I have a 2014 Forester with a maximum tow capacity of 1500 lbs. I want to tow a trailer weighing 1670 lbs. curb weight. Should I? Anyone with experience, please advise.

I don't have much of input, but is it manual or auto because that would make a difference on peoples suggestions. I'm assuming it's auto, which is a CVT (I believe).

It is an automatic

personally, I would not do it.

the curb weight alone is more than the rated capacity of the vehicle, add cargo to that, and you would be way over.

You will probably be fine, as long as you lower you speed appropriately.  Subarus in Europe have a higher tow rating than in the U.S., but they also have a much lower allowable maximum speed while towing.  I don't know the exact numbers, but I'm sure you can find them without too much trouble with a quick web search.

Just as a comparison, my dad used to tow a 1500 lb curb weight trailer with his 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid CVT. And we used to load that thing up, at least to 3000 lb. Max tow rating was 1300 lb. Now was that the best idea? No. Should you do that cross country? No. 

 

If you don't push the car and travel 50-55 on the highways (or faster, engine load dependent) you would be fine. I wouldn't recommend goingon 12 hour trips unless you had a tranny cooler and took it easy.

 

Also, side note. When you frequently tow anything with an auto. The ATF (automatic transmission fluid) deteriorates faster. So when they may recommend 30k service intervals for the ATF, it should be done more frequently then that. And because it's a CVT, it's not traditional ATF, it's a ATF that subaru approves that is safe to be used with the CVT, not just any ATF will work. 

 

And if the transmission is "sealed for life", that is the biggest bull crap I've ever heard. Because no fluid will EVER make it 100k+ miles. Sealed for life means what the average life of cars are. Which is about 120k miles. But being a subaru, it can easily last 300k miles. Take care of it, and it will last. Don't change fluids, 120k will be accurate.

 

Best of luck to you and your towing adventures!

safety decreases as weight increases - this is true regardless of the somewhat arbitrary tow rating. 

 

1,000 pounds is less safe than 500, even if they're both "below the tow rating".  if the tow rating is 1,300 pounds, nothing magical happens from 1,300 to 1,301 pounds, there's no asymptotic catastrophy that happens, it's a mathematic curve - with decreasing safety as weight increases - from 0 and up, not 1,300 and up. 

 

Key parameters where being more cautious is crucial:
1. are you towing often?

2. high grades and high heat?

3. during high traffic times?

 

if you're towing steep grades - keep an eye on the engine temps, that's generally the Subaru limiter in towing. 

if you're towing flat land - that's super easy and can be done all day (same reason I can move a 16' flatbed trailer in a parking lot, but it would kill me trying to push that huge thing up even a small incline. 

if you're towing often - it's best to closer match the vehicle to the needs. 

if you're towing one time for a short distance and can easily control when you leave (less traffic, cool outside), it's easy to exceed the limits.

 

there's a wide variet of variables to consider. 

personally, I would not do it.

the curb weight alone is more than the rated capacity of the vehicle, add cargo to that, and you would be way over.

 

 

You will probably be fine, as long as you lower you speed appropriately.  Subarus in Europe have a higher tow rating than in the U.S., but they also have a much lower allowable maximum speed while towing.  I don't know the exact numbers, but I'm sure you can find them without too much trouble with a quick web search.

 

Correct, the EU figures tow ratings with less tongue weight (greater total capacity, less stable) at lower speed (more stable). If you need a 1600lb trailer, what's going on it?

 

Like Gary said, safety towing is a sliding scale, not absolutes. The biggest safety factor in towing is what's behind the steering wheel.

 

I've towed well past the rating before but that was a very different vehicle ('90 toyota pickup manual trans with a bit of work done). I wouldn't overload my Baja nearly as much, and absolutely wouldn't overload with an automatic. If you're towing it once, within a few blocks with little traffic and no hills in 1st or 2nd gear....go for it. If you're going any distance with other people around, hills, or out of 1st-2nd gear, just rent a uhaul.