Off Road Driving 417
Water entering the engine air intake or the
exhaust pipe or water splashing onto
electrical parts may damage your vehicle
and may cause it to stall.
& Outback
CAUTION
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Frequent driving of an AWD model
under hard-driving conditions such
as rough roads or off roads will
necessitate more frequent replacement
of the following items than that
specified in the maintenance schedule
described in the “Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet.”
. Engine oil
. Brake fluid
Remember that damage done to
your SUBARU while operating it
off-road and not using common
sense precautions such as those
listed above is not eligible for warranty
coverage.
Your vehicle is classified as a utility
vehicle. Utility vehicles feature a higher
ground clearance which enables them to
be used for wide applications including offroad
driving. But please keep in mind that
your vehicle is neither a conventional offroad
vehicle nor an all-terrain vehicle. A
higher center of gravity in relation to the
tread width as compared with ordinary
passenger cars makes vehicles of this
type more likely to roll over. In reality, utility
vehicles have a significantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles. The
high ground clearance of this vehicle is a
real advantage, giving you a better view of
the road and allowing you to anticipate
problems earlier. However, remember that
your utility vehicle is not designed for highspeed
cornering comparable to ordinary
passenger cars and that your vehicle could
roll over if you make a sharp turn at high
speed. If you do take your SUBARU offroad,
certain common sense precautions
such as those in the following list should be
taken.
! Before driving
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. Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
. Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
. Secure all cargo carried inside the
vehicle and make certain that it is not piled
higher than the seatbacks. During sudden
stops or jolts, unsecured cargo could be
thrown around in the vehicle and cause
injury. Do not pile heavy loads on the roof.
Those loads raise the vehicle’s center of
gravity and make it more prone to tip over.
. Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.
! During driving
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General precautions:
. Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
. Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
. Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much more
easily tip over sideways than it can end
over end. Avoid driving straight up or down
slopes that are too steep.
. Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially
at higher speeds.
. Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
wheel and injure your hands. Instead,
drive with your fingers and thumbs on the
outside of the rim.
. Do not drive or park over or near
flammable materials such as dry grass or
fallen leaves, as they may burn easily. The
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8
Driving Tips