Towing Requirements - Jeep 2011 WK2 Grand Cherokee Owner's Manual

Towing Requirements

To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.
CAUTION!
• Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km)
that a trailer is towed, do not drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts at
full throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of the vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
Perform the maintenance listed in the "Mainte-
nance Schedule." Refer to the "Service and
Warranty Handbook" for the proper mainte-
nance intervals. When towing a trailer, never
exceed the GAWR or GCWR ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury acci-
dent. Follow these guidelines to make your
trailer towing as safe as possible:
• Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured, dy-
namic load shifts can occur that may be diffi-
cult for the driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have an accident.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Over-
loading can cause a loss of control, poor
performance or damage to brakes, axle,
engine, transmission, steering, suspen-
sion, chassis structure or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used be-
tween your vehicle and trailer. Always con-
nect the chains to the hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the
trailer tongue and allow enough slack for
turning corners.
WARNING! (Continued)
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked
on a hill. When parking, apply the parking
brake on the tow vehicle. Put the tow
vehicle transmission in PARK. For four-
wheel drive vehicles, make sure the trans-
fer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always, block
or chock the trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed be-
tween the tow vehicle and the trailer
such that the following four ratings are
not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer
hitch utilized.
(Continued)
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