2005 SUBARU FORESTER tow

7-27
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
light illuminate simultaneously, take the following
steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both warning lights go
out, the EBD system may be faulty.
Drive carefully to the nearest SUBARU dealer and
have the system inspected.
4. If both warning lights come on again and stay illu-
minated after the engine has been restarted, shut
down the engine again, apply the parking brake, and
check the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the “MIN” mark,
the EBD system may be faulty. Drive carefully to the
nearest SUBARU dealer and have the system inspect-
ed.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the “MIN” mark, DO
NOT drive the vehicle. Instead, have the vehicle towed
to the nearest SUBARU dealer for repair.
yDriving with the brake system warning light
on is dangerous. This indicates your brake sys-
tem may not be working properly. If the light re-
mains on, have the brakes inspected by a
SUBARU dealer immediately. y If at all in doubt about whether the brakes are operating properly, do not drive the vehicle.
Have your vehicle towed to the nearest
SUBARU dealer for repair.

7-29
Starting and operating
– CONTINUED –
adjusts the engine’s output and the wheels’ respective
braking forces to help maintain traction and directional
control. yTraction Control Function
The traction control function is designed to prevent
spinning of the driving wheels on slippery road surfac-
es, thereby helping to maintain traction and directional
control. Activation of this function is shown by steady
illumination of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light. y Skid Suppression Function
The skid suppression function is designed to help
maintain directional stability by suppressing the
wheels’ tendency to slide sideways during steering op-
erations. Activation of this function is shown by flash-
ing of the Vehicle Dynamics Control operation indica-
tor light.
NOTE y Slight twitching of the brake pedal may be felt
when the Vehicle Dynamics Control system oper-
ates; a small degree of vehicle or steering wheel
shaking may also be noticed in this situation.
These are normal characteristics of Vehicle Dy-
namics Control operation and are no cause for
alarm. y
When driving off immediately after starting the
engine, a short-lived operation noise may be no-
ticed coming from the engine compartment. This
noise is generated as a result of a check being per-
formed on the Vehicle Dynamics Control system
and is normal. y Depending on the timing of activation of the
brakes, certain situations may occur just after
driving off where the brake pedal seems to exhibit
a jolting motion. This too is a consequence of the
Vehicle Dynamics Control operational check and
is normal. y In the circumstances listed below, the vehicle
may be more unstable than it feels to the driver.
The Vehicle Dynamics Control System may there-
fore operate. Such operation does not indicate a system fault. yon gravel-covered or rutted roads
y on unfinished roads
y when the vehicle is towing a trailer
y when the vehicle is fitted with snow tires or
winter tires
y Activation of the Vehicle Dynamics Control sys-
tem will cause operation of the steering wheel to feel slightly different compared to that for normal
conditions.y Even if the vehicle is equipped with a Vehicle

8-1
8
Driving tips
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) ... 8-3
Catalytic converter ....................................... 8-4
Periodic inspections .................................... 8-5
Driving in foreign countries ......................... 8-6
Driving tips for AWD vehicles ..................... 8-6
Off road driving ............................................ 8-8
Winter driving ............................................... 8-10 Operation during cold weather ........................ 8-10
Driving on snowy and icy roads ...................... 8-11
Corrosion protection ........................................ 8-12
Snow tires .......................................................... 8-13
Tire chains ......................................................... 8-13
Rocking the vehicle .......................................... 8-14
Loading your vehicle ................................... 8-14 Vehicle capacity weight .................................... 8-16
GVWR and GAWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating) ........ 8-16
Roof rail and crossbar (if equipped) ............... 8-17
Trailer hitch (if equipped) ............................ 8-22 Connecting a trailer .......................................... 8-23
When you do not tow a trailer .......................... 8-25
Trailer towing ................................................ 8-25 Warranties and maintenance ........................... 8-25
Maximum load limits ......................................... 8-26
Trailer hitches ................................................... 8-30
Connecting a trailer .......................................... 8-31 Trailer towing tips ............................................. 8-33

8-7
Driving tips
– CONTINUED –
safety purposes as well as to avoid damaging the
AWD system, you should keep the following tips inmind: yAn 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 han-
dling, however, during extremely sharp turns or sud-
den braking. Therefore, when driving down a slope or
turning corners, be sure to reduce your speed and
maintain an ample distance from other vehicles. y 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 siz-
es or construction may result in severe mechanical
damage to the drive train of your vehicle and may af-
fect ride, handling, braking, speedometer/odometer
calibration, and clearance between the body and tires.
It also may be dangerous and lead to loss of vehicle
control. y Always check the cold tire pressure before starting
to drive. The recommended tire pressure is provided
on the tire placard, which is located under the door
latch on the driver’s side.y Tire chains should always be placed on the front
wheels only.y There are some precautions that you must observe
when towing your vehicle. For detail information, see the “Towing” section in chapter 9.
y
Always maintain a safe driving speed accord-
ing to the road and weather conditions in order
to avoid having an accident on a sharp turn,
during sudden braking or under other similar
conditions. y Always use the utmost care in driving – over-
confidence because you are driving an All-
Wheel Drive vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.

8-8
Driving tips
Off road driving
Because of the AWD feature and higher ground clear-
ance, your SUBARU can be driven on ordinary roads
or off-road. But please keep in mind that an AWD
SUBARU is a passenger car and is neither a conven-
tional 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: y
Make certain that you and all of your passengers
are wearing seatbelts. y Carry some emergency equipment, such as a tow-
ing rope or chain, a shovel, wheel blocks, first aid kit
and cell phone or citizens band radio. y Drive carefully. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous areas or over rough terrain.y 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. y Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead, drive ei-
ther 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.y Avoid sharp turning maneuvers, especially at higher speeds. y
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steering
wheel. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure
your hands. Instead drive with your fingers and
thumbs on the outside of the rim.y If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water and
the bottom of the stream bed for firmness and ensure
that the bed of the stream is flat. Drive slowly and com-
pletely through the stream. The water should be shal-
low enough that it does not reach the vehicle’s under-
carriage. 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; regard-
less of its depth, it can wash away the ground from un-
der your tires, resulting in possible loss of traction and
even vehicle rollover. y Always check your brakes for effectiveness immedi-
ately after driving in sand, mud or water. Do this by
driving slowly and stepping on the brake pedal. Re-
peat that process several times to dry out the brake
discs and brake pads.y Do not drive or park over or near flammable materi-
als such as dry grass or fallen leaves, as they may
burn easily. The exhaust system is very hot while the
engine is running and right after the engine stops. This

8-20
Driving tips
A) Crossbar end support
B) T-30 torx® head screw
1. Before placing the crossbar on the roof rails, make
sure that the T-30 torx® head screw is fully loosened
from each end support.
2. Spread the inner clamp and the end support as far
apart as possible. A) Load label
B) Direction arrow label
C) 6 in (150 mm)
3. With the front direction arrow label on the top right
side of the crossbar pointing toward the front of the ve-
hicle, carefully place the crossbar across the top of the
vehicle so that the crossbar end supports rest on the
top of the roof rails approximately 6 inches (150 mm)
rearward in the front radius of the roof rail.
4. Move the end support and inner clamp to hook un-
der the end of the roof rail on both sides and loosely
assemble the T-30 torx® head screw with the tool pro-
vided into the threaded insert in the inner clamp on
each end of the crossbar.
A
B
HS8028BC
FRONTONT
MAXIMUM LOAD 100 LBS. EVENLY DISTRIBUTED
A
B
C
HS8026BC

8-22
Driving tips
bars are removed. Luggage on the roof will be
thrown forward or backward in sudden stops or
rapid accelerations, resulting 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 30 to 35
lbf·in (3.4 to 4.0 N·m, 0.35 to 0.41 kgf·m), as out-
lined in Step #5 above.
Trailer hitch (if equipped)
The trailer hitch is designed to tow a Class 1 rated
load.
When you tow a trailer, follow the instructions in the
next section “Trailer towing”.
y
Never exceed the maximum weight specified
for the trailer hitch. Exceeding the maximum
weight could cause an accident resulting in se-
rious personal injuries. Permissible trailer
weight changes depending on the situation. Re-
fer to the next section “Trailer towing” for pos-
sible recommendations and limitations.y 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 cre-
ate a traffic safety hazard if the trailer separates
from the hitch due to coupling damage or hitch
ball damage. y 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 re-

8-24
Driving tips
A) Hitch ball installation point
B) 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 ac-
count; however, be careful not to let them drag on the ground.
Do not connect safety chains to part of the ve-hicle 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, right turn signal,
left turn signal, stop, and parking lights on the trailer.
A B
HS8013BC
HS8015BA