2003 SUBARU OUTBACK spare tire

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TIRE PRESSURES
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with excessively low tire pressures can
cause the tires to deform severely and to rapidly become hot. Asharp increase in temperature could cause tread separation, and
destruction of the tires. The resulting loss of vehicle controlcould lead to an accident.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month and before any long journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are cold.
Use a pressure gauge to adjust the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard.Refer to the “Tires and wheels ” section in chapter 11 for detailed
information.
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to the State ofCalifornia to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductiveharm.

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Trunk/cargo area
HB8004CB
1 Shopping bag hook (page 6-21)
2 Accessory power outlet (page 6-19)
3 Convenient tie-down hooks (page 6-24) 4
Luggage cover (page 6-22)
5 Subfloor storage (page 6-24)
6 Jack (page 9-26)
7 Jack handle (page 9-26)
8 Spare tire (page 9-26)
HB7019BB HB7015CB
HB7008DB HBF015BB

7-36VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system (if equipped)
WARNING
Always use the utmost care in driving — overconfidence because
you are driving with a VDC system equipped vehicle could easily lead to a serious accident.
CAUTION
Even if your vehicle is equipped with VDC, winter tires should
be used when driving on snow-covered or icy roads; in addition,
vehicle speed should be reduced considerably. Simply having a
VDC system does not guarantee that the vehicle will be able toavoid accidents in any situation. Activation of the VDC system is an indication that the road
being travelled on has a slippery surface; since having VDC is no
guarantee that full vehicle control will be maintained at all timesand under all conditions, its activation should be seen as a sign
that the speed of the vehicle should be reduced considerably. Whenever suspension components, steering components, or
an axle are removed from a vehicle equipped with VDC, have anauthorized SUBARU dealer perform an inspection of that system. The following precautions should be observed in order to
ensure that the VDC system is operating properly:
–All four wheels should be fitted with tires of the same size,
type, and brand. Furthermore, the amount of wear should bethe same for all four tires.– Keep the tire pressure at the proper level as shown on the
label attached to the vehicle ’s door pillar.
– Use only the special temporary spare tire to replace a flat
tire. With a temporary spare tire, the effectiveness of the VDC
system is reduced and this should be taken into account whendriving with vehicle.

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Driving tips8-7
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ing. Therefore, when driving down a slope or turning corners, be sure to
reduce your speed and maintain an ample distance from other vehicles.
When replacing a tire, make sure you use only the same size, circum-
ference, construction, brand, and load range as the original tires listed on
the tire placard. Using other sizes, circumferences or construction may re-
sult in severe mechanical damage to the drive train of your vehicle and
may affect ride, handling, braking, speedometer/odometer calibration, and
clearance between the body and tires. It also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control. If you use a temporary spare tire to replace a flat tire, be sure to use
the original temporary spare tire stored in the vehicle. Using other sizes
may result in severe mechanical damage to the drive train of your vehicle. Always check the cold tire pressure before starting to drive. The rec-
ommended tire pressure is provided on the tire placard, which is locatedunder the door latch on the driver ’s side.
Tire chains should always be placed on the front wheels only.
There are some precautions that you must observe when towing your
vehicle. For detail information, see “Towing” section in chapter 9.
Off road driving
WARNING
Always maintain a safe driving speed according to the road
and weather conditions in order to avoid having an accident on asharp turn, during sudden braking or under other similar condi-tions. Always use the utmost care in driving – overconfidence
because you are driving an all wheel drive vehicle could easilylead to a serious accident.
All AWD models except OUTBACK
Your AWD vehicle is neither a conventional off-road vehicle nor an all
terrain vehicle. It is a passenger car designed primarily for on-road
use. The AWD feature gives it some limited off-road capabilities in sit-
uations in which driving surfaces a relatively level, obstruction-free

8-16vehicle 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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Driving tips8-19
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GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)
HBF019BB
The certification label attached to the driver ’s side door shows GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must never exceed the GVWR. GVW is
the combined total of weight of the vehicle, fuel, driver, all passengers,
luggage, any optional equipment and trailer tongue load. Therefore, theGVW changes depending on the situation. The GVWR equals Curb
Weight (actual weight of your vehicle – including standard equipment,
fluids, emergency tools and spare tire assembly) plus the vehicle capac-ity weight.
In addition, the total weight applied to each axle (GAW) must never ex-
ceed the GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be adjusted by relocating
luggage inside the vehicle.Even if the total weight of your luggage is lower than the vehicle capacity
weight, either front or rear GAW may exceed the GAWR, depending onthe distribution of the luggage.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you should confirm that GVW and
front and rear GAWs are within the GVWR and GAWR by putting your
vehicle on a vehicle scale, found at a commercial weighing station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower load range than the originals
because they may lower the GVWR and GAWR limitations. Replacement
tires with a higher load range than the originals do not increase the
GVWR and GAWR limitations.

8-36Connection of trailer lights to your vehicle
’s electrical system requires
modifications to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to increase its capacity
and accommodate wiring 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 parkinglights each time you hitch up. n Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is used. The temporary spare tire is not designed to sustain the towing load.
Use of the temporary spare tire when towing can result in failureof the spare tire and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle are properly inflated. OUTBACK: The recommended cold tire pressure under trailer
towing conditions is indicated on the tire placard located under thedoor striker on the driver ’s side. Adjust the rear tire pressure to the
recommended pressure shown on the tire placard when the tires
are cold. Normal pressure should be maintained in the front tires.Other models: It is recommended to inflate the rear tires to 3 psi
(20 kPa, 0.2 kg/cm 2
) above their normal operating pressure when
the tires are cold. Normal pressure should be maintained in the
front tires.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper inflation 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 pre-
caution against getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare tire is firmly
secured.

9
In case of emergency
If you park your vehicle in an emergency 9-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Temporary spare tire 9-3
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Flat tires 9-4
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Jump starting 9-12
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Engine overheating 9-15
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Towing 9-16
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Moonroof — if the moonroof cannot be closed 9-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance tools 9-25
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Jack and jack handle 9-26
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