
properly. If there is no problem and all tires 
are properly inflated, the light will go out. 
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), 
should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or 
more of your tires is significantly under- 
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver ’s respon-
sibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale. 
The TPMS gives warning both when a tire 
is significantly under-inflated and when
there is a problem in the TPMS. The low
tire pressure warning light operates differ-
ently according to these conditions asfollows: 
When a tire is significantly under- inflated:
Steady illumination
When there is a problem in the TPMS:Flashing 
Should the warning light flash, have the 
system inspected by your nearest
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
If this light does not come on briefly 
after the ignition switch is turned ON
or the light is flashing, you should
have your Tire Pressure Monitoring
System checked at a SUBARU deal-
er as soon as possible. 
If this light comes on while driving, 
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur. 
If this light still comes on while driving after adjusting the tire pres- 
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible. 
When a spare tire is mounted or a 
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the Low tire pres-
sure warning light will flash. This
indicates the TPMS is unable to
monitor all four road wheels. Con-
tact your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible for tire and sensor replace-
ment and/or system resetting. If the
light flashes, promptly contact a
SUBARU dealer to have the systeminspected.
CAUTION
The tire pressure monitoring system 
is NOT a substitute for manually
checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked peri-
odically (at least monthly) using a
tire gauge. After any change to tire
pressure(s), the tire pressure mon- 
itoring system will not re-check tire 
inflation pressures until the vehicle
is first driven more than 20 mph (32 Instruments and controls
3-27
– CONTINUED – 

Tire pressure monitoring 
system (TPMS) (if equipped)
Turbo models
Non-turbo modelsThe tire pressure monitoring 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 monitoring system will 
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h). 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).
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light 
comes on while driving, never brake 
suddenly and keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing
speed. Then slowly pull off the road
to a safe place. Otherwise an acci-
dent involving serious vehicle da-
mage and serious personal injury
could occur. 
Check the pressure for all four tires 
and adjust the pressure to the COLD
tire pressure shown on the tire
placard on the door pillar on thedriver ’s side.
Even when the vehicle is driven a
very short distance, the tires get
warm and their pressures increase accordingly. Be sure to let the tires
cool thoroughly before adjusting
their pressures
to the standard
values shown on the tire placard.
(Refer to the “Tires and wheels ”
section in chapter 11.) The tire
pressure monitoring system does
not function when the vehicle is
stationary. After adjusting the tire
pressures, increase the vehicle
speed to at least 20 mph (32 km/h)
to start the TPMS re-checking of the
tire inflation pressures. If the tire
pressures are now above the severe
low pressure threshold, the low tire
pressure warning light should go off
a few minutes later. 
If this light still comes on while 
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible. When a spare
tire is mounted or a wheel rim is
replaced without the original pres-
sure sensor/transmitter being trans-
ferred, the low tire pressure warning
light will flash. This indicates the
TPMS is unable to monitor all four
road wheels. Contact your SUBARU
dealer as soon as possible for tire Starting and operating
7-43
– CONTINUED –   

chain connection, refer to the instructions 
for your hitch and trailer. !Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle, 
check that the standard side mirrors
provide a good rearward field of view
without significant blind spots. If significant
blind spots occur with the vehicle ’s stan-
dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors that
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. ! Trailer lights
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper 
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle ’s electrical system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle
’s lighting system.
Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle ’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions 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 parking lights each time you
hitch up. ! Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the tem- 
porary spare tire is used. The tem-
porary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated. 
The recommended cold tire pressure 
under trailer towing conditions is shown
in chapter 12, “Specifications ”and in
“ GAS STATION REFERENCE ”at the end of this manual. Adjust the rear tire
pressure to the recommended 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 precaution against
getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare
tire is firmly secured.
& Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
. Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly 
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. Forsafety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never Driving tips
8-27
– CONTINUED –  

CAUTION
Never use any temporary spare tire 
other than the original. Using other
sizes may result in severe mechan-
ical damage to the drive train of yourvehicle.
The temporary spare tire is smaller and
lighter than a conventional tire and is
designed for emergency use only. Re-
move the temporary spare tire and re-
install the conventional tire as soon as
possible because the spare tire is de-
signed only for temporary use. 
Check the inflation pressure of the tem- 
porary spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. The correct pressure is
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2) .
When using the temporary spare tire, note
the following. . Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
. Do not put a tire chain on the temporary
spare tire. Because of the smaller tire size, 
a tire chain will not fit properly. . Do not use two or more temporary
spare tires at the same time.. Do not drive over obstacles. This tire
has a smaller diameter, so road clearance 
is reduced.
1) Tread wear indicator bar 
2) Indicator location mark
. When the wear indicator appears on
the tread, replace the tire. . The temporary spare tire must be used
only on a rear wheel. If a front wheel tire 
gets punctured, replace the wheel with a
rear wheel and install the temporary spare
tire in place of the removed rear wheel.NOTE 
If your vehicle is an AWD type with an 
automatic transmission but is neither a
Turbo model nor a 3.0-liter model,
deactivate its All-Wheel-Drive capabil-
ity as follows: Before driving your
vehicle with the temporary spare tire,
putasparefuseinsidetheFWD
connector located in the engine com-
partment and confirm that the “
”
warning light comes on. The All-Wheel- 
Drive capability of the vehicle has now
been deactivated. After re-installing the
conventional tire, remove the spare
fuse from the FWD connector in order 
to reactivate All-Wheel Drive. In case of emergency
9-3   

Vehicle identification1) Emission control label 
2) Vehicle identification number 
3) Certification and bar code label 
4) Tire inflation pressure label 
5) Vehicle identification number plate
6) Model number label 
7) Fuel labelSpecifications
12-11  

For U.S.A............................................................ 13-2
Tire information .................................................. 13-2
Tire labeling ....................................................... 13-2
Recommended tire inflation pressure .................. 13-5
Glossary of tire terminology ............................... 13-6
Tire care –maintenance and safety
practices .......................................................... 13-7
Vehicle load limit –how to determine .................. 13-8 Determining compatibility of tire and vehicle load
capacities ...................................................... 13-10
Adverse safety consequences of overloading on handling and stopping and on tires ................ 13-11
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit ......... 13-11
Uniform tire quality grading standards .......... 13-12
Treadwear ....................................................... 13-12
Traction AA, A, B, C ......................................... 13-12
Temperature A, B, C ......................................... 13-12
Reporting safety defects (USA) ...................... 13-13
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13 

Example:
(6) Load Index: A numerical code 
which specifies the maximum load a
tire can carry at the speed indicated 
by its speed symbol, at maximum 
inflation pressure. 
For example,“88 ”means 1,234 lbs
(560 kg), “87 ”means 1,201 lbs (545
kg), “86 ”means 1,168 lbs (530 kg)
WARNING
Load indices apply only to the 
tire, not to the vehicle. Putting a 
load rated tire on any vehicle 
does not mean the vehicle can
be loaded up to the tire ’s rated
load.
(7) Speed Rating: An alphabetical
system describing a tire ’s capability to
travel at established and predeter- 
mined speeds. 
For example, “V ” means 149 mph
(240 km/h)
WARNING
. Speed ratings apply only to
the tire, not to the vehicle. 
Putting a speed rated tire on 
any vehicle does not mean
the vehicle can be operated at 
the tire ’s rated speed.
. The speed rating is void if the
tires are worn out, damaged, 
repaired, retreaded, or other-
wise altered from their origi- 
nal condition. If tires are 
repaired, retreaded, or other-
wise altered, they may not be
suitable for original equip- 
ment tire designed loads and speeds.
! Tire Identification Number (TIN)
Tire Identification Number (TIN) is
marked on the intended outboard 
sidewall. The TIN is composed of four 
groups. Here is a brief review of the
TIN with a breakdown of its individual 
elements.(1) Manufacturer ’s Identification
Mark 
(2) Tire Size
(3) Tire Type Code 
(4) Date of Manufacture 
The first two figures identify the week, 
starting with “01 ”to represent the first
full week of the calendar year; the 
second two figures represent the 
year. For example, 0101 means the
1st week of 2001. ! Other markings
The following makings are also 
placed on the sidewall. ! Maximum permissible inflation 
pressure
The maximum cold inflation pressure
to which this tire may be inflated. For
example, “300 kpa (44 PSI) MAX.
PRESS ”
! Maximum load rating
Theloadratingatthemaximum
permissible weight load for this tire. 
For example, “MAX. LOAD 730 kg
(1609 LBS) @ 300 kpa (44 PSI) MAX. 
PRESS. ”
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-3
– CONTINUED –   

&Recommended tire inflation pressure
! Recommended cold tire inflation pressure
Recommended cold tire inflation pressure for your vehicle ’s tires is as follows,
Tire size P205/55R16
89H P225/60R16
97H P205/50R17
88V 215/45ZR17 P225/55R17
95V 215/45R18
89Y
Wheel size 16 66.5JJ 17 67JJ 18 67JJ
Pressure Front 32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm
2) 32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm2) 33 psi
(230 kPa,
2.3 kgf/cm2) 35 psi
(240 kPa,
2.4 kgf/cm2) 32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm2) 33 psi
(230 kPa,
2.3 kgf/cm2)
Rear 30 psi
(210 kPa,
2.1 kgf/cm
2) 30 psi
(210 kPa,
2.1 kgf/cm2) 32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm2) 33 psi
(230 kPa,
2.3 kgf/cm2) 30 psi
(210 kPa,
2.1 kgf/cm2) 32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm2)
Rear at trailertowing –
32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm
2) –
32 psi
(220 kPa,
2.2 kgf/cm2) –
Temporary
spare tire Size T135/80R16 T155/70D17 T135/80R16 T135/70D17 T155/70D17 T155/70D17 
Pressure
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2)
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-5
– CONTINUED –