2011 SUBARU TRIBECA ECU

3. Insert the safety pin 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 chains5. 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.
WARNING
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 ’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. NOTE
Always disconnect the trailer wire har-
ness before launching or retrieving a Driving tips
8-19
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8-22Driving tips
! Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating(GVWR)
Gross Vehicle Weight
The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) must
never exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR).
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the
combined total of the weight of the vehicle,
driver, passengers, luggage, trailer hitch,
trailer tongue load and any other optional
equipment installed on your vehicle.
Therefore, the GVW changes depending
on the situation. Determine the GVW each
time before going on a trip by putting your
vehicle and trailer on a vehicle scale.
GVWR is shown on the certification label
located on the driver ’s door of your
vehicle.
Certification label
! 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 station.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving.

!Tongue load
Tongue load
WARNING
If the trailer is loaded with more
weight in the back of trailer ’s axle
than in the front, the 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.
Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from
8 to 11 percent of the total trailer weight
and does not exceed the appropriate one
of the following maximum values. Vehicle without cooling kit: 200 lbs (90 kg)
Vehicle with cooling kit: 350 lbs (158 kg)
1) Jack
2) Bathroom scale
The tongue load can be weighed with a
bathroom scale as shown in the illustration
above. When weighing the tongue load,
be sure to position the towing coupler at
the height at which it would be during
actual towing, using a jack as shown.
F: Front
The tongue load can be adjusted by
proper 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 approximately 40 percent in
the rear. Also, distribute the load as evenly
as possible on both the left and rightsides.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to
prevent a change in weight distribution
while driving. & Trailer hitches
WARNING
Never drill the frame or under-body Driving tips
8-23
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create a traffic safety hazard.
For safety, always connect the towing
vehicle and trailer with trailer safety
chains. Pass the chains crossing each
other under the trailer tongue to prevent
the trailer from dropping onto the ground
in case the trailer tongue should discon-
nect from the hitch ball. Allow sufficient
slack in the chains taking tight turn
situations into account; however, be care-
ful not to let them drag on the ground.
For more information about the safety
chain connection, refer to the instructions
for your hitch and trailer. !Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle,
check that the standard side mirrors
provide a good rearward field of view
without significant blind spots. If significant blind spots occur with the vehicle
’s stan-
dard side mirrors, use towing mirrors that
conform with Federal, state/province and/
or other applicable regulations. ! Trailer lights
CAUTION
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.
Connection of trailer lights to your vehi-cle ’s electrical system requires modifica-
tions to the vehicle ’s lighting circuit to
increase its capacity and accommodate
wiring 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. ! Tires
WARNING
Never tow a trailer when the tem-
porary spare tire is used. The tem-
porary 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.
Make sure that all the tires on your vehicle
are properly inflated.
The recommended cold tire pressure
under trailer towing conditions is shownin “Tires ”F 12-8 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
accordance with the trailer manufacturer ’s
specifications.
In the event your vehicle 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. Driving tips
8-25
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8-26Driving tips
&Trailer towing tips
CAUTION
. Never exceed 45 mph (72 km/h)
when towing a trailer in hilly
country on hot days.
. When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. Forsafety ’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a
trailer and you should never
speed. You should also keep the
following tips in mind:
! Before starting out on a trip
. Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer. . 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. . Check that the tire pressures are
correct. .
Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
–the trailer tongue is connected
properly to the hitch ball. – the trailer lights connector is con-
nected properly and trailer ’sbrake
lights illuminate when the vehicle ’s
brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer ’s turn signal lights flash when
the vehicle ’s turn signal lever is oper-
ated. – the safety chains are connected
properly.– all cargo in the trailer is secured
safely in position.– the side mirrors provide a good
rearward field of view without a sig-
nificant blind spot.
. 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. ! Driving with a trailer
. You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may
result in skidding or jackknifing and loss ofcontrol. . Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes. .
Slow down before turning. Make a
longer than normal turning radius because
the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. In
a tight turn, the trailer could hit yourvehicle. . 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
immediately but gradually. . When passing other vehicles, consid-
erable distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by
attaching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn

of the tire facing up).
3. Turn the hoist shaft end clockwise with
the wheel nut wrench to wind the cable up
completely until you hear a few clicking
sounds. Confirm that the temporary spare
tire holding cable has been wound up
completely by shaking the temporary tire.
CAUTION
If the temporary spare tire is not
stored securely, it could damage
adjacent areas of the vehicle and
make an abnormal noise.
4. Place the wheel nut wrench and
extension back into the tool bag and store
the jack and tool bag in their storagelocations. 5. Fit the lid of the cargo area.
CAUTION
. When stowing a flat tire in the
spare tire holder, turn the hoist
shaft end only slowly. If it is
turned quickly, the wheel disc of
the flat tire could be damaged.
. A full-size flat tire should be
stowed in the spare tire holder
in an emergency only. After hav-
ing the flat tire repaired, immedi-
ately swap it with the temporary
spare tire.
. Remember that the tread width of
a flat tire is wider than that of the
temporary spare tire. When car-
rying a flat tire stowed in the
spare tire holder, make sure the
tire does not touch any obsta-cles. Temporary spare tire
WARNING
. Never tow a trailer when the
temporary spare tire is used.
The temporary 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 and
may lead to an accident.
. When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/trans-
mitter being transferred, the low
tire pressure warning light will
illuminate steadily after blinking
for approximately one minute.
This indicates the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) is un-
able to monitor all four road
wheels. Contact your SUBARU
dealer as soon as possible for
tire and sensor replacement and/
or system resetting. In case of emergency
9-5
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.Always turn off the engine before
raising the flat tire off the ground
using the jack. Never swing or
push the vehicle supported with
the jack. The jack can come out
of the jacking point due to a jolt
and this can result in a severeaccident.
1. Park on a hard, level surface, when-
ever possible, then stop the engine.
2. Set the parking brake securely and
shift in the “P ”(Park) position.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher
and have everyone get out of the vehicle.
4. Put wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire diagonally opposite the flat tire.
1) Jack handle
2) Jack
3) Spare tire
5. Take out the jack and jack handle.
The jack and jack handle are stored under
the floor of the cargo area.
6. Remove the spare tire.
Refer to “Spare tire ”F 9-2 for its location,
instructions and precautions.
Carefully read “Temporary spare tire ”F 9-
5 and strictly follow the instructions.
NOTE
Make sure the jack is well lubricated
before using it.Chrome plated wheels
7. Insert the tip (wrapped in vinyl tape or
a cloth) of a flat-head screwdriver into the
slot between the wheel and cap. Use it to
remove the cap. (Only vehicle equipped
with chrome plated wheels)
In case of emergency 9-7
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WARNING
Do not use oil or grease on the
wheel studs or nuts when the spare
tire is installed. This could cause the
nuts to become loose and lead to anaccident.
15. Turn the jack handle counterclockwise
to lower the vehicle.
CAUTION
There are 2 types of wheel nut
wrenches that apply to differentlengths.
For models with silver-colored alu-
minum wheels, the 10.8-inch (275
mm) wheel nut wrench is equipped
as a maintenance tool. And for
models with optional chrome-fin-
ished wheels, the 13.2-inch (335
mm) wheel nut wrench is equipped
as well. Confirm the equipped wheel
nut wrench type when you replace a
tire. If the wheel nut wrench is the
different type, it cannot be tightened
to the specified torque.
1) The length of the wheel nut wrench
16. Confirm the length of the equipped
wheel nut wrench and wheel nut tighten-
ing torque. Refer to “Tires ”F 12-8.
17. Use the wheel nut wrench to securely
tighten the wheel nuts to the specified torque, following the tightening order in theillustration.
Never use your foot on the wheel nut
wrench or a pipe extension on the wrench
because you may exceed the specified
torque. Have the wheel nut torque
checked at the nearest automotive service
facility.
WARNING
Do not use the extension when
turning the wheel nuts. If you did,
you would not be able to achieve
sufficient tightening torque. The
wheel nuts could then come loose,
resulting in a serious accident.
18. Store the flat tire in the spare tire In case of emergency
9-9
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