Subaru Solterra (2023 year). Manual in english

450

7-1. Maintenance and care

7-1.Maintenance and care



Working from top to bottom,
liberally apply water to the
vehicle body, wheel wells and
underside of the vehicle to
remove any dirt and dust.



Wash the vehicle body using
a sponge or soft cloth, such
as a chamois.



For hard-to-remove marks,
use car wash soap and rinse
thoroughly with water.



Wipe away any water.



Wax the vehicle when the
waterproof coating deterio-
rates.

If water does not bead on a clean
surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.

■

Self-restoring coat

The vehicle body has a self-restor-

ing coating that is resistant to small

surface scratches caused in a car

wash, etc.

●

The coating lasts for 5 to 8 years

from when the vehicle is delivered

from the plant.

●

The restoration time differs

depending on the depth of the

scratch and outside temperature.

The restoration time may become

shorter when the coating is

warmed by applying warm water.

●

Deep scratches caused by keys,

coins, etc., cannot be restored.

●

Do not use wax that contain abra-

sives.

■

Automatic car washes

●

Before washing the vehicle:

• Fold the mirrors

• Turn off the power back door (if

equipped)

Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Make sure to extend the
mirrors before driving.

●

Brushes used in automatic car

washes may scratch the vehicle

surface, parts (wheel, etc.) and

harm your vehicle’s paint.

●

Rear spoiler may not be washable

in some automatic car washes.

There may also be an increased

risk of damage to vehicle.

●

When the shift position needs to

be held in N, refer to P.239.

■

High pressure car washes

As water may enter the cabin, do

not bring the nozzle tip near the

gaps around the doors or perimeter

of the windows, or spray these

areas continuously.

■

Note for a smart key system

If the door handle becomes wet

while the electronic key is within the

effective range, the door may lock

and unlock repeatedly. In that case,

follow the following correction pro-

cedures to wash the vehicle:

●

Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2

m) or more separate from the

vehicle while the vehicle is being

washed. (Take care to ensure that

the key is not stolen.)

●

Set the electronic key to battery-

saving mode to disable the smart

key system. (



P.182)

Cleaning and protect-

ing the vehicle exte-

rior

Perform the following to
protect the vehicle and
maintain it in prime condi-
tion:

Cleaning instructions

451

7-1. Maintenance and care

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■

Wheels and wheel ornaments

●

Remove any dirt immediately by

using a neutral detergent.

●

Wash detergent off with water

immediately after use.

●

To protect the paint from damage,

make sure to observe the follow-

ing precautions.

• Do not use acidic, alkaline or

abrasive detergent

• Do not use hard brushes

• Do not use detergent on the

wheels when they are hot, such

as after driving or parking in hot

weather

■

Brake pads and calipers

Rust may form if the vehicle is

parked with wet brake pads or disc

rotors, causing them to stick. Before

parking the vehicle after it is

washed, drive slowly and apply the

brakes several times to dry the

parts.

■

Bumpers

Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.

■

Plated portions

If dirt cannot be removed, clean the

parts as follows:

●

Use a soft cloth dampened with an

approximately 5% solution of neu-

tral detergent and water to clean

the dirt off.

●

Wipe the surface with a dry, soft

cloth to remove any remaining

moisture.

●

To remove oily deposits, use alco-

hol wet wipes or a similar product.

WARNING

■

When washing the vehicle

Do not apply water to the inside of

the motor compartment. Doing so

may cause the electrical compo-

nents, etc. to catch fire.

■

When cleaning the windshield

Set the wiper switch to off.

If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,

the wipers may operate unexpect-

edly in the following situations,

and may result in hands being

caught or other serious injuries

and cause damage to the wiper

blades.

Off

“AUTO”

●

When the upper part of the

windshield where the raindrop

sensor is located is touched by

hand

●

When a wet rag or similar is

held close to the raindrop sen-

sor

●

If something bumps against the

windshield

●

If you directly touch the raindrop

sensor body or if something

bumps into the raindrop sensor

■

Precaution regarding the rear

bumper

If the paint of the rear bumper is

chipped or scratched, the system

may malfunction. If this occurs,

consult your SUBARU dealer.

●

SUBARU Safety Sense

●

BSM

●

RCTA

●

PKSB

452

7-1. Maintenance and care

NOTICE

■

To prevent paint deteriora-

tion and corrosion on the

body and components (alumi-

num wheels, etc.)

●

Wash the vehicle immediately in

the following cases:

• After driving near the sea coast

• After driving on salted roads

• If coal tar or tree sap is present

on the paint surface

• If dead insects, insect droppings

or bird droppings are present on

the paint surface

• After driving in an area contami-

nated with soot, oily smoke,

mine dust, iron powder or chem-

ical substances

• If the vehicle becomes heavily

soiled with dust or mud

• If liquids such as benzene and

gasoline are spilled on the paint

surface

●

If the paint is chipped or

scratched, have it repaired

immediately.

●

To prevent the wheels from cor-

roding, remove any dirt and

store in a place with low humid-

ity when storing the wheels.

■

Cleaning the exterior lights

●

Wash carefully. Do not use

organic substances or scrub

with a hard brush.

This may damage the surfaces

of the lights.

●

Do not apply wax to the sur-

faces of the lights.

Wax may cause damage to the

lenses.

■

When using an automatic car

wash

Set the wiper switch to off posi-

tion.

If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,

the wipers may operate and the

wiper blades may be damaged.

■

When using a high pressure

car wash

●

When washing the vehicle, do

not spray the camera or its sur-

rounding area directly with a

high pressure washer. Shock

applied from high pressure

water may cause the device to

not operate normally.

●

Do not spray water directly on

the radar which is equipped

behind the radar sensor cover.

Otherwise it may cause the

device to be damaged.

●

Do not bring the nozzle tip close

to boots (rubber or resin manu-

factured cover), or connectors

or the following parts.

The parts may be damaged if

they come into contact with

high-pressure water.

• Traction related parts

• Steering parts

• Suspension parts

• Brake parts

●

Keep the cleaning nozzle at

least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from

the vehicle body. Otherwise

resin section, such as moldings

and bumpers, may be deformed

and damaged. Also, do not con-

tinuously hold the nozzle in the

same place.

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

Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty
surfaces with a cloth damp-
ened with lukewarm water.



If dirt cannot be removed,
wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.

■

Shampooing the carpets

There are several commercial foam-

ing-type cleaners available. Use a

sponge or brush to apply the foam.

Rub in overlapping circles. Do not

use water. Wipe dirty surfaces and

let them dry. Excellent results are

obtained by keeping the carpet as

dry as possible.

■

Handling the seat belts

Clean with mild soap and lukewarm

water using a cloth or sponge. Also

check the belts periodically for

excessive wear, fraying or cuts.

■

Front side windows with IR pro-

tective coating

The front side windows have IR pro-

tective coating. To prevent any dam-

NOTICE

●

Do not spray the lower part of

the windshield continuously. If

water enters the air conditioning

system intake located near the

lower part of the windshield, the

air conditioning system may not

operate correctly.

●

Do not wash the underside of

the vehicle using a high pres-

sure car washer. If water enters

the traction battery, the EV sys-

tem may malfunction.

●

Do not use the washer on the

area around the charging port

lid. Water could get into the

charging inlet and could dam-

age the vehicle.

■

Cleaning aluminum parts

When cleaning the hood, do not

push hard or put weight on it.

The aluminum part may be

dented.

Cleaning and protect-

ing the vehicle interior

Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each
component and its material.

Protecting the vehicle
interior

454

7-1. Maintenance and care

age to the IR protective coating,

observe the following:

●

If the windows are dirty, gently

wipe them with a cloth soaked in

water or lukewarm water as soon

as possible.

●

If the windows are very dirty, do

not open and close them repeat-

edly.

WARNING

■

Water in the vehicle

●

Do not splash or spill liquid in

the vehicle.

Doing so may cause the electri-

cal components, etc., to mal-

function or catch fire.

●

Do not get any of the SRS com-

ponents or wiring in the vehicle

interior wet.

(



P.34)

An electrical malfunction may

cause the airbags to deploy or

not function properly, resulting

in death or serious injury.

●

Vehicles with wireless charger:

Do not let the wireless charger

(



P.433) get wet. Failure to do

so may cause the charger to

become hot and cause burns or

could cause electric shock

resulting in death or serious

injury.

■

Cleaning the interior (espe-

cially instrument panel)

Do not use a polish wax or polish

cleaner. The instrument panel

may reflect off the windshield,

obstructing the driver’s view and

leading to an accident, resulting in

death or serious injury.

NOTICE

■

Cleaning detergents

●

Do not use the following types

of detergent, as they may dis-

color the vehicle interior or

cause streaks or damage to

painted surfaces:

• Non-seat portions: Organic sub-

stances such as benzene or

gasoline, alkaline or acidic solu-

tions, dye, and bleach

• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solu-

tions, such as thinner, benzene,

and alcohol

●

Do not use a polish wax or pol-

ish cleaner. The instrument

panel’s or other interior part’s

painted surface may be dam-

aged.

■

Water on the floor

Do not wash the vehicle floor with

water.

Vehicle systems such as the

audio system may be damaged if

water comes into contact with

electrical components such as the

audio system above or under the

floor of the vehicle. Water may

also cause the body to rust.

■

When cleaning the inside of

the windshield

Do not allow glass cleaner to con-

tact the lens. Also, do not touch

the lens. (



P.260)

■

Cleaning the inside of the rear

window

●

Do not use a glass cleaner to

clean the rear window, as this

may cause damage to the rear

window defogger heater wires.

Use a cloth dampened with

lukewarm water to gently wipe

the window clean. Wipe the win-

dow in strokes running parallel

to the heater wires.

455

7-1. Maintenance and care

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

Remove dirt using a water
dampened soft cloth or syn-
thetic chamois.



Wipe the surface with a dry
soft cloth to remove any
remaining moisture.

■

Cleaning the areas with satin-

finish metal accents

The metal areas use a layer of real

metal for the surface. It is necessary

to clean them regularly. If dirty areas

are left uncleaned for long periods

of time, they may be difficult to

clean.



Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.



Wipe off any excess dirt and
dust with a soft cloth damp-
ened with diluted detergent.

Use a diluted water solution of
approximately 5% neutral wool
detergent.



Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly

wipe off all remaining traces
of detergent.



Wipe the surface with a dry,
soft cloth to remove any
remaining moisture. Allow the
leather to dry in a shaded and
ventilated area.

■

Caring for leather areas

SUBARU recommends cleaning the

interior of the vehicle at least twice a

year to maintain the quality of the

vehicle’s interior.



Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.



Wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.

NOTICE

●

Be careful not to scratch or

damage the heater wires.

■

Cleaning the front side win-

dows

Do not use any compound or

abrasive product (e.g., glass

cleaner, detergent, wax) to clean

the windows. It may damage the

coating.

Cleaning the areas with
satin-finish metal accents

Cleaning the leather areas

NOTICE

■

Preventing damage to leather

surfaces

Observe the following precautions

to avoid damage to and deteriora-

tion of leather surfaces:

●

Remove any dust or dirt from

leather surfaces immediately.

●

Do not expose the vehicle to

direct sunlight for extended peri-

ods of time. Park the vehicle in

the shade, especially during

summer.

●

Do not place items made of

vinyl, plastic, or containing wax

on the upholstery, as they may

stick to the leather surface if the

vehicle interior heats up signifi-

cantly.

Cleaning the synthetic
leather areas

457

7-2. Maintenance

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7-2.Maintenance

■

Repair and replacement

It is recommended that genuine

SUBARU parts be used for repairs

to ensure performance of each sys-

tem. If non-SUBARU parts are used

in replacement or if a repair shop

other than a SUBARU dealer per-

forms repairs, confirm the warranty

coverage.

■

Allow inspection and repairs to

be performed by a SUBARU

dealer

●

SUBARU technicians are well-

trained specialists and are kept up

to date with the latest service

information. They are well

informed about the operations of

all systems on your vehicle.

●

Keep a copy of the repair order. It

proves that the maintenance that

has been performed is under war-

ranty coverage. If any problem

should arise while your vehicle is

under warranty, your SUBARU

dealer will promptly take care of it.

General maintenance should be
performed on a daily basis. This
can be done by yourself or by a
SUBARU dealer.

Scheduled maintenance should
be performed at specified inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.

For details about maintenance
items and schedules, refer to the
“Warranty and Maintenance Book-
let” or “Warranty and Service Book-
let”.

You can perform some mainte-
nance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your-

Maintenance require-

ments

To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care
and regular maintenance
are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks.
SUBARU recommends the
following maintenance:

WARNING

■

If your vehicle is not properly

maintained

Improper maintenance could

result in serious damage to the

vehicle and possible death or seri-

ous injury.

■

Handling of the 12-volt bat-

tery

●

Oils, fuels and fluids contained

in vehicles as well as waste pro-

duced by component wear con-

tain or emit chemicals known to

the State of California to cause

cancer and birth defects or

other reproductive harm. Avoid

exposure and wash any

affected area immediately.

●

12-volt battery posts, terminals

and related accessories con-

tain lead and lead compounds

which are known to cause brain

damage. Wash your hands after

handling. (



P.470)

General maintenance

Scheduled maintenance

Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance

458

7-2. Maintenance

self maintenance may affect
warranty coverage.

The use of SUBARU Repair Manu-
als is recommended.
For details about warranty cover-
age, refer to the separate “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet” or “War-
ranty and Service Booklet”.

General maintenance

Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet” or “Warranty and
Service Booklet”. It is rec-
ommended that any prob-
lem you notice should be
brought to the attention of
your SUBARU dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.

WARNING

■

If the EV system is running

Turn the EV system off and

ensure that there is adequate

ventilation before performing

maintenance checks.

Motor compartment

Items

Check points

Brake fluid

Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
(



P.470)

Power control
unit/heater
coolant

Is the power con-
trol unit/heater
coolant at the cor-
rect level?
(



P.467, 469)

12-volt battery

Check the connec-
tions. (



P.470)

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7-2. Maintenance

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Radiator/con-
denser

The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
(



P.468)

Washer fluid

Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
(



P.473)

Vehicle interior

Items

Check points

Accelerator
pedal

• The accelerator

pedal should
move smoothly
(without uneven
pedal effort or
catching).

Transmission
“Park” mecha-
nism

• When parked on

a slope and the
shift position is in
P, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?

Brake pedal

• Does the brake

pedal move
smoothly?

• Does the brake

pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?

• Does the brake

pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?

Items

Check points

Brakes

• The vehicle

should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.

• The brakes

should work
effectively.

• The brake pedal

should not feel
spongy.

• The brake pedal

should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.

Head
restraints

• Do the head

restraints move
smoothly and
lock securely?

Indica-
tors/buzzers

• Do the indica-

tors and buzzers
function prop-
erly?

Lights

• Do all the lights

come on?

• Are the head-

lights aimed cor-
rectly?

Parking brake

• Does the park-

ing brake oper-
ate normally?

• When parked on

a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?

Items

Check points

460

7-2. Maintenance

Seat belts

• Do the seat belts

operate
smoothly?

• The seat belts

should not be
damaged.

Seats

• Do the seat con-

trols operate
properly?

Steering wheel

• Does the steer-

ing wheel rotate
smoothly?

• Does the steer-

ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?

• There should not

be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.

Vehicle exterior

Items

Check points

Doors

• Do the doors

operate
smoothly?

Hood

• Does the hood

lock system work
properly?

Fluid leaks

• There should not

be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.

Items

Check points

Tires

• Is the tire infla-

tion pressure
correct?

• The tires should

not be damaged
or excessively
worn.

• Have the tires

been rotated
according to the
maintenance
schedule?

• The wheel bolt

should not be
loose.

Windshield
wipers

• The wiper blades

should not show
any signs of
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or
deformation.

• The wiper blades

should clear the
windshield with-
out streaking or
skipping.

Items

Check points

461

7-2. Maintenance

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The OBD system determines
that a problem exists some-
where in the emission control
system. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test and may need
to be repaired. Contact your
SUBARU dealer to service the
vehicle.

When the 12-volt battery is dis-
connected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set
during ordinary driving are
erased.
Also, depending on your driving
habits, the readiness codes may
not be completely set.

The error code in the OBD sys-
tem will not be cleared unless
the vehicle is driven 40 or more
times.

Contact your SUBARU dealer to
prepare the vehicle for re-test-
ing.

Emission inspection

and maintenance (I/M)

programs

Some states have vehicle
emission inspection pro-
grams which include OBD
(On Board Diagnostics)
checks. The OBD system
monitors the operation of
the emission control sys-
tem.

If the malfunction indica-
tor lamp comes on

Your vehicle may not pass
the I/M test in the follow-
ing situations:

When the malfunction
indicator lamp still
remains on after several
driving trips

If your vehicle does not
pass the I/M test

462

7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance

7-3.Do-it-yourself maintenance

Do-it-yourself service

precautions

If you perform maintenance
by yourself, be sure to fol-
low the correct procedure
as given in these sections.

Maintenance

Items

Parts and tools

12-volt bat-
tery condi-
tion (



P.470)

• Warm water
• Baking soda
• Grease
• Conventional

wrench (for termi-
nal clamp bolts)

Brake fluid
level
(



P.470)

• FMVSS No.116

DOT 3 or SAE
J1703 brake fluid
FMVSS No.116
DOT 4 or SAE
J1704 brake fluid

• Rag or paper

towel

• Funnel (used only

for adding brake
fluid)

Power control
unit coolant
level
(



P.469)

• In order to ensure

maximum perfor-
mance of the trac-
tion battery
cooling system
and limit risks of
battery short-cir-
cuit and other
damage to your
vehicle, SUBARU
recommends
using “Genuine
Traction Battery
Coolant” or simi-
lar high-quality
ethylene glycol-
based, low electric
conductivity cool-
ant, non-amine
and non-borate
coolant with azole
additives.

• Funnel (used only

for adding coolant)

Heater cool-
ant level
(



P.467)

• “SUBARU Super

Coolant” or a simi-
lar high quality
ethylene glycol-
based non-sili-
cate, non-amine,
non-nitrite and
non-borate cool-
ant with long-life
hybrid organic
acid technology
“SUBARU Super
Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 50%
coolant and 50%
deionized water.

• Funnel (used only

for adding coolant)

Items

Parts and tools

463

7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance

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Fuses
(



P.502)

• Fuse with same

amperage rating
as original

Headlight aim
(



P.504)



Phillips-head
screwdriver

Radiator and
condenser
(



P.468)



Tire inflation
pressure
(



P.494)

• Tire pressure

gauge

• Compressed air

source

Washer fluid
(



P.473)

• Water or washer

fluid containing
antifreeze (for win-
ter use)

• Funnel (used only

for adding water or
washer fluid)

WARNING

The motor compartment contains

many mechanisms and fluids that

may move suddenly, become hot,

or become electrically energized.

To avoid death or serious injury,

observe the following precautions.

■

When working on the motor

compartment

●

Make sure that “POWER ON”

on the multi-information display

and the “READY” indicator are

both off.

●

Keep hands, clothing and tools

away from the moving fan.

●

Be careful not to touch the

motor, power control unit, radia-

tor, etc., right after driving as

they may be hot. Coolant and

other fluids may also be hot.

Items

Parts and tools

●

Do not leave anything that may

burn easily, such as paper and

rags, in the motor compartment.

●

Do not smoke, cause sparks or

expose an open flame to the 12-

volt battery. 12-volt battery

fumes are flammable.

●

Be extremely cautious when

working on the 12-volt battery. It

contains poisonous and corro-

sive sulfuric acid.

●

Never touch, disassemble,

remove or replace the high volt-

age parts, cables and their con-

nectors. It can cause severe

burns or electric shock that may

result in death or serious injury.

■

When working near the elec-

tric cooling fan or radiator

grille

Be sure the power switch is OFF.
With the power switch in ON, the

electric cooling fan may automati-

cally start to run if the air condi-

tioning is on and/or the coolant

temperature is high. (



P.468)

■

Safety glasses

Wear safety glasses to prevent

flying or falling material, fluid

spray, etc., from getting in your

eyes.

464

7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance

Pull the hood lock release
lever.

The hood will pop up slightly.

Push the auxiliary catch lever
to the left and lift the hood.

Hold the hood open by insert-
ing the supporting rod into
the slot.

Hood

Opening the hood

WARNING

■

Pre-driving check

Check that the hood is fully closed

and locked.

If the hood is not locked properly,

it may open while the vehicle is in

motion and cause an accident,

which may result in death or seri-

ous injury.

■

After installing the support

rod into the slot

Make sure the rod is properly

inserted into the slot to prevent

the hood from shutting on your

head or body.

465

7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance

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■

Front

NOTICE

■

When closing the hood

Be sure to return the support rod

to its clip before closing the hood.

Closing the hood without return-

ing the support rod properly could

cause the hood to bend.

Positioning a floor

jack

When using a floor jack, fol-
low the instructions in the
manual provided with the
jack and perform the opera-
tion safely.
When raising your vehicle
with a floor jack, position
the jack correctly.
Improper placement may
damage your vehicle or
cause injury.

Location of the jack point

Subaru Solterra (2023 year). Manual in english - page 28