2006 SUBARU OUTBACK winter tires

Starting and operating
7-29
– CONTINUED –Vehicle Dynamics Control
system (if equipped)y Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a SUBARU
dealer immediately.
y If at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair. Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with a Vehicle Dynamics
Control system equipped vehicle
could easily lead to a serious acci-
dent.
y Even if your vehicle is equipped
with Vehicle Dynamics Control,
winter tires or snow chains
should be used when driving on
snow-covered or icy roads; in ad-
dition, vehicle speed should be re-
duced considerably. Simply hav-
ing a Vehicle Dynamics Control
system does not guarantee that
the vehicle will be able to avoid
accidents in any situation. y Activation of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system is an indica-
tion that the ro ad being travelled
on has a slippery surface; since
having Vehicle Dynamics Control
is no guarantee that full vehicle
control will be maintained at all
times and under all conditions, its
activation should be seen as a
sign that the speed of the vehicle
should be reduced considerably.
y Whenever suspension compo-
nents, steering components, or an
axle are removed from a vehicle
equipped with Vehicle Dynamics
Control, have an authorized
SUBARU dealer perform an in-
spection of that system.
y The following precautions should
be observed in order to ensure
that the Vehicle Dynamics Control
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 be the
same for all four tires.

7-30 Starting and operating
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system ad-
justs the engine’s output and the wheels’
respective braking forces to help maintain
traction and directional control.
y Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
steady illumination of the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control operation indicator light.
y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels’ tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.
NOTE
y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt when the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system operates; a small de-
gree of vehicle or st eering wheel shak-
ing may also be noticed in this situa-
tion. These are normal characteristics
of Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
and are no cause for alarm.
y When driving off immediately after
starting the engine, a short-lived oper-
ation noise may be noticed coming
from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a
check being performed on the Vehicle
Dynamics Control system and is nor-
mal.
y Depending on the timing of activa-
tion of the brakes, certain situations
may occur just after driving off where
the brake pedal seems to exhibit a jolt-
ing motion. This too is a consequence
of the Vehicle Dynamics Control opera-
tional check and is normal.
y In the circumstances listed in the fol-
lowing, the vehicle may be more unsta-
ble than it feels to the driver. The Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system fault.
y on gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with snow tires or winter tires
y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly dif-
ferent compared to that for normal con-
ditions.
y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Dynamics Control system, it is
important that winter tires be used
when driving on snow-covered or icy
roads. (All four wheels should be fitted
with tires of the same size and brand).
Furthermore, if snow chains are to be
used, they should be fitted on the front
wheels. When a vehicle is fitted with
snow chains, however, the effective-
ness of the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this should be
taken into account when driving the ve-
hicle in such a condition.
y It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if the vehicle is equipped with Ve-
hicle Dynamics Control.
y All four wheels shou ld be fitted with
tires of the same size, type, and brand;
furthermore, the amount of wear
should be the same for all four tires. If
these precautions are not observed
and non-matching tires are used, it is
quite possible that the Vehicle Dynam-
ics Control system will be unable to op-– Keep the tire pressure at the
proper level as shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the
driver’s side door pillar.

8Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000
miles (1,600 km) ............. ................................. 8-2
Fuel economy hints ............. .......................... .... 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ......... 8-2
Catalytic converter ............................................. 8-3
Periodic inspections .......................................... 8-4
Driving in foreign countries .............................. 8-4
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ........................... 8-5
Off road driving .................................................. 8-6
Winter driving ..................................................... 8-7 Operation during cold weather .............................. 8-7
Driving on snowy and icy roads ............................ 8-9
Corrosion protection .............................................. 8-10
Snow tires ............................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ............................................................... 8-11
Rocking the vehicle ................................................ 8-12
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-12 Vehicle capacity weight ......................................... 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................... 8-14
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ..................... 8-14
Trailer hitch (if equipped) .................................. 8-18
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-19
When you do not tow a trailer ............................... 8-20
Trailer towing ...................................................... 8-20
Warranties and maintenance ................................. 8-20
Maximum load limits .............................................. 8-21 Trailer hitches ......................................................... 8-24
Connecting a trailer ................................................ 8-25
Trailer towing tips ................................................... 8-26

Driving tips
8-7
– CONTINUED –ground from under your tires, resulting in
possible loss of traction and even vehicle
rollover.
y Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving in sand,
mud or water. Do this by driving slowly
and stepping on the brake pedal. Repeat
that process several times to dry out the
brake discs and brake pads.
y Do not drive or park over or near flam-
mable materials such as dry grass or fall-
en leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the en-
gine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard.
y After driving through tall grass, mud,
rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stones,
sand, etc. adhering to or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter from
the underbody. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering to the
underbody, a mechanical breakdown or
fire could occur.
y Secure all cargo carried inside the vehi-
cle and make certain that it is not piled
higher than the seatbacks. During sudden
stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be
thrown around in the vehicle and cause in-
jury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof.
Those loads raise the vehicle’s center of
gravity and make it more prone to tip over. y If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelera-
tor pedal slightly and move the selector le-
ver back and forth between “D” and “R” re-
peatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the
wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
y When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
y Never equip your vehi cle with tires larg-
er than those specified in this manual.
y Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.
y Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle un-
der hard-driving condit ions such as rough
roads or off roads will necessitate more
frequent replacement of engine oil, brake
fluid and transmission oil than that speci-
fied in the maintenance schedule de-
scribed in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to your
SUBARU while operating it off-road and
not using common sense precautions
such as those listed above is not eligible
for warranty coverage. Winter driving
„ Operation during cold weath-
er Carry some emergency equipment, such
as tire chains, a window scraper, a bag of
sand, flares, a small shovel, and jumper
cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold tem-
peratures reduce battery capacity. The
battery must be in good condition to pro-
vide enough power for cold winter starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and vis-
cosity for cold weather. Heavy summer oil
will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by 800015

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 operate
smoothly.
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 iceWasher 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.

8-10 Driving tips
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
NOTE When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
„ Corrosion protectionRefer to the “Corrosion protection” section
(chapter 10). „ Snow tires T All models except OUTBACK
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires” which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to en-
hance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving
conditions.
If you choose to insta ll winter tires on your
vehicle, 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 nev-
er 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 ve-
hicle.During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed. y When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure you
use only the same size, construc-
tion and load range as the original
tires listed on the tire placard. Us-
ing other sizes and construction
may affect speedometer/odome-
ter calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also
may be dangerous and lead to
loss of vehicle control.
y You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
and load range. Mixing other siz-
es, circumferences or construc-
tions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train
of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speed-
ometer/odometer calibration. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control. y Do not use a combination of radi-
al, belted bias or bias tires since it
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics and lead to an ac-
cident.

Driving tips
8-11
– CONTINUED –T OUTBACK models only Your vehicle is equipped with “all season
tires” which are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving. In winter, it may be possible to en-
hance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving
conditions.
If you choose to install winter tires on your
vehicle, 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 nev-
er 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 ve-
hicle.
Your OUTBACK comes with P225/
55R17 “all season tires” as original
equipment. You should be aware that
some winter tires with that same size
designation may actually be too large
for the vehicle and may cause rubbing
on sharp turns. Listed in the following
is the winter tire size that we recom-
mend. Recommended winter (snow) tire size
OUTBACK models: P215/55R17,
P225/60R16 or P215/60R16 Studless
„ Tire chains
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads mayy When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure you
use only the same size and con-
struction as recommended. Using
other sizes or construction may
affect speedometer/odometer cal-
ibration and clearance between
the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of ve-
hicle control.
y You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
and load range. Mixing other siz-
es, circumferences or construc-
tions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train
of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speed-
ometer/odometer calibration. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control.
y Do not use a combination of radi-
al, belted bias or bias tires since it
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics and lead to an ac-
cident. Tire chains cannot be used on tires
listed in the following because of
lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body.
y 2.5-liter non-turbo models (except
OUTBACK): P205/50R17 tires
y 2.5-liter turbo models (except
OUTBACK): 215/45ZR17 tires
y OUTBACK models: P225/55R17
tires
y 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter
models (OUTBACK): P225/60R16
winter (snow) tires
y 2.5-liter non-turbo and 3.0-liter
models (OUTBACK): P215/60R16
winter (snow) tires
y 2.5-liter turbo and 3.0-liter models
(OUTBACK): P215/55R17 winter
(snow) tires

Maintenance and service
11 - 3 3
– CONTINUED –Tires and wheels „ Types of tiresYou should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
T All season tires
The factory-installed ti res on your new ve-
hicle are all season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road con-
ditions. However all season tires do not of-
fer as much traction performance as win-
ter (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 suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-cov-
ered 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 ti res, be sure to re- place all four tires.
T Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as sum-
mer tires and all season tires on roads oth-
er than snow-covered and icy roads.
„ Tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem (TPMS) (if equipped) The tire pressure mo nitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message
by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low. The tire pressure monitor-
ing system will activate only when the ve-
hicle is driven. Also, this system may not
react immediately to a sudden drop in tire
pressure (for example, a blow-out caused
by running over a sharp object).
If you adjust the tire pressures in a warm
garage and will then drive the vehicle in
cold outside air, the resulting drop in tire
pressures may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to come on. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to pres-
sures higher than those shown on the tire
placard. Specifically, inflate them by an
extra 1 psi (6.9 kPa, 0.07 kgf/cm 2
) for ev- ery difference of 10 ° F (5.6 ° C) between the
temperature in the garage and the tem-
perature outside. By way of example, the
following table shows the required tire
pressures that correspond to various out-
side temperatures when the temperature
in the garage is 60 ° F (15.6 ° C).
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm 2
)
Rear: 30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm 2
)
Garage temperature: 60 ° F (15.6 ° C)
If the low tire pressure warning light
comes on when you drive the vehicle in
cold outside air after adjusting the tire
pressures in a warm garage, re-adjust the
tire pressures using the method described
above. Then, increase the vehicle speed
to at least 20 mph (32 km/h) and check to
see that the low tire pressure warning light Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm 2
)]
front rear
30 ° F (–1 ° C) 35 (240, 2.4) 33 (230, 2.3)
10 ° F (–12 ° C) 37
(255, 2.55) 35
(245, 2.45)
–10 ° F
(–23 ° C) 39 (270, 2.7) 37 (260, 2.6)