2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX traction control

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Starting and operating
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The transmission automatically shifts into a suitable
gear from 1st to 3rd according to the vehicle speed
and the acceleration you require.
When more acceleration is required in this position,
press the accelerator pedal fully to the floor and hold
that position. The transmission will automatically
downshift to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the original gear position. !2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking when going
down a hill or for climbing a steep grade.
In this position, the transmission holds in the 2nd gear.
Use this position when starting off from a standstill on
slippery road surfaces such as mud or snow. It will en-
sure greater traction. ! 1 (First)
This position is for driving up or down very steep
grades, or driving through mud or sand, or on slippery
surfaces. In this position, the transmission holds in the
1st gear. ! Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum speeds that
are possible with each different gear. The tachome- ter’s needle will enter the red area if these speeds are
exceeded.
When shifting down a gear, it is important to confirm
that the current vehicle speed is not in excess of the
Maximum Allowable Speed of the gear which is about
to be selected.
Exceeding the Maximum Allowable Speeds will result
in over-revving of the engine. In addition a powerful
engine brake will engage and control of the vehicle
may be lost.
mph (km/h)
NOTE
In order to prevent over-revving during decelera-
tion of the vehicle, the transmission will remain in
the current gear if the speed of the vehicle is in ex-
cess of the Maximum Allowable Speed for the gear2.5 liter models 2.0 liter turbo
models WRX
RS TS, OUTBACK
SPORT
1 29 (47) 35 (56) 38 (60)
2 58 (93) 64 (103) 71 (115)
3 95 (153) 101 (162) 112 (180)

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Driving tips
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Driving tips for AWD vehicles
All wheel drive distributes the engine power to all four
wheels. AWD vehicles provide better traction when
driving on slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand. By shifting
power between the front and rear wheels, SUBARU
AWD can also provide added traction during acceler-
ation and added engine braking force during deceler-
ation.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle may handle
differently than an ordinary two wheel drive vehicle
and it contains some features unique to AWD. For safety purposes as well as to avoid damaging the
AWD system, you should keep the following tips in mind: "
An AWD vehicle is better able to climb steeper
roads under snowy or slippery conditions than a two
wheel drive vehicle. There is little difference in han-
dling, however, during extremely sharp turns or sud-
den braking. 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, construction, brand, and load range as the
original tires listed on the tire placard. Using other siz-
es, circumference or construction may result 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 recommended tire pressure is provided
on the tire placard, which is located under the door
HS8003BA

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Driving tips
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train of your vehicle and may affect ride, han-
dling, braking and speedometer/odometer cali-
bration. It also may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control. "Do not use a combination of radial, belted
bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead to an acci-
dent.
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season tires” as orig-
inal equipment, which are designed to provide an ad-
equate measure of traction, handling and braking per-
formance in year-round driving. In winter, it may be
possible to enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving conditions.
The optional 215/45R17 tires for the WRX are summer
tires. Compared with winter and all-season tires, sum-
mer tires give significantly less grip on snowy and icy
road surfaces. Therefore, use of winter tires is strongly
recommended when driving with such road conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on your vehi-
cle, be sure to use the correct tire size and type. You
must install four winter tires that are of the same size,
construction, brand and load range and you should
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires since this
may result in dangerous handling characteristics.
When you choose a tire, make sure that there is enough clearance between the tire and vehicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times regardless of
the type of tires on your vehicle. !
WRX-STi"When replacing original tires with winter
(snow) tires, make sure you use only the same
size, construction and load range as the origi-
nal tires listed on the tire placard. Using other
sizes and construction may affect speedome-
ter/odometer calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also may be danger-
ous and lead to loss of vehicle control." You must install four winter tires that are of
the same size, construction, brand, and load
range. Mixing other sizes or constructions may
result in severe mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may affect ride, han-
dling, braking and speedometer/odometer cali-
bration. It also may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control. " Do not use a combination of radial, belted
bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead to an acci-

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Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Consumer information and Reporting safety defectsFor U.S.A.
The following information has been compiled accord-
ing to Code of Federal Regulations “Title 49, Part
575”. Uniform tire quality grading stan-
dards
This information indicates the relative performance of
passenger car tires in the area of treadwear, traction,
and temperature resistance. This is to aid the consum-
er in making an informed choice in the purchase oftires.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The quality grades apply to new pneumatic tires for
use on passenger cars. However, they do not apply to
deep tread, winter type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diam-
eters of 12 inches or less, or to some limited produc- tion tires.
All passenger car tires must confirm to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these grades. !
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service prac-
tices and differences in road characteristics and cli-mate. ! Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based

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Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
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on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hy-
droplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
! Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation,
or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and pos-
sible tire failure.