Subaru Legacy BN/BS (2015-2019) Owners Manual: Towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes

Subaru Legacy BN/BS (2015-2019) Owners Manual / In case of emergency / Towing / Towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes

The towing hook should be used only in an emergency (e.g., to free a stuck vehicle from mud, sand or snow).

A towing hook is supplied with Outback only. Legacy is not supplied with a towing hook (it is available as an accessory). On Legacy, the towing access cover is on the rear bumper only.

SUBARU recommends towing be done by your SUBARU dealer or a commercial towing service.

CAUTION

Use only the specified towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes.
Never use suspension parts or other parts of the body for towing or tie-down purposes.
Never use the tie-down hole closest to the muffler under the vehicle for towing purposes.
To prevent deformation to the bumper and the towing hook, do not apply excessive lateral load to the towing hooks.

Front towing hook (Outback):

Take out the screwdriver, towing hook, wheel nut wrench and jack handle from the under-floor storage compartment.

Towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes

Pry off the towing access cover on the front bumper using a screwdriver, and you will find a threaded hole for attaching the towing hook.

Towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes

Screw the towing hook into the threaded hole until the threads can no longer be seen.

Towing hook and tie-down hooks/holes

Tighten the towing hook securely using the jack handle and wheel nut wrench.

After towing, remove the towing hook from the vehicle and stow it in the under-floor storage compartment.

Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper.

WARNING

Do not use the towing hook for purposes other than towing your vehicle.
Be sure to remove the towing hook after towing. Leaving the towing hook mounted on the vehicle could interfere with proper operation of the SRS airbag system in a frontal collision.

Rear towing hook (Outback):

Take out the screwdriver, towing hook, wheel nut wrench and jack handle from the under-floor storage compartment.

Rear towing hook (Outback)

Pry off the cover on the rear bumper using a screwdriver, and you will find a threaded hole for attaching the towing hook.

Rear towing hook (Outback)

Screw the towing hook into the threaded hole until its thread can no longer be seen.

Rear towing hook (Outback)

Tighten the towing hook securely using the jack handle and wheel nut wrench.

After towing, remove the towing hook from the vehicle and stow it in the under-floor storage compartment.

Fit the towing hook cover on the bumper

WARNING

Do not use the towing hook for purposes other than towing.
Be sure to remove the towing hook after towing. Leaving the towing hook mounted on the vehicle could interfere with proper operation of the fuel pump shut off function when the vehicle is struck from behind.

Front tie-down hooks:

Front tie-down hooks

The front tie-down hooks are located between each of the front tires and the front bumper.

Front Tie-down Hooks are for tying down the vehicle. They are not for towing.

Rear tie-down holes:

Rear tie-down holes

1) 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 plugs. After using the rear tie-down holes, return the plugs to their original places.

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.

Towing

WARNING Never tow AWD vehicles 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 ...

Using a flat-bed truck

This is the best way to transport your vehicle. Use the following procedures to ensure safe transportation. For CVT models, shift the select lever into the "P" position. For MT model ...

Other materials:

Warranties and maintenance
SUBARU warranties do not apply to vehicle damage or malfunction caused by trailer towing. If you use your vehicle to tow a trailer, more frequent maintenance will be required due to the additional load. (Refer to "Maintenance schedule under severe driving conditions" in the "Warranty and Ma ...