2011 SUBARU TRIBECA tires

8-6Driving tips
of gravity, is more likely to be
affected by crosswinds than or-
dinary passenger cars.
. Always use the utmost care in
driving –overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive model could easily
lead to a serious accident.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including off-
road driving. But please keep in mind that
your vehicle is neither a conventional off-
road vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. A
higher center of gravity in relation to the
tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for high-
speed cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle
could roll over if you make a sharp turn
at high speed. If you do take your
SUBARU off-road, certain common sense precautions such as those in the following
list should be taken. .
Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio. . Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain. . Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like. . Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep. . Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive
with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim. . If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and the bottom of the
stream bed for firmness and ensure that
the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly
and completely through the stream. The
water should be shallow enough that it
does not reach the vehicle
’s undercar-
riage. Water entering the engine air intake
or the exhaust pipe or water splashing
onto electrical parts may damage your
vehicle and may cause it to stall. Never
attempt to drive through rushing water;
regardless of its depth, it can wash away
the ground from under your tires, resulting
in possible loss of traction and even
vehicle rollover. . Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness 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. . Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after engine
stops. This could create a fire hazard. . 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. .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 select 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 model
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 weather
Carry some emergency equipment, such
as 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 winterstarts.
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
squirting them with deicer or glycerin. Driving tips
8-7
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8-8Driving tips
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because 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 tem-
perature varies according to how much it
is diluted, as indicated in the followingtable.
Washer Fluid Con- centration Freezing Temperature
30% 10.4 8F( 12 8C)
50% 48F( 20 8C)
100%
49 8F( 45 8C)
In order to prevent freezing of washer
fluid, check the freezing temperatures in
the table above when adjusting the fluid
concentration 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
temperature, it may freeze and block thenozzles.
CAUTION
. Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out-
side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.
. State or local regulations on
volatile organic compounds may
restrict the use of methanol, a
common windshield washer anti-
freeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol anti-
freeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging
your vehicle ’s paint, wiper blades
or washer system.
! Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that could make the pedals slippery and
driving dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before
driving, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has
accumulated under the fenders to avoid
making steering difficult. During severe
winter driving, stop when and where it is
safe to do so and check under the fenders
periodically. !
Parking in cold weather
WARNING
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 enginerunning.
Do not use the parking brake when
parking for long periods in cold weather
since it could freeze in that position.
Instead, you should observe the followingtips.
1. Place the select lever in “P ”position.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to
prevent the vehicle from moving.

8-10Driving tips
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons in which you could have snow
and freezing temperatures. Blades of this
type give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
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.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades. & Corrosion protection
Refer to “Corrosion protection ”F 10-4. &
Snow tires
WARNING
. When replacing original tires with
winter (snow) tires, make sure
you use only the same size and
construction as recommended.
Using other sizes or construction
may affect speedometer/od-
ometer calibration and clearance
between the body and tires. It
also may be dangerous and lead
to loss of vehicle control.
. You must install four winter tires
that are of the same size, circum-
ferences, construction, brand,
andloadrange.Mixingother
sizes, circumferences or con-
structions may result in severe
mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may
affect ride, handling, braking and
speedometer/odometer calibra-
tion. It also may be dangerous
and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol.
. Do not use a combination of
radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous
handling characteristics and lead
to an accident. 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
enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter drivingconditions.
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
never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires
since this may result in dangerous hand-
ling 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 yourvehicle.
Your vehicle comes with P255/55R18 “ all season tires ”as original equip-
ment. You should be aware that some
winter tires with that same size desig-
nation 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 recommend.

Recommended winter (snow) tire sizeP255/55R18 stud less
& Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on your
vehicle because of the lack of
clearance between the tires and
vehicle body.
& Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-
erator pedal slightly and move the select
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.
For information about holding the trans-
mission in the 2nd position, refer to“ Selection of manual mode ”F 7-16 and
“ Driving tips ”F 7-17. 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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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 safetyhazard.
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 themanufacturer ’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). For information
on loading cargo into or onto your vehicle,
refer to “Loading your vehicle ”F 8-11. The
maximum load limit of the cargo, cross-
bars and carrying attachment must notexceed 150lbs(68kg) .Placethe
heaviest load at the bottom, nearest the
roof, and evenly distribute the cargo.
Always properly secure all cargo. Driving tips
8-13
– CONTINUED –

8-20Driving tips
watercraft. &When you do not tow a trailer
. Remove the ball mount from the hitch
receiver tube and insert the receiver cover
onto the hitch receiver tube. . Place the dust cap over the four-pin
connector of the hitch wire harness to
protect against possible damage. . Occasionally lubricate terminals of the
four-pin connector using the terminal grease. Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle
’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safety
and satisfaction depend upon proper use
of correct equipment and cautious opera-
tion of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your SUBARU dealer to assist you in
purchasing a hitch and other necessary
towing equipment appropriate for your
vehicle. In addition, be sure to follow the
instructions on correct installation and use
provided by the trailer and other towing
equipment manufacturers.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for
injuries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any
errors or omissions in the instructions
accompanying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.
& Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to
vehicle damage or malfunction caused
by trailer towing. If you use your vehicle to
tow a trailer, more frequent maintenance
will be required due to the additional load. (Refer to
“Maintenance schedule under
severe driving conditions ”in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet ”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer
be towed with a new vehicle or a vehicle
with any new powertrain component (en-
gine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) of driving.
& Maximum load limits
WARNING
Never exceed the maximum load
limits explained in the following.
Exceeding the maximum load limits
could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.
CAUTION
. Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
total weight.
. Before towing a trailer, check the
trailer total weight, GVW, GAWs
and tongue load. Make sure the
load and its distribution in your
vehicle and trailer are accepta-

8-24Driving tips
of your vehicle to install a commer-
cial trailer hitch. If you do, danger-
ous exhaust gas, water or mud may
enter the passenger compartment
through the drilled hole. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a
colorless and odorless gas which is
dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled.
Also, drilling the frame or under-
body of your vehicle could cause
deterioration of strength of your
vehicle and cause corrosion around
the drilled hole.
CAUTION
. Do not modify the vehicle ex-
haust system, brake system, or
other systems when installing a
hitch or other trailer towingequipment.
. Do not use axle-mounted hitches
as they can cause damage to the
axle housing, wheel bearings,
wheels or tires.
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer.
The use of a genuine SUBARU trailer
hitch is recommended. A genuine
SUBARU hitch is available from your SUBARU dealer.
If use of a non-genuine hitch is unavoid-
able, be sure the hitch is suited to your
vehicle and trailer. Consult with a profes-
sional hitch supplier to assist you in
choosing an appropriate hitch for your
vehicle. Be sure to follow all of the hitchmanufacturer
’s instructions for installation
and use.
Never use a hitch that mounts only to the
rear bumper. The bumper is not designed
to handle that type of load.
For all types of hitches, regularly check
that the hitch mounting bolts and nuts aretight. & Connecting a trailer
! Trailer brakes
WARNING
. Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
total weight.
. Do not directly connect your
trailer ’s hydraulic brake system
to the hydraulic brake system in
your vehicle. Direct connection
would cause the vehicle ’s brake
performance to deteriorate and could lead to an accident.
If your trailer ’s total weight (trailer weight
plus its cargo weight) exceeds 1,000 lbs
(453 kg), the trailer is required to be
equipped with its own brake system.
Electric brakes or surge brakes are
recommended, and must be installed
properly. Check that your trailer ’s brakes
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. YourSUBARU ’s brake system is not designed
to be tapped into the trailer ’s hydraulic
brake system. Please ask your SUBARU
dealer and professional trailer supplier for
more information about the trailer ’s brake
system. ! Trailer safety chainsWARNING
Always use safety chains between
your vehicle and the trailer. Towing
trailer without safety chains could
create a traffic safety hazard if the
trailer separates from the hitch due
to coupling damage or hitch balldamage.
In case the trailer hitch connector or hitch
ball should break or become discon-
nected, the trailer could get loose and