winter tires SUBARU FORESTER 2003 SG / 2.G Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: SUBARU, Model Year: 2003, Model line: FORESTER, Model: SUBARU FORESTER 2003 SG / 2.GPages: 420, PDF Size: 4.4 MB
Page 270 of 420
8-1
8
Driving tips
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) .. 8-3
Catalytic converter ...................................... 8-4
Periodic inspections ................................... 8-5
Driving in foreign countries ........................ 8-5
Driving tips for AWD vehicles .................... 8-6
Off road driving ........................................... 8-7
Winter driving .............................................. 8-9 Operation during cold weather ...................... 8-9
Driving on snowy and icy roads .................... 8-11
Corrosion protection ...................................... 8-12
Snow tires ........................................................ 8-12
Tire chains ....................................................... 8-13
Rocking the vehicle ........................................ 8-13
Loading your vehicle .................................. 8-14 Vehicle capacity weight .................................. 8-15
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ......... 8-16
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ............. 8-17
Trailer hitch (if equipped) ........................... 8-22 Connecting a trailer ........................................ 8-22
When you do not tow a trailer ........................ 8-24
Trailer towing ............................................... 8-25 Warranties and maintenance ......................... 8-25
Maximum load limits ....................................... 8-25
Trailer hitches ................................................. 8-30
Connecting a trailer ........................................ 8-31 Trailer towing tips ........................................... 8-32
Page 279 of 420
8-10
Driving tips
starting.
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them
with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or separate
the rubber weather strips around the door. If the door
is frozen, use hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an anti-
freeze solution. Do not use engine antifreeze or other
substitutes because they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.
Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any snow or ice
from your shoes because that could make the pedals
slippery and dangerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driving, check
that the accelerator 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 periodically.
Parkingincoldweather
Do not use the parking brake when parking for long
periods in cold weather since it could freeze in that po-
sition. Instead, observe the following:
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for manual trans-
mission 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 covered with snow, or has been left
parked during a snowstorm, icing may 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.
Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under
your vehicle. Keep snow clear of the exhaust
Page 281 of 420
8-12
Driving tips
rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts to stick on
the surface of the windshield despite wiper operation,
use the defroster with the airflow control button/dial in
“ ” and the temperature control dial set for maximum
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 effectively. 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 conditions.
Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehi- cle.
Corrosion protection
Refer to the “Corrosion protection” section (chapter
10).
Snow tires
When replacing original tires with winter
(snow) tires, make sure you use only the same
size, construction and load range as the origi-
nal tires listed on the tire placard. Using other
sizes and construction may affect speedome-
ter/odometer calibration and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. You must install four winter tires that are of
the same size, construction, brand, and load
range. Mixing other sizes or constructions may
result in severe mechanical damage to the drive
train of your vehicle and may affect ride, han-
dling, braking and speedometer/odometer cali-
bration. It also 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 lead to an acci-
dent.
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season tires” as orig-
inal equipment, which are designed to provide an ad-
Page 282 of 420
8-13
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
equate measure of traction, handling and braking
performance in year-round driving. In winter, it may be
possible to enhance performance through use of tires
designed specifically for winter driving conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on your vehi-
cle, be sure to use the correct tire size and type. You
must install four winter tires that are of the same 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. Tire chains
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.
When driving with tire chains, drive at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h).
Always use the utmost care when driving with tire
chains — overconfidence because you are driving
with tire chains could easily lead to a serious accident.
Rocking the vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand,
or mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and
move the selector lever back and forth between “D”
and “R” repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the
best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when
trying to free the vehicle.
When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can
obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the
transmission in 2nd than 1st (both for MT and AT).
Refer to the “Automatic transmission” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on holding the transmission in 2nd
position.
Page 368 of 420
11 -3 7
Maintenance and service
–CONTINUED –
Parking brake stroke
Check the parking brake stroke according to the main-
tenance schedule in the “Warranty and Maintenance
Booklet”. When the parking brake is properly adjusted,
braking power is fully applied by pulling the lever up
seven to eight notches gently but firmly (about 44 lb,
196 N, 20 kg). If the parking brake lever stroke is not
within the specified range, have the brake system
checked and adjusted at your SUBARU dealer.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 traction, handling and braking perfor-
mance 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 suit-
ed 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.
HS7014CA