New vehicle break-in driving – the first
1,000 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 .............................. 8-5
Driving precaution ............................................... 8-6
Winter driving ...................................................... 8-6Operation during cold weather ............................. 8-6 Driving on snowy and icy roads ........................... 8-8
Corrosion protection ............................................ 8-9
Snow tires ........................................................... 8-9
Tire chains ........................................................ 8-10
Rocking the vehicle ........................................... 8-10
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-10Vehicle capacity weight ...................................... 8-11
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................ 8-12
Trailer towing ..................................................... 8-12
Driving tips
8
possible.
. Stow cargo and luggage in the
trunk whenever possible.
. To prevent cargo and luggage
from sliding forward during brak-
ing, do not stack anything in the
enlarged trunk. Keep cargo and
luggage 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 cargo or luggage in
or on the following locations as
the item may get under the
clutch, brake, or accelerator ped-
al and prevent the pedals from
being depressed properly, block
the driver ’ s vision, or hit the
driver or passengers, causing
an accident:
– At the feet of the driver
– On the front passenger or rear
seats (when stacking items)
– On the rear shelf
– On the instrument panel
– On the dashboard
CAUTION
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
NOTE For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo. & Vehicle capacity weight
Vehicle placard
The load capacity of your vehicle is
determined by weight, not by available
cargo space. The maximum load you can
carry in your vehicle is shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the driver ’ s
side door pillar. It includes the total weight
of the driver and all passengers and their
belongings, any optional equipment such
as a roof rack or bike carrier, etc. Driving tips/Loading your vehicle
– CONTINUED –8-11
Driving tips/Trailer towing
& GVWR and GAWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)
Certification label
The certification label attached to the
driver ’ s side doorjamb shows GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR
(Gross Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must
never exceed the GVWR. GVW is the
combined total of weight of the vehicle,
fuel, driver, all passengers, luggage, and
any optional equipment. Therefore, the
GVW changes depending on the situation.
The GVWR equals Curb Weight (actual
weight of your vehicle – including standard
equipment, fluids, emergency tools and
spare tire assembly) plus the vehicle capacity weight.
In addition, the total weight applied to
each axle (GAW) must never exceed the
GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
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. Trailer towing Your vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to be used for trailer towing.
Therefore, never tow a trailer with your
vehicle.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for
injuries or vehicle damage that may result
from trailer towing, from any trailer towing
equipment or from any errors or omissions
in the instructions accompanying such
equipment. SUBARU warranties do not
apply to vehicle damage or malfunction
caused by trailer towing.8-12
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
! 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 13-14 .
& 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 12-8 .
! 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-13-4
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 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. .
Cord separation
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.Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
– CONTINUED –13-5
Consumer 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 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. .
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.13-6
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
.
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 two. .
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.13-8
Table 1 — Occupant loading and distribution for vehicle normal load for
various designated seating capacities
Designated seating
capacity, number of
occupants Vehicle normal load,
number of occupants Occupant distribution in a
normally loaded vehicle
2 through 4 2 2 in front.
5 through 10 3 2 in front, 1 in second
seat.
11 through 15 5 2 in front, 1 in second
seat, 1 in third seat, 1 in
fourth seat.
16 through 22 7 2 in front, 2 in second
seat, 2 in third seat, 1 in
fourth seat. Consumer information and Reporting safety defects/Tire information
– CONTINUED –13-9