Lexus RX 450h Owner's Manual page 246

244 4-1. Before driving
Guidance
Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. In order to avoid
accident, death or serious injury, keep
the following in mind when towing:
Checking connections between
■
trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the opera-
tion of the connection between the
trailer and lights after driving for a brief
period as well as before starting off.
Practicing driving with a coupled
■
trailer
 Get the feel for turning, stopping
and reversing with the trailer cou-
pled by practicing in an area with no
or light traffic.
 When reversing with a coupled
trailer, hold the section of the steer-
ing wheel nearest to you and rotate
clockwise to turn the trailer left or
counterclockwise to turn it right.
Always rotate a little at a time to pre-
vent steering error. Have someone
guide you when reversing to lessen
the risk of an accident.
Increasing vehicle-to-vehicle dis-
■
tance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the dis-
tance to the vehicle running ahead of
you should be equivalent to or greater
than the combined length of your vehi-
cle and trailer. Avoid sudden braking
that may cause skidding. Otherwise,
the vehicle may spin out of control. This
is especially true when driving on wet
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
or slippery road surfaces.
Sudden acceleration/steering
■
input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing
may result in the trailer colliding with
your vehicle. Decelerate well in
advance when approaching turns and
take them slowly and carefully to avoid
sudden braking.
Important points regarding turning
■
The wheels of the trailer will travel
closer to the inside of the curve than
the wheels of the vehicle. To make
allowance for this, take the turns wider
than you would normally do.
Important points regarding stabil-
■
ity
Vehicle movement resulting from une-
ven road surfaces and strong cross-
winds will affect handling. The vehicle
may also be rocked by passing buses
or large trucks. Frequently check
behind when moving alongside such
vehicles. As soon as such vehicle
movement occurs, immediately start to
decelerate smoothly by slowly apply-
ing the brakes. Always steer the vehicle
straight ahead while braking.
Passing other vehicles
■
Consider the total combined length of
your vehicle and trailer and ensure that
the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is suffi-
cient before executing lane changes.
Transmission information
■
To maintain engine braking efficiency
and charging system performance