
New 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 ......................... 8-4
On-pavement and off road driving .................. 8-5
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 ......................................... 8-11
Loading your vehicle ...................................... 8-11
Vehicle capacity weight ................................... 8-12
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ..................... 8-12
Roof rails and crossbar (if equipped) ............... 8-13
Roof molding and crossbar (if equipped) ......... 8-16
Trailer hitch (if equipped).............................. 8-18
Connecting a trailer........................................ 8-18
When you do not tow a trailer .. ....................... 8-20
Trailer towing................................................. 8-20
Warranties and maintenance ........................... 8-20
Maximum load limits ....................................... 8-20
Trailer hitches ................................................. 8-23
Connecting a trailer ........................................ 8-24
Trailer towing tips ........................................... 8-26
Driving tips
8
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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.
.Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle 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 injury. 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.
. If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from sand or mud, depress the accelerator
pedal slightly and move the selector lever
back and forth between “D ” and “R ”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
. When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st.
. Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.
. Wash the vehicle ’s underbody after off-
road driving. Suspension components are
particularly prone to dirt buildup, so they
need to be washed thoroughly.
. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driving conditions such as
rough roads or off roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the
“Warranty and Mainte-
nance 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
weatherCarry 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
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
Use an engine oil of proper grade and
viscosity for cold weather. Heavy summer
oil will cause harder starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
Driving tips
8-7
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&Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on tires
listed in the following because of
lack of clearance between the tires
and vehicle body.
All model: P255/55R18 tires&Rocking the vehicleIf you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the selector
lever back and forth between “D”and “R”
repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For
the best possible traction, avoid spinning
the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely
slippery, you can obtain better traction by
starting the vehicle with the transmission
in 2nd than 1st.
Refer to the “Automatic transmission ”
section in chapter 7 for information on
holding the transmission in 2nd position.
Loading your vehicle
WARNING
Never allow passengers to ride on a
folded rear seatback or in the cargo
area. Doing so may result in serious
injury.
WARNING
. Never stack luggage or other
cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble
forward and injure passengers in
the event of a sudden stop or
accident. Keep luggage or cargo
low, as close to the floor as possible.
. When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
. Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle ’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
. Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
. Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal
injury. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
. Do not place anything on the
extended luggage cover. Such
items could tumble forward in
the event of a sudden stop or a
collision. This could cause ser-
ious injury.
Driving tips
8-11
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8-12
Driving tips
CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.NOTEFor better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.&Vehicle capacity weight
The load capacity of your vehicle is
determined by weight, not by available
cargo space. The maximum load you can
carry in your vehicle is shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the driver ’s
side door pillar. It includes the total weight
of the driver and all passengers and their
belongings, any optional equipment such
as a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier,
etc., and the tongue load of a trailer.
& GVWR and GAWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)Certification labelThe certification label attached to the
driver ’s side door shows GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR (Gross
Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must
never exceed the GVWR. GVW is the
combined total of weight of the vehicle,
fuel, driver, all passengers, luggage, any
optional equipment and trailer tongue
load. Therefore, the GVW changes de-
pending on the situation.
In addition, the total weight applied to
each axle (GAW) must never exceed the
GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
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adjusted by relocating luggage inside the
vehicle.
Even if the total weight of your luggage is
lower than the vehicle capacity weight,
either front or rear GAW may exceed the
GAWR, depending on the distribution of
the luggage.
When possible, the load should be evenly
distributed throughout the vehicle.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you
should confirm that GVW and front and
rear GAWs are within the GVWR and
GAWR by putting your vehicle on a
vehicle scale, found at a commercial
weighing station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower
load range than the originals because they
may lower the GVWR and GAWR limita-
tions. Replacement tires with a higher load
range than the originals do not increase
the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
&Roof rails and crossbar (if
equipped)1) Roof rails
2) Crossbar kit
CAUTION
. For cargo carrying purposes, the
roof rail must be used together
with a roof crossbar kit and the
appropriate carrying attachment.
The roof rail must never be used
alone to carry cargo. Otherwise,
damage to the roof or paint or a
dangerous road hazard due to
loss of cargo could result.
. When using the roof crossbar kit,
make sure that the total weight of the crossbars, carrying attach-
ment and cargo does not exceed
the maximum load limit. Over-
loading may cause damage to
the vehicle and create a safety
hazard.
The roof rails are not designed to carry
cargo by themselves. Cargo can be
carried after securing the roof crossbar
kit to the roof rail and installing the
appropriate carrying attachment. When
installing the roof crossbar kit, follow the
manufacturer ’s instructions.
When you carry cargo on the roof using
the roof crossbar kit and a carrying
attachment, never exceed the maximum
load limit as explained below. You should
also be careful that your vehicle does not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) and front and rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). Refer to the
“ Loading your vehicle ”section in this
chapter for information on loading cargo
into or onto your vehicle. The maximum
load limit of the cargo, crossbars and
carrying attachment must not exceed 150
lbs (68 kg) . Place the heaviest load at the
bottom, nearest the roof, and evenly
distribute the cargo. Always properly
secure all cargo.
Driving tips
8-13
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8-14
Driving tips
!Installing carrying attachments on
the crossbars
When installing any carrying attachment
such as a bike carrier, ski carrier, kayak
carrier, cargo basket, etc. on the cross-
bars, follow the manufacturer ’s instruc-
tions and make sure that the attachment is
securely fixed to the crossbars. Use only
attachments designed specifically for the
crossbars. A set of the crossbars is
designed to carry loads (cargo and attach-
ment) of not more than 150 lbs (68 kg).
Before operating the vehicle, make sure
that the cargo is properly secured on the
attachment.NOTERemember that the vehicle ’s center of
gravity is altered with the weight of the
load on the roof, thus affecting the
driving characteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard
cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind
effects will be increased.
! Removal and installation of the
crossbars
The crossbars can be removed when you
do not use the roof to carry cargo. !
To remove the crossbar
1. Loosen and remove the T-30 torx®
head screw from the top of each crossbar
end support.
Loosen the lower clamps.
2. Carefully raise the crossbar from roof
rails.
!To install the crossbar
Front crossbar:
Front crossbar has 150 LBS Load Label
on left-hand side.1) T-25 torx® head screw1. Make sure that the T-25 torx® head
screw on the back of each crossbar end
support is tightened correctly.
2. Before placing the crossbar on the roof
rails, make sure that the T-30 torx® head
screw is removed from the top of each
crossbar end support.
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3. The crossbar with the 150 LBS Load
Label attached onto it is the front crossbar.
An arrow is marked on the back of the
front crossbar for correct installation.
Install the front crossbar so that the arrow
faces the front of the vehicle.
1) 12 in (300 mm)4. Install the front crossbar so that the
crossbar end supports are located ap-
proximately 12 in (300 mm) rearward from
the joints between the roof rails and the
front roof rail supports.
1) Lower clamp
2) T-30 torx® head screw5. Tighten the lower clamps onto the
crossbar. Using a torque wrench, loosely
tighten the T-30 torx® head screws.NOTEIt may be necessary to squeeze the
lower clamp and the end support
together to compress the pads and
gain a better alignment of the pieces
while trying to start the screw. Use care
not to crossthread the screw in the
insert.
Driving tips
8-15
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8-16
Driving tips
6. Adjust the alignment of the crossbar
on the roof rails, and if available, use a T-
30 torx® bit and torque wrench and tighten
the T-30 torx® head screws to 30 to 35
lbf·in (3.4 to 4.0 N·m, 0.35 to 0.41 kgf·m) of
torque (or tighten securely with the torx®
wrench provided).Rear crossbar:
1) 2 in (50 mm)Install the rear crossbar so that the cross-
bar end supports are located approxi-
mately 2 in (50 mm) forward from the
joints between the roof rails and the rear
roof rail supports.
Install the rear crossbar in the same
manner as the front crossbar.
CAUTION
Do not carry cargo on the roof when
the crossbars are removed. Lug-
gage on the roof will be thrown
forward or backward in sudden
stops or rapid accelerations, result-
ing in a dangerous road hazard.
NOTEBefore each use of the roof crossbar,
make sure the four T-30 crossbar
clamp screws have been checked,
and retightened if necessary to 35 lbf·in
(4.0 N·m, 0.41 kgf·m), as outlined in
Step #5 above.&
Roof molding and crossbar
(if equipped)
CAUTION
. For cargo carrying purposes, the
roof molding must be used to-
gether with a roof crossbar kit
and the appropriate carrying at-
tachment. Otherwise, damage to
the roof or paint or a dangerous
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