Starting On Inclines - Vauxhall Corsa Owner's Manual

In the case of trailers with low driving
stability, do not exceed a speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h); the use of a friction-type
stabiliser is recommended.
Check caravan / trailer lighting before
starting to drive. The fog tail lights on the
vehicle are deactivated when towing a
caravan or trailer.
Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
if possible, even in countries where higher
speeds are permitted.
Make sure that you have enough room
when cornering and avoid sudden
manoeuvres.
If the caravan / trailer starts to sway, drive
more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if necessary.
The cooling fan is electrically operated. Its
cooling power is therefore independent of
the engine speed.
Since a considerable amount of heat is
generated at high engine speeds and less
at slower speeds, do not shift down when
climbing hills whilst the vehicle is still coping
with the gradient in the higher gear.
Diesel engine: On gradients of 10 % or
more, do not drive faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h)in first gear or 30 mph (50 km/h)
in second gear; with automatic
transmission, do not exceed 25 mph
(40 km/h) in 1st gear.
The brakes are heavily loaded when
towing a caravan / trailer down long
gradients, so select the same gear as you
would driving uphill and drive at roughly
the same speed. With automatic
transmission, engage gear 3, 2 or even 1.
Select D again as soon as driving
conditions permit.
If it is necessary to apply the brakes fully, in
particular to ensure short braking
distances when towing a caravan / trailer,
depress the brake pedal as hard as
possible.
Remember that the braking distance for
vehicles towing caravans / trailers with and
without brake is always greater than that
for vehicles not towing a caravan / trailer.

Starting on inclines

Vehicles with manual transmission:
The most favourable engine speed
when starting off on an incline is between
2500 and 3000 rpm. Hold engine rpm
constant, engage clutch gradually (let
slip), release brake and open throttle. If
possible, the engine speed should not drop
during this procedure.
On vehicles with automatic transmission it
is sufficient to open the throttle fully.
Before starting off under extreme
conditions (high combination weight,
mountainous terrain with steep inclines),
switch off all unnecessary electrical loads
(e.g. heated rear window, air conditioning
system 3, heated front seats 3).
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