tow SUBARU CROSSTREK 2017 1.G Owner's Guide

spare tire, the effectiveness of
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system is reduced and this
should be taken into account
when driving the vehicle in
such a condition.
.If non-matching tires are used,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system may not operate cor-
rectly.
.The Vehicle Dynamics Control
system helps prevent unstable
vehicle motion such as skidding
using control of the brakes and
engine power. Do not turn off the
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem unless it is absolutely ne-
cessary. If you must turn off the
Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem, drive very carefully accord-
ing to the road surface condi-
tions.
&System features
In the event of wheelspin and/or skidding
on a slippery road surface and/or during
cornering and/or an evasive maneuver,
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
adjusts the engine’s output and the
wheels’respective braking forces to helpmaintain traction and directional control.
.Traction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to
prevent spinning of the driving wheels on
slippery road surfaces, thereby helping to
maintain traction and directional control.
Activation of this function is shown by
flashing the Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light.
.Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed
to help maintain directional stability by
suppressing the wheels’tendency to slide
sideways during steering operations. Acti-
vation of this function is shown by flashing
the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light.
NOTE
.The Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem may be considered normal when
the following conditions occur.
–Slight twitching of the brake
pedal is felt.
–The vehicle or steering wheel
shakes to a small degree.
–An operating sound from the
engine compartment is heard
briefly when starting the engine
and when driving off after starting
the engine.–The brake pedal seems to jolt
when driving off after starting the
engine.
.In the circumstances shown in the
following list, the vehicle may be less
stable than it feels to the driver. The
Vehicle Dynamics Control System may
therefore operate. Such operation does
not indicate a system malfunction.
–on gravel-covered or rutted
roads
–on unfinished roads
–when the vehicle is towing a
trailer
–when the vehicle is fitted with
snow tires or winter tires
.Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics
Control system will cause operation of
the steering wheel to feel slightly
different compared to that for normal
conditions.
.It is always important to reduce
speed when approaching a corner,
even if your vehicle is equipped with
the Vehicle Dynamics Control system.
.Always turn off the engine before
replacing a tire. Failure to do so may
render the Vehicle Dynamics Control
system unable to operate correctly.
Starting and operating/Vehicle Dynamics Control system
–CONTINUED–7-35

Starting and operating/Parking your vehicle
When parking on a hill, always turn the
steering wheel. When the vehicle is
headed up the hill, the front wheels should
be turned away from the curb.
When facing downhill, the front wheels
should be turned into the curb.
WARNING
.Never leave unattended children
or pets in the vehicle. They could
accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, the tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to
cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to people.
.Do not park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags, as
they may burn easily if they come
near hot engine or exhaust sys-
tem parts.
.Be sure to stop the engine if you
take a nap in the vehicle. If
engine exhaust gas enters the
passenger compartment, occu-
pants in the vehicle could die
from carbon monoxide (CO) con-
tained in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION
.If your vehicle has a front under-
spoiler and rear underspoiler
(both optional), pay attention toblocks and other obstructions on
the ground when parking. The
underspoilers could be damaged
by contact with them.
.The braking power of the parking
brake may not be sufficient when
stronger braking power is
needed (e.g., when parking on a
steep slope while towing a trai-
ler).
7-40

Starting and operating/Hill start assist system
.when starting backward facing uphill
.when starting forward facing downhill
.while the parking brake is applied
.while the ignition switch is in the“ACC”
or“LOCK”/“OFF”position
.while the Hill start assist warning light/Hill start assist OFF indicator light is
illuminated
When using the Hill start assist system, a
braking effect may be felt even after the
brake pedal has been released. However,
for MT models, this braking effect should
disappear once the clutch pedal is re-
leased.
CAUTION
The braking power of the Hill start
assist system may not be sufficient
when strong braking power is
needed (e.g., while towing a trailer).
NOTE
A slight jolt may be felt when the
vehicle begins to move forward after
being reversed.
&To activate/deactivate the Hill
start assist system
CAUTION
While the Hill start assist system is
deactivated, when starting on an
uphill grade, braking power is not
maintained if the brake pedal is
released. Start on an uphill grade
by using the parking brake.
You can activate/deactivate the Hill start
assist system according to the following
procedure.
NOTE
If you make an error when performing
any steps in the following procedure,
place the ignition switch in the
“LOCK”/“OFF”position once and then
start over again.
!To deactivate
1. Park your vehicle in a flat and safe
location and apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK”/
“OFF”position.
3. Restart the engine.
7-42

Starting and operating/Cruise control
assist OFF indicator light blinks.
8. Turn the ignition switch to the“LOCK”/
“OFF”position. The hill start assist system
has now been deactivated.
NOTE
While the Hill start assist system is
deactivated, the Hill start assist OFF
indicator light blinks.
!To activate
When the procedure to deactivate the Hill
start assist system is performed again, the
system is activated. When the Hill start
assist system is activated, the Hill start
assist OFF indicator light turns off.
&Hill start assist warning light/
Hill start assist OFF indicator
light
Refer to“Hill start assist warning light/Hill
start assist OFF indicator light”F3-22.
Cruise control (if equipped)
NOTE
For models with EyeSight system:
Refer to the Owner’s Manual supple-
ment for the EyeSight system.
Cruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions.
These may cause loss of vehicle
control.
.driving up or down a steep grade
.driving on slippery or winding
roads
.driving in heavy traffic
.towing a trailer
NOTE
Make sure the cruise control system is
turned off when the cruise control is
not in use to avoid unintentionally
setting of the cruise control.
&To set cruise control
Cruise control main button
1. Press the cruise control main button.
Cruise control indicator light (type A)
7-44

Starting and operating/BSD/RCTA
with a low body height such as
sports cars or a trailer with no
cargo)
–Vehicles that are not approach-
ing your vehicle even though they
are in the detection area (either on a
neighboring lane to the rear or
beside your vehicle when rever-
sing) (The system determines the
presence of approaching vehicles
based on data detected by the radar
sensors.)
–Vehicles traveling at significantly
different speeds
–Vehicles driving in parallel at
almost the same speed as your
vehicle for a prolonged time
–Oncoming vehicles
–Vehicles in a lane beyond the
neighboring lane
–Vehicles travelling at a signifi-
cantly lower speed that you are
trying to overtake
.On a road with extremely narrow
lanes, the system may detect vehicles
driving in a lane next to the neighbor-
ing lane.&BSD/RCTA approach indica-
tor light/warning buzzer
While the BSD/RCTA is active, the follow-
ing item(s) will operate to alert the driver:
.The BSD/RCTA approach indicator
light (when there are vehicles in the
neighboring lanes).
.The BSD/RCTA approach indicator
light and warning buzzer (when a vehicle
is approaching from the left or right side
while your vehicle is reversing)
!BSD/RCTA approach indicator light
BSD/RCTA approach indicator light
It is mounted on each side of the outside
mirrors.
The indicator light will
illuminate when a
vehicle approaching from behind is de-tected.
The indicator light will
flash to warn the
driver of dangers under the following
conditions.
.While the indicator light is illuminating,
if the turn signal lever is operated toward
the side in which this light turned on
.When reversing the vehicle while the
system detects a vehicle approaching
from either side
!BSD/RCTA approach indicator
light dimming function
When the headlights are turned on, the
brightness of the BSD/RCTA approach
indicator light will be reduced.
NOTE
.You may have difficulty seeing the
BSD/RCTA approach indicator light
under the following conditions.
–When sunlight shines directly on
it
–When the headlight beams from a
vehicle traveling behind shines di-
rectly on it
.While the illumination brightness
control dial is in the fully upward
position, even if the headlights are
turned on, the brightness of the BSD/
RCTA approach indicator light will not
be reduced. For details about the
7-52

&BSD/RCTA OFF switch
BSD/RCTA OFF switch
BSD/RCTA OFF indicator
If the BSD/RCTA OFF switch is pressed,
the BSD/RCTA OFF indicator appears on
the multi information display of the combi-nation meter, and the BSD/RCTA is
deactivated.
Press the switch again to activate the
BSD/RCTA. The BSD/RCTA OFF indica-
tor will disappear.
NOTE
.In the following cases, the system
may not operate properly due to
blocked radar waves. Press the BSD/
RCTA OFF switch to deactivate the
system.
–When towing a trailer
–When a bicycle carrier or other
item is fitted to the rear of the
vehicle
–When using a chassis dynam-
ometer or free roller device, etc.
–When running the engine and
making the wheels rotate while
lifting up the vehicle
.If the ignition switch is turned to the
“LOCK”/“OFF”position, the last known
status of the system is maintained. For
example, if the ignition switch is turned
to the“LOCK”/“OFF”position with the
BSD/RCTA deactivated, the BSD/RCTA
will remain deactivated the next time
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON”position.
.If the vehicle battery is disconnected
duetosituationssuchasbatteryterminal or fuse replacement, after the
battery is reconnected, the BSD/RCTA
will be activated.
&Certification for the BSD/
RCTA
U.S.-spec. models:
FCC ID: OAYSRR2A
CAUTION
FCC WARNING
Changes or modifications not ex-
pressly approved by the party re-
sponsible for compliance could void
the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
Starting and operating/BSD/RCTA
–CONTINUED–7-55

New vehicle break-in driving–the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km)..................................... 8-2
Fuel economy hints............................................ 8-2
Engine exhaust gas (carbon monoxide)............ 8-2
Catalytic converter.............................................. 8-3
Periodic inspections........................................... 8-4
Driving in foreign countries............................... 8-4
Driving tips for AWD models.............................. 8-4
Off road driving................................................... 8-6
Before driving..................................................... 8-6
During driving..................................................... 8-6
After driving........................................................ 8-7
Winter driving...................................................... 8-8Operation during cold weather............................. 8-8
Driving on snowy and icy roads.......................... 8-9
Corrosion protection.......................................... 8-10
Snow tires......................................................... 8-10Tire chains........................................................ 8-11
Rocking the vehicle........................................... 8-11
Loading your vehicle......................................... 8-12
Vehicle capacity weight...................................... 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating)........................ 8-13
Roof rail............................................................ 8-14
Trailer hitch (dealer option)............................... 8-15Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-16
If not towing a trailer.......................................... 8-17
Trailer towing..................................................... 8-17Warranties and maintenance.............................. 8-17
Maximum load limits.......................................... 8-18
Trailer Hitches................................................... 8-21
Connecting a trailer........................................... 8-22
Trailer towing tips.............................................. 8-23
Driving tips
8

printed on the tire placard. The
tire placard is located on the
driver’s door pillar.
If all of four tires are not the same
for items (a) to (h), serious me-
chanical damage could occur to
the drive train of your car, and
affect the following.
—Ride
—Handling
—Braking
—Speedometer/Odometer
calibration
—Clearance between the body
and tires
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
CAUTION
If you use a temporary spare tire to
replace a flat tire, be sure to use the
original temporary spare tire stored
in the vehicle. Using other sizes may
result in severe mechanical damage
to the drive train of your vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD models
provide better traction when driving on
slippery, wet or snow-covered roads and
when moving out of mud, dirt and sand.
By shifting power between the front and
rear wheels, SUBARU AWD can also
provide added traction during acceleration
and added engine braking force during
deceleration.
Therefore, your SUBARU AWD vehicle
may handle differently than an ordinary
two wheel drive vehicle and it contains
some features unique to AWD. For safety
purposes as well as to avoid damaging
the AWD system, you should keep the
following tips in mind.
.An AWD model is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slipperyconditions than a two wheel drive vehicle.
There is little difference in handling,
however, during extremely sharp turns or
sudden braking. Therefore, when driving
down a slope or turning corners, be sure
to reduce your speed and maintain an
ample distance from other vehicles.
.Always check the cold tire pressure
before starting to drive. The recom-
mended tire pressure is provided on the
tire placard, which is located under the
door latch on the driver’s side.
.There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detailed information, refer to“Towing”
F9-13.
Driving tips/Driving tips for AWD models8-5

Driving tips/Off road driving
Off road driving
WARNING
.Always maintain a safe driving
speed according to the road and
weather conditions in order to
avoid having an accident on a
sharp turn, during sudden brak-
ing or under other similar condi-
tions.
.Always use the utmost care in
driving–overconfidence be-
cause you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive model could easily
lead to a serious accident.
CAUTION
Frequent driving of an AWD model
under hard-driving conditions such
as rough roads or off roads will
necessitate more frequent replace-
ment of the following items than that
specified in the maintenance sche-
dule described in the“Warranty and
Maintenance Booklet”.
.Engine oil
.Brake fluid
.Manual transmission oil (MTmodels)
.Continuously variable transmis-
sion fluid (CVT models)
.Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
Remember that damage done to
your SUBARU while operating it
off-road and not using common
sense precautions such as those
listed here is not eligible for war-
ranty coverage.
Because of the AWD feature and higher
ground clearance, you can drive your
SUBARU on ordinary roads or off-road.
But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is
neither a conventional off-road vehicle
nor an all-terrain vehicle. If you do take
your SUBARU off-road, certain common
sense precautions such as those in the
following list should be taken.
&Before driving
.Make certain that you and all of your
passengers are wearing seatbelts.
.Carry some emergency equipment,
such as a towing rope or chain, a shovel,
wheel blocks, first aid kit and cell phone or
citizens band radio.
.Secure all cargo carried inside thevehicle and make certain that it is not
piled higher than the seatbacks. During
sudden stops or jolts, unsecured cargo
could be thrown around in the vehicle and
cause injury. Do not pile heavy loads on
the roof. Those loads raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity and make it more prone
to tip over.
.Never equip your vehicle with tires
larger than those specified in this manual.
&During driving
General precautions:
.Drive carefully. Do not take unneces-
sary risks by driving in dangerous areas or
over rough terrain.
.Slow down and employ extra caution at
all times. When driving off-road, you will
not have the benefit of marked traffic
lanes, banked curves, traffic signs and
the like.
.Do not drive across steep slopes.
Instead, drive either straight up or straight
down the slopes. A vehicle can much
more easily tip over sideways than it can
end over end. Avoid driving straight up or
down slopes that are too steep.
.Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
.Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel. A bad bump could jerk the
8-6

Trailer hitch (dealer option)
WARNING
.Never exceed the maximum
weight specified for the trailer
hitch. Exceeding the maximum
weight could cause an accident
resulting in serious personal in-
juries. Permissible trailer weight
changes depending on the situa-
tion. For possible recommenda-
tions and limitations, refer to
“Trailer towing”F8-17.
.Trailer brakes are required when
the towing load exceeds 1,000
lbs (453 kg). Be sure your trailer
has safety chains and that each
chain will hold the trailer’s max-
imum gross weight. Towing trai-
lers without safety chains could
create a traffic safety hazard if
the trailer separates from the
hitch due to coupling damage or
hitch ball damage.
.Be sure to check the hitch pin
and safety pin for positive lock-
ing placement before towing a
trailer. If the ball mount comes off
the hitch receiver, the trailer
could get loose and create atraffic safety hazard.
.Although towing regulations for
trailer or caravan vehicles vary
by state/region, all regulations
agree that specifications such
as the maximum gross trailer
weight must not exceed the les-
ser of the following:
–Maximum gross trailer weight
–Maximum gross tongue
weight
–GVWR
–GAWR
.Failure to comply with the proce-
dures set forth will not only
compromise your safety, but will
also negate your insurance cov-
erage and/or may violate the
state road and traffic acts and
regulations.
.Use only the ball mount supplied
with this hitch. Use the hitch only
as a weight carrying hitch. Do not
use with any type of weight
distributing hitch.
.The standard bumper beam must
be installed after you remove the
trailer hitch. Consult a SUBARU
dealer for purchase of a standard
bumper beam if you do not havethe original.
.Safety performance is decreased
and there is increased risk of
injury to passengers in the case
of an accident if the trailer hitch
or a standard bumper beam is
not installed. One of them must
always be installed on the vehi-
cle.
.If a trailer hitch is installed, it is
not possible to install the rear
towing hook.
The maximum gross trailer weight and
maximum gross tongue weight are indi-
cated in the following table.
Maximum
gross trailer
weightMaximum
gross ton-
gue weight
Crosstrek models1,500 lbs
(680 kg)200 lbs
(90 kg)
When towing a trailer, refer to“Trailer
towing”F8-17.
Driving tips/Trailer hitch (dealer option)
–CONTINUED–8-15