2008 Subaru Outback Owner's Manual - Page 301

8-10 Driving tips CAUTION Avoid prolonged continuous driving in snowstorms. Snow will enter the engine's intake system and may hinder the air flow, which could result in engine shutdown or even breakdown. To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, highspeed 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. To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.) Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control. An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehicle's braking performance on snowy and icy roads. Refer to the "ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)" and "Vehicle Dynamics Control system" section in chapter 7 for information on braking on slippery surfaces. ! 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 button/dial in the " " position and the temperature control dial set for maximum warmth until the wiper blades are completely thawed out. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful to thaw the windshield wiper blades. 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 button/dial in " " and the temperature control dial set for maximum warmth. After the windshield gets warmed enough to melt the frozen snow on it, wash it away using the windshield washer. 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. We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades (winter blades) during the seasons you could have snow and subzero 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 the "Corrosion protection" section (chapter 10).