2012 Subaru Impreza Owner's Manual - Page 339

Driving tips 8-9 . You must install four winter tires that are of the same size, circumference, construction, manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), degree of wear, speed symbol and load index. Mixing tires of 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. Your vehicle is equipped with "summer tires" as original equipment, which are inadequate for driving on slippery roads such as on snow-covered or icy roads. 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 vehicle, 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 characteristics. When you choose a tire, make sure that there is enough clearance between the tire and vehicle body. Remember to drive with care at all times regardless of the type of tires on your vehicle. When the road surface is extremely slippery, you can obtain better traction by starting the vehicle with the transmission in 2nd than 1st. & Tire chains CAUTION Tire chains cannot be used on your Impreza, WRX and STI because of the lack of clearance between the tires and vehicle body. & Rocking the vehicle If you must rock the vehicle to free it from snow, sand, or mud, depress the accelerator pedal slightly and move the shift lever back and forth between "1" and "R" repeatedly. Do not race the engine. For the best possible traction, avoid spinning the wheels when trying to free the vehicle.