2004 SUBARU OUTBACK Wheels

9-28
In case of emergency
„
Towing with all wheels on the ground
yNever turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position while the vehicle is being towed be-
cause the steering wheel and the direction of
the wheels will be locked.y Remember that the brake booster and power
steering do not function when the engine is not
running. Because the engine is turned off, it will
take greater effort to operate the brake pedal
and steering wheel.
y If transmission failure occurs, transport your
vehicle on a flat-bed truck. y Do not run the engine while being towed us-
ing this method. Transmission damage could
result if the vehicle is towed with the engine
running. y For vehicles with automatic transmission,
the traveling speed must be limited to less than
20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling distance to
less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds
and distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
1. Check the transmission and differential oil levels
and add oil to bring it to the upper level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the transmis-
sion in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the “ACC” position
while the vehicle is being towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.UB8010AA

10-1
10
Appearance care
Exterior care .................................................. 10-2 Washing ............................................................. 10-2
Waxing and polishing ....................................... 10-3
Cleaning aluminum wheels .............................. 10-4
Cleaning fog light lens (for OUTBACK) .......... 10-4
Corrosion protection .................................... 10-5 Most common causes of corrosion ................ 10-5
To help prevent corrosion ............................... 10-6
Cleaning the interior ..................................... 10-7 Seat fabric ......................................................... 10-7
Leather seat materials ...................................... 10-7
Synthetic leather upholstery ........................... 10-7
Climate control panel, audio panel, instrument panel, console panel, switches,
combination meter, and other plastic
surface ............................................................ 10-8

10-4
Appearance care
„
Cleaning aluminum wheels
y Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels clean of any
kind of grime or agent. If dirt is left on too long, it may
be difficult to clean off.y Do not use soap containing grit to clean the wheels.
Be sure to use a neutral cleaning agent, and later rinse
thoroughly with water. Do not clean the wheels with a
stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed washing
device. y Clean the vehicle (including the aluminum wheels)
with water as soon as possible when it has been
splashed with sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or
driven on roads treated with salt or other agents. „
Cleaning fog light lens (for OUTBACK)
1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
2. Stop the engine and turn off the fog lights.
1) Counter-clockwise
2) Light lens horizontal center line
3. Check that the fog lights are not hot. Then, grasp
the protector and turn it approximately 10 ° counter-
clockwise.
4. Pull the protector off the fog light.
5. Wash the lens with water.
6. Apply the protector to the lens at an angle of ap-
proximately 10 ° from the fog light’s horizontal center
line. Then, turn the protector clockwise until it stops.
1
2
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Maintenance and service
Parking brake stroke .................................... 11-43
Tires and wheels .......................................... 11-43Types of tires .................................................... 11-43
Tire inspection .................................................. 11-44
Tire pressures and wear .................................. 11-44
Wheel balance ................................................... 11-47
Wear indicators ................................................. 11-47
Tire rotation ....................................................... 11-48
Tire replacement ............................................... 11-48
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-49
Wheel covers .................................................... 11-50
Aluminum wheels (if equipped) .................. 11-51
Windshield washer fluid .............................. 11-51
Replacement of wiper blades ...................... 11-52 Replacement wiper blade assembly ............... 11-53
Replacement wiper blade rubber .................... 11-53
Battery ........................................................... 11-58
Fuses ............................................................. 11-59
Main fuse ....................................................... 11-61
Installation of accessories .......................... 11-62
Replacing bulbs ............................................ 11-63 Headlight ........................................................... 11-65
Front fog light (if equipped) ............................. 11-69
Front turn signal light, parking light and side marker light .................................................... 11-69
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-71
License plate light ............................................ 11-76
Map light, dome light, luggage compartment light and door step light ................................ 11-76
Trunk light ......................................................... 11-79
High mount stop light ...................................... 11-79

11 - 4 2
2Maintenance and service
when the brake pedal is applied.
If you hear this scraping noise each time you apply the
brake pedal, have the brake pads serviced by your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible. „
Breaking-in of new brake pads and lin- ings
When replacing the brake pad or lining, use only gen-
uine SUBARU parts. After replacement, the new parts
must be broken in as follows: T Brake pad and lining
While maintaining a speed of 30 to 40 mph (50 to 65
km/h), step on the brake pedal lightly. Repeat this five
or more times. T Parking brake lining
A safe location and situation should be select-
ed for break-in driving.
Pulling the parking brake lever too forcefully may cause the rear wheels to lock. To avoid
this, be certain to pull the lever up slowly and
gently.
1. Drive the vehicle at a speed of about 22 mph (35 km/h).
2. With the parking brake release button pushed in,
pull the parking brake lever SLOWLY and GENTLY.
(Pulling with a force of approximately 33 lbs [147 N, 15 kg].)
3. Drive the vehicle for about 220 yards (200 meters)
in this condition.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the parking brake to cool
down. Repeat this procedure.
5. Check the parking brake stroke. If the parking
brake stroke is out of the specified range, adjust it by
turning the adjusting nut located on the parking brake
lever.
Parking brake stroke:
7 – 8 notches / 44 lbs (196 N, 20 kg)

11 -4 3
2Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”. When the parking brake is properly adjusted,
braking power is fully applied by pulling the lever up
seven to eight notches gently but firmly (about 44 lbs,
196 N, 20 kg). If the parking brake lever stroke is not
within the specified range, have the brake system
checked and adjusted at your SUBARU dealer.Tires and wheels „Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires present on
your vehicle. T All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new vehicle are all
season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide an adequate
measure of traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance in year-round driving including snowy and icy
road conditions. However all season tires do not offer
as much traction performance as winter (snow) tires in
heavy or loose snow or on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL SEASON” and/
or “M+S” (Mud & Snow) on the tire sidewall. T Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability tires best suit-
ed for highway driving under dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving on slippery
roads such as on snow-covered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered or icy roads,
we strongly recommend the use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to replace all four
tires.
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2Maintenance and service
T
Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on snow-cov-
ered and icy roads. However winter tires do not per-
form as well as summer tires and all season tires on
roads other than snow-covered and icy roads. „ Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are free from se-
rious damage, nails, and stones. At the same time,
check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immediately if you find
any problem.
NOTE y When the wheels and tires strike curbs or are
subjected to harsh treatment as when the vehicle
is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer dam-
age that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This
type of damage does not become evident until
time has passed. Try not to drive over curbs, pot-
holes or on other rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed down to a
walking pace or less, and approach the curbs as
squarely as possible. Also, make sure the tires are
not pressed against the curb when you park the
vehicle. y If you feel unusual vibration while driving or find it difficult to steer the vehicle in a straight line, one
of the tires and/or wheels may be damaged. Drive
slowly to the nearest authorized SUBARU dealer
and have the vehicle inspected. „
Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures helps to maxi-
mize the tires’ service lives and is essential for good
running performance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the spare) at least
once a month (for example, during a fuel stop) and be-
fore any long journey.
Check the tire pressures when the tires are cold. Use
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2Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
of vehicle control could lead to an accident.
„ Wheel balance
Each wheel was correctly balanced when your vehicle
was new, but the wheels will become unbalanced as
the tires become worn during use. Wheel imbalance
causes the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at certain
vehicle speeds and detracts from the vehicle’s
straight-line stability. It can also cause steering and
suspension system problems and abnormal tire wear.
If you suspect that the wheels are not correctly bal-
anced, have them checked and adjusted by your
SUBARU dealer. Also have them adjusted after tire re-
pairs and after tire rotation.
NOTE
Loss of correct wheel alignment* causes the tires
to wear on one side and reduces the vehicle’s run-
ning stability. Contact your SUBARU dealer if you
notice abnormal tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold each wheel at
a certain alignment (relative to the other wheels and to the
road) for optimum straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance. „
Wear indicators
A) New tread
B) Worn tread
1) Tread wear indicator
Each tire incorporates a tread wear indicator, which
becomes visible when the depth of the tread grooves
decreases to 0.063 in (1.6 mm). A tire must be re-
placed when the tread wear indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
When a tire’s tread wear indicator becomes vis-
A 1B
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