If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer

If you do, here are some important points:

• There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.

Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll 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.
• Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.

Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle.

This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
• You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).

Three important considerations have to do with weight:

• the weight of the trailer,
• the weight of the trailer tongue
• and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.

    See also:

    Additional Factors Affecting System Operation
    Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Saf ...

    Dolly Towing from the Front (Front-Wheel Drive)
    Dolly Towing from the Front (Front-Wheel Drive) Vehicles with front-wheel drive can be dolly towed from the front. Use the following procedure to dolly tow the vehicle from the front: 1. At ...

    Traction Control System (TCS)
    The vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that the front wheels are spi ...