Get Driving tips -> Winter driving Guide for Subaru Forester SUV 2024

^{Winter driving}403

the vehicle.

& After driving

8-10. Winter driving

Always check your brakes for effective-

ness immediately after driving in sand,

mud or water. Do this by driving slowly

and stepping on the brake pedal.

Repeat that process several times to

dry out the brake discs and brake pads.

If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with

a different concentration from the one

used previously, purge the old fluid from

the piping between the reservoir tank and

washer nozzles by operating the washer

for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if

the concentration of the fluid remaining in

the piping is too low for the outside

temperature, it may freeze and block the

nozzles.

& Operation during cold weath-

! Maintenance

Carry some emergency equipment, such

as a window scraper, a bag of sand, flares,

a small shovel and jumper cables.

After driving through tall grass, mud,

rocks, sand, rivers, etc., check that

there is no grass, bush, paper, rags,

stones, sand, etc. adhering to or

trapped on the underbody. Clear off

any such matter from the underbody. If

the vehicle is used with these materials

trapped or adhering to the underbody, a

mechanical breakdown or fire could

occur.

Check the battery and cables. Cold tem-

peratures reduce battery capacity. The

battery must be in good condition to

provide enough power for cold winter

starts.

CAUTION

Adjust the washer fluid concen-

tration appropriately for the out-

side temperature. If the concen-

tration is inappropriate, sprayed

washer fluid may freeze on the

windshield and obstruct your

view, and the fluid may freeze in

the reservoir tank.

It normally takes longer to start the engine

in very cold weather conditions. Use an

engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity

for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil

will make it harder to start the engine.

Keep the door locks from freezing by

squirting them with deicer or glycerin.

Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-

road driving. Suspension components

are particularly prone to dirt buildup, so

they need to be washed thoroughly.

State or local regulations on

volatile organic compounds may

restrict the use of methanol, a

common windshield washer anti-

freeze additive. Washer fluids

containing non-methanol anti-

freeze agents should be used

only if they provide cold weather

protection without damaging

your vehicle’s paint, wiper blades

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 con-

tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use

engine antifreeze or other substitutes

because they may damage the paint of

– CONTINUED –

Winter driving

404

or washer system.

! Refueling in cold weather

CAUTION

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 recommended during cold weather.

Use only additives that are specifically

designed for this purpose. When an anti-

freeze additive is used, its effect lasts

longer if the tank is refilled whenever the

fuel level reaches half empty.

Do not use the parking brake

when parking for long periods in

cold weather since it could freeze

in that position.

! Before driving your vehicle

Before entering the vehicle, remove any

snow or ice from your shoes because that

could make the pedals slippery and driving

dangerous.

When the vehicle is parked in

snow or when it snows, raise the

wiper blades off the glass to

prevent damage to them.

While warming up the vehicle before

driving, check that the accelerator pedal,

brake pedal, and all other controls operate

smoothly.

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, brake hoses or ABS

harness.

If your SUBARU is not going to be used for

an extended period, it is best to have the

fuel tank filled to capacity.

Clear away ice and snow that has accu-

mulated 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.

! Opening rear gate (models with

power rear gate)

CAUTION

! Parking in cold weather

Before operating the power rear

gate, check that there is no frost or

snow between the power rear gate

and the vehicle body. If you notice

frost or snow etc. on the power rear

gate, remove it. If you forcibly oper-

ate the power rear gate with frost or

snow, it may cause a malfunction.

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.

When parking for long periods in cold

weather, you should observe the following

tips.

1. Place the select lever in the “P”

position.

2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent

the vehicle from moving.

^{Winter driving}405

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 selection in “ ” and the

temperature set for maximum warmth.

After the windshield gets warmed enough

to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away

using the windshield washer. Refer to

“Windshield washer” �P242.

& Driving on snowy and icy

CAUTION

roads

Avoid prolonged continuous driving

in snowstorms. Snow will enter the

engine’s intake system and may

hinder the airflow, which could re-

sult in engine shutdown or even

breakdown.

To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid

sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-

speed driving, and sharp turning when

driving on snowy or icy roads.

Always maintain ample distance between

your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you

to avoid the need for sudden braking.

To supplement the foot brake, use the

engine brake effectively to control the

vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear

when necessary.)

Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such beha-

vior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly

leading to loss of vehicle control.

! Wiper operation when snowing

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

vehicle at road side, use the hazard

warning flasher to alert other drivers. Refer

to “Hazard warning flasher” �P164.

Before driving in cold weather, make sure

the wiper blade rubbers are not frozen to

the windshield or rear window.

If the wiper blade rubbers are frozen to the

windshield or rear window, perform the

following procedure.

! Lighting operation when snowing

To thaw the windshield wiper blade

rubbers, use the defroster with the

airflow selection in “ ” and the tem-

perature set for maximum warmth until

the wiper blade rubbers are completely

thawed. Refer to “Climate control”

�P259.

If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper

deicer, use it. It is helpful to thaw the

windshield wiper blade rubbers. Refer

to “Defogger and deicer” �P254.

An anti-lock brake system (ABS) en-

hances your vehicle’s braking perfor-

mance on snowy and icy roads. For

information on braking on slippery sur-

faces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake

System)” �P334 and “Vehicle Dynamics

Control system” �P336.

Check that the headlights are clean before

driving. If snow, frost or ice are attached to

the headlights, remove it.

If the headlights are not clean, they will not

light the front normally. Also if the indica-

tors and brake lamps are not clean, the

vehicle will not be able to inform its status

to other drivers and it may result in an

accident.

WARNING

Do not use the cruise control on

slippery roads such as snowy or icy

roads. This may cause loss of vehi-

cle control.

& Corrosion protection

Refer to “Corrosion protection” �P449.

To thaw the rear wiper blade rubbers,

use the rear window defogger. Refer to

“Defogger and deicer” �P254.

– CONTINUED –

Winter driving

406

body.

–

Speedometer/Odometer cali-

bration

& Snow tires

WARNING

Remember to drive with care at all times

regardless of the type of tires on your

vehicle.

Clearance between the body

and tires

When replacing or installing win-

ter tire(s), all four tires must be

the same for following items.

It also may be dangerous and

lead to loss of vehicle control,

and it can lead to an accident.

& Tire chains

(a) Size

CAUTION

Do not use a combination of

radial, belted bias or bias tires

since it may cause dangerous

handling characteristics and lead

to an accident.

(b) Speed symbol

Tire chains cannot be used on your

vehicle because of the lack of clear-

ance between the tires and vehicle

body.

(d) Circumference

(e) Construction

(f) Manufacturer

(g) Brand (tread pattern)

(h) Degrees of wear

Your vehicle is equipped with “all season

tires” as original equipment, 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 driving conditions.

When 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 the same size, construc-

tion, brand and load range and you should

never mix radial, belted bias or bias tires

since this may result in dangerous hand-

ling characteristics. When you choose a

tire, make sure that there is enough

clearance between the tire and vehicle

NOTE

When tire chains cannot be used, use of

another type of traction device (such as

spring chains) may be acceptable if use

on your vehicle is recommended by the

device manufacturer, taking into ac-

count tire size and road conditions.

Follow the device manufacturer’s in-

structions, especially regarding max-

imum vehicle speed.

To help avoid damage to your vehicle,

drive slowly, readjust or remove the

device if it is contacting your vehicle,

and do not spin your wheels. Damage

caused to your vehicle by use of a

traction device is not covered under

warranty.

For the items (a) to (c), you must

obey the specification that is

printed on the tire inflation pres-

sure label. The tire inflation pres-

sure label is located on the dri-

ver’s door pillar.

If all the four tires are not the

same for items (a) to (h), serious

mechanical damage could be

caused to the drivetrain of the

car, and affect the followings.

–

Ride

Handling

Braking

^{Loading your vehicle}407

Make certain that any traction device

you use is an SAE class S device, and

use it on the front wheels only. Always

use the utmost care when driving with a

traction device. Overconfidence be-

cause you are using a traction device

could easily lead to a serious accident.

8-11. Loading your vehicle

WARNING

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.

WARNING

Never allow passengers to ride

on a folded rear seatback in the

cargo area. Doing so may result

in serious injury.

& Rocking the vehicle

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.

Never stack luggage or other

cargo higher than the top of the

seatback because it could tumble

forward and injure passengers in

the event of a sudden stop or

accident. Keep luggage or cargo

low, as close to the floor as

possible.

If you must rock the vehicle to free it from

snow, sand, or mud, depress the accel-

erator pedal slightly and move the select

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.

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.

For information about holding the trans-

mission in the 2nd position, refer to

“Selection of manual mode” �P326.

Do not place anything on the

extended cargo area cover. Such

items could tumble forward in the

event of a sudden stop or a

collision. This could cause ser-

ious injury.

– CONTINUED –

Driving tips -> Winter driving for Your Subaru Forester SUV 2024

Popular Manuals