towing SUBARU WRX 2016 Owners Manual

Illustrated index & Exterior 1) Engine hood (page 11-9)
2) Front wiper (page 3-101)
3) Headlight (page 3-95)
4) Replacing bulbs (page 11-44)
5) Moonroof (page 2-38)
6) Door locks (page 2-5)
7) Outside mirrors (page 3-111)
8) Tire pressure (page 11-33)
9) Flat tires (page 9-4)
10) Snow tires (page 8-9)
11) Fog light (page 3-99)
12) Tie-down hooks (page 9-12)
13) Towing hook (page 9-12)10

1) Rear window defogger (page 3-112)
2) Fuel filler lid and cap (page 7-5)
3) Child safety locks (page 2-32)
4) Tie-down hole (page 9-12)
5) Trunk lid (page 2-36)
6) Towing hook (page 9-12)
– CONTINUED –11

dicator light illuminates.
. Depending on the condition of the
road surface and braking force, the
brakes operate temporarily and feel
different than usual.
. When the electronic parking brake
system has a malfunction while the Hill
Holder function is activated, a chirp
sound is heard, the Hill Holder indica-
tor light turns off and the brake system
warning light turns on.
. When the hill holder activates on a
slope, the electronic parking brake is
engaged. The electronic parking brake
will release when you accelerate from
the stop. If you manually release the
electronic parking brake while the hill
holder is activated, the hill holder
function is cancelled and will not re-
engage until the vehicle has moved
some distance. In that case, you will
need to manually engage the electronic
parking brake if needed. ! Hill Holder switch
WARNINGWhen stopping on an uphill slope
with the Hill Holder function acti-
vated, release the brake pedal after
the electronic parking brake indica-
tor light has illuminated. Otherwise,
the Hill Holder function may not
operate properly and an accident
may occur.
You can activate/deactivate the Hill Holder
function by pressing the Hill Holder switch.
To activate: Press the Hill Holder switch.
To deactivate: Press the Hill Holder
switch again. Deactivate the Hill Holder function under
the following conditions.
. When towing a trailer
. When carrying a heavy load
. When you do not frequently use the
parking brake when stopping on an uphill
slope
NOTE . If the Hill Holder switch is pressed
for more than 30 seconds, the Hill
Holder indicator light turns off, and
the system ignores any further press-
ing of the switch. To activate the switch
again, turn the ignition switch to the
“ LOCK ” / “ OFF ” position and restart the
engine.
. When the Hill Holder function is
deactivated while the Hill Holder func-
tion has a malfunction, if you press the
Hill Holder switch, a chirp sounds. Starting and operating/Parking your vehicle
– CONTINUED –7-47

Starting and operating/BSD/RCTA
nation meter, and the BSD/RCTA is
deactivated.
Press the switch again to activate the
BSD/RCTA. The BSD/RCTA OFF indica-
tor disappears.
NOTE . In the following cases, press the
BSD/RCTA OFF switch to deactivate
the system. The system may not oper-
ate properly due to blocked radar
waves.
– 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
makingthewheelsrotatewhile
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
remains deactivated the next time the
ignition switch is turned to the “ ON ”
position.
. If the vehicle battery is disconnected
due to situations such as battery terminal 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
CAUTIONFCC 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.
. Canada-spec. models
This device complies with Industry
Canada licence-exempt RSS standard
(s). Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux
CNR d ’ Industrie Canada applicables aux
appareils radio exempts de licence. L ’ ex-
ploitation est autorisée aux deux condi-
tions suivantes: (1) l ’ appareil ne doit pas
produire de brouillage, et (2) l ’ utilisateur
de l ’ appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage
est susceptible d ’ en compromettre le
fonctionnement.7-62

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 .............................. 8-5
Driving precaution ............................................... 8-6
Winter driving ...................................................... 8-6Operation during cold weather ............................. 8-6 Driving on snowy and icy roads ........................... 8-8
Corrosion protection ............................................ 8-9
Snow tires ........................................................... 8-9
Tire chains ........................................................ 8-10
Rocking the vehicle ........................................... 8-10
Loading your vehicle ......................................... 8-10Vehicle capacity weight ...................................... 8-11
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........................ 8-12
Trailer towing ..................................................... 8-12
Driving tips
8

Driving tips/Driving precaution
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.
. 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.
. Frequent driving of an AWD vehicle
under hard-driving conditions such as
steep hills or dusty roads will necessitate
more frequent replacement of the follow-
ing items than that specified in the
“ Warranty and Maintenance Booklet ” .
– Engine oil
– Brake fluid
– Rear differential gear oil
– Manual transmission oil (MT mod-
els)
– Continuously variable transmission
fluid (CVT models)
– Front differential gear oil (CVT
models)
. There are some precautions that you
must observe when towing your vehicle.
For detailed information, refer to “ Towing ”
F 9-12. Driving precaution 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. Never attempt to
drive through rushing water; regardless of
its depth, it can wash away the ground
from under your tires, resulting in possible
loss of traction and even vehicle rollover. Winter driving & Operation during cold
weather Carry some emergency equipment, such
as a window scraper, a bag of sand,
flares, a small shovel and jumper cables.
Check the battery and cables. Cold
temperatures reduce battery capacity.
The battery must be in good condition to
provide enough power for cold winter
starts.
It normally takes longer to start the engine
in very cold weather conditions. Use an
engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity
for cold weather. Using heavy summer oil
will make it harder to start the engine.
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen,
use hot water to melt the ice, and after-
wards thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes
because they may damage the paint of
the vehicle.8-6

Driving tips/Trailer towing
& GVWR and GAWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating and
Gross Axle Weight Rating)
Certification label
The certification label attached to the
driver ’ s side doorjamb shows GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and GAWR
(Gross Axle Weight Rating).
The GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) must
never exceed the GVWR. GVW is the
combined total of weight of the vehicle,
fuel, driver, all passengers, luggage, and
any optional equipment. Therefore, the
GVW changes depending on the situation.
The GVWR equals Curb Weight (actual
weight of your vehicle – including standard
equipment, fluids, emergency tools and
spare tire assembly) plus the vehicle capacity weight.
In addition, the total weight applied to
each axle (GAW) must never exceed the
GAWR. The front and rear GAWs can be
adjusted by relocating luggage inside the
vehicle.
Even if the total weight of your luggage is
lower than the vehicle capacity weight,
either front or rear GAW may exceed the
GAWR, depending on the distribution of
the luggage.
When possible, the load should be evenly
distributed throughout the vehicle.
If you carry heavy loads in the vehicle, you
should confirm that GVW and front and
rear GAWs are within the GVWR and
GAWR by putting your vehicle on a
vehicle scale, found at a commercial
weighing station.
Do not use replacement tires with a lower
load range than the originals because they
may lower the GVWR and GAWR limita-
tions. Replacement tires with a higher load
range than the originals do not increase
the GVWR and GAWR limitations. Trailer towing Your vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to be used for trailer towing.
Therefore, never tow a trailer with your
vehicle.
SUBARU assumes no responsibility for
injuries or vehicle damage that may result
from trailer towing, from any trailer towing
equipment or from any errors or omissions
in the instructions accompanying such
equipment. SUBARU warranties do not
apply to vehicle damage or malfunction
caused by trailer towing.8-12

If you park your vehicle in case of an
emergency ........................................................ 9-2
Temporary spare tire ........................................... 9-2
Maintenance tools ............................................... 9-3
Flat tires ............................................................... 9-4Changing a flat tire .............................................. 9-4
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
(U.S.-spec. models) ........................................... 9-8
Jump starting ...................................................... 9-9How to jump start ................................................ 9-9
Engine overheating ............................................ 9-11If steam is coming from the engine
compartment .................................................... 9-11
If no steam is coming from the engine
compartment .................................................... 9-11 Towing ................................................................ 9-12 Towing and tie-down hooks. ............................... 9-12
Using a flat-bed truck. ........................................ 9-14
Towing with all wheels on the ground ................. 9-15
Electronic parking brake – if the electronic
parking brake cannot be released
(models with electronic parking brake
system) ............................................................ 9-16
Access key – if access key does not
operate properly ............................................. 9-16Locking and unlocking ....................................... 9-16
Switching power ................................................ 9-16
Starting engine .................................................. 9-17
Moonroof (if equipped) – if the moonroof
does not close ................................................ 9-18
If your vehicle is involved in an accident ........ 9-18In case of emergency
9

The temporary spare tire is smaller and
lighter than a conventional tire and is
designed for emergency use only. Re-
move the temporary spare tire and re-
install the conventional tire as soon as
possible because the spare tire is de-
signed only for temporary use.
Check the inflation pressure of the tem-
porary spare tire periodically to keep the
tire ready for use. The correct pressure is
as follows.
Mexico models: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3
kgf/cm 2
)
Other models: 60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2
kgf/cm 2
)
When using the temporary spare tire, note
the following.
. Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
. Do not put a tire chain on the temporary
spare tire. Because of the smaller tire size,
a tire chain will not fit properly.
. Do not use two or more temporary
spare tires at the same time.
. Do not drive over obstacles. This tire
has a smaller diameter, so road clearance
is reduced. 1) Tread wear indicator bar
2) Indicator location mark
. When the wear indicator appears on
the tread, replace the tire.
. 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.
. Always set the driver ’ s control center
differential to the manual mode and adjust
the initial LSD torque to the minimum. Maintenance tools Your vehicle is equipped with the following
maintenance tools.
. Jack
. Jack handle
. Screwdriver
. Towing hook (eye bolt)
. Wheel nut wrench In case of emergency/Maintenance tools
– CONTINUED –9-3

In case of emergency/Flat tires
1) Jack handle
1) Under-floor storage compartment (if
equipped) (Refer to “ Under-floor storage
compartment ” F 6-12.)
2) Tool bucket
3) Spare tire 1) Wheel nut wrench
2) Screwdriver
3) Jack
4) Towing hook (eye bolt)
A jack handle is stored under the floor of
the trunk. A jack and a towing hook are
stored in the tool bucket that is located in
the recess of the spare tire wheel. A
screwdriver and a wheel nut wrench are
stored in the vinyl bag. These tools can
also be stored in the tool bucket.
NOTE For how to use the jack, refer to “ Flat
tires ” F 9-4. Flat tires If you have a flat tire while driving, never
brake suddenly; keep driving straight
ahead while gradually reducing speed.
Then slowly pull off the road to a safe
place.
& Changing a flat tire WARNING. Do not jack up the vehicle on an
incline or a loose road surface.
The jack can come out of the
jacking point or sink into the
ground and this can result in a
severe accident.
. Use only the jack provided with
your vehicle. The jack supplied
with the vehicle is designed only
for changing a tire. Never get
under the vehicle while support-
ing the vehicle with this jack.9-4