Toyota RAV 4 2019 Manual page 183

WARNING
■ Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the vehi-
cle in accordance with the trailer's
characteristics and operating con-
ditions. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in
death or serious injury. Vehicle
stability and braking performance
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.
● Vehicles with towing package: If
the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway con-
trol device with sufficient capac-
ity is required.
● Adjust the tongue weight within
the appropriate range. Place
heavier loads as close to the
trailer axle as possible.
● 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, whichever is
lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery sur-
face, etc. to help avoid an acci-
dent. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from
reducing 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.
4-1. Before driving
Do not apply the brakes sud-
●
denly as you may skid, resulting
in jackknifing and loss of vehicle
control. This is especially true
on wet or slippery surfaces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch
assembly weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and
trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed
range when towing.
● Slow down and downshift
before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● Vehicle-trailer instability is more
likely on steep long downhills.
Before descending steep or
long downhill grades, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts when
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Avoid holding the
brake pedal down too long or
applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
● Do not tow a trailer when the
compact spare tire is installed
on your vehicle.
■ When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any appli-
cable federal and state/provincial
regulations.
● If the gross trailer weight
exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer
brakes are required. Toyota rec-
ommends trailers with brakes
that conform to all applicable
federal and state/provincial reg-
ulations.
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