2012 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 410

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). 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. WARNING . Do not use the towing hook except when towing your vehicle. . Be sure to remove the towing hook after towing. In particular, leaving the front towing hook mounted on the vehicle could interfere with proper operation of the SRS airbag system in a frontal collision. CAUTION WARNING Never tow AWD models (both AT and MT) with either front or rear wheels off the ground. This will cause the vehicle to spin away due to the operation or deterioration of the center differential. . 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. 2. Pry off the cover on the front bumper using a flat-head screwdriver, and you will find a threaded hole for attaching the towing hook.