tow SUBARU IMPREZA 2007 3.G Owner's Manual

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 vehicles ............................ 8-5
Off road driving ................................................... 8-6
All AWD models except OUTBACK SPORT .......... 8-6
OUTBACK SPORT ............................................... 8-6
Winter driving ...................................................... 8-8
Operation during cold weather ............................. 8-8
Driving on snowy and icy roads .......................... 8-9
Corrosion protection .......................................... 8-10
Snow tires ......................................................... 8-10
Tire chains ......................................................... 8-11 Rocking the vehicle
........................................... 8-12
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-12
Vehicle capacity weight ...................................... 8-13
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................ 8-14
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ................... 8-14
Trailer hitch (if equipped) .................................. 8-17
Connecting a trailer ........................................... 8-18
When you do not tow a trailer .. .......................... 8-19
Trailer towing ..................................................... 8-20
Warranties and maintenance .............................. 8-20
Maximum load limits .......................................... 8-20
Trailer hitches .................................................... 8-23
Connecting a trailer ........................................... 8-24
Trailer towing tips .............................................. 8-25
STI front lip spoiler (if equipped) ...................... 8-28Driving tips
8

Driving tips for AWD vehicles
All-Wheel Drive distributes the engine
power to all four wheels. AWD vehicles
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 duringdeceleration.
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 vehicle is better able to climb
steeper roads under snowy or slippery
conditions 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. . 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, circumference or construction may
result in severe mechanical damage to the
drive train of your vehicle and may affect
ride, handling, braking, speedometer/od-
ometer calibration, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires. It also may be
dangerous and lead to loss of vehiclecontrol. . 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. . 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. .
Tire chains should always be placed on
the front wheels only. . There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detail information, see the “Towing ”
section in chapter 9.
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 vehicle could easily
lead to a serious accident. Driving tips
8-5

8-6Driving tips
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 vehicle could easily
lead to a serious accident.
CAUTION
Do not drive on rough roads or over
curbs in a vehicle that has 17-inch
or other ultra-low-profile tires. The
wheels and tires could be damaged
by shock forces, leading to abnor-
mal vibration or poor straight-line
tracking. Driving would then be
more difficult. &
All AWD models except
OUTBACK SPORT
Your AWD vehicle is neither a conven-
tional off-road vehicle nor an all terrain
vehicle. It is a passenger vehicle designed
primarily for on-road use. The AWD
feature gives it some limited off-road
capabilities in situations in which driving
surfaces are relatively level, obstruction-
free and otherwise similar to on-road
driving conditions. Operating it under other
than those conditions could subject the
vehicle to excessive stress which might
result in damage not eligible for repair
under warranty. If you do take your
SUBARU off-road, you should review the
common sense precautions in the next
section (applicable to the OUTBACK
SPORT) for general guidance. But please
keep in mind that your vehicle ’s off-road
capabilities are more limited than those of
the OUTBACK SPORT.
Never attempt to drive through pools and
puddles, or roads flooded with water.
Water entering the engine air intake or
the exhaust pipe or water splashing onto
electrical parts may damage your vehicle
and may cause it to stall. & OUTBACK SPORT
Your Subaru can be driven on ordinary roads or off-road. But please keep in mind
that an AWD SUBARU is a passenger
vehicle 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 the following should be taken: .
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. . 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
wheel and injure your hands. Instead drive

8-16Driving tips
F: Front of vehicle
1) T30 torx® head screw
2) Front arrow label
3) Front crossbar
4) 100LBS load label
5) Lower clamp
6) Roof rail end support 7) Joint line
8) Front arrow label
a: 3 inches (76 mm)
1. Before placing the crossbar on the roof
rails, make sure that the T-30 torx® head
screw is removed from the top of each
crossbar end support.
2. Rotate the lower clamp on the bottom
of each end support downward approxi-
mately 90 8.
3. With the front direction arrow label on
the top right side of the crossbar pointing
toward the front of the vehicle, carefully
place the crossbar across the top of the
vehicle so that the crossbar end supports
rest on the top of the roof rails approxi-
mately 3 inches (76 mm) rearward from
the seam (joint) between the front roof rail
support and the roof rail.
4. Rotate (raise) the lower clamp up to
the bottom of the roof rail and loosely
tighten the T-30 torx® head screw with the
torx® wrench provided, through the top of
the end support and into the threaded
insert in the lower clamp on each end of
the crossbar. NOTE
It may be necessary to squeeze the
lower clamp and the end support
together to compress the pads and
gain a better alignment of the pieces while trying to start the screw. Use care
not to cross-thread the screw in theinsert.
5. Adjust the alignment of the crossbar
on the roof rails, and if available, use a T-
30 torx® bit and torque wrench and tighten
the T-30 torx® head screws to 30 to 35
lbf·in (3.4 to 4.0 N·m, 0.35 to 0.41 kgf·m) of
torque (or tighten securely with the torx®
wrench provided).

Rear crossbar:
F: Front of vehicle
1) T30 torx® head screw
2) Front arrow label
3) Rear crossbar
4) Roof rail end support
5) Joint line6) Front arrow label
a: 0 inch (0 mm)
Install the rear crossbar in the same
manner as the front crossbar. NOTE
The rear crossbar should be positioned
just in front of the rear seam (joint)
between the rear roof rail support and
the roof rail.
CAUTION
Do not carry cargo on the roof when
the crossbars are removed. Lug-
gage on the roof will be thrown
forward or backward in sudden
stops or rapid accelerations, result-
ing in a dangerous road hazard.
NOTE
Before each use of the roof crossbar,
make sure the four T-30 crossbar
clamp screws have been checked,
and retightened if necessary to 35 lbf·in
(4.0 N·m, 0.41 kgf·m), as outlined in
Step #5 above. Trailer hitch (if equipped)
The trailer hitch is designed to tow a Class
1 rated load. A maximum of
2,000 lbs
(906 kg) gross trailer weight and a
maximum of 200 lbs (90 kg) gross tongue
weight are permissible for the trailer hitch.
When you tow a trailer, follow the instruc-
tions in the section “Trailer towing ”in this
chapter.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. Refer to the section “Trailer
towing ”in this chapter for possi-
ble recommendations and limita-tions.
. 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 Driving tips
8-17
– CONTINUED –

8-18Driving tips
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 a
traffic safety hazard.
. 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.
& Connecting a trailer
1. Remove the receiver cover from the
hitch receiver tube. Then insert the ball
mount into the hitch receiver tube.
2. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the
hitch receiver tube so that the pin passes
through the ball mount.
3. Insert the safety pin securely into the
hitch pin.
4. Pull the ball mount to make sure it does not come off the hitch receiver.
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate
for the ball mount and your trailer. The
hitch ball must be securely installed on the
ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with
safety chains that will hold the trailer ’s
maximum gross weight. The chains
should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping onto the
ground in case it should disconnect from
the hitch ball. Allow sufficient slack in the
chains taking tight-turn situations into
account; however, be careful not to let
them drag on the ground.

WARNING
Do not connect safety chains to part
of the vehicle other than the safety
chain hooks.
Hitch harness connector –Wagon
8. Connect the hitch wire harness ’s black
four-pin wire connector to the towing trailer ’s wire harness
9. Confirm proper function of the hitch
wire harness by individually activating the
brake, right turn signal, left turn signal,
stop, and parking lights on the trailer.
NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire har-
ness before launching or retrieving awatercraft. & When you do not tow a trailer
. Remove the ball mount from the hitch
receiver tube and insert the receiver cover
onto the hitch receiver tube. .
Place the dust cap over the four-pin
connector of the hitch wire harness to
protect against possible damage. . Occasionally lubricate terminals of the
four-pin connector using terminal grease. Driving tips
8-19

8-20Driving tips
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle ’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safety
and satisfaction depend upon proper use
of correct equipment and cautious opera-
tion of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your SUBARU dealer to assist you in
purchasing a hitch and other necessary
towing equipment appropriate for your
vehicle. In addition, be sure to follow the
instructions on correct installation and use
provided by the trailer and other towing
equipment manufacturers.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for
injuries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any
errors or omissions in the instructions
accompanying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.
& Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to
vehicle damage or malfunction caused
by trailer towing. If you use your vehicle to
tow a trailer, more frequent maintenance
will be required due to the additional load. (Refer to
“Maintenance schedule under
severe driving conditions ”in the “Warranty
and Maintenance Booklet ”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer
be towed with a new vehicle or a vehicle
with any new powertrain component (en-
gine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) of driving.
& Maximum load limits
WARNING
Never exceed the maximum load
limits explained in the following.
Exceeding the maximum load limits
could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.
CAUTION
. Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
total weight.
. Before towing a trailer, check the
trailer total weight, GVW, GAWs
and tongue load. Make sure the
load and its distribution in your
vehicle and trailer are accepta- ble.
! Total trailer weight
Total trailer weight
The total trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo load) must never exceed the
maximum weight shown in the followingtable.

Model ConditionsMaximum
total trailer
weight
MT models When towing a
trailer without brakes. 1,000 lbs
(453 kg)
When towing a
trailer with brakes. 2,000 lbs
(906 kg)
AT models When towing a
trailer without brakes. 1,000 lbs
(453 kg)
When towing a
trailer with brakes. 2,000 lbs
(906 kg)
When towing a
trailer on a long
uphill grade con-
tinuously for over
5 miles (8 km) with
an outside tem-
perature of 104 8F
(40 8C) or above. 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) !
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating(GVWR)
Gross Vehicle Weight
The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) must
never exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR).
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the
combined total of the weight of the vehicle,
driver, passengers, luggage, trailer hitch,
trailer tongue load and any other optional
equipment installed on your vehicle.
Therefore, the GVW changes depending
on the situation. Determine the GVW each
time before going on a trip by putting your
vehicle and trailer on a vehicle scale.
Certification plate
GVWR is shown on the certification plate
located on the driver ’s side doorjamb of
your vehicle. Driving tips
8-21
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1) Jack
2) Bathroom scale
The tongue load can be weighed with a
bathroom scale as shown in the illustra-
tion. When weighing the tongue load, be
sure to position the towing coupler at the
height at which it would be during actual
towing, using a jack as shown.F: Front of vehicle
The tongue load can be adjusted by
proper distribution of the load in the trailer.
Never load the trailer with more weight in
the back than in the front; approximately
60 percent of the trailer load should be in
the front and approximately 40 percent in
the rear. Also, distribute the load as evenly
as possible on both the left and rightsides.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving.
WARNING
If the trailer is loaded with more
weight in the back of trailer ’s axle
than in the front, the load is taken off the rear axle of the towing vehicle.
This may cause the rear wheels to
skid, especially during braking or
when vehicle speed is reduced dur-
ing cornering, resulting in over-
steer, spin out and/or jackknifing.
& Trailer hitches
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer.
WARNING
Never drill the frame or under-body
of your vehicle to install a commer-
cial trailer hitch. If you do, danger-
ous exhaust gas, water or mud may
enter the passenger compartment
through the drilled hole. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a
colorless and odorless gas which is
dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled.
Also, drilling the frame or under-
body of your vehicle could cause
deterioration of strength of your
vehicle and cause corrosion around
the drilled hole.
CAUTION
. Do not modify the vehicle ex- Driving tips
8-23
– CONTINUED –