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Driving tips
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Trailer hitch (if equipped)
yNever exceed the maximum weight specified
for the trailer hitch. Exceeding the maximum
weight could cause an accident resulting in se-
rious personal injuries. Permissible trailer
weight changes depending on the situation. Re-
fer to the next section “Trailer towing” for pos-
sible recommendations and limitations. y Trailer brakes are required when the towing
load exceeds 1,000 lbs (453 kg). Be sure your
trailer has safety chains and that each chain
will hold the trailer’s maximum gross weight.
Towing trailers without safety chains could cre-
ate a traffic safety hazard if the trailer separates
from the hitch due to coupling damage or hitch
ball damage. y Be sure to check the hitch pin and safety pin
for positive locking placement before towing a
trailer. If the ball mount comes off the hitch re-
ceiver, the trailer could get loose and create a
traffic safety hazard.y Use only the ball mount supplied with this
hitch. Use the hitch only as a weight carrying
hitch. Do not use with any type of weight dis-
tributing hitch.
The trailer hitch is designed to tow a Class 1 rated
load. A maximum of 2,400 lbs (1,087 kg) gross trailer
weight and a maximum of 200 lbs (90 kg) gross
tongue weight are permissible for the trailer hitch.
When you tow a trailer, follow the instructions in the
next section “Trailer towing”. „ Connecting a trailer
1. Remove the receiver cover from the hitch receiver
tube. Then insert the ball mount into the hitch receiver
tube.
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Driving tips
2. Insert the hitch pin into the hole on the hitch receiv-
er tube so that the pin passes through the ball mount.
3. Insert the safety pin into the hitch pin securely.
4. Pull the ball mount to make sure it does not come
off the hitch receiver.
1) Hitch ball installation point
2) Hooks for safety chains
5. Use only a hitch ball that is appropriate for the ball
mount and your trailer. The hitch ball must be securely
installed on the ball mount.
6. Connect your trailer to the hitch ball.
7. Connect the trailer and the hitch with safety chains
that will hold the trailer’s maximum gross weight. The
chains should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent
the tongue from dropping onto the ground in case it
should disconnect from the hitch ball. Allow sufficient
slack in the chains taking tight-turn situations into ac-
count; however, be careful not to let them drag on the
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Driving tips
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tenance schedule under severe driving conditions” in
the “Warranty and Maintenance Booklet”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer be towed with
a new vehicle or a vehicle with any new powertrain
component (engine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of
driving. „Maximum load limits
Never exceed the maximum load limits ex-
plained below. Exceeding the maximum load
limits could cause personal injury and/or vehi-
cle damage.
yAdequate size trailer brakes are required
when the trailer and its cargo exceed 1,000 lbs
(453 kg) total weight. y Before towing a trailer, check the trailer total
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load. Make
sure the load and its distribution in your vehicle
and trailer are acceptable.
T Total trailer weight
Total trailer weight
The total trailer weight (trailer weight plus its cargo
load) must never exceed the maximum weight shown
below.
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TGross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR)
Gross Vehicle Weight
The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) must never exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the combined total of
the weight of the vehicle, driver, passengers, luggage,
trailer hitch, trailer tongue load and any other optional
equipment installed on your vehicle. Therefore, the
GVW changes depending on the situation. Determine
the GVW each time before going on a trip by putting
your vehicle and trailer on a vehicle scale.
GVWR is shown on the certification label located on the driver’s door of your vehicle.
Certification label
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Driving tips
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TTongue load
Tongue load
If the trailer is loaded with more weight in the
back of trailer’s axle than in the front, the load
is taken off the rear axle of the towing vehicle.
This may cause the rear wheels to skid, espe-
cially during braking or when vehicle speed is
reduced during cornering, resulting in over-
steer, spin out and/or jackknifing. Ensure that the trailer tongue load is from 8 to 11 per-
cent of the total trailer weight and does not exceed the
maximum value of 200 lbs (90 kg).
1) Jack
2) Bathroom scale
The tongue load can be weighed with a bathroom
scale as shown in the illustration below. When weigh-
ing the tongue load, be sure to position the towing cou-
pler at the height at which it would be during actual
towing, using a jack as shown.
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Driving tips
F: Front
The tongue load can be adjusted by proper distribution
of the load in the trailer. Never load the trailer with
more weight in the back than in the front; approximate-
ly 60 percent of the trailer load should be in the front
and approximately 40 percent in the rear. Also, distrib-
ute the load as evenly as possible on both the left and
right sides.
Be sure that all cargo is firmly secured to prevent a
change in weight distribution while driving. „
Trailer hitches
Never drill the frame or under-body of your ve-
hicle to install a commercial trailer hitch. If you
do, dangerous exhaust gas, water or mud may
enter the passenger compartment through the
drilled hole. Exhaust gas contains carbon mon-
oxide, a colorless and odorless gas which is
dangerous, or even lethal, if inhaled. Also, drill-
ing the frame or under-body of your vehicle
could cause deterioration of strength of your
vehicle and cause corrosion around the drilled
hole.
yDo not modify the vehicle exhaust system,
brake system, or other systems when installing
a hitch or other trailer towing equipment. y Do not use axle-mounted hitches as they can
cause damage to the axle housing, wheel bear-
ings, wheels or tires.
Choose a proper hitch for your vehicle and trailer.
F
60% 40% 50%
50%
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Driving tips
T
Trailer safety chains
Always use safety chains between your vehicle
and the trailer. Towing trailer without safety
chains could create a traffic safety hazard if the
trailer separates from the hitch due to coupling
damage or hitch ball damage.
In case the trailer hitch connector or hitch ball should
break or become disconnected, the trailer could get
loose and create a traffic safety hazard.
For safety, always connect the towing vehicle and
trailer with trailer safety chains. Pass the chains cross-
ing each other under the trailer tongue to prevent the
trailer from dropping onto the ground in case the trailer
tongue should disconnect from the hitch ball. Allow
sufficient slack in the chains taking tight-turn situations
into account; however, be careful not to let them drag
on the ground.
For more information about the safety chain connec-
tion, refer to the instructions for your hitch and trailer. T
Side mirrors
After hitching a trailer to your vehicle, check that the
standard side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without significant blind spots. If significant blind
spots occur with the vehicle’s standard side mirrors,
use towing mirrors that conform with Federal, state/
province and/or other applicable regulations. T Trailer lights
Direct splicing or other improper connection of
trailer lights may damage your vehicle’s electri-
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Driving tips
speed. You should also keep the following tips
in mind:
T Before starting out on a trip
y Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-hitch mount-
ing are in good condition. If any problems are appar-
ent, do not tow the trailer.y Check that the vehicle sits horizontally with the trail-
er attached. If the vehicle is tipped sharply up at the
front and down at the rear, check the total trailer
weight, GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then con-
firm that the load and its distribution are acceptable. y Check that the tire pressures are correct.
y Check that the vehicle and trailer are connected
properly. Confirm that.
– the trailer tongue is connected properly to the
hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connected properly
and trailer’s brake lights illuminate when the vehi-
cle’s brake pedal is pressed, and that the trailer’s
turn signal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn signal
lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected properly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safety in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rearward field of
view without a significant blind spot. y
Sufficient time should be taken to learn the “feel” of
the vehicle/trailer combination before starting out on a
trip. In an area free of traffic, practice turning, stopping
and backing up. T Driving with a trailer
y You should allow for considerably more stopping
distance when towing a trailer. Avoid sudden braking
because it may result in skidding or jackknifing and
loss of control.y Avoid abrupt starts and sudden accelerations. If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, always start
out in first gear and release the clutch at moderate en-
gine revolution. y Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and rapid lane
changes. y Slow down before turning. Make a longer than nor-
mal turning radius because the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
In a tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle. y Crosswinds will adversely affect the handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Crosswinds
can be due to weather conditions or the passing of
large trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the
steering wheel and slow down immediately but gradu-
ally. y When passing other vehicles, considerable dis-
tance is required because of the added weight and