Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly
towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on
the ground and two wheels up on a device known
as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment? See
your dealer/retailer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-13.
Dinghy Towing
If you have the 3.9L V6 engine with the four-speed
automatic transmission, your vehicle cannot be dinghy
towed.
If your vehicle does not have the 3.9L V6 engine with a
four-speed automatic transmission, it can be dinghy
towed.
When dinghy towing your vehicle, the vehicle should be
run at the beginning of each day and at each RV fuel
stop for about ve minutes. This will ensure proper
lubrication of transmission components.
4-26
If your vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine (VIN Code 7),
use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. For best performance or trailer
towing, you could choose to use middle grade 89 octane
unleaded gasoline. If the octane rating is less than
87, you might notice an audible knocking noise when
you drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If
this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher
as soon as possible. If you are using gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
If your vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine (VIN Code B),
use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but
your vehicle’s acceleration could be slightly reduced,
and you might notice a slight audible knocking
noise, commonly referred to as spark knock. If the
octane is less than 87, you might notice a heavy
knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you could damage the engine. If
you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and
you hear heavy knocking, the engine needs service.Gasoline Speci cations
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM speci cation
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or
3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines containing MMT. See
Additives on page 5-8for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certi ed to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that
meet California speci cations. See the underhood
emission control label. If this fuel is not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal speci cations, but emission control system
performance might be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and your vehicle might fail
a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-38. If this occurs, return to your authorized
dealer/retailer for diagnosis. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
might not be covered by your warranty.
5-7