1998 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 193

Starting and operating formance 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 to the right. 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 car at road side, use the hazard warning flasher to alert other drivers. We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades during the seasons you could have snow falling and sub-zero temperature. J Snow tires D When replacing a tire, make sure you use only the same size, construction, brand, and load range as the original tires listed on the tire placard. Using other sizes or construction may result in severe mechanical damage to the drive train of your vehicle and may affect ride, handling, braking, speedometer/odometer calibration, and clearance between the body and tires. It also may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle control. D Do not use a combination of radial, belted bias or bias tires since it may cause dangerous handling characteristics and lead to an accident. - CONTINUED - WARNING 7-39