Subaru Forester: Trailer hitch (dealer option)
- Never exceed the maximum weight specified for the trailer hitch. Exceeding the maximum weight could cause an accident resulting in serious personal injuries.
Permissible trailer weight changes depending on the situation.
For possible recommendations and limitations, refer to “Trailer towing”.
- 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 maximum gross weight. Towing trailers 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 locking 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.
- 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 have the 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 vehicle.
- If a trailer hitch is installed, it is not possible to install the rear towing hook.
When you tow a trailer, refer to “Trailer towing”.
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.
Do not connect safety chains to part of the vehicle other than the safety chain hooks.
Hitch harness connector
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, stop, and turn signal lights on the trailer.
NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire harness
before launching or retrieving a
watercraft.
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.
Loading your vehicle
See also:
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE. Using minim ...
Towing Your Vehicle (recreational towing)
Your vehicle may be towed behind another vehicle (such as a motorhome), provided
you use the proper towing method specified for your vehicle. The towing method you
must use depends on the specifications of your vehicle: whether it is a 2- wheel
...
