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Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill.
But if it happens going downhill, here is
what to do:
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. If you have an automatic transmission,
shift to PARK (P). While still braking,
restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the
parking brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down
may be too steep to drive across. When you
go straight up or down a hill, the length of the
wheel base — the distance from the front
wheels to the rear wheels — reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end.
But when you drive across an incline, the much
more narrow track width — the distance
between the left and right wheels — may not
prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
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Dinghy Towing
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
2. Turn the engine off, but leave the
ignition in ON.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to
the tow vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a full-time four-wheel-drive
vehicle’s transfer case into NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
automatic transmission is in PARK (P) or
the manual transmission is in any gear.
You or others could be injured. Make sure
the parking brake is rmly set before
you shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL.5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). See
Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive on page 111for
the proper procedure to select the NEUTRAL
position for your vehicle.
6. Put the transmission in PARK (P) for an
automatic transmission or in FIRST (1) for
a manual transmission.
7. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to
the towing vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition off.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of NEUTRAL”
underFull-Time Four-Wheel Drive on page 111.
Dolly Towing
Notice:Dolly towing your vehicle will damage
drivetrain components. Do not dolly tow
your vehicle.
Your vehicle cannot be dolly towed. If you must
tow your vehicle behind another, use the
dinghy towing procedure listed previously.
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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 rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your
engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 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.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can
tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear if the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions. If you
have a manual transmission and you are towing
a trailer, it is better not to use the highest gear.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
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used
to pull a trailer are all important. It can depend
on any special equipment that you have on your
vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the
vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer
Tongue” later in this section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming
only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all
the required trailering equipment. The weight
of additional optional equipment, passengers and
cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
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Use the following chart to determine how much your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle model
and options.
Engine Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight *GCWR
Automatic Transmission 4.56 4,500 lbs (2 041 kg) 9,500 lbs (4 309 kg)
Manual Transmission 4.56 3,000 lbs (1 364 kg) 8,000 lbs (3 629 kg)
*The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) in the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle
and trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversions. The GCWR for your vehicle should
not be exceeded.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or you can write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices. SeeCustomer
Assistance Offices on page 452for more
information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total
gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle
Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of
the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and
the people who will be riding in the vehicle.If you have a lot of options, equipment, passengers
or cargo in your vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight your vehicle can carry, which will also
reduce the trailer weight your vehicle can tow.
If you will tow a trailer, you must add the tongue
load to the GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 289for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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