Lexus RX350 Manual page 167

Control can also help to stabilize the vehicle
and trailer.)
● After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants
out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the
trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropri-
ate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded
after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed
at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond
the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer
combination. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that swaying of
the towing vehicle-trailer increases as
speed increases.
WARNING
■ Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care
and drive the vehicle in accordance with
the trailer's characteristics and operating
conditions. Failure to do so could cause
an accident resulting in death or serious
injury. Vehicle stability and braking per-
formance are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance, and the
hitch. Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer.
To avoid accident or injury
■
● Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked
TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
If the gross trailer weight is over 2000
●
lb. (907 kg), a sway control device with
sufficient capacity is required.
Adjust the tongue weight within the
●
appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
4-1. Before driving
● Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h),
the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth
in your trailer owner's manual, which-
ever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross winds,
on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help
avoid an accident. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from reduc-
ing a certain speed, slow down and
make sure you keep your vehicle
speed under the speed of which you
experience the instability.
Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp
●
turns.
Do not apply the brakes suddenly as
●
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is
especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assem-
bly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue weight
capacities.
● Do not use the following systems when
trailer towing.
• Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)
• BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped)
Slow down and downshift before
●
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
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