trailer SUBARU FORESTER 2012 SH / 3.G User Guide

!Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors
provide a good rearward field of view
without significant blind spots. If significant
blind spots occur with the vehicle ’s stan-
dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors that
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. ! Trailer lights
CAUTION
Direct splicing or other improper
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle ’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle ’s lighting system. Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle
’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to
increase its capacity and accommodate
wiring changes. To ensure the trailer lights
are connected properly, please consult
your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper
operation of the brake lights and turn
signal lights each time you hitch up. ! Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the tem-
porary spare tire is used. The tem-
porary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated.
The recommended cold tire pressure
under trailer towing conditions is shownin “Tires ”F12-10. Adjust the rear tire
pressure to the recommended pressure
when the tires are cold. Normal pressure
should be maintained in the front tires.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in accordance with the trailer manufacturer
’s
specifications.
In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire
when towing a trailer, ask a commercial
road service to repair the flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your
vehicle or trailer as a precaution against
getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare
tire is firmly secured. & Trailer towing tips
WARNING
. Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. Forsafety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never
drive at excessive speeds. You
should also keep the following
tips in mind: Driving tips
8-23
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8-24Driving tips
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. . Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable. . Check that the tire pressures are
correct.. Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that:
–The trailer tongue is connected
properly to the hitch ball. – The trailer lights connector is con-
nected properly and trailer ’s brake
lights illuminate when the vehicle ’s
brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s turn signal lights flash when
the vehicle ’s turn signal lever is oper-
ated. – The safety chains are connected
properly.– All cargo in the trailer is secured
safely in position.– The side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig- nificant blind spot.
. Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel ”of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up. ! Driving with a trailer
. You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may
result in skidding or jackknifing and loss ofcontrol. . Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accel-
erations. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, always start out in first gear
and release the clutch at moderate enginerevolution. . Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.. Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal turning radius because
the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. In
a tight turn, the trailer could hit yourvehicle. . Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradually. .
When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by
attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
. Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn. . If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed
immediately by the nearest SUBARU
dealer.

!Driving on grades
. Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
heating of your vehicle ’s brakes. Do not
make sudden downshifts. . When driving uphill in hot weather, the
air conditioner may turn off automatically
to protect the engine from overheating. . When driving uphill in hot weather, pay
attention to the following indicators be-
cause the engine and transmission are
relatively prone to overheating.
–Temperature gauge (if equipped)
– Coolant temperature high warning
light (if equipped) – AT OIL TEMP warning light (AT
models)
. If any of the following conditions occur,
immediately turn off the air conditioner and
stop the vehicle in the nearest safe
location. Refer to “If you park your vehicle
in case of an emergency ”F9-2 and
“ Engine overheating ”F 9-13.
– Temperature gauge needle ap-
proaches the OVERHEAT zone (if
equipped). Refer to “Temperature
gauge (models with type A combina-
tion meter) ”F 3-11.
– Coolant temperature high warning
light illuminates (if equipped). Refer to “
Coolant temperature low indicator
light/Coolant temperature high warn-
ing light ”F 3-16.
– AT OIL TEMP warning light illumi-
nates (AT models). Refer to “AT OIL
TEMP warning light (AT models) ”F 3-
18.
. If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, avoid using the accelerator pedal
to stay stationary on an uphill slope
instead of using the parking brake or foot
brake. That may cause the transmission
fluid to overheat. . If your vehicle has an automatic trans-
mission, place the select lever as follows.
Uphill slopes: “D ”position
Downhill slopes: A low-speed gear posi-
tion to use engine braking ! Parking on a grade
Always block the wheels under both
vehicle and trailer when parking. Apply
the parking brake firmly. You should not
park on a hill or slope. But if parking on a
hill or slope cannot be avoided, you
should take the following steps.
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place chocks under
both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the chocks are in place, release
the brake pedal slowly until the chocks
absorb the load. 4. Press the brake pedal fully and then
apply the parking brake; slowly release
the brake pedal.
5. Shift into 1st or reverse gear (manual
transmission models) or the
“P ” position
(automatic transmission models) and shut
off the engine. Driving tips
8-25

3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until its thread can no longer be seen.
4. Tighten the towing hook securely
using a wheel nut wrench.
After towing, remove the towing hook fromthe vehicle and stow it in the tool bucket.
Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.
Rear towing hook:
CAUTION
If a trailer hitch is installed, it is not
possible to install the rear towinghook.
To install the rear towing hook, the
standard bumper beam must be
installed on the vehicle at a
SUBARU dealer. Consult a SUBARU
dealer for details.
Use a hitch ball and follow the
instructions below when towing. . The weight of the object being
towed must be less than the
weight of the vehicle.
. Drive the vehicle 20 mph (32
km/h) or less speed.
. Do not drive more than 31 miles
(50 km).
1. Take the towing hook out of the tool
bucket and take the screwdriver out of the
tool bag. Take the wheel nut wrench out of
the cargo area.
2. Pry off the cover on the rear bumper
using a flat-head screwdriver, and you will
find a threaded hole for attaching the
towing hook.
3. Screw the towing hook into the thread
hole until its thread can no longer be seen. In case of emergency
9-15
– CONTINUED –

Fuses and circuits &Fuse panel located in the passenger compartmentFuse
panel Fuse
rating Circuit
1 20A .Trailer
2 Empty
3 15A .Door locking
4 10A .Front wiper deicer relay
5 10A .Combination meter
6 7.5A .Remote control rear
view mirrors
. Seat heater relay
7 15A .Combination meter
. Integrated unit
8 20A .Stop light
9 15A .Front wiper deicer
10 7.5A .Power supply (battery)
11 7.5A .Turn signal unit
. Clock
12 15A .Automatic transmission
unit
. Engine control unit
. Integrated unit
13 20A .Accessory power outlet
(center console)
14 15A .Position light
. Tail light
. Rear combination light
15 Empty (FWD connector for AWD AT models)
Specifications
12-11
– CONTINUED –

13-10Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Replace any damaged or un-
evenly worn tires at the time of
rotation. After tire rotation, adjust
the tire pressures and make sure
the wheel nuts are correctly tigh-
tened. For information about the
tightening torque and tightening
sequence for the wheel nuts, referto “Flat tires ”F 9-6 .
& Vehicle load limit –how to
determine
The load capacity of your vehicle is
determined by weight, not by avail-
able cargo space. The load limit of
your vehicle is shown on the
vehicle placard attached to the
driver ’s side B-pillar. Locate the
statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs ”
on your vehicle ’s placard.
The vehicle placard also shows
seating capacity of your vehicle.
The total load capacity includes the
total weight of driver and all pas-
sengers and their belongings, any cargo, any optional equipment such
as a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike
carrier, etc., and the tongue load of
a trailer. Therefore cargo capacity
can be calculated by the followingmethod.
Cargo capacity = Load limit
(total
weight of occupants + total weight
of optional equipment + tongue
load of a trailer (if applicable))
For information about vehicle load-
ing, refer to “Loading your vehicle ”
F 8-12 .
For information about towing capa-
city and weight limits, refer to“ Trailer towing ”F 8-18 .
! Calculating total and load ca-
pacities varying seating con-
figurations
Calculate the available load capa-
city as shown in the following
examples: Example 1A
Vehicle capacity weight of the
vehicle is 900 lbs (408 kg), which
is indicated on the vehicle placard
with the statement
“The combined
weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed 900 lbs or
408 kg ”.
For example, if the vehicle has one
occupant weighing 154 lbs (70 kg)
plus cargo weighing 662 lbs (300kg).

13-12Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
with the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed 408 kg or
900 lbs ”.
For example, the vehicle has one
occupant weighing 165 lbs (75 kg)
plus cargo weighing 375 lbs (170
kg). In addition, the vehicle is fitted
with a trailer hitch weighing 22 lbs
(10 kg), to which is attached a
trailer weighing 1,764 lbs (800 kg).
10% of the trailer weight is applied
to the trailer tongue (i.e. Tongue
load = 176 lbs (80 kg)). 1. Calculate the total weight.
2.Calculate the available load ca-
pacity.
3. The result of step 2 shows that a
further 162 lbs (73 kg) of cargo can
be carried.
Example 2B
For example, if a person weighing
143 lbs (65 kg) and a child weighing
40 lbs (18 kg) now enter the same
vehicle (bringing the number of occupants to three), and a child
restraint system weighing 11 lbs (5
kg) is installed in the vehicle for the
child to use, the calculations are asfollows. 1.
Calculate the total weight.
2.Calculate the available load ca-
pacity.

13-14Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capa-
city is 650 lbs. (1,400 750 (5 6
150) = 650 lbs)
5. Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in step 4. 6. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your ve-hicle. Uniform tire quality grading standards
This information indicates the rela-
tive performance of passenger car
tires in the area of treadwear,
traction, and temperature resis-
tance. This is to aid the consumer
in making an informed choice in the
purchase of tires.
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall be-
tween tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Tem-
perature A
The quality grades apply to new
pneumatic tires for use on passen-
ger cars. However, they do not
apply to deep tread, winter type
snow tires, space-saver or tempor-
ary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 12 inches
or less, or to some limited produc-
tion tires.
All passenger car tires must con-form to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades. &
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under con-
trolled conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1-
1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate. & Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire ’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spe-

14-10Index
Size and pressure ................................................ 12-10
Types .................................................................. 11-29
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). ...... 7-27, 9-9, 11-29
Warning light ......................................................... 3-18
Tires and wheels. ...................................................... 11-29
Tools .......................................................................... 9-4
Top tether anchorages ........................................ 1-29, 1-32
Towing ...................................................................... 9-14
All wheels on the ground ........................................ 9-17
Flat-bed truck ........................................................ 9-17
Hooks ................................................................... 9-14
Weight.................................................................. 8-18
Trailer
Connecting ............................................................ 8-16
Hitch ............................................................ 8-16, 8-21
Towing .................................................................. 8-18
Towing tips ............................................................ 8-23
Trip meter ................................................................... 3-8
Turn signal Indicator lights ....................................................... 3-24
Lever .................................................................... 3-31
U
Under-floor storage compartment ................................. 6-16
USB storage device operations .................................... 5-32
V
Valet mode ................................................................ 2-17
Vanity mirror ................................................................ 6-4
Vehicle
Capacity weight ..................................................... 8-13 Identification
........................................................ 12-18
Symbols .................................................................... 3
Vehicle Dynamics Control
OFF indicator light .................................................. 3-23
OFF switch ............................................................ 7-27
Operation indicator light ........................................... 3-23
System .................................................................. 7-25
Warning light .......................................................... 3-22
W
Warning and indicator lights ......................................... 3-12
Warning chimes Seatbelt. ................................................................ 3-13
Warning light ABS...................................................................... 3-19
All-Wheel Drive ...................................................... 3-21
AT OIL TEMP ......................................................... 3-18
Automatic headlight beam leveler ............................. 3-22
Brake system ......................................................... 3-20
Charge .................................................................. 3-17
CHECK ENGINE .................................................... 3-16
Coolant temperature high ........................................ 3-16
Door open ............................................................. 3-21
Hill start assist ....................................................... 3-21
Low fuel ........................................................ 3-11, 3-21
Low tire pressure .................................................... 3-18
Oil pressure ........................................................... 3-17
Seatbelt. ................................................................ 3-13
SRS airbag system ................................................. 3-15
Vehicle Dynamics Control ........................................ 3-22
Warranties ..................................................................... 1