Maintenance When Trailer Towing

The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a trailer. See Scheduled Maintenance for more information. Things that are especially important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid, engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect these before and during the trip.

Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.

    See also:

    Weight of the Trailer Tongue
    The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total gross weight of the vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the ...

    Exit Lighting
    The headlamps, taillamps, parking lamps, back-up lamps, and license plate lamps come on at night, or in areas with limited lighting, when the key is removed from the ignition. The dome lamps ...

    Tire Sidewall Labeling
    Useful information about a tire is molded into its sidewall. The examples show a typical passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire sidewall. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example (A) Tire Size ...