checking oil SUBARU LEGACY 2005 4.G Owners Manual

3-20
Instruments and controls
We recommend that you drive moderately until the
pointer of the temperature gauge reaches near the
middle of the range. Engine operation is optimum with
the engine coolant at this temperature range and high
revving operation when the engine is not warmed up
enough should be avoided.
If the pointer exceeds the normal operating
range, safely stop the vehicle as soon as possi-
ble.
See the “In case of emergency” in chapter 9.
Warning and indicator lights
Several of the warning and indicator lights come on
momentarily and then go out when the ignition switch
is initially turned to the “ON” position. This permits
checking the operation of the bulbs.
Apply the parking brake and turn the ignition switch to
the “ON” position. The following lights come on:
: Seatbelt warning light
(The seatbelt warning light goes out only when you
fasten the seatbelt.)
: SRS airbag system warning light
: CHECK ENGINE warning light / Malfunction in-
dicator lamp
: Charge warning light: Oil pressure warning light
: AT OIL temperature warning light (AT vehicles)
/ : ABS warning light

4-1
4
Climate control
Ventilator ....................................................... 4-2 Air flow selection .............................................. 4-2
Center and side ventilators .............................. 4-3
Manual climate control system (if equipped) ............................................... 4-4Control panel ..................................................... 4-4
Heater operation ............................................... 4-7
Air conditioner operation ................................. 4-9
Automatic climate control system (if equipped) ............................................... 4-10Temperature sensors ....................................... 4-16
Operating tips for heater and air conditioner ........................................... 4-17Cleaning ventilator grille .................................. 4-17
Efficient cooling after parking in direct sunlight ........................................................... 4-18
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .............................................................. 4-18
Checking air conditioning system before summer season .................................. 4-18
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity and low temperature weather condition ...... 4-18
Air conditioner compressor shut-off
when engine is heavily loaded ...................... 4-18
Refrigerant for your climate control system .. 4-18
Air filtration system (if equipped) ................ 4-19

4-18
Climate control
!
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight
After parking in direct sunlight, drive with the windows
open for a few minutes to allow outside air to circulate
into the heated interior. This results in quicker cooling
by the air conditioner. Keep the windows closed during
the operation of the air conditioner for maximum cool- ing efficiency. ! Lubrication oil circulation in the refrig-
erant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at a low en-
gine speed (at idle or low driving speeds) a few min-
utes each month during the off-season to circulate its
oil. ! Checking air conditioning system be-
fore summer season
Check the air conditioner unit for refrigerant leaks,
hose conditions, and proper operation each spring.
Have your SUBARU dealer perform this check. !
Cooling and dehumidifying in high hu-
midity and low temperature weather condition
Under certain weather conditions (high relative humid-
ity, low temperatures, etc.) a small amount of water
vapor emission from the air outlets may be noticed.
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 con-
ditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off
during air conditioner operation whenever the acceler-
ator is fully depressed such as during rapid accelera-
tion or when driving on a steep upgrade. ! Refrigerant for your climate control system
Your air conditioner uses ozone friendly refrigerant
HFC134a. Therefore, the method of adding, changing
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.

11 - 1
11
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ................................. 11-3
Maintenance precautions ............................ 11-3 Before checking or servicing in the engine compartment .................................................. 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine compartment while the engine is
running ............................................................ 11-5
Engine hood .................................................. 11-5
Engine compartment overview ................... 11-8 2.5-liter non-turbo models ................................ 11-8
2.5-liter non-turbo California-spec. models .... 11-9
2.5-liter turbo models ....................................... 11-10
3.0-liter models .................................................. 11-11
Engine oil ...................................................... 11-12 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-12
Changing the oil and oil filter .......................... 11-13
Recommended grade and viscosity ................ 11-16
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe driving conditions .............................. 11-17
Cooling system ............................................. 11-18 Hose and connections ...................................... 11-19
Engine coolant .................................................. 11-19
Air cleaner element ...................................... 11-24 Replacing the air cleaner element ................... 11-24
Spark plugs ................................................... 11-29 Recommended spark plugs ............................. 11-29
Drive belts ..................................................... 11-30 2.5-liter models .................................................. 11-30
3.0-liter models .................................................. 11-30
Manual transmission oil ............................... 11-31 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-31
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-32
Automatic transmission fluid ...................... 11-33 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-33
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-35
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ...... 11-35 Checking the oil level ....................................... 11-35
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-36
Rear differential gear oil ............................... 11-37 Checking the gear oil level .............................. 11-37
Recommended grade and viscosity ............... 11-40
Power steering fluid ...................................... 11-41 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-41
Recommended fluid ......................................... 11-42
Brake fluid ..................................................... 11-42 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-42
Recommended brake fluid ............................... 11-43
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) ............................ 11-43 Checking the fluid level .................................... 11-43
Recommended clutch fluid .............................. 11-44
Brake booster ................................................ 11-44
Brake pedal .................................................... 11-45 Checking the brake pedal free play ................ 11-45
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ... 11-45
Clutch pedal (Manual transmission vehicles) ..................................................... 11-46Checking the clutch function .......................... 11-46
Checking the clutch pedal free play ............... 11-46
Replacement of brake pad and lining ......... 11-47

11 - 4
Maintenance and service
the materials in the vehicle may be hazardous if
improperly used or handled, for example, bat-tery acid. "
Your vehicle should only be serviced by per-
sons fully competent to do so. Serious person-
al injury may result to persons not experienced
in servicing vehicles. " Always use the proper tools and make certain
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 air-
bag system or seatbelt pretensioner system, or
attempt to take its connectors apart, as that may activate the system or it can render it inop-
erative. The wiring and connectors of these
systems are yellow for easy identification. NEV-
ER use a circuit tester for these wiring.
If your SRS airbag or seatbelt pretensioner
needs service, consult your nearest SUBARU
dealer.
! Before checking or servicing in the en-
gine 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 the en-
gine 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 suddenly

11 - 1 2
Maintenance and service
Engine oil !
Checking the oil level
Check the engine oil level at each fuel stop.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the en-
gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and insert it
again.
3. Be sure the dipstick is correctly inserted until it
stops with the graphic symbol “ ” on its top ap-
pearing as shown in the illustration. 2.5-liter models
A) Notch
B) Upper level
C) Lower level
UBB505BA
A B
C
UGB081BC

11 -1 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
3.0-liter models
A) Upper level
B) Lower level
4. Pull out the dipstick again and check the oil level on
it. If it is below the lower level, add oil to bring the level
up to the upper level.
" Use only engine oil with the recommended
grade and viscosity. " Be careful not to spill engine oil when adding
it. If oil touches the exhaust pipe, it may cause
a bad smell, smoke, and/or a fire.
If you check the oil level just after stopping the engine,
wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil
pan before checking the level.
To prevent overfilling the engine oil, do not add any
additional oil above the upper level when the engine is cold.
In 2.5-liter-engine models, the dipstick has a notch
above the upper level.
Just after driving or while the engine is warm, the en-
gine oil level reading may be in a range between the
upper level and the notch mark. This is caused by ther-
mal expansion of the engine oil. ! Changing the oil and oil filter
Change the oil and oil filter according to the mainte-
nance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”.
The engine oil and oil filter must be changed more fre-
quently than listed in the maintenance schedule when
driving on dusty roads, when short trips are frequently
made, or when driving in extremely cold whether.
1. Warm up the engine by letting the engine idle for
about 10 minutes to ease draining the engine oil.
A
B
UBB576BB

11 -3 1
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
Manual transmission oil !Checking the oil level
Non-turbo models
A) Yellow handle Turbo models
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the en-
gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and insert it
again.
A
UBB515EB
UBB516BA

11 -3 5
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
fluid up to the upper level. Be careful not to overfill. !Recommended fluid
Use one of the following types of automatic transmis-
sion fluid.
Genuine Subaru Automatic Transmission Fluid
IDEMITSU ATF HP
Castrol Transmax J
Pennzoil ATF-J*
* Available only in the USA (except Alaska and Ha-
waii)
NOTE "Using any non-specified type of automatic
transmission fluid could result in damage inside
the transmission. When replacing the automatic
transmission fluid, be sure to use the kind speci-
fied above." If your vehicle has a four-speed automatic trans-
mission, you can use “Dexron III” Type Automatic
Transmission Fluid in addition to the recommend-
ed fluid types listed above. Front differential gear oil (AT vehi-
cles) !
Checking the oil level
A) Yellow handle
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and stop the en-
gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and insert it
again.
A
UBB515FB

11 -3 7
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
Rear differential gear oil !Checking the gear oil level
If the vehicle requires frequent refilling, there
may be an oil leak. If you suspect a problem,
have the vehicle checked at your SUBARU deal-
er.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a rear differential
protector. The differential protector provides protec-
tion to the rear differential assembly during off-road
use. Removal of the rear differential protector is not re-
quired when checking the oil level. 2.5i (AT)
A) Filler plug
B) Drain plug
A
B
USB531BB