[cmybootoo]

Okay its not going to be crazy snow like you guys get over in the east but for a person born and raised in sunny San Diego, CA its going to be a snowy day (expecting 14 inches of snow tomorrow).

My family decided to take a snow trip to our local mountains in Big Bear CA. On our way up I either ran over a rock or a pot hole that ended up blowing my front right tire. I have 09 forester rims (17in) on my 04 xt. Luckily the person I bought them off of included the spare tire. So here are my questions.

1. Is this the correct spare tire? 155-70-17 (im running 225-55-17s)

2. I know many of you say not to use snow chains/cables on the forester but should I consider it since im running on the spare tire? And if so, should they go in the front or rear?

3. Where should I put the spare tire? (Leave it on the front pass side or move it to the back?)

Thanks for all your help. Sorry if these are newbie questions. Ive only owned my forester for a little over a month.

The popped tire

The Spare

 

[TC2000]

Put the spare on the back and move one of those tires to the front, and pull the 4wd fuse as stated in the owners manual.

Precautions for AWD vehicles
with automatic transmission
Your vehicle is equipped with the AWD
(All-Wheel Drive) system. In addition, if
your vehicle is an AT model, before driving
your vehicle with the temporary spare tire,
deactivate the AWD capability of the
vehicle as follows:
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”
position.
2. Pull any one spare fuse out of the
spare fuse holder in the engine compartment.
Spare fuses are attached on the
back side of the fuse holder cover. You
may pick up any one fuse in the spare
fuse holder.
3. Put a spare fuse inside the FWD
connector located in the cabin and confirm
that the All-Wheel Drive warning light
“ ” illuminates. The All-Wheel-Drive
capability of the vehicle has now been
deactivated.
NOTE
After reinstalling the conventional tire,
remove the spare fuse from the FWD
connector in order to reactivate All-
Wheel Drive. Make sure to restore the
removed spare fuse in the spare fuse
holder located in the engine compartment
The temporary spare tire must be used
only on a rear wheel. If a front wheel tire
gets punctured, replace the wheel with a
rear wheel and install the temporary spare
tire in place of the removed rear wheel.

 

[neoshi]

And check torque on the lugs every so often. Don't try to go 100 mile spurts without stopping to check. A rental I got in Seattle got a flat one day and even though I tightened it as close to what I remember 70 ft/lbs felt like, the lugs still came loose after a while. Good thing I stopped every 30-50 miles to check, because one lug almost came off.

 

[cmybootoo]

Put the spare on the back and move one of those tires to the front, and pull the 4wd fuse as stated in the owners manual.
[/B]

Does this apply to my 04 XT 4eat? Because I cant find anything like that on my owners manual.

 

[TC2000]

That was out of the emergency section of mine and spare tire section.. So i cant be sure on the 04 but I dont see why it'd be any different, its pretty much the same AWD system

 

[cmybootoo]

That was out of the emergency section of mine and spare tire section.. So i cant be sure on the 04 but I dont see why it'd be any different, its pretty much the same AWD system

Thanks for the help! Ill look into this in the morning :icon_idea:

 

[adc]

Put the spare on the back and move one of those tires to the front, and pull the 4wd fuse as stated in the owners manual.
[/B]

Actually you install the fuse in the AWD slot. Just clarifying. If you get stuck, I would pull the fuse and as long as you are on snow it won't hurt to run for a short distance in AWD

 

[crewzer]

I have 09 forester rims (17in) on my 04 xt. Luckily the person I bought them off of included the spare tire. So here are my questions.

1. Is this the correct spare tire? 155-70-17 (im running 225-55-17s)

I wonder if the '04 came with a full-size spare?

If so, there wouldn't be any "space saver" specific instructions in the OM, and there doesn't appear to be an AWD disconnect fuse position. A quick review of several Forester OM's suggests that the temp / donut spare wasn't introduced into the USDM until the '06 MY. Accordingly, the small temp spare may not be a particularly good idea at all for the OP's application.

Check the vehicle placard at the bottom of the driver side "B" pillar. It'll identify size(s) and pressure(s) for the road wheels and spare. An example from the '05 OM is attached.

Either way, I'd recommend a full-size spare (compatible with the after-market 225/55R17's and not the original tire size) for the car.

HTH,
Jim / crewzer

 

[jstawgn]

09 and 04 AWD is slightly different. 04 have LSD in the rear and its not a good idea to use different size tire. If you are running in FWD the rear LSD might still lock up since its viscous clutch heat up due to speed difference. The temporary spare are not supposed to be used longer than 50 miles.

I would still move the spare tire to the rear and insert the AWD fuse but would not drive it longer than necessary. Get the tire fixed ASAP.

 

[FLdrummer]

I wonder if the '04 came with a full-size spare?

My 2004 came with a full size spare tire.

 

[neoshi]

Full size spare stopped in 06.

 

[rallymaniac]

That's a bummer. good luck on your trip

 

[cmybootoo]

Okay I put the spare in the rear and the full size in the front. My question now is regarding turning the car into FWD. I took a look at the fuse box in the cabin. This is what it looks like:

I didn't see anything that said AWD or FWD.

So I pulled off the fuse cover in the engine compartment and saw this

On the top right position (between the barcode and Fan 1 relay) is a spot that says FWD. Is this where I should stick in a fuse. If so, what size fuse. I think the biggest one I have is a 30.

Again thank you all for your help. You all made it possible to enjoy this family vacation by helping me with my problem/worries. Oh here is a picture of what it looked like outside in the morning and its been snowing the whole day.

 

[bigjay]

Don't think it matters what size fuse you use. Very little current is flowing through it.

Another related question to your thread: I plan to do a 5 tire rotation w/ my new Geolander A/T-S, but the rim on my full size spare in my '05 doesn't match the other 4 (black, like in your pictures). Should I just grab a matching 5th rim at a salvage yard? Any problems with fit in the spare wheel well?

 

[crewzer]

Here are the instructions from the 2006 OM:

NOTE
(All AWD AT non-turbo models without
Vehicle Dynamics Control system) Before
driving your vehicle with the temporary
spare tire, put a spare fuse inside
the FWD connector in the main
fuse box located in the engine compartment
and confirm that the Frontwheel
drive warning light “AWD” in the
combination meter comes on. The all
wheel drive capability of the vehicle
has now deactivated. After re-installing
the conventional tire, remove the spare
fuse from the FWD connector in order
to reactivate all wheel drive.

And here are the instructions from the 2007 OM:

NOTE
(All AWD AT models) Before driving
your vehicle with the temporary spare
tire, put a spare fuse inside the FWD
connector in the main fuse box located
in the engine compartment and confirm
that the Front-wheel drive warning
light “AWD” in the combination meter
comes on. The all wheel drive capability
of the vehicle has now deactivated.
After re-installing the conventional tire,
remove the spare fuse from the FWD
connector in order to reactivate all
wheel drive.

I don't understand the 2006 comment about the non-turbo...

Looks like just about any fuse size (5A?) should work.

Your pix indicate the temp spare is installed at the front right position. It needs to go to a back wheel position.

HTH,
Jim / crewzer

 

[cmybootoo]

I just wanted to thank you all for your help. I made it safely home and bought a new set of tires yesterday.

 

[TC2000]

Lookin Good :woohoo:

 

[adc]

Looks like just about any fuse size (5A?) should work.

I used the 10A I think. I wouldn't use the 30A