Subaru Outback Manuals 2017 Outback Owner's Manual | Page 454

Driving tips/Winter driving 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” F3-59. 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” F3-8. We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades (winter blades) during the seasons you could have snow and freezing temperatures. Blades of this type give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehicle. CAUTION During high-speed driving, nonfreezing type wiper blades may not perform as well as standard wiper blades. If this happens, reduce the vehicle speed. NOTE When the season requiring non-freezing type wiper blades is over, replace them with standard wiper blades. & Corrosion protection Refer to “Corrosion protection” F10-4. & Snow tires WARNING . When replacing or installing winter tire(s), all four tires must be the same for the following items. (a) Size (b) Circumference (c) Speed symbol (d) Load index (e) Construction (f) Manufacturer 8-11 (g) Brand (tread pattern) (h) Degrees of wear For items (a) to (d), you must obey the specification that is printed on the tire placard. The tire placard is located on the driver’s door pillar. If all four tires are not the same in items (a) to (h), it may lead to serious mechanical damage to the drive train of your car and affect the following factors. — Ride — Handling — Braking — Speedometer/Odometer calibration — Clearance between the body and the tires It also may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control, and it can lead to an accident. . Do not use a combination of radial, belted bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous handling characteristics and lead to an accident. – CONTINUED –