winter tires SUBARU BAJA 2003 1.G Owners Manual

8
Driving tips New vehicle break-in driving –
the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) 8-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel economy hints 8-2
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Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) 8-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Catalytic converter 8-4
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Periodic inspections 8-5
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Driving in foreign countries 8-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving tips for AWD vehicles 8-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Off road driving 8-7
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Winter driving 8-10
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Snow tires 8-13
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Tire chains 8-14
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Rocking the vehicle 8-15
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Loading your vehicle 8-15
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Vehicle capacity weight 8-17
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GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) 8-18
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Trailer hitch (if equipped) 8-19
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Trailer towing 8-24
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Driving tips8-11
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CONTINUED –
because that could make the pedals slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check that the accelera-
tor 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 peri-
odically. nParking 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 engine running.
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long periods in cold
weather since it could freeze in that position. Instead, observe the fol-lowing:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual transmission vehicles,
and in “P” for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or when it snows, raise the wiper
blades off the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked after use on roads heavily cov-
ered with snow, or has been left parked during a snowstorm, icingmay develop on the brake system, which could cause poor braking
action. Check for snow or ice buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it, being careful not to damage
the disc brakes and brake hoses and ABS harness. n Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in the fuel system and the risk
of its freezing, use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel tank is recom-
mended during cold weather.

Driving tips8-13
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CONTINUED –
flow control dial in “” and the temperature control dial set for max-
imum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the windshield washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the wiper from working effec-
tively. If snow is stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to a safe
place, then remove it. If you stop the car 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 you could have snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Blades of this type give superior wiping performance in snowy condi-
tions. Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehicle. Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection ” section (Chapter 10).
Snow tires
WARNING
When replacing original tires with winter (snow) tires, make
sure you use only the same size and construction as recom- mended. Using other sizes or construction may affect speedome-ter/odometer calibration and clearance between the body and
tires. It also may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle con-trol. You must install four winter tires that are of the same size, cir-
cumferences, construction, brand, and load range. Mixing othersizes, circumferences or constructions may result in severe me-
chanical damage to the drive train of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking and speedometer/odometer calibration. Italso may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. Do not use a combination of radial, belted bias or bias tires
since it may cause dangerous handling characteristics and leadto an accident.

8-14
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season tires ” which are designed to
provide an adequate measure of traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance 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 thesame size, construction, brand and load range and you should never
mix radial, belted bias or bias tires since this may result in dangerous
handling 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 your vehicle.
Your vehicle comes with P225/60R16 “all season tires ” as original
equipment. You should be aware that some winter tires with that
same size designation may actually be too large for the vehicle andmay cause rubbing on sharp turns. Listed below is the winter tiresize that we recommend.
Recommended winter (snow) tire size P215/60R16 Studless
Tire chains
CAUTION
Tire chains cannot be used on tires listed below because of lack
of clearance between the tires and vehicle body. P225/60R16 tires
P215/60R16 winter (snow) tires
Driving on snowy grades or icy roads may require the use of tire chains,
in which case put the chains on the front wheels only. Use only SAE
class S type chains that are of the correct size for your tires so as not to
damage the vehicle body or suspension.

11-36
HB4001CB
Tires and wheels Types of tires
You should be familiar with type of tires present on your vehicle.
All season tires
The factory-installed tires on your new vehicle are all season tires.
All season tires are designed to provide an adequate measure of trac-
tion, handling and braking performance in year-round driving includ-
ing 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.

Maintenance and service11-37
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CONTINUED –
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 inspection
Check on a daily basis that the tires are free from serious damage, nails,
and stones. At the same time, check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer immediately if you find any problem. NOTE When the wheels and tires strike curbs or are subjected to harsh
treatment as when the vehicle is driven on a rough surface, they can suffer damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This type of
damage does not become evident until time has passed. Try not todrive over curbs, potholes or on other rough surfaces. If doing so is
unavoidable, keep the vehicle ’s speed down to a walking pace or
less, and approach the curbs as squarely as possible. Also, makesure the tires are not pressed against the curb when you park thevehicle. If you feel unusual vibration while driving or find it difficult to
steer the vehicle in a straight line, one of the tires and/or wheelsmay be damaged. Drive slowly to the nearest authorized SUBARUdealer and have the vehicle inspected. Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures helps to maximize the tires ’ service
lives and is essential for good running performance. Check and, if nec-
essary, adjust the pressure of each tire (including the spare) at least
once a month (for example, during a fuel stop) and before any long jour-
ney.
Check the tire pressures when the tires are cold. Use a pressure gauge
to adjust the tire pressures to the values shown on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the door pillar on the driver ’s side.

13-2
For U.S.A.
The following information has been compiled according to Code of Fed-eral Regulations “Title 49, Part 575 ”.
Uniform tire quality grading standards
This information indicates the relative performance of passenger car tires
in the area of treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance. This is to
aid the consumer in making an informed choice in the purchase of tires.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall be-
tween tread shoulder and maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The quality grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars. However, they do not apply to deep tread, winter type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diame-
ters of 12 inches or less, or to some limited production tires.
All passenger car tires must confirm to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half (1-1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and differences in road charac-teristics and climate. Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire ’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of as-

Index14-9
Treadwear 13-2
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Turn signal indicator lights 3-16
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Turn signal lever 3-19
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Types of tires 11-36
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U
Uniform tire quality grading standards 13-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the temporary spare tire 9-9
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V
Vanity mirror 6-4
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Vehicle capacity weight 8-17
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Vehicle finder function 2-8
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Vehicle identification 12-8
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Vehicle with driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS airbags and
lap/shoulder restraints 1-39
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Ventilator 4-2
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W
Warning and indicator lights 3-10
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Washing 10-2
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Waxing and polishing 10-3
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Wear indicators 11-41
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Wheel alignment 12-3
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Wheel balance 11-40
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Wheel replacement 11-43
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Windows 2-21
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Windshield washer fluid 11-44
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Windshield wiper and washer switches 3-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield wiper deicer (if equipped) 3-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Winter driving 8-10
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Wiper and washer 3-22
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