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Towing a Trailer
Driving Safely With a Trailer
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
For your safety and the safety of
others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the
open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
222
Driving
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the Over drive
(O/D) mode when towing a trailer
on level roads. Turn off the Over
drive (O/D) mode when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain (see page
(See ''
'' in the next
Driving on Hills
column for additional gear
information.)
Making Turns and Braking
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.
Driving on Hills
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
207
).
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, turn off
the Over drive (O/D) mode (see
page
207
).
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
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