1999 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 224

Starting and operating If your SUBARU is not going to be used for an extended period, it is best to have the fuel tank filled to capacity. J Driving on snowy and icy roads WARNING Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control. 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. Use the engine brake effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.) Avoid locking the front wheels because that can lead to a loss of steering control. When braking with a vehicle not equipped with an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), press the brake pedal repeatedly at short intervals to prevent the wheels from locking. Then apply the brakes softly to bring the vehicle to a stop. An Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) enhances your vehicle's braking performance on snowy and icy roads. Refer to ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) in this chapter for information on braking on slippery surfaces in ABS equipped vehicle. B Wiper operation when snowing Before driving in cold weather, make sure the wiper blades are not frozen to the windshield or rear window. If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield or rear window, use the defroster with the airflow control dial in the " " position and the temperature control lever turned fully to the right until the wiper blades are completely thawed out. To thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear window defogger. 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 control dial in " " and the temperature control dial turned fully - CONTINUED - 7-39