8-8 Driving tips
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the ru bber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes be-
cause they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.
SUBARU Windshield Washer Fluid con-
tains 58.5% methyl alcohol and 41.5%
surfactant, by volume. Its freezing temper-
ature varies according to how much it is di-
luted, as indicated in the following table.
In order to prevent freezing of washer flu-
id, check the freezing temperatures in the
table above when adjusting the fluid con-
centration to the outside temperature.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside tem-
perature, it may freeze and block the noz-zles.
T
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and dan-
gerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driv-
ing, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operatesmoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accu-
mulated under the fenders to avoid mak-
ing steering difficult. During severe winter
driving, stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders period-
ically. T
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P”
for automatic trans mission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
Washer Fluid
Concentration Freezing
Temperature
30% 10.4 °F (–12 °C)
50% –4 °F (–20 °C)
100% –49 °F (–45 °C)
Adjust the washer fluid concentra-
tion appropriately for the outside
temperature. If the concentration is
inappropriate, sprayed washer fluid
may freeze on the windshield and
obstruct your view, and the fluid
may freeze in the reservoir tank.
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
In case of emergency 9-17
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 damage to the vehicle. Rear gate (Station wagon) – if the rear gate cannot be un-
locked
In the event that y
ou cannot unlock the
rear gate by operating the power door locking switches or the remote keyless en-
try system, you can unlock it from inside
the cargo area.
0
1. Remove the access cover at the bot-
tom-center of the rear gate trim using flat-
head screwdriver.
2. Locate the rear gate lock release lever
behind the rear gate trim panel. 3. Unlock the rear gate by pressing the le-
ver inside the trim downward.
4. Open the rear gat
e from outside by
raising the rear gate handle.
200261
200262
10-4 Appearance care
Corrosion protection
Your SUBARU has been designed and
built to resist corrosi on. Special materials
and protective finishes have been used on
most parts of the vehi cle to help maintain
fine appearance, strength, and reliable
operation. „ Most common causes of cor- rosion
The most common ca uses of corrosion
are:
1. The accumulation of moisture retaining
dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
2. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor accidents.
Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle
when:
1. It is exposed to road salt or dust control
chemicals, or used in coastal areas where
there is more salt in the air, or in areas
where there is considerable industrial pol-
lution.
2. It is driven in areas of high humidity, es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above freezing.
3. Dampness in certain parts of the vehi-
cle remains for a long time, even though other parts of the vehicle may be dry.
4. High temperatures will cause corrosion
to parts of the vehicle which cannot dry
quickly due to lack of proper ventilation. „
To help prevent corrosion
Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent cor-
rosion of the body and suspension com-
ponents. Also, wash the vehicle promptly
after driving on any of the following surfac- es: y roads that have been salted to prevent
them from freezing in winter y mud, sand, or gravel
y coastal roads
After the winter has ended, it is recom-
mended that the underbody be given a
very thorough washing.
Before the beginning of winter, check the
condition of underbody components, such
as the exhaust system, fuel and brake
lines, brake cables, suspension, steering
system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of
them are found to be rusted, they should
be given an appropriate rust prevention
treatment or should be replaced. Contact
your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind
of maintenance and treatment if you needassistance.
Repair chips and scratches in the paint as soon as you find them.
Check the interior of the vehicle for water
and dirt accumulation under the floor mats
because that could cause corrosion. Oc-
casionally check under the mats to make
sure the area is dry.
Keep your garage dry. Do not park your
vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated ga-
rage. In such a garage, corrosion can be
caused by dampness. If you wash the ve-
hicle in the garage or put the vehicle into
the garage when wet or covered with
snow, that can cause dampness.
If your vehicle is operated in cold weather
and/or in areas where road salts and other
corrosive materials are used, the door
hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and hood
latch should be inspected and lubricated
periodically.