parking brake SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 2005 2.G User Guide

7-21
Starting and operating
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mode.
NOTE yIf the differential-limiting factor is large during
cornering maneuvers, a small speed difference
between the front and rear wheels may cause tight
corner braking (a phenomenon accompanied by
vibration and noise). This phenomenon does not
indicate a problem. It will disappear if the differen-
tial-action limiting factor is reduced.y Use the center-differential indicator light only as
a rough indication of the differential-action limit-
ing factor.y If you rapidly depress and release the accelera-
tor pedal while driving at low speed, you may hear
a knocking sound from the vicinity of the center
differential and rear differential. This sound oc-
curs because of the structure of the center differ-
ential. It does not indicate a problem. „ Temporary release
When the driver stop the vehicle and pulls the parking-
brake lever after manually setting the differential-ac-
tion limiting factor, the factor is temporarily minimized.
The indicator in the combination meter continues to
show the driver’s selected differential-action limiting factor. When the driver releases the parking-brake le-
ver, the factor set by the driver is restored.

7-23
Starting and operating
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„Selector lever for automatic transmis- sion
: With the brake pedal depressed, move the lever along the gate.
: Move the lever along the gate.
The selector lever has seven positions. T 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 set the parking brake
fully, then shift into the “P” position. Do not hold the ve-
hicle with only the transmission.
P
RND321
HS7009AA
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7-24
Starting and operating
A shift interlock function is employed in the automatic
transmission system to ensure safe starting of the ve-
hicle.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to the any other
position, you have to depress the brake pedal fully
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. This
prevents the vehicle from lurching when it is started.
If the shift lever does not move from the “P” position
with the brake pedal depressed, refer to the “Shift lock
release” section in this chapter. T
R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, first stop the vehi-
cle completely then move the lever to the “R” position. T N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled engine.
In this position the wheels and transmission are not
locked. In this position, the transmission is neutral; the
vehicle will roll freely, even on the slightest incline un-
less the parking brake or foot brake is on.
NOTE (Except Turbo models)
If you stop the engine with the selector lever in the
“N” position, move the selector lever to the “P”
position immediately. Otherwise, you may find that the selector lever soon cannot be moved to
the “P” position. If you find that the selector lever
cannot be moved from the “N” position to the “P”
position, turn the ignition switch to the “ON” posi-
tion and try again.
Do not drive the vehicle with the selector lever
in the “N” (neutral) position. Engine braking
has no effect in this condition and the risk of an
accident is consequently increased.
T D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 4th according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you release
the pedal, the transmission will return to the original
gear position.

7-27
Starting and operating
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consequence, control of the vehicle may be lost
and the risk of an accident increased.
T Driving tips
y Always apply the foot or parking brake when the ve-
hicle is stopped in the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or “R” position. y Always set the parking brake when parking your ve-
hicle. Do not hold the vehicle with only the transmis-
sion.y 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 is not an indication of a
problem in your vehicle. „ Shift lock release
If the selector lever does not move from the “P” posi-
tion with the brake pedal depressed and the ignition
switch 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
screwdriver.
P
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7-35
Starting and operating
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light illuminate simultaneously, take the following
steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both warning lights go
out, the EBD system may be faulty. Drive carefully to
the nearest SUBARU dealer and have the system in-
spected.
4. If both warning lights come on again and stay illu-
minated after the engine has been restarted, shut
down the engine again, apply the parking brake, and
check the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the “MIN” mark,
the EBD system may be faulty. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the system inspect-
ed.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “MIN” mark, DO
NOT drive the vehicle. Instead, have the vehicle towed
to the nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
yDriving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake sys-
tem may not be working properly. If the light re-
mains on, have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately. y If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are operating properly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.

7-36
Starting and operating
Parking your vehicle „
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the brake pedal firmly
and hold it down while fully pulling up the parking
brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly,
press the release button, then lower the lever while
keeping the button pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the engine is run-
ning, 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 (chapter 3).
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 fully
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 park-
ing brake firmly when parking your vehicle. Never rely
on the transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
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8-12
Driving tips
starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them
with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or separate
the rubber weather strips around the door. If the door
is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other
substitutes because they may damage the paint of the
vehicle. T
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the pedals
slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check
that the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and all other
controls operate smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under
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 periodically. T
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission 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 after 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 harness.
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust

8-28
Driving tips
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 before
launching or retrieving a watercraft. „ When you do not tow a trailer
y Remove the ball mount from the hitch receiver tube and insert the receiver cover onto the hitch receiver tube.y
Place the dust cap over the four-pin connector of the
hitch wire harness to protect against possible damage.y Occasionally lubricate terminals of the four-pin con-
nector using terminal grease.
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8-37
Driving tips
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use towing mirrors that conform with Federal, state/
province and/or other applicable regulations. TTrailer lights
Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle’s electrical
system requires modifications to the vehicle’s lighting
circuit to increase 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.
Direct splicing or other improper connection of
trailer lights may damage your vehicle’s electri-
cal system and cause a malfunction of your ve-
hicle’s lighting system.
T Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are properly
inflated to the pressure specified on the tire placard lo-
cated on the left center pillar of your vehicle.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper infla-
tion 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.
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare
tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not de-
signed 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.
„ Trailer towing tips
yNever exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing
a trailer in hilly country on hot days. y When towing a trailer, steering, stability,
stopping distance and braking performance
will be different from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ extra caution

8-39
Driving tips
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tance is required because of the added weight and
length caused by attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
y Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes prac-
tice. When backing up with a trailer, never accelerate
or steer rapidly. When turning back, grip the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand and turn it to the left
for a left turn, and turn it to the right for a right turn. y If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle
is in motion, stop towing the trailer and have repairs
performed immediately by the nearest SUBARU deal- er. T
Driving on grades
y Before going down a steep hill, slow down and shift
into lower gear (if necessary, use 1st gear) in order to
utilize the engine braking effect and prevent overheat-
ing of your vehicle’s brakes. Do not make sudden
downshifts.y When driving uphill in hot weather, the air condition-
er may turn off automatically to protect the engine from
overheating.y When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to
the water temperature gauge pointer (for all vehicles)
and AT OIL TEMP warning light (for AT vehicles) since
the engine and transmission are relatively prone to
overheating under these conditions. If the water tem-
perature gauge pointer approaches the OVERHEAT
zone or the AT OIL TEMP warning light illuminates,
immediately switch off the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle at the nearest safe place. Refer to the “Engine
overheating” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and
indicator lights” section in chapter 3. y If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, avoid
using the accelerator pedal to stay stationary on an
uphill slope instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to over-
heat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an automat-
ic transmission, avoid driving with the gear selector le-
ver in “D” when towing a heavy trailer to prevent fluid
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