If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer

If you do, here are some important points:

• There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.

Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be driving.

A good source for this information can be state or provincial police.
• Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later in this section.
• Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.

Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle.

This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
• You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).

Three important considerations have to do with weight:

• the weight of the trailer,
• the weight of the trailer tongue
• and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.

    See also:

    All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
    Your vehicle may have this feature. There is no lever or switch to engage or disengage the front axle. It is fully automatic and adjusts as needed for road conditions. Your vehicle has an active t ...

    Brake Fluid
    The brake master cylinder and, on manual transmission vehicles, the clutch hydraulic system use the same reservoir. See Engine Compartment Overview  for the location of the reservoir. The r ...

    Care of Safety Belts
    Keep belts clean and dry. WARNING: Do not bleach or dye safety belts. It may severely weaken them. In a crash, they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean safety belts only wi ...