Towing for a 2003 Forester

Asked by jyewell Jul 08, 2021 at 11:57 AM about the 2003 Subaru Forester XS

Question type: General

Why does the tow rating for my 2003 Forester go down from 2400 pounds to
1000 pounds for trailers without brakes? The smallest cargo trailers (5x8)
weigh about 1000 pounds unloaded, and NONE of them come with brakes. So
you can pull the trailer as long as you don't put any actual cargo in it. Even if
you could retrofit it (you can't) with brakes, Subaru only provides a four-pin
connection, not the seven-pin connection you need for a trailer with brakes. In
other words, the Forester has towing capacity in name only. Functionally
speaking, the Forester has ZERO towing capacity.

4 Answers

You need trailer brakes if you care about stopping safely. Imagine having over a ton of stuff traveling at 60 mph suddenly pushing on your rear bumper when you want to stop.

Small utility trailers do not weigh 1,000 pounds. They run around 500 to 700 lbs. If you want an enclosed trailer I suppose it might weigh that much.

Your Answer:

Forester

Looking for a Used Forester in your area?

CarGurus has 1,191 nationwide Forester listings starting at $3,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Chris W
    Reputation
    11,760
  • #2
    TheSubaruGuruBoston
    Reputation
    10,060
  • #3
    Nick Eidemiller
    Reputation
    6,220
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Subaru Outback
39 Great Deals out of 845 listings starting at $1,595
Used Toyota RAV4
122 Great Deals out of 3,068 listings starting at $3,300
Used Honda CR-V
158 Great Deals out of 4,644 listings starting at $1,495
Used Subaru Impreza
21 Great Deals out of 428 listings starting at $2,995
Used Subaru Legacy
8 Great Deals out of 135 listings starting at $5,999
Used Toyota 4Runner
22 Great Deals out of 508 listings starting at $13,888
Used Toyota Camry
44 Great Deals out of 901 listings starting at $2,995
Used Toyota Highlander
34 Great Deals out of 625 listings starting at $4,500
Used Honda Pilot
54 Great Deals out of 1,219 listings starting at $5,995
Used Toyota Tacoma
60 Great Deals out of 1,106 listings starting at $7,995
Used Toyota Corolla
157 Great Deals out of 2,256 listings starting at $1,990

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.