Your vehicle  can  tow a trailer  if it  is  equipped with the 
proper  trailer  towing equipment.  To identify what  the 
vehicle  trailering  capacity  is  for  your vehicle,  you 
should read 
the information  in “Weight of the  Trailer” 
that  appears  later  in this  section.  But trailering is 
different  than  just  driving  your vehicle  by itself. 
Trailering  means changes  in handling,  durability  and 
fuel  economy.  Successful,  safe  trailering  takes  correct 
equipment,  and it has 
to be used properly. 
That’s the  reason  for  this  part. 
In it  are many 
time-tested,  important  trailering tips and safety  rules. 
Many  of these  are  important  for  your safety  and that  of 
your  passengers. 
So please  read this section  carefully 
before  you pull  a trailer. 
Load-pulling  components  such  as the  engine,  transaxle, 
wheel  assemblies  and tires  are  forced  to  work harder 
against  the drag  of the added  weight.  The  engine  is 
required  to  operate  at relatively  higher  speeds  and under 
greater  loads,  generating  extra  heat. What’s more, the 
trailer adds  considerably 
to wind resistance,  increasing 
the pulling  requirements. 
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer 
If you do, here  are some  important  points: 
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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.  You can ask  a  hitch 
dealer  about  sway  controls. 
Don’t tow  a trailer  at all  during  the first 
1,000 miles 
(1 600 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 kmh) and 
don’t make  starts at full  throttle.  This  helps  your 
engine  and other  parts  of your  vehicle  wear 
in at the 
heavier  loads. 
Obey speed  limit restrictions when towing  a trailer. 
Don’t  drive  faster  than the maximum posted  speed 
for trailers  (or no more than 
55 mph (90 km/h)) to 
save wear 
on your vehicle’s  parts. 
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