engine SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 2003 2.G Owner's Manual

Instruments and controls
3-14
The warning light comes on right after the
engine is started but goes out immediately, remaining off. The warning light remains on after the engine
has been started, but it goes out when the
vehicle speed reaches about 8 mph (12 km/h). The warning light comes on during driving, but
it goes out immediately and remains off.
When driving with an insufficient battery voltage
such as when the engine is jump started, the ABS
warning light may come on. This is due to the low
battery voltage and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged, the lightwill go out. Brake system warning light
WARNING
Driving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake
system may not be working properly. If thelight remains on, have the brakes inspected
by a SUBARU dealer immediately. If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are operating properly, do not drive the ve-
hicle. Have your vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.
This light has the following two functions: Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake applied while the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. It
goes out when the parking brake is fully released.
Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluid level has
dropped to near the “MIN” level of the brake fluid
reservoir with the ignition switch in the “ON” position
and with the parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should come on
while driving (with the parking brake fully releasedand with the ignition switch positioned in “ON”), it
could be an indication of leaking of brake fluid or
worn brake pads. Have your vehicle checked by a
SUBARU dealer immediately. Door open warning lights
The door open warning light comes on if any door or
the rear gate is not fully closed.
(U.S.)
(Canada)

Instruments and controls
3-18
CAUTION
Do not hold the lever in the flashing position for more than just a few seconds.
Daytime running light system
The low beam headlights will automatically come on
at reduced brightness when the engine has started,
under the following conditions: The parking brake is fully released.
The light switch is in the “OFF” or “p ” position.
The automatic transmission selector lever is set at
other than the “P” position.
WARNING
The tail lights, parking lights, and side marker
lights are not turned on by the daytime run-ning light system. The light switch must al-ways be turned to the “a ” position when it
is dark outside. Turn signal lever
1) Right turn
2) Left turn
3) Lane change for right
4) Lane change for left
To activate the right turn signal, push the turn signal
lever up. To activate the left turn signal, push the
turn signal lever down. When the turn is finished, the
lever will return automatically. If the lever does not
return after cornering, return the lever to the neutralposition by hand.
To signal a lane change, push the turn signal lever

4
4-1
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Ventilator 4-2
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Air flow selection 4-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Center and side ventilators 4-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate control system 4-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Control panel 4-4
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Heater operation 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air conditioner operation (if equipped) 4-9 . . . . . . . .
Operating tips for heater and air
conditioner 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning ventilation grille 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight 4-11
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Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit 4-11
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Checking air conditioning system before summer season 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather conditions 4-12 . . .
Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded 4-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Refrigerant for your climate control system 4-12 . .
Air filtration system (if equipped) 4-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate control

Climate control
4-5
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Defogging with the air inlet selection lever set in the “” position provides better defogging
performance than in the “” position.
When the dial is placed in the “” or
“” position, the air conditioner compressor
operates automatically regardless of the position of the air conditioner button to defog the wind-
shield quickly.However the indicator on the air conditioner but-ton will not come on.Also, you cannot stop the air conditioner com-pressor by pressing the air conditioner button.
Air conditioner button (if equipped)
1) Push
The air conditioner operates only when the engine is running. Push the air conditioner button while the fan is in op-
eration to turn on the air conditioner. The indicator
light will come on.
Push it again to turn off the air conditioner. Air inlet selection lever
(Recirculation): Interior air is recirculated in-
side the vehicle.

Climate control
4-12
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperatureweather conditions
Under certain weather conditions (high relative hu-
midity, low temperatures, etc.) a small amount of wa-
ter vapor emission from the air outlets may be not-
iced. This condition is normal and does not indicate
any problem with the air conditioning system. Air conditioner compressor shut-off when engine is heavily loaded
To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air
conditioner compressor is designed to temporarily
shut off during air conditioner operation whenever
the accelerator is fully depressed such as duringrapid acceleration or when driving on a steepupgrade. Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, the method of adding, chang-
ing or checking the refrigerant is different from the
method for CFC12 (Freon). Consult your SUBARU
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a result of using the wrong refrigerant are not covered under
warranty.

Interior equipment
6-9
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CAUTION
Do not attempt to use a cigarette lighter in
the accessory power outlet. Do not place any foreign objects, especially
metal ones such as coins or aluminum foil, into the accessory power outlet. That could
cause a short circuit. Always put the cap onthe accessory power outlet when it is not inuse. Use only electrical appliances which are
designed for 12V DC and which consume less
than 120W. Overloading the accessory poweroutlet can cause a short circuit. Do not use
double adapters or more than one electricalappliance. If the plug on your electric appliance is
either too loose or too tight for the accessory power outlet, this can result in a poor contactor cause the plug to get stuck. Only use plugs
that fit properly. Use of an electric appliance in the acces-
sory power outlet for a long period of timewhile the engine is not running can cause bat-tery discharge. Cigarette lighter socket
The electrical power outlet located on the lower part
of the instrument panel can be used as cigarette
lighter socket. A cigarette lighter plug is an optional
accessory. It is available from your SUBARU dealer.
The cigarette lighter socket may also be used as a
power source for an in-car use electrical appliance.
CAUTION

The electrical power outlet located on the
lower part of the instrument panel is originally
designed to use a SUBARU genuine cigarette

Interior equipment
6-11
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CAUTION
Do not hold the lighter pushed in, because it will overheat.
Using as an accessory power outlet
Electrical power (12V DC) from the battery is on tapat the socket when the ignition switch is either in the
“ACC” or “ON” position.
If you use the socket as an accessory power outlet,
take the following precautions.When the socket is not in use, always put the cap on
the socket to prevent any foreign object from enter-ing it.
CAUTION
Use only in-car use electrical appliances
which are designed for 12V DC and which
consume less than 120W. Overloading the
socket can cause a short circuit. Do not use
double adapters or more than one electrical appliance. If the plug on your electric appliance is ei-
ther too loose or too tight for the socket, this
can result in a poor contact or cause the plug to get stuck. Only use plugs that fit properly.
Use of an electric appliance in the socket for
a long period of time while the engine is notrunning can cause battery discharge. Before driving your vehicle, make sure that
the plug and the cord on your electrical ap-
pliance will not interfere with your shifting gears and operating the accelerator and brake
pedals. If they do, do not use the electrical ap-
pliance while driving.
If the socket has been used for electrical ap-
pliances, damage may have been done to the inter-
nal mechanism that causes a cigarette lighter to“ pop out ” after its element has been heated. For that
reason, a cigarette lighter, even if it is a genuine
part, should not be used in the socket. If you want to
use the socket for a cigarette lighter again, or to pro-
tect your purchaser before you sell your car, have
your SUBARU dealer replace the socket with a newone.

7
7-1
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Fuel 7-2
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Fuel requirements 7-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel filler lid and cap 7-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State emission testing (U.S. only) 7-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing to drive 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission vehicle 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission vehicle 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting the engine during cold weather
below –4 °F ( –20 °C) 7-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting a flooded engine 7-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stopping the engine 7-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Manual transmission 7-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shifting speeds 7-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips 7-13
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Automatic transmission 7-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selector lever for automatic transmission 7-15 . . . .
Shift lock release 7-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear viscous limited slip differential
(LSD) (WRX) 7-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power steering 7-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 7-22
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Braking tips 7-22
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Brake system 7-22
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Disc brake pad wear warning indicators 7-23 . . . . . .
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) 7-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS system self-check 7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABS warning light 7-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parking your vehicle 7-26
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Parking brake 7-26
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Parking tips 7-26
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Cruise control (if equipped) 7-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To set cruise control 7-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To temporarily cancel the cruise control 7-30 . . . . . .
To turn off the cruise control 7-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To change the cruising speed 7-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting and operating

Starting and operating
7-2
Fuel
CAUTION
Use of a fuel which is low in quality or use of an inappropriate fuel additive may cause en- gine damage.
Fuel requirements
2.5 Liter models
The 2.5 Liter engine is designed to operate using
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI or
higher.
2.0 Liter (turbo) models
The 2.0 Liter turbo engine is designed to operate
using premium unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 91 AKI or higher. If premium unleaded gas-
oline is not available, regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI or higher may be tempo-
rarily used. For optimum engine performance and
driveability, it is recommended that you use pre-
mium grade unleaded gasoline.
Fuel octane rating
This octane rating is the average of the ResearchOctane and Motor Octane numbers and is com-
monly referred to as the Anti Knock Index (AKI).Using a gasoline with a lower octane rating cancause persistent and heavy knocking, which can
damage the engine. Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly when you drive up a hill or when you accelerate. See your dealer or a
qualified service technician if you use a fuel with thespecified octane rating and your vehicle knocks
heavily or persistently.
Unleaded gasoline
The neck of the fuel filler pipe is designed to acceptonly an unleaded gasoline filler nozzle. Under no
circumstances should leaded gasoline be used be-
cause it will damage the emission control system
and may impair driveability and fuel economy.
Gasoline for California-certified LEV
Your vehicle was certified to California ’s low emis-
sion vehicle (LEV) standards as indicated on the
underhood tune-up label. It is designed to optimize
engine and emission performance with gasoline that
meets the clean burning low-sulfur California gaso-
line specifications. If you live in any other state than
California, your vehicle will operate on gasoline

Starting and operating
7-3
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meeting Federal specifications. Gasoline sold out-
side California is permitted to have higher sulfur lev-
els, which may affect the performance of your ve-
hicle’s catalytic converter and may produce a sulfur
exhaust odor or smell. SUBARU recommends that
you try a different brand of unleaded gasoline hav-
ing lower sulfur to determine if the problem is fuel
related before returning your vehicle to an autho-rized dealer for service.
Gasoline for cleaner air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine
and fuel system. This helps keep your engine in
tune and your emission control system working
properly, and is a way of doing your part for cleaner
air. If you continuously use a high quality fuel with
the proper detergent and other additives, youshould never need to add any fuel system cleaning agents to your fuel tank.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials
called oxygenates. Use of these fuels can also help
keep the air cleaner. Oxygenated blend fuels, such
as MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl ether) or ethanol
(ethyl or grain alcohol) may be used in your vehicle,
but should contain no more than 15% MTBE or 10%
ethanol for the proper operation of your SUBARU. In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now pro-
ducing reformulated gasolines, which are designed
to reduce vehicle emissions. SUBARU approves the
use of reformulated gasoline.
If you are not sure what the fuel contains, you should
ask your service station operators if their gasolines
contain detergents and oxygenates and if they have
been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
As additional guidance, only use fuels suited for
your vehicle as explained below.
Fuel should be unleaded and have an octane rat-
ing no lower than that specified in this manual. Methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) is sometimes
mixed with unleaded gasoline. Methanol can beused in your vehicle ONLY if it does not exceed 5%
of the fuel mixture AND if it is accompanied by suffi-
cient quantities of the proper cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors required to prevent damage to the
fuel system. Do not use fuel containing methanolEXCEPT under these conditions.
If undesirable driveability problems are experi-
enced and you suspect they may be fuel related, try
a different brand of gasoline before seeking service
at your SUBARU dealer. Fuel system damage or driveability problems
which result from the use of improper fuel are not