
315 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the
rear axle, whichever is greater.
■Tire types
1Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When
installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2 All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use
year round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Also,
all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performance
compared with summer tires in highway driving.
3 Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, con-
struction and load capacity as the originally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restriction. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels. ( oP. 229) For the GAWR, see the Certification
Label. For the maximum load of the
tire, see the load limit at maximum cold
tire inflation pressure mentioned on the
sidewall of the tire. ( oP. 430)

5
When trouble arises
369 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Have the vehicle inspected immediately.
Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your SUBARU dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system;
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
SRS airbag system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The seatbelt pretensioner system;
• The front passenger occupant detection system.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS;
• The brake assist system.
Electric power steering warning light (warning buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the electric power steering sys-
tem.
(Flashes in
yellow for 15
seconds.)Keyless access with push button start system indicator
light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the keyless access with push
button start system.
Slip indicator
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The Vehicle stability control (VSC) system;
• The TRAC system

5
When trouble arises
391 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■When using the compact spare tire
●Remember that your compact spare tire is specifically designed for
use with your vehicle. Do not use your compact spare tire on another
vehicle.
●Do not use two compact spare tires simultaneously.
●Replace the compact spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possi-
ble.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shift-
ing operations that cause sudden engine braking.
●Install the compact spare tire on a front wheel.
■When storing the compact spare tire
Be careful not to catch fingers or other body parts between the compact
spare tire and the body of the vehicle.
■Speed limit when using the compact spare tire
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a compact
spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high speeds. Failing
to observe this precaution may lead to an accident causing death or seri-
ous injury.
■When the spare tire is attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following sys-
tems may not operate correctly:
●ABS & brake assist
●Vehicle stability control (VSC)
●TRAC
●Electric power steering
●Navigation system (if equipped)
●Cruise control
●LSD (if equipped)

410
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
■When it is difficult to free the vehicle Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow:
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the select
lever to P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or shift
lever to neutral (vehicles with a manual transmission).
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the rear
wheels.
Place wood, stones or some other material under the rear
wheels to help provide traction.
Restart the engine.
Shift the select lever to the D or R position (vehicles with an
automatic transmission) or shift lever to 1 or R position
(vehicles with a manual transmission) and release the park-
ing brake. Then, while exercising caution, depress the
accelerator pedal.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Press to turn off TRAC. ( oP. 218)

434 6-1. Specifications
Tire section names
Bead
Sidewall
Shoulder
Tread
Belt
Inner liner
Reinforcing rubber
Carcass
Rim lines
Bead wires
Chafer
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
This information has been prepared in accordance with regulations
issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
It provides the purchasers and/or prospective purchasers of
SUBARU vehicles with information on uniform tire quality grading.
Your SUBARU dealer will help answer any questions you may have as
you read this information.
■DOT quality grades
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these grades. Quality grades can be
found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A

435 6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
■Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a speci-
fied government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 - 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use. Performance may differ significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
■Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C,
and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turn-
ing) traction.
■Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, represent-
ing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a speci-
fied indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the labo-
ratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.

440 6-1. Specifications
Tire related termMeaning
Overall widthThe linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, including eleva-
tions due to labeling, decorations, or protective
bands or ribs
Passenger car tireA tire intended for use on passenger cars, mul-
tipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks, that
have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of
10,000 lb. or less.
Ply A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords
Ply separationA parting of rubber compound between adja-
cent plies
Pneumatic tireA mechanical device made of rubber, chemi-
cals, fabric and steel or other materials, that,
when mounted on an automotive wheel, pro-
vides the traction and contains the gas or fluid
that sustains the load
Radial ply tireA pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the tread
Reinforced tireA tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire
Section widthThe linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding ele-
vations due to labeling, decoration, or protec-
tive bands
SidewallThat portion of a tire between the tread and
bead
Sidewall separationThe parting of the rubber compound from the
cord material in the sidewall