6-16Interior equipment
3. Insert the projections located on theboth ends of the sleeve into the recessesof the retainers.
Convenient tie-down hooks
CAUTION
The convenient tie-down hooks aredesigned only for securing lightcargo. Never try to secure cargothat exceeds the capacity of thehooks. The maximum load capacityis 44 lbs (20 kg) per hook.
Thecargo area is equipped with four tie-down hooks so that cargo can be securedwith a luggage net or ropes.
When using the tie-down hooks, turn themdown out of the storing recesses. Whennot in use, put the hooks up into thestoring recesses.
Under-floor storage compart-
ment
The subfloor storage compartment islocated under the floor of the cargo areaand can be used to store small items. Toopen the lid, pull the handle up.
CAUTION
.Always keep the lid of the sub-floor storage compartmentclosed whiledriving to reducethe risk of injury in the event ofsudden stop or an accident.
.Do not store spray cans, contain-ers with flammable or corrosiveliquids or any other dangerousitems in the subfloor storagecompartment.
New vehicle break-in driving–the first1,000 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 models.............................. 8-4
On-road and off-road driving.............................. 8-6
Winter driving...................................................... 8-8Operation during cold weather............................. 8-8Driving on snowy and icy roads.......................... 8-9Corrosion protection.......................................... 8-10Snow tires......................................................... 8-10Tire chains......................................................... 8-11Rockingthe vehicle............................................ 8-11
Loading your vehicle......................................... 8-12Vehicle capacity weight...................................... 8-12GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratingand Gross Axle Weight Rating)........................ 8-13Roof rails and crossbar (if equipped).................. 8-14Roof molding and crossbar (if equipped)............ 8-17
Trailer hitch (if equipped).................................. 8-18Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-19When you do not tow a trailer ............................ 8-20
Trailer towing..................................................... 8-21Warranties and maintenance.............................. 8-21Maximum load limits.......................................... 8-21Trailer hitches.................................................... 8-24Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-25Trailer towing tips.............................................. 8-26
Driving tips
8
8-12Driving tips
Loading your vehicle
WARNING
Never allow passengers to ride on afolded rear seatback or in the cargoarea. Doing so may result in seriousinjury.
WARNING
.Never stack luggage or othercargo higher than the top of theseatback because it could tumbleforward and injure passengers inthe event of a sudden stop oraccident. Keep luggage or cargolow, as close to the floor as
possible.
.When you carry something insidethe vehicle, secure it wheneveryou can to prevent it from beingthrown around inside the vehicleduring sudden stops, sharp turnsor in an accident.
.Do not pile heavy loads on theroof. These loads raise the vehi-cle’s center of gravity and make itmore prone to tip over.
.Secure lengthy items properly toprevent them from shooting for-ward and causing serious injuryduring a sudden stop.
.Never exceed the maximum loadlimit. If you do, some parts onyour vehicle can break, or it canchange the way your vehiclehandles. This could result in lossof control and cause personalinjury. Also, overloading canshorten the life of your vehicle.
.Do not place anything on theextended luggage cover. Suchitems could tumble forward inthe event of a sudden stop or acollision. This could cause ser-ious injury.
CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containerswith flammable or corrosive liquidsor any other dangerous items insidethe vehicle.
NOTE
For better fueleconomy, do not carryunneeded cargo.
&Vehicle capacity weight
The load capacity of your vehicle isdetermined by weight, not by availablecargospace. The maximum load you cancarry in your vehicle is shown on thevehicle placard attached to the driver’sside door pillar. It includes the total weightof the driver and all passengers and theirbelongings, any optional equipment suchas 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 label
The certification label attached to thedriver’s side door shows GVWR (GrossVehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR (GrossAxle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) mustnever exceed the GVWR. GVW is thecombined total of weight of the vehicle,fuel, driver, all passengers, luggage, anyoptional equipment and trailer tongueload. Therefore, the GVW changes de-pending on the situation.
In addition, the total weight applied toeach axle (GAW) must never exceed theGAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
adjusted by relocating luggage inside thevehicle.
Even if the total weight of your luggage islower than the vehicle capacity weight,either front or rear GAW may exceed theGAWR, depending on the distribution ofthe luggage.
When possible, the load should be evenlydistributedthroughout the vehicle.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, youshould confirm that GVW and front andrearGAWs are within the GVWR andGAWR by putting your vehicle on avehicle scale, found at a commercialweighing station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lowerload range than the originals because theymay lower the GVWR and GAWR limita-tions. Replacement tires with a higher loadrange than the originals do not increasethe GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Driving tips8-13
–CONTINUED–
8-26Driving tips
blind spots occur with the vehicle’s stan-dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors thatconform with Federal, state/province and/or other applicable regulations.
!Trailer lights
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improperconnection of trailer lights maydamage your vehicle’selectricalsystem and cause a malfunction ofyour vehicle’s lighting system.
Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle’s electrical system requires modifica-tions to the vehicle’s lighting circuit toincrease its capacity and accommodatewiring changes. To ensure the trailer lightsare connected properly, please consultyour SUBARU dealer. Check for properoperation of the turn signals, stop lightsand 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 tosustain the towing load. Use of thetemporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tireand/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicleare properly inflated. Refer to“Tires”F12-8.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating andproper inflation pressure should be inaccordance with the trailer manufacturer’sspecifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tirewhen towing a trailer, ask a commercialroad service to repair the flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in yourvehicle or trailer as a precaution againstgetting a flat tire, be sure that the sparetire is firmly secured.
&Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
.Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)when towing a trailer in hillycountry on hot days.
.When towing a trailer, steering,stability, stopping distance andbraking performance will be dif-ferent from normal operation. Forsafety’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing atrailer and you should neverspeed. You should also keep thefollowing tips in mind:
!Before starting out on a trip
.Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mounting are in good condition. Ifany problems are apparent, do not tow thetrailer.
.Check that the vehicle sits horizontallywith the trailer attached. If the vehicle istippedsharply up at the front and down atthe rear, check the total trailer weight,GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, thenconfirm that the load and its distributionare acceptable.
.Check that the tire pressures arecorrect.
.Checkthat the vehicle and trailer areconnected properly. Confirm that–the trailer tongue is connectedproperly to the hitch ball.–the trailer lights connector is con-nected properly and trailer’s stop lightsilluminate when the vehicle’s brakepedal is pressed, and that the trailer’sturn signal lights flash when thevehicle’s turn signal lever is operated.–the safety chains are connectedproperly.
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-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and failure of the
tire(s). Possible resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
!Measuring and adjusting air
pressure to achieve proper in-
flation
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month 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
specific values. 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 out-
doors before driving the vehicle.
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 its pressure.
&Glossary of tire terminology
.Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of
those standard items which may be
replaced) of automatic transmis-
sion, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio,
and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-in-
stalled equipment (whether in-
stalled or not).
.Bead
The part of the tire that is made of
steel wires, wrapped or reinforced
by ply cords and that is shaped to fit
the rim.
.Bead separation
A breakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
.Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at alternate angles substantially
less than 90 degrees to the center-
line of the tread.
.Carcass
The tire structure, except tread and
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects13-5
–CONTINUED–
13-6Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
sidewall rubber which, when in-
flated, bears the load.
.Chunking
The breaking away of pieces of the
tread or sidewall.
.Cold tire pressure
The pressure in a tire that has been
driven less than 1 mile or has been
standing for three hours or more.
.Cord
The strands forming the plies in the
tire.
.Cordseparation
The parting of cords from adjacent
rubber compounds.
.Cracking
Any parting within the tread, side-
wall, or inner liner of the tire
extending to cord material.
.Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with
standard equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight
optional engine.
.Extra load tire
A tire designed to operate at higher
loads and higher inflation pressure
than the corresponding standard
tire.
.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 inflation
pressure.
.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.
13-8Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
.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.
.Tread rib
A tread section running circumfer-
entially around a tire.
.Tread separation
Pulling away of the tread from the
tire carcass.
.Treadwear indicators (TWI)
The projections within the principal
grooves designed to give a visual
indication of the degrees of wear of
the tread.
.Vehicle capacity weight
The rated cargo and luggage load
plus 150 lbs (68 kg) times the
vehicle’s designated seating capa-
city.
.Vehicle maximum load on the
tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the maximum
loaded vehicle weight and dividing
by 2.
.Vehicle normal load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal oc-
cupant weight (distributed in accor-
dance with Table 1 that is ap-
pended to the end of this section)
and dividing by 2.
.Wheel-holding fixture
The fixture used to hold the wheel
and tire assembly securely during
testing.