Subaru Forester Manuals 2018 Forester Owner's Manual | Page 505

Driving tips/Trailer towing total, one to the right side and the other to the left side trailer tongue. 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 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. ! Side mirrors ! 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 and the brake lights each time you connect a trailer to your vehicle. ! Tires 8-23 are properly inflated. Refer to “Tires” F12- 10. Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper inflation pressure should be in accordance with the trailer manufacturer’s specifications. Also check federal, state, province and/or other applicable regula- tions. In the event your vehicle gets a flat tire when towing a trailer, ask a commercial road service representative or profes- sional 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 CAUTION WARNING 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. 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 . For models equipped with the BSD (Blind Spot Detection) and RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) driving support systems, when towing a trailer, press the BSD/ RCTA OFF switch to deactivate the system. The system may not operate properly due to the blocked radar waves. For details about the BSD/RCTA OFF switch, – CONTINUED –