2011 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 335

9-14 In case of emergency Towing If towing is necessary, it is best done by your SUBARU dealer or a commercial towing service. Observe the following procedures for safety. & Towing and tie-down hooks The towing hooks should be used only in an emergency (e.g., to free a stuck vehicle from mud, sand or snow). CAUTION . Use only the specified towing hook and tie-down hook. Never use suspension parts or other parts of the body for towing or tie-down purposes. . To prevent deformation to the front bumper and the towing hook, do not apply excessive lateral load to the towing hook. Front towing hook: 1. Take the towing hook out of the tool bucket and take the screwdriver out of the tool bag. Take the wheel nut wrench out of the cargo area. 2. Pry off the cover on the front bumper using a screwdriver, and you will find a threaded hole for attaching the towing hook. WARNING Never tow AWD models (both AT and MT) 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 wheels are on the ground. This will cause the vehicle to spin away due to the operation or deterioration of the center differential. 3. Screw the towing hook into the thread hole until its thread can no longer be seen.