2011 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX tire type

Maintenance and serviceTires and wheels .............................................. 11-31
Types of tires ................................................... 11-31
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped) ................................................... 11-31
Tire inspection ................................................. 11-33
Tire pressures and wear ................................... 11-33
Wheel balance .................................................. 11-35
Wear indicators ................................................ 11-35
Tire rotation direction mark .............................. 11-36
Tire rotation ..................................................... 11-36
Tire replacement .............................................. 11-37
Wheel replacement ........................................... 11-37
Aluminum wheels ............................................. 11-38
Windshield washer fluid .................................. 11-38
Replacement of wiper blades .......................... 11-39
Windshield wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-40
Windshield wiper blade rubber (type A and type B) ........................................................... 11-41
Rear window wiper blade assembly .................. 11-42
Rear window wiper blade rubber ....................... 11-42Battery
.............................................................. 11-44
Fuses ................................................................ 11-45
Main fuse .......................................................... 11-46
Installation of accessories .............................. 11-46
Replacing bulbs ............................................... 11-47
Headlights (models with HID headlights) ........... 11-47
Headlights (models without HID headlights) ...... 11-47
Front turn signal light ...................................... 11-50
Front fog light (if equipped) .............................. 11-50
Rear combination lights ................................... 11-51
Back-up light (5-door) ...................................... 11-52
License plate light ........................................... 11-53
Map light ......................................................... 11-53
Dome light and cargo area light ....................... 11-54
Trunk light ....................................................... 11-55
High mount stop light (4-door) (except LED [Light Emitting Diode] type) ............................ 11-55
Other bulbs ..................................................... 11-55

Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the“Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ”.
When the parking brake is properly
adjusted, braking power is fully applied
by pulling the lever up 7 to 8 notches
gently but firmly (approximately 45 lbf [200
N, 20.4 kgf]). 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. ! 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
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. ! 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-
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. !
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
summer tires and all season tires on roads
other than snow-covered and icy roads. & Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (if equipped)
The 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 monitor-
ing system will activate only when the
vehicle 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 illuminate. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to
pressures 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
every difference of 10 8F (5.6 8C) between
the temperature in the garage and the Maintenance and service
11-31
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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 illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately one minute. This indicates
the TPMS is unable to monitor all
four road wheels. Contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible
for tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. If the light
illuminates steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute,
promptly contact a SUBARU dealer
to have the system inspected.
& Tire inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immedi-
ately if you find any problem. NOTE . When the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer damage
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, potholes or on
other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, 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.. 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 vehicleinspected.
& Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires ’service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. 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 before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressures when the tires
are cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust
the tire pressures to the values shown on
the tire placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver ’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving thevehicle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to
increase. Be careful not to mistakenly
release air from a warm tire to reduce itspressure. Maintenance and service
11-33
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&Tire replacement
The wheels and tires are important and
integral parts of your vehicle ’s design;
they cannot be changed arbitrarily. The
tires fitted as standard equipment are
optimally matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and were selected to give
the best possible combination of running
performance, ride comfort, and service
life. It is essential for every tire to have a
size and construction matching those
shown on the tire placard and to have a
speed symbol and load index matching
those shown on the tire placard.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle ’sground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to
replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-ment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU
recommends replacing all four tires at
the same time.WARNING
. All four tires must be the same in
terms of manufacturer, brand
(tread pattern), construction, de-
gree of wear, speed symbol, load
index and size. Mixing tires of
different types, sizes or degrees
of wear can result in damage tovehicle ’s powertrain. Use of dif-
ferent types or sizes of tires can
also dangerously reduce con-
trollability and braking perfor-
mance and can lead to an acci-dent.
. Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
an accident.
& Wheel replacement
When replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available
from SUBARU dealers.WARNING
Use only those wheels that are
specified for your vehicle. Wheels
not meeting specifications could
interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub
against the wheel well housing dur-
ing turns. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident.
NOTE
When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to
change a flat tire, always check the
tightness of the wheel nuts after driv-
ing approximately 600 miles (1,000 km).
If any nut is loose, tighten it to the
specified torque. Maintenance and service
11-37

13-2Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
For U.S.A.
The following information has been
compiled according to Code of
Federal Regulations “Title 49, Part
575 ”. Tire information &
Tire labeling
Many markings (e.g. Tire size, Tire
Identification Number or TIN) are
placed on the sidewall of a tire by
tire manufacturers. These markings
can provide you with useful infor-
mation on the tire. ! Tire size
Your vehicle comes equipped with
P-Metric tire size. It is important to
understand the sizing system in
selecting the proper tire for your
vehicles. Here is a brief review of
the tire sizing system with a break-
down of its individual elements. ! P Metric
With the P-Metric system, Section
Width is measured in millimeters.
To convert millimeters into inches,
divide by 25.4. The Aspect Ratio
(Section Height divided by Section
Width) helps provide more dimen-
sional information about the tiresize. Example:
(1) P = Certain tire type used on
light duty vehicles such as passen-
ger cars
(2) Section Width in millimeters
(3) Aspect Ratio (= section height 7
section width).
(4) R = Radial Construction
(5) Rim diameter in inches ! Load and Speed Rating Descrip- tions
The load and speed rating descrip-
tions will appear following the size designation.
They provide two important facts
about the tire. First, the number
designation is its load index. Sec-
ond, the letter designation indicates
the tire ’s speed rating.

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,“90 ”means 1,323 lbs
(600 kg), “89 ”means 1,278 lbs (580
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 prede-
termined 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, da-
maged, repaired, retreaded,
or otherwise altered from
their original condition. If
tires are repaired, re-
treaded, or otherwise al-
tered, they may not be sui-
table for original equipment
tire designed loads andspeeds.
! 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 repre-
sent 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 pres-
sure to which this tire may be
inflated. For example, “300 kPa
(44 PSI) MAX. PRESS ”
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-3
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13-4Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
!Maximum load rating
The load rating at the maximum
permissible weight load for this tire.
For example, “MAX. LOAD 580 kg
(1279 LBS) @ 300 kPa (44 PSI)
MAX. PRESS. ”
WARNING
Maximum load rating applies
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.
! Construction type
Applicable construction of this tire.
For example, “TUBELESS STEEL
BELTED RADIAL ”
! Construction
The generic name of each cord
material used in the plies (both
sidewall and tread area) of this tire.
For example, “PLIES: TREAD 2 STEEL + 2 POLYESTER SIDE-
WALL 2 POLYESTER
”
! Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
For details, refer to “Uniform tire
quality grading standards ”F 13-15 .
& Recommended tire inflation pressure
! Recommended cold tire infla-
tion pressure
For recommended cold tire inflation
pressure for your vehicle ’s tires,
refer to “Tires ”F 12-11 .
! Vehicle placard
The vehicle placard is affixed to the driver ’s side B-pillar.
Example:
The vehicle placard shows original
tire size, recommended cold tire
inflation pressure on each tire at
maximum loaded vehicle weight,
seating capacity and loading infor-mation. ! Adverse safety consequences
of under-inflation
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to flex severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-

.Passenger car tire
A tire intended for use on passen-
ger cars, multipurpose passenger
vehicles, and trucks, that have a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
of 10,000 lbs (4,535 kg) or less. . Ply
A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords.. Ply separation
A parting of rubber compound
between adjacent plies.. Pneumatic tire
A mechanical device made of rub-
ber, chemicals, fabric and steel or
other materials, that, when
mounted on an automotive wheel,
provides the traction and contains
the gas or fluid that sustains theload. . Production options weight
The combined weight of those
installed regular production options
weighing over 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) in
excess of those standard items
which they replace, not previously
considered in curb weight or acces- sory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim.
. Radial ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at substantially 90 degrees to
the centerline of the tread. . Recommended inflation pres-
sure
The cold inflation pressure recom-
mended by a vehicle manufacturer. . Reinforced tire
A tire designed to operate at higher
loads and at higher inflation pres-
sures than the corresponding stan-
dard tire. . Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire
and tube assembly upon which the
tire beads are seated. . Rim diameter
Nominal diameter of the bead seat. . Rim size designation
Rim diameter and width. .
Rim type designation
The industry of manufacturer ’s des-
ignation for a rim by style or code. . Rim width
Nominal distance between rim flanges. . Section width
The linear distance between the
exteriors of the sidewalls of an
inflated tire, excluding elevations
due to labeling, decoration, or
protective bands. . Sidewall
That portion of a tire between the
tread and bead.. Sidewall separation
The parting of the rubber com-
pound from the cord material in
the sidewall.. Test rim
The rim on which a tire is fitted for
testing, and it may be any rim listed
as appropriate for use with that tire.. Tread
That portion of a tire that comes
into contact with the road.
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
13-7
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