automatic transmission SUBARU WRX 2016 Owners Manual

Instruments and controls/Warning and indicator lights
NOTE . After replacing or adding the engine
oil, if the engine oil level is within the
normal range when restarting the en-
gine on a level surface, the warning
indicator will be off.
. The warning indicator may appear
temporarily in the following conditions
because a low oil level may be detected
as a result of significant oil movement
in the engine.
– when the vehicle is considerably
inclined on an uphill or steep slope
– when the vehicle has continu-
ously accelerated and decelerated
– when the vehicle is continuously
turned
– when the vehicle is driven on a
road that alternates continuously
between uphill and downhill
& Windshield washer
fluid warning indicatorThis indicator appears when the fluid level
in the windshield washer fluid tank de-
creases to the lower limit (approximately
1.1 US qt, 1.0 liter, 0.9 Imp qt). & AT OIL TEMP warning
light (CVT models) If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the transmis-
sion fluid temperature is too hot.
If the light illuminates while driving, im-
mediately stop the vehicle in a safe place
and let the engine idle until the warning
light turns off.
! Transmission control system warn-
ing
If the “ AT OIL TEMP ” warning light flashes
after the engine has started, it may
indicate that the transmission control
system is not working properly. Contact
your nearest SUBARU dealer for service
immediately.
& Rear differential oil
temperature warning
light (STI)
CAUTION
If the R.DIFF TEMP warning light
illuminates, reduce vehicle speed
and stop the vehicle in a safe
location as soon as possible. Con-
tinuing to drive with this light illumi-
nated may damage the rear differ- ential and other parts of the power-
train.
If this light illuminates when the engine is
running, it may indicate that the rear
differential oil temperature is too hot.
At this time, the driver ’ s control center
differential will automatically cancel the
current torque-distribution ratio setting and
adopt its minimum ratio.
If the light illuminates while driving, reduce
vehicle speed and stop the vehicle in the
nearest safe location. Park the vehicle for
several minutes. After the light turns off,
you can start driving.
If the light does not turn off, contact the
nearest SUBARU dealer for service.
NOTE . If the tire pressures are not correct
and/or the tires are not all the same
size and brand, the rear differential will
be heavily loaded when the vehicle is
driven, resulting in an abnormally high
oil temperature.
. The rear differential oil will deterio-
rate if its temperature increases en-
ough for the rear differential oil tem-
perature warning light to illuminate. It is
advisable to have the rear differential
oil replaced as soon as possible.3-18

Instruments and controls/Mirrors
& Auto-dimming mirror/com-
pass (if equipped)
1) LED
2) Switch
3) Sensor
4) Compass display
The auto-dimming mirror has an anti-glare
feature which automatically reduces glare
coming from headlights of vehicles behind
you. It also contains a built-in compass.
. By pressing and holding the switch for
1 second, the automatic dimming function
is toggled on or off. When the automatic
dimming function is on, the LED indicator
will illuminate.
Even with the mirror in anti-glare mode,
the mirror surface turns bright if the
transmission is shifted into reverse. This is to ensure good rearward visibility during
reversing.
. By pressing and releasing the switch
for less than 6 seconds, the compass
display is toggled on or off. When the
compass is on, an illuminated compass
reading will appear in the upper right
corner of the mirror.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper
towel or similar material dampened with
glass cleaner. Do not spray glass cleaner
directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror
housing and damage the mirror.
! Photosensors
The mirror has a photosensor attached on
the front and back sides. During nighttime
driving, these sensors detect distracting glare from vehicle headlights behind you
and automatically dim the mirror to elim-
inate glare and preserve your vision. For
this reason, use care not to cover the
sensors with stickers, or other similar
items. Periodically wipe the sensors clean
using a piece of dry soft cotton cloth or an
applicator.
! Compass zone adjustment
Compass calibration zones
1. Refer to the “ Compass calibration
zones ” map shown above to verify that
the compass zone setting is correct for
your geographical location.
2. Press and hold the switch for 6
seconds until the zone selection comes
up (a number will be displayed in the
mirror compass window).3-104

3. Press the switch repeatedly until the
correct zone setting for your location is
displayed.
4. Releasing the button for 10 seconds
will exit the zone setting mode.
! Compass calibration
1. If a “ C ” is displayed in the compass
window, the compass needs to be cali-
brated.
2. Drive the vehicle in a circle at 5 mph (8
km/h) or less until the display reads a
direction.
3. You can also calibrate the compass by
driving your vehicle on your everyday
routine. The compass will be calibrated
once it has tracked a complete circle.
4. To recalibrate your compass, push and
hold the switch for 9 seconds until a “ C ”
appears in the compass window.
5. Calibrate the compass according to
step 2 or step 3. & Auto-dimming mirror/com-
pass with HomeLink ®
(if
equipped)
1) HomeLink ®
button 1
2) HomeLink ®
button 2
3) LED
4) HomeLink ®
button 3
5) Sensor
6) Automatic dimming on/off button
7) Compass display button
8) Compass display
The auto-dimming mirror has an anti-glare
feature which automatically reduces glare
coming from headlights of vehicles behind
you. It also contains a built-in compass
and HomeLink ®
wireless control system.
. By pressing the automatic dimming on/
off button, the automatic dimming function
is toggled on or off. When the automatic dimming function is on, the LED indicator
will illuminate.
Even with the mirror in the automatic
dimming mode, the mirror surface turns
bright if the transmission is shifted into
reverse. This is to ensure good rearward
visibility during reversing.
. By pressing the compass display but-
ton, the compass display is toggled on or
off. When the compass is on, an illumi-
nated compass reading will appear in the
upper right corner of the mirror.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper
towel or similar material dampened with
glass cleaner. Do not spray glass cleaner
directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror
housing and damage the mirror. Instruments and controls/Mirrors
– CONTINUED –3-105

– When a temporary spare tire
is installed
– When your vehicle is towed
– When the vehicle is stopped
with the manual mode se-
lected
NOTE . A higher initial LSD torque setting
gives the vehicle greater traction when
driving straight ahead but makes cor-
nering more difficult. Remember this
when adjusting the initial LSD torque.
In general, higher initial LSD torque
settings assist driving on slippery
roads and lower settings for non-slip-
pery roads. When the vehicle is stuck
in snow or mud, setting the initial LSD
torque to the maximum will help to free
the vehicle.
. The setting of the initial LSD torque
will remain even when the auto mode is
selected or the ignition switch is turned
to the “ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position. How-
ever, the initial LSD torque will be
minimized when the battery is discon-
nected and reconnected.
. During cornering or when making
turns (especially when going into the
garage), the rotational difference be-
tween the front and rear wheels may cause a braking effect accompanied by
vibration and noise. This does not
indicate a problem. The phenomenon
will disappear when setting the initial
LSD torque to the minimum.
In the auto mode, it controls the initial
LSD torque automatically. While in the
auto mode, this phenomenon some-
times occurs depending on the driving
condition, however, it does not indicate
a problem.
. Use the center differential indicator
only as a rough indication of the initial
LSD torque.
. If you operate the center differential
control switch while quickly accelerat-
ing or turning a tight corner, you may
feel slight shocks. This is due to
differential action by the center differ-
ential and does not indicate a problem.
& Temporary release When the driver stops the vehicle and
pulls the parking brake lever after manu-
ally setting the initial LSD torque, the LSD
torque is temporarily minimized. However
the indicator on the combination meter
continues to show the driver ’ s selected
initial LSD torque. When the driver re-
leases the parking brake lever, the initial
LSD torque set by the driver is restored. Continuously variable trans-
mission The continuously variable transmission is
electronically controlled and provides an
infinite number of forward speeds and 1
reverse speed. It also has a manual mode.
WARNINGDo not shift from the “ P ” or “ N ”
position into the “ D ” or “ R ” position
while depressing the accelerator
pedal. This may cause the vehicle
to jump forward or backward.
CAUTION. Shift into the “ P ” or “ R ” position
only after the vehicle is comple-
tely stopped. Shifting while the
vehicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.
. Do not race the engine for more
than 5 seconds in any position
except the “ N ” or “ P ” position
when the brake is applied or
when chocks are used in the
wheels. This may cause the
transmission fluid to overheat.
. Never move the vehicle rearwardStarting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
– CONTINUED –7-23

Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
by inertia with the select lever set
in a forward position or move the
vehicle forward by inertia with
the select lever set in the reverse
position. Doing so may result in
an unexpected accident or mal-
function.
. Do not shift from the “ D ” position
into the “ R ” position or vice
versa until the vehicle has com-
pletely stopped. Such shifting
may cause damage to the trans-
mission.
. When parking the vehicle, first
securely apply the parking brake
and then place the select lever in
the “ P ” position. Do not park for
a long time with the select lever
in any other position as doing so
could result in a dead battery.
NOTE . When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, the transmission will
upshift to higher engine speeds than
when the coolant temperature is suffi-
ciently high in order to shorten the
warm-up time and improve driveability.
The gearshift timing will automatically
shift to the normal timing after the
engine has warmed up. . Immediately after transmission fluid
is replaced, you may feel that the
transmission operation is somewhat
unusual. This results from invalidation
of data which the on-board computer
has collected and stored in memory to
allow the transmission to shift at the
most appropriate times for the current
condition of your vehicle. Optimized
shifting will be restored as the vehicle
continues to be driven for a while.
. When driving a CVT model under
continuous heavy load conditions such
as when climbing a long, steep hill, the
engine speed or the vehicle speed may
automatically be reduced. This is not a
malfunction. This phenomenon results
from the engine control function main-
taining the cooling performance of the
vehicle. The engine and vehicle speed
will return to a normal speed when the
engine is able to maintain the optimum
cooling performance after the heavy
load decreases. Driving under a heavy
load must be performed with extreme
care.
. The continuously variable transmis-
sion is a chain type system that
provides superior transmission effi-
ciency for maximum fuel economy. At
times, depending on varying driving
conditions, a chain operating noise
may be heard that is characteristic of this type of system.
& Select lever
1) Select lever button7-24

Starting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
! D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving. The
transmission shifts automatically and con-
tinuously into a suitable gear according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require. Also, while driving up and
down a hill, the transmission assists and
controls the driving performance and
engine braking while corresponding to
the road grade.
When more acceleration is required in the
“ D ” position, depress the accelerator
pedal fully to the floor and hold that
position. The transmission will automati-
cally downshift. If the Intelligent (I) mode
or the Sport (S) mode has been selected,
the transmission will operate like a con-
ventional automatic transmission. When
you release the pedal, the transmission
will return to the original gear position.
If one of the shift paddles behind the
steering wheel is operated while driving in
the “ D ” position, the transmission will
temporarily switch to the manual mode.
In this mode, you can shift into any gear
position using the shift paddles. For de-
tails about the manual mode, refer to
“ Selection of manual mode ” F 7-26. Once
the vehicle speed stabilizes, the transmis-
sion will switch from the manual mode
back to the “ D ” position for normal driving. & Selection of manual mode
With the vehicle either moving or station-
ary, move the select lever from the “ D ”
position to the “ M ” position to select the
manual mode. 1) Upshift indicator
2) Downshift indicator
3) Gear position indicator
When the manual mode is selected, the
gear position indicator and upshift indica-
tor and/or downshift indicator on the
combination meter appear.
The gear position indicator shows the
currently selected gear in the following
range.
. 1st-to-8th-gear range (when the Sport
Sharp (S#) mode is selected)
. 1st-to-6th-gear range (in other situa-
tions)
The upshift and downshift indicators show
when a gear shift is possible. When the
upshift indicator “
” appears, upshifting is
possible. When the downshift indicator7-26

“ ” appears, downshifting is possible.
When both indicators appear, upshifting
and downshifting are both possible. When
the vehicle stops (for example, at traffic
signals), the downshift indicator turns off.
Gearshifts can be performed using the
shift paddle behind the steering wheel.
To upshift to the next higher gear position,
pull the shift paddle that has “ + ” indicated
on it. To downshift to the next lower gear
position, pull the shift paddle that has “ – ”
indicated on it.
To deselect the manual mode, return the
select lever to the “ D ” position from the “ M ”
position. CAUTIONDo not place or hang anything on
the shift paddles. Doing so may
result in accidental gear shifting.
NOTE Please read the following points care-
fully and bear them in mind when using
the manual mode.
. If you attempt to shift down when
the engine speed is too high, i.e., when
a downshift would push the tachometer
needle beyond the red zone, beeps will
be emitted to warn you that the down-
shift is not possible.
. If you attempt to shift up when the
vehicle speed is too low, the transmis-
sion will not respond.
. You can perform a skip-shift (for
example, from 4th to 2nd) by operating
the shift paddle twice in rapid succes-
sion.
. The transmission automatically se-
lects 1st gear when the vehicle stops
moving.
. If the temperature of the transmis-
sion fluid becomes too high, the “ AT
OIL TEMP ” warning light on the combi-
nation meter will illuminate. Immedi-
ately stop the vehicle in a safe location and let the engine idle until the warning
light turns off.
. By selecting the Sport Sharp (S#)
mode, upshifting will not occur auto-
matically. According to the road condi-
tions, shift change manually so that the
tachometer needle does not enter the
red zone. Also, if the engine revolu-
tions reach the specified number, the
fuel supply will be cut. In this case,
perform shift up operation.
& Shift lock function The shift lock function helps prevent the
improper operation of the select lever.
. The select lever cannot be operated
unless the ignition switch is turned to the
“ ON ” position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
. The select lever cannot be moved from
the “ P ” position to any other position
before the brake pedal is depressed.
Depress the brake pedal first, and then
operate the select lever.
. Only the “ P ” position allows you to turn
the ignition switch from the “ ACC ” position
to the “ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position and remove
the key from the ignition switch.
. If the ignition switch is turned to the
“ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position while the select
lever is in the “ N ” position, the select leverStarting and operating/Continuously variable transmission
– CONTINUED –7-27

Starting and operating/SI – DRIVE (except STI: CVT models)
& Sport Sharp (S#) mode! For maximum performance driving
For sports-minded drivers, the Sport
Sharp (S#) mode offers an exhilarating
level of engine performance and control.
The throttle becomes more responsive
regardless of the engine speed. Delivering
maximum driving enjoyment, this mode is
ideal for tackling twisting roads and for
merging or overtaking other vehicles on
the freeway with confidence.
When you select the Sport Sharp (S#)
mode while the select lever is in the “ D ”
position, the transmission gear ratio will
shift from variable speed to eight-speed.
The select lever/gear position indicator
display will change from “ D ” to the gear
position. When selecting Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
the following controls will be applied.
Uphill control: Prevents unnecessary
shift-up/shift-down during ascent.
Cornering control: While turning, if there
is a large centrifugal force, shift-up will not
occur: during re-acceleration.
Braking control: At the beginning of
corners etc., heavy application of the
brake pedal will cause automatic down-
shift and gently re-accelerate.
Sudden acceleration return control:
During acceleration, if acceleration pedal
is returned suddenly (for example, at
corners etc.), shift-up will not be applied. & SI-DRIVE switches
NOTE If any of the SI-DRIVE indicators blink,
the SI-DRIVE system may be malfunc-
tioning. Contact your SUBARU dealer.
SI-DRIVE switches
To select the Intelligent (I) mode, perform
either of the following procedures.
. Press the “ S/I ” switch when the Sport
(S) mode is selected
. Press the “ S#/I ” switch when the Sport
Sharp (S#) mode is selected
To select the Sport (S) mode, press the “ S/
I ” switch when any mode other than Sport
(S) mode is selected.
To select the Sport Sharp (S#) mode,
press the “ S#/I ” switch when any mode7-32

U.S.-spec. models
The set speed can be increased 1 mph
(1.6 km/h) each time by pressing the
“ RES/SET ” switch to the “ RES ” side
quickly.
Except U.S.-spec. models
The set speed can be increased 1 km/h
each time by pressing the “ RES/SET ”
switch to the “ RES ” side quickly.
! To increase the speed (by accel-
erator pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
2. Press the “ RES/SET ” switch to the
“ SET ” side once. Now the desired speed
is set and the vehicle will keep running at
that speed without depressing the accel-
erator pedal.
NOTE CVT models:
. If you depress the accelerator pedal
while the Sport Sharp (S#) mode is
selected, the select lever/gear position
indicator may change from the “ D ”
indication to the current gear position
indication.
. If you depress the accelerator pedal
fully while the Intelligent (I) mode or the Sport (S) mode is selected, the trans-
mission will operate like a conventional
automatic transmission.
! To decrease the speed (by the
“ RES/SET ” switch)
Press the “ RES/SET ” switch to the “ SET ”
side and hold it until the vehicle reaches
the desired speed. Then, release the
switch. The vehicle speed at that moment
will be memorized and treated as the new
set speed.
U.S.-spec. models
The set speed can be lowered 1 mph (1.6
km/h) each time by pressing the “ RES/
SET ” switch to the “ SET ” side quickly.
Except U.S.-spec. models
The set speed can be lowered 1 km/h each time by pressing the “ RES/SET ”
switch to the “ SET ” side quickly.
! To decrease the speed (by brake
pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the
desired speed, press the “ RES/SET ”
switch to the “ SET ” side once. Now the
desired speed is set and the vehicle will
keep running at that speed without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal.
& Cruise control indicator Refer to “ Cruise control indicator ” F 3-35.
& Cruise control set indicator Refer to “ Cruise control set indicator ” F 3-
35. Starting and operating/Cruise control
7-55

*4: You may use this type of manual transmission oil. However, using this type of oil will detract from driveability and fuel efficiency.
& Fluids Fluid
Fluid type* 1
Fluid capacity* 2
Remarks* 3
Continuously variable transmission
fluid (CVT models) Consult your SUBARU dealer. 13.1 US qt (12.4 liters, 10.9 Imp qt) “ Continuously variable trans-
mission fluid ” F 11-23
Brake fluid FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4
brake fluid –“ Brake fluid ” F 11-25
Clutch fluid (MT models) FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4
brake fluid – “ Clutch fluid (MT models) ” F 11 -
26
Power steering fluid (STI) · SUBARU ATF
· “ Dexron III ” Type Automatic Transmis-
sion Fluid
· IDEMITSU ATF HP 0.7 US qt (0.7 liter, 0.6 Imp qt) “ Power steering fluid (STI) ”
F 11-24
*1: Use one of the indicated types of fluid.
*2: The indicated fluid quantity is only a guideline. The necessary quantity for replacement may differ slightly depending on the temperature and other
factors.
*3: For more details about maintenance and service, refer to the indicated section.
& Engine coolant Vehicle model Coolant capacity Coolant type
STI 8.2 US qt (7.7 liters, 6.8 Imp qt)
SUBARU Super Coolant
Except STI MT models 8.7 US qt (8.2 liters, 7.2 Imp qt)
CVT models 8.9 US qt (8.4 liters, 7.4 Imp qt)
The indicated coolant quantity is only a guideline. The necessary quantity for replacement may differ slightly depending on the temperature and other
factors. For more details about maintenance and service, refer to “ Cooling system ” F 11-17. Specifications/Specifications
– CONTINUED –12-7