Page 203 of 333
Towing a Trailer
Additional Trailer Equipment
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don't,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your
towing situation.
Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following:
The vehicle has been properlyserviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 196 and 197 ). The hitch, safety chains, and any
other attachments are secure. All items on and in the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 244 ),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by thetrailer maker.
Driving
Page 204 of 333
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 ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use the D4 position when towing a
trailer on level roads. D3 is the
proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next
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 nearsthe red (Hot) 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
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
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.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.
CONTINUED
Driving
Page 205 of 333
Towing a Trailer
Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.
Backing Up
Always drive slowly and have someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the bottom of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the left
to get the trailer to move to the left, and turn the wheel right to move the
trailer to the right.
Parking
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including putting the
transmission in Park and firmly setting the parking brake. Also, place
wheel chocks at each of the trailer's
tires.
Driving
Page 213 of 333
U.S. Owners
Follow the Severe Conditions
Maintenance Schedule if youdrive your car MAINLY under
one or more of the following
conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8
km) per trip or, in freezing
temperatures, driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over 90°F (32°C) ] conditions.
Extensive idling or long
periods of stop-and-go driving.
Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, orde-iced roads.
Canadian Owners
Follow the Maintenance
Schedule for Severe Conditions.
# :
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last column, page 207 .
* 1 : See Timing Belt on page 243 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
* 2 : See Air Conditioning Filter on page 242 for replacement information under special driving conditions.
Maintenance
Page 274 of 333
Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more- common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructions
on getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 272
Changing a Flat Tire ..................... 273
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 278 Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor OperatesVery Slowly......................... 278
The Starter Operates Normally.................................
279
Jump
Starting................................. 280
If Your Engine Overheats............. 283
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 285 Charging System Indicator........... 286
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 287
Brake System Indicator................ 289
Closing the Moonroof................... 290
Fuses............................................... 291
Checking and Replacing........... 292
Emergency Towing....................... 296
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Page 282 of 333
If Your Engine Won't Start
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 280 .
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 296 .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 236). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 280).
The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor'sspeed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 181. Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank. There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page 292).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 296 .
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Page 287 of 333
If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 296 ).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page172 ). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have toadd coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator capcounterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial tomaximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained andrefilled with the proper mixture assoon as you can.
11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 296 .)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
Page 288 of 333
Low Oil Pressure Indicator
This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go outafter the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressure dropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressureand serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.
1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level
(see page 171). Although oil leveland oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 217 ). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can continue driving. (See Emergency
Towing on page 296 .)
Taking Care of the Unexpected
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR
NOTICE
