parts of the vehicle which cannot dry
quickly due to lack of proper ventilation.
To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent cor-
rosion of the body and suspension com-
ponents. Also, wash the vehicle promptly
after driving on any of the following surfac-
es:
roads that have been salted to prevent
them from freezing in winter
mud, sand, or gravel
coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recom-
mended that the underbody be given a
very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the
condition of underbody components, such
as the exhaust system, fuel and brake
lines, brake cables, suspension, steering
system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of
them are found to be rusted, they should
be given an appropriate rust prevention
treatment or should be replaced. Contact
your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind
of maintenance and treatment if you need
assistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as