Get In case of emergency -> Towing Guide for Subaru Forester SUV 2024

^Towing435

scratch the bumper. Insert the flat-

head screwdriver into the cutout of

the cover and pry open the cover.

& Towing hooks and tie-down

9-7. Towing

hooks/holes

If towing is necessary, it is best done by

your SUBARU dealer or a commercial

towing service. Observe the following

procedures for safety.

The towing hooks should be used only in

an emergency.

CAUTION

Use only the specified towing hooks

and tie-down hooks/holes. Never

use suspension parts or other parts

of the body for towing or tie-down

purposes.

! Front towing hook

1. Take the towing hook, screwdriver and

jack handle out of the cargo area.

3. Screw the towing hook into the thread

hole until its thread can no longer be

seen.

WARNING

Never tow AWD models with the

front wheels raised off the ground

while the rear wheels are on the

ground, or with the rear wheels

raised off the ground while the front

wheels are on the ground. This will

cause the vehicle to spin away due

to the operation or deterioration of

the center differential.

2. Cover the tip of a flat-head screwdriver

with vinyl tape or cloth so that it will not

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Towing

436

4. Tighten the towing hook securely using

the jack handle.

! Rear towing hook

1. Take the towing hook and screwdriver

out of the tool bucket. Take the jack

handle out of the cargo area.

After towing, remove the towing hook from

the vehicle and stow it in the tool bucket.

Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.

WARNING

Do not use the towing hook

except when towing your vehicle.

Be sure to remove the towing

hook after towing. Leaving the

towing hook mounted on the

vehicle could interfere with prop-

er operation of the SRS airbag

system in a frontal collision.

3. Screw the towing hook into the thread

hole until its thread can no longer be

seen.

2. Cover the tip of a flat-head screwdriver

with vinyl tape or cloth so that it will not

scratch the bumper. Pry off the cover

on the rear bumper using a screwdri-

ver, and you will find a threaded hole

for attaching the towing hook.

CAUTION

To prevent deformation to the bum-

per and the towing hook, do not

apply an excessive load to the tow-

ing hook.

4. Tighten the towing hook securely using

the jack handle.

^Towing437

After towing, remove the towing hook from

the vehicle and stow it in the tool bucket.

Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.

about the BSD/RCTA OFF switch,

refer to “BSD/RCTA OFF switch”

�P365.

! Rear tie-down holes

WARNING

! Front tie-down hooks

Do not use the towing hook

except when towing your vehicle.

Be sure to remove the towing

hook after towing. Leaving the

towing hook mounted on the

vehicle could interfere with prop-

er operation of the fuel pump

shut off function when the vehi-

cle is struck from behind.

CAUTION

To prevent deformation to the

bumper and the towing hook, do

not apply an excessive load to

the towing hook.

The front tie-down hooks are located

between each of the front tires and the

front bumper.

For models equipped with the

BSD (Blind Spot Detection) and

RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert)

driving support systems, when

towing another vehicle, press the

BSD/RCTA OFF switch to deacti-

vate the system. The system may

not operate properly due to the

blocked radar waves. For details

Rear tie-down hole

The rear tie-down holes are located near

each of the jack-up reinforcements.

There is a plug in each rear tie-down hole.

To use the rear tie-down holes, remove the

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Towing

438

plugs. After using the rear tie-down holes,

return the plugs to their original places.

3. Secure the vehicle onto the carrier

properly with safety chains. Each

safety chain should be equally tigh-

tened and care must be taken not to

pull the chains so tightly that the

suspension bottoms out.

& Towing with all wheels on the

ground

WARNING

Use the rear tie-down holes only for

downward anchoring. If they are

used to anchor the vehicle in any

other direction, cables may slip out

of the holes, possibly causing a

dangerous situation.

CAUTION

If your vehicle has a bumper

under guard (optional), be careful

not to scrape it when placing the

vehicle on the carrier and when

removing the vehicle from the

carrier.

& Using a flat-bed truck

Transport by flat-bed truck may

cause the headlights to become

misaligned. In such a case, have

the headlight alignment checked

by a SUBARU dealer after trans-

porting the vehicle by flat-bed

truck.

1. Release the parking brake and put the

transmission in the neutral position.

2. The ignition switch should be in the

“ON” position while the vehicle is being

towed.

3. Take up slack in the towline slowly to

prevent damage to the vehicle.

WARNING

Never turn the ignition switch to

the “LOCK”/“OFF” position while

the vehicle is being towed be-

cause the steering wheel and the

direction of the wheels will be

locked.

This is the best way to transport your

vehicle. Use the following procedures to

ensure safe transportation.

1. Shift the select lever into the “P”

position.

2. Apply the parking brake firmly.

^{Access key fob – if access key fob does not operate properly}439

Remember that the brake booster

and power steering do not func-

tion when the engine is not run-

ning. Because the engine is

turned off, it will take greater

effort to operate the brake pedal

and steering wheel.

so could overheat the brake.

9-8. Access key fob – if ac-

cess key fob does not operate

properly

Drive carefully and do not make

an impact on the towing rope by

suddenly starting.

Use a specific towing rope for

towing. If wire ropes and metal

chains are needed to be used for

towing, wrap the contact portion

of the bumper with cloth to pro-

tect it from damage.

CAUTION

Keep metallic objects, magnetic

sources and signal transmitters

away from the area between the

access key fob and the push-button

ignition switch. They may interfere

with the communication between

the access key fob and the push-

button ignition switch.

CAUTION

If transmission failure occurs,

transport your vehicle on a flat-

bed truck.

Sometime damaged vehicles can-

not be towed because of their

damaged condition. In that case,

use a flat-bed truck for transpor-

tation.

The following functions may be inoperable

because of strong radio signals in the

surrounding area or a low battery condition

of the access key fob.

The traveling speed must be

limited to less than 20 mph (32

km/h) and the traveling distance

to less than 31 miles (50 km). For

greater speeds and distances,

transport your vehicle on a flat-

bed truck.

Locking/unlocking doors (including the

rear gate)

Switching power status

Starting engine

In such cases, perform the following

procedure. When the battery of the access

key fob is discharged, replace it with a new

one. Refer to “Replacing battery of access

key fob” �P496.

Use a flat-bed truck if there are

long distance downgrades or

steep slopes. However, do not

apply the brake pedal for a long

time because the engine braking

will not work while towing. Doing

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In case of emergency -> Towing for Your Subaru Forester SUV 2024

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