Subaru 2004 Forester X - Manual (Page 288)

8-9
Driving tips
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could create a fire hazard.
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 under-
body. If the vehicle is used with these materials
trapped or adhering to the underbody, a mechanical
breakdown or fire could occur.
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.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from 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 pos-
sible 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).
Never equip your vehicle with tires larger than those
specified in this manual.
Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle under hard-driv-
ing conditions such as rough roads or off roads will ne-
cessitate more frequent replacement of engine oil,
brake fluid and transmission oil than that specified in
the maintenance schedule described in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet”.
Remember that damage done to your SUBARU while
operating it off-road and not using common sense pre-
cautions such as those listed above is not eligible for
warranty coverage.
Wash the vehicle’s underbody after off-road driving.
Suspension components are particularly prone to dirt
buildup, so they need to be washed thoroughly.
Always maintain a safe driving speed accord-
ing to the road and weather conditions in order
to avoid having an accident on a sharp turn,
during sudden braking or under other similar
conditions.
Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving an all
wheel drive vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.