2002 SUBARU FORESTER wheel

8-12
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on roads heavily cov-
ered with snow, or has been left parked during a snowstorm, icingmay 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. nRefueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel system and the risk
of its freezing, use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel tank is recom-
mended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically designed for this purpose.
When an antifreeze additive is used, its effect lasts longer if the tank is
refilled whenever the fuel level reaches half empty. If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extended period, it is
best to have the fuel tank filled to capacity. Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt ac-
celeration, high-speed driving, and sharp turning when driving on
snowy or icy roads.Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicleahead of you to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake effectively to con-
trol the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can cause the wheels to
lock, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehicle ’s braking per-
formance on snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS (Anti-Lock Brake
System)” and “VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system ” section in
chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery surfaces.

8-16
vehicle and may cause rubbing on sharp turns. Listed below is the winter tire size that we recommend.Recommended winter (snow) tire size P215/60R16 Studless
Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on tires listed below because of lack
of clearance between the tires and vehicle body. P205/55R16 tires for GT models
P225/60R16 tires for OUTBACK models
P215/60R16 winter (snow) tires for OUTBACK models
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads may require the use of tire chains,
in which case put the chains on the front wheels only. Use only SAE
class S type chains that are of the correct size for your tires so as not to
damage the vehicle body or suspension.
When driving with tire chains, drive at speeds below 19 mph (30 km/h).
When a temporary spare tire is on a front wheel, replace the temporary
spare tire with the rear tire on the same side of the vehicle, and then fit
chains on the front tires.
Always use the utmost care when driving with tire chains – overconfi-
dence because you are driving with tire chains could easily lead to a se-rious accident. Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand, or mud, depress the
accelerator pedal slightly and move the selector lever back and forth be-
tween “D” and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the best possible
traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can obtain better trac-
tion by starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for
MT and AT).

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Trailer towing
Your car is designed and intended to be used primarily as a passenger-
carrying vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional loads on your car’s en-
gine, drivetrain, brakes, tires and suspension and has an adverse effect
on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safety and satisfaction depend
upon proper use of correct equipment and cautious operation of your ve-
hicle. Seek the advice of your SUBARU dealer to assist you in purchas-
ing a hitch and other necessary towing equipment appropriate for your
vehicle. In addition, be sure to follow the instructions on correct installa-
tion and use provided by the trailer and other towing equipment
manufacturers.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for injuries or vehicle damage that
result from trailer towing equipment, or from any errors or omissions in
the instructions accompanying such equipment or for your failure to fol-
low the proper instructions.
Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to vehicle damage or malfunction
caused by trailer towing. If you use your vehicle to tow a trailer, more
frequent maintenance will be required due to the additional load.(Refer to “Maintenance schedule under severe driving conditions ” in
the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer be towed with a new vehicle
or a vehicle with any new powertrain component (engine, transmis-
sion, differential, wheel bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles (1,600km) of driving. Maximum load limits
WARNING
Never exceed the maximum load limits explained below. Exceed- ing the maximum load limits could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.

Driving tips8-31
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HBF019BB
Gross Axle Weight
OM-H2784
To check both GVWR and GAWR and to confirm that the total weight
and weight distribution are within safe driving limits, you should have
your vehicle and trailer weighed at a commercial weighing station.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to prevent a change in weight
distribution while driving. nTongue load
WARNING
If the trailer is loaded with more weight in the back of trailer ’s
axle than in the front, the load is taken off the rear axle of the tow- ing vehicle. This may cause the rear wheels to skid, especiallyduring braking or when vehicle speed is reduced during corner-
ing, resulting in over-steer, spin out and/or jackknifing.
Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from 8 to 11 percent of the total
trailer weight and does not exceed the maximum value of 200 lbs (90kg).
The tongue load can be weighed with a bathroom scale as shown in
the illustration below. When weighing the tongue load, be sure to posi-
tion the towing coupler at the height at which it would be during
actual towing, using a jack as shown.

Driving tips8-33
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Trailer hitches
WARNING
Never drill the frame or under-body of your vehicle to install a
commercial trailer hitch. If you do, dangerous exhaust gas, wateror mud may enter the passenger compartment through the drilledhole. Exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, a colorless andodorless gas which is dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled. Also,drilling the frame or under-body of your vehicle could cause dete-rioration of strength of your vehicle and cause corrosion aroundthe drilled hole.
CAUTION
Do not modify the vehicle exhaust system, brake system, or
other systems when installing a hitch or other trailer towingequipment. Do not use axle-mounted hitches as they can cause damage to
the axle housing, wheel bearings, wheels or tires.
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and trailer. OUTBACK wagon
The use of a genuine SUBARU trailer hitch is recommended. A genu-
ine SUBARU hitch is available from your SUBARU dealer.
If use of a non-genuine hitch is unavoidable, be sure the hitch is
suited to your vehicle and trailer. Consult with a professional hitch
supplier to assist you in choosing an appropriate hitch for your
vehicle. Be sure to follow all of the hitch manufacturer ’s instructions for
installation and use.
Never use a hitch that mounts only to the rear bumper. The bumper isnot designed to handle that type of load.
For all types of hitches, regularly check that the hitch mounting bolts
and nuts are tight.

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nDriving with a trailer
You should allow for considerably more stopping distance when
towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking because it may result in skid-
ding or jackknifing and loss of control. Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, always start out in first gear and release the
clutch at moderate engine revolution. Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane changes.
Slow down before turning. Make a longer than normal turning
radius because the trailer wheels will be closer than the vehicle
wheels to the inside of the turn. In a tight turn, the trailer could hit yourvehicle. Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of your vehicle and
trailer, causing sway. Crosswinds can be due to weather conditions or
the passing of large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the
steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradually. When passing other vehicles, considerable distance is required
because of the added weight and length caused by attaching the
trailer to your vehicle. Backing up with a trailer is difficult and takes practice. When back-
ing 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.
Left turn Right turn
OM-H2791
If the ABS warning light illuminates while the vehicle is in motion,
stop towing the trailer and have repairs performed immediately by the

Driving tips8-39
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nearest SUBARU dealer. nDriving on grades
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 overheating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not make sud-
den downshifts. When driving uphill in hot weather, the air conditioner may turn off
automatically to protect the engine from overheating. When driving uphill in hot weather, pay attention to the water tem-
perature 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 temperature
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
overheat” section in chapter 9, and “Warning and indicator lights ”
section in chapter 3. If your vehicle has a automatic transmission, avoid using the accel-
erator pedal to stay stationary on an uphill slope instead of using theparking brake or foot brake. That may cause the transmission fluid to
overheat. Also, if your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmis-sion, avoid driving with the gear selector lever in “D” when towing a
heavy trailer to prevent fluid overheating. n Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both vehicle and trailer when parking.
Apply the parking brake firmly. You should not park on a hill or slope.But if parking on a hill or slope cannot be avoided, you should takethe following steps:
1. Apply the brakes and hold the pedal down.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release the regular brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the regular brakes and then apply the parking brake; slowly
release the regular brakes.

9-4
HB8003BB
HG0106
Indicator location mark
Tread wear indicator bar
NOTE
[Automatic transmission vehicle not equipped with VDC (Vehicle Dy-
namics Control)] Before driving your vehicle with the temporaryspare tire, put a spare fuse inside the FWD connector located in theengine compartment and confirm that the Front-wheel drive warninglight comes on. The all wheel drive capability of the vehicle has now
been deactivated. After re-installing the conventional tire, removethe spare fuse from the FWD connector in order to reactivate allwheel drive.
Flat tires
WARNING
Do not jack up the vehicle on an incline or a loose road sur-
face. The jack can come out of the jacking point or sink into the ground and this can result in a severe accident. Use only the jack provided with your vehicle. The jack sup-
plied with the vehicle is designed only for changing a tire. Neverget under the vehicle while supporting the vehicle with this jack. Always turn the engine off before raising the flat tire off the
ground using the jack. Never swing or push the vehicle sup-ported with the jack. The jack can come out of the jacking pointdue to a jolt and this can result in a severe accident.