Toyota 2003 Matrix Owner's Manual page 196

BREAK−IN SCHEDULE
Toyota recommends that you do not
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tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a
vehicle with any new power train com-
ponent (engine, transmission, differen-
tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
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require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the "Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide" or "Owner's
Manual Supplement".
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
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ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE−TOWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains level
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when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose−up or nose−down
condition, and check for
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
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loaded so that it cannot shift.
192
Check that your rear view mirrors con-
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form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulations. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing. The three main causes of vehicle−
trailer accidents are driver error, exces-
sive speed and improper trailer loading.
Keep these in mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation of
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the lights and all vehicle−trailer connec-
tions. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and con-
nections. Before actually towing a trail-
er, practice turning, stopping and back-
ing with a trailer in an area away from
traffic until you learn the feel.
Because stopping distance may be in-
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creased, vehicle−to−vehicle
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
improper
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
2003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
'03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
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tion. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, prevent excessive clutch
slippage by keeping engine rpm low
and not racing the engine. Always start
out in first gear.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
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The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and
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requires practice. Grip the bottom of
the steering wheel and move your hand
to the left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This pro-
cedure is generally opposite to that
when backing without a trailer). Also,
just turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you when
distance
backing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
Remember that when making a turn,
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the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this by
making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.