2009 Subaru Impreza Owner's Manual - Page 283

8-10 Driving tips windshield or rear window. If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield or rear window, use the defroster with the airflow " position and the control dial in the " temperature control dial set for maximum warmth until the wiper blades are completely thawed out. Refer to "Climate control" F4-1. If your vehicle is equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful to thaw the windshield wiper blades. Refer to "Windshield wiper deicer" F3-43. To thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear window defogger. Refer to "Rear window defogger button" F3-41. 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 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 sub- zero 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 "Corrosion protection" F10-4. & Snow tires WARNING . When replacing original tires with winter (snow) tires, make sure you use only the same size, construction and load range as the original tires listed on the tire placard. Using other sizes and construction may affect speedometer/odometer calibration and clearance between the body and tires. It also may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. . 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 dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. . Do not use a combination of radial, belted bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous handling characteristics and lead to an accident. ! Except WRX STI 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