Subaru 2003 Impreza - Manual (Page 267)

IMPREZA(NA) A1850BE-A (ENGLISH)
Driving tips
8-14
gerous and lead to loss of vehicle control.
D 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, handling, braking and speedometer/
odometer calibration. It also may be danger-
ous and lead to loss of vehicle control.
D Do not use a combination of radial, belted
bias or bias tires since it may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics and lead to an
accident.
Your vehicle is equipped with “all season tires” as
original equipment, which are designed to provide
an adequate 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.
The optional 17-inch tires for the WRX are summer
tires. Compared with winter and all-season tires,
summer tires give significantly less grip on snowy
and icy road surfaces. Therefore, use of winter tires
is strongly recommended when driving with such
road conditions.
When you choose to install winter tires on your ve-
hicle, 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 charac-
teristics. When you choose a tire, make sure that
there is enough clearance between the tire and ve-
hicle body.
Remember to drive with care at all times regardless
of the type of tires on your vehicle.
J 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).
When a temporary spare tire is on a front wheel, re-
place the temporary spare tire with the rear tire on
the same side of the vehicle, and then fit chains on
the front tires.
Always use the utmost care when driving with tire