2006 SUBARU OUTBACK ECU

Driving tips
8-13
– CONTINUED –NOTE For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.
„ Vehicle capacity weight The load capacity of your vehicle is deter-
mined by weight, not by available cargo
space. The maximum load you can carry
in your vehicle is shown on the vehicle
placard attached to the driver’s side door
pillar. It includes the total weight of the
driver and all passengers and their be-
longings, any optional equipment such as
a trailer hitch, roof rack or bike carrier,
etc., and the tongue load of a trailer.y When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
y Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
y Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
y Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle han-
dles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle.
y Do not place anything on the rear
shelf behind the rear seatback (for
Sedan) or the extended luggage
cover (for Station wagon). Such
items could tumble forward in the
event of a sudden stop or a colli-
sion. This could cause serious in-
jury. Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
800236 B00128

Driving tips
8-15
– CONTINUED –The roof rail is not designed to carry cargo
by itself. Cargo can be carried after secur-
ing the roof crossbar kit to the roof rail and
installing the appropriate carrying attach-
ment. When installing the roof crossbar
kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
When you carry cargo on the roof using
the roof crossbar kit and a carrying attach-
ment, never exceed the maximum load
limit explained in the following. You should
also be careful that your vehicle does not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) and front and rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). See the “Loading
your vehicle” section in this chapter for in-
formation on loading cargo into or onto
your vehicle. The maximum load limit of
the cargo, crossbars and carrying attach-
ment must not exceed 100 lbs (45 kg) .
Place the heaviest load at the bottom,
nearest the roof, and evenly distribute the
cargo. Always properly secure all cargo. T Installing carrying attachments on
the crossbars
When installing any carrying attachment
such as a bike carrier , ski carrier, kayak
carrier, cargo basket, etc. on the cross-
bars, follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions and make sure that the attachment is
securely fixed to the crossbars. Use only
attachments designed specifically for the
crossbars. A set of the crossbars is de-
signed to carry loads (cargo and attach-
ment) of not more than 100 lbs (45 kg) .
Before operating the vehicle, make sure
that the cargo is properly secured on the
attachment.
NOTE Remember that the vehicle’s center of
gravity is altered with the weight of the
load on the roof, thus affecting the
driving characteristics.
Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard
cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind
effects will be increased.
T Removal and installation of the
crossbars
The crossbars can be removed when you
do not use the roof to carry cargo. V To remove the crossbar
1. Loosen and remove the T-30 torx®
head screw from the top of each crossbar
end support.
Loosen the lower clamps.y When using the roof crossbar kit,
make sure that the total weight of
the crossbars, carrying attach-
ment and cargo does not exceed
the maximum load limit. Overload-
ing may cause damage to the ve-
hicle and create a safety hazard. 800239
800240

Driving tips
8-17
– CONTINUED –1) Lower clamp
2) T-30 torx® head screw
5. Tighten the lower clamps onto the
crossbar. Using a torque wrench, loosely
tighten the T-30 torx® head screws.
NOTE It may be necessary to squeeze the
lower clamp and the end support to-
gether to compress the pads and gain
a better alignment of the pieces while
trying to start the screw. Use care not
to crossthread the screw in the insert. 6. 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:
1) Zero gap
Install the rear cross bar so that the rear
edges of both cross bar end supports are
aligned (zero gap) with the front edges of
both rear roof rail supports.
Install the rear crossbar in the same man-
ner as the front crossbar.12
800244 800245
Do not carry cargo on the roof when
the crossbars are removed. Lug-
gage on the roof will be thrown for-
ward or backward in sudden stops
or rapid accelerations, resulting in a
dangerous road hazard. 1 800246

Driving tips
8-19
– CONTINUED –„ Connecting a trailer1. 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 pi n into the hitch pin
securely.
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 su fficient slack in the
chains taking tight-turn situations into ac-
count; however, be ca reful not to let them
drag on the ground. 800206 800207
1
2 800208 800209

Driving tips
8-23
– CONTINUED –cle.
Certification label
T Gross Axle Weight (GAW) and
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
Gross Axle Weight The total weight applied to each axle
(GAW) must never exceed the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). The front and
rear GAWs can be adjusted by relocating
passengers and luggage inside the vehi-
cle. The front and rear GAWR are also
shown on the certification label.
Certification label
To check both GVWR and GAWR and to
confirm that the total weight and weight
distribution are within safe driving limits,
you should have your vehicle and trailer
weighed at a commercial weighing sta-
tion.
Be sure that all carg o is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving. T Tongue load
Tongue load
Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from
8 to 11 percent of the total trailer weight
and does not exceed the maximum value
of 200 lbs (90 kg).800237
800249 800237
If the trailer is loaded with more
weight in the back of trailer’s axle
than in the front, th e 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. 800214

8-24 Driving tips
1) Jack
2) Bathroom scale
The tongue load can be weighed with a
bathroom scale as shown in the following
illustration. When weighing the tongue
load, be sure to position the towing cou-
pler at the height at which it would be dur-
ing actual towing, using a jack as shown. F: Front
The tongue load can be adjusted by prop-
er 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 approx imately 40 percent in
the rear. Also, distribute the load as even-
ly as possible on both the left and right
sides.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving. „ Trailer hitches
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and
trailer.1 2
800250 F
60%
40% 50% 50% 800216
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 ve-
hicle and cause corrosion around
the drilled hole.
y Do not modify th e vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, or other
systems when installing a hitch or
other trailer towing equipment.
y Do not use axle-mounted hitches
as they can cause damage to the
axle housing, wheel bearings,
wheels or tires.

8-26 Driving tips
T Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors pro-
vide a good rearward field of view without
significant blind spots. If significant blind
spots occur with the vehicle’s standard
side mirrors, use towing mirrors that con-
form with Federal, state/province and/or
other applicable regulations.
T Trailer lights Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-
cle’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle’s lighting circuit to in-
crease its capacity and accommodate wir-
ing changes. To ensure the trailer lights
are connected properly, please consult
your SUBARU dealer. Check for proper
operation of the turn signals, the brake
lights and parking lights each time you
hitch up.
T Tires
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated.
The recommended cold tire pressure un-
der trailer towing conditions is shown in
chapter 12, “Specifications” and in “GAS
STATION REFERENCE” at the end of this
manual. Adjust the rear tire pressure to
the recommended pressure when the tires
are cold. Normal pressure should be maintained in the front tires.
Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and
proper inflation pressure should be in ac-
cordance with the trailer manufacturer’s
specifications.
In the event your v ehicle gets a flat tire
when towing a trailer, ask a commercial
road service to repair the flat tire.
If you carry a regular size spare tire in your
vehicle or trailer as a precaution against
getting a flat tire, be sure that the spare
tire is firmly secured.
„ Trailer towing tips
Direct splicing or other improper
connection of trailer lights may
damage your vehicle’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction of
your vehicle’s lighting system. 800018
Never tow a trailer when the tempo-
rary spare tire is used. The tempo-
rary spare tire is not designed to
sustain the towing load. Use of the
temporary spare tire when towing
can result in failure of the spare tire
and/or less stability of the vehicle. y Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly coun-
try on hot days.
y When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a trail-
er and you should never speed.
You should also keep the follow-
ing tips in mind:

Driving tips
8-27
– CONTINUED –T Before starting out on a trip
y Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer.
y Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable.
y Check that the tire pressures are cor-
rect.
y Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
– the trailer tongue is connected prop-
erly to the hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connect-
ed properly and trailer’s brake lights illu-
minate when the vehicle’s brake pedal
is pressed, and that the trailer’s turn sig-
nal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn
signal lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected prop-
erly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safe-
ty in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rear-
ward field of view without a significant
blind spot.
y Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up.
T Driving with a trailer
y You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may re-
sult in skidding or jackknifing and loss of
control.
y Avoid abrupt starts and sudden acceler-
ations. If your vehicle has a manual trans-
mission, always start out in first gear and
release the clutch at moderate engine rev-
olution.
y Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.
y Slow down before turning. Make a long-
er than normal turning radius because the
trailer wheels will be closer than the vehi-
cle wheels to the inside of the turn. In a
tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle.
y Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down im-
mediately but gradually.
y When passing other vehicles, consider-
able distance is required because of the added weight and length caused by at-
taching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
y Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn.
y If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed im-
mediately by the nearest SUBARU dealer.
T Driving on grades
y Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces- 1
2
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