
11-24Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels
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 temperature 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
8F (15.6 8C).
Example: 
Tire size: P205/55R16 89V and 
P205/50R17 88V 
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm
2)
Rear: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 60 8F (15.6 8C)
Outside
temperature Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm
2)]
Front Rear
30 8F(  18C) 36 (250, 2.5) 35 (240, 2.4)
10 8F(  12 8C) 38
(265, 2.65) 37
(255, 2.55)
  10 8F(  23 8C) 40 (280, 2.8) 39 (270, 2.7)
If the low tire pressure warning light 
illuminates 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
turns off a few minutes later. If the low tire
pressure warning light does not turn off, 

.Correct tire pressure (tread worn
evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is 
responsive. Rolling resistance is low, so
fuel consumption is also lower. .
Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con- 
sumption is also higher. .
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire 
magnifies the effects of road-surface
bumps and dips, possibly resulting in
vehicle damage. 
If the tire placard shows tire pressures for 
the vehicle when fully loaded, adjust the
tire pressures to the values that match
current loading conditions.
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces- 
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
Maintenance and service/Tires and wheels11-27
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corresponding fuse. If a fuse has blown, 
replace it. 
1. Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK ”
position and turn off all electrical acces- sories. 
2. Remove the cover.
3. Determine which fuse may be blown. 
Look at the back side of each fuse box
cover and refer to “Fuses and circuits ”
F 12-10.
4. Pull out the fuse with the fuse puller. 
5. Inspect the fuse. If it has blown, 
replace it with a spare fuse of the samerating. 
6. If the same fuse blows again, this 
indicates that its system has a problem.
Contact your SUBARU dealer for repairs. Installation of accessories 
Always consult your SUBARU dealer 
before installing fog lights or any other
electrical equipment in your vehicle. Such
accessories may cause the electronic
system to malfunction if they are incor-
rectly installed or if they are not suited for
the vehicle.
Replacing bulbs
WARNING
Bulbs may become very hot while 
illuminated. Before replacing bulbs,
turn off the lights and wait until the
bulbs cool down. Otherwise, there is
a risk of sustaining a burn injury.
CAUTION
Replace any bulb only with a new 
bulb of the specified wattage. Using
a bulb of different wattage could
result in a fire. For the specified
wattage of each bulb, refer to “Bulb
chart ”F 12-14.
& Headlights (models with HID headlights)
WARNING
High-intensity-discharge (HID) bulbs 
are used for the low beams of the
headlights. These HID bulbs use an
extremely high voltage. To avoid the
risk of an electric shock that could
result in serious injury, observe the
Maintenance and service/Installation of accessories11-39
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13-6Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
.Extra load tire
A tire designed to operate at higher 
loads and higher inflation pressure 
than the corresponding standardtire. . Groove
The space between two adjacent 
tread ribs.. Innerliner
The layer(s) forming the inside sur- 
face of a tubeless tire that contains 
the inflating medium within the tire. . Innerliner separation
The parting of the innerliner from 
cord material in the carcass.. Intended outboard sidewall
(1) The sidewall that contains a
whitewall, bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand, 
and/or model name molding that 
is higher or deeper than the
same molding on the other side-
wall of the tire, or (2) The outward facing sidewall
of an asymmetrical tire that has 
a particular side that must al-
ways face outward when mount- ing on a vehicle.
. Light truck (LT) tire
A tire designated by its manufac- 
turer as primarily intended for use 
on lightweight trucks or multipur-
pose passenger vehicles. . Load rating
The maximum load that a tire is 
rated to carry for a given inflationpressure.. Maximum inflation pressure
The maximum cold inflation pres-
sure to which a tire may be inflated.. Maximum load rating
The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.. Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of: (a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight
. Maximum permissible inflation
pressure 
The maximum cold inflation pres- 
sure to which a tire may be inflated. .
Measuring rim
The rim on which a tire is fitted for 
physical dimension requirements. . Normal occupant weight
150 lbs (68 kg) times the number of 
occupants specified in the second
column of Table 1 that is appended
to the end of this section. . Occupant distribution
Distribution of occupants in a vehi- 
cle as specified in the third column 
of Table 1 that is appended to the
end of this section. . Open splice
Any parting at any junction of tread, 
sidewall, or innerliner that extends 
to cord material. . Outer diameter
The overall diameter of an inflated 
new tire.. Overall width
The linear distance between the
exteriors of the sidewalls of an
inflated tire, including elevations 
due to labeling, decorations, or 
protective bands or ribs. 

.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/Tire information13-7
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13-16Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Reporting safety defects (U.S.A.)
grade C corresponds to a level of 
performance which all passenger 
car tires must meet under the 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this 
tire is established for a tire
that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or ex-
cessive loading, either sepa- 
rately or in combination, can 
cause heat buildup and possi-
ble tire failure. Reporting safety defects (U.S.A.) 
If you believe that your vehicle has 
a defect which could cause a 
crash or could cause injury or 
death, you should immediately in-
form the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 
addition to notifying Subaru of 
America, Inc. 
If NHTSA receives similar com- 
plaints, it may open an investiga- 
tion, and if it finds that a safety 
defect exists in a group of vehi-
cles, it may order a recall and 
remedy campaign. However, 
NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between 
you, your dealer, or Subaru of 
America, Inc. To contact NHTSA, 
you may call the Vehicle Safety 
Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to 
http://www.safercar.gov; or write 
to: Administrator, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West 
Building, Washington, DC 20590. 
You can also obtain other informa-
tion about motor vehicle safety 
from http://www.safercar.gov.