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Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
• There are many different laws,
including speed limit restrictions,
having to do with trailering. Make
sure the rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you
will be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or
provincial police.
• Consider using a sway control.
See “Hitches” later in this section.
• Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 500 miles (800 km) the
new vehicle is driven. The engine,
axle or other parts could be
damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles
(800 km) that a trailer is towed, do
not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in
at the heavier loads.
• Obey speed limit restrictions
when towing a trailer.
• The vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or
hilly conditions. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” later in this section.
• The vehicle is designed primarily
as a passenger and load carrying
vehicle. If a trailer is towed,
the vehicle will require more
frequent maintenance due to the
additional load.
Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
• The weight of the trailer.
• The weight of the trailer tongue.
• And the weight on the vehicle’s
tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment on
the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section for more
information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the tow
vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of
additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted from the
maximum trailer weight.
Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and
options.
4-26 Driving Your Vehicle