PRACTICAL INFORMATION102 -
T O W I N G A T R A I L E R , C A R A V A N , B O A T , E T C .
W e r e c o m m e n d t h e u s e o f o r i g i n a l
CITROËN towbars and their har-
nesses that have been tested and
approved from the design stage of
y o u r v e h i c l e a n d t h a t t h e fi t t i n g o f t h e
t o w b a r i s e n t r u s t e d t o a C I T R O Ë N
dealer.
I f t h e t o w b a r i s n o t fi t t e d b y a
C I T R O Ë N d e a l e r , i t i s i m p e r a t i v e t h a t
i t i s fi t t e d u s i n g t h e e l e c t r i c a l p r e -
e q u i p m e n t i n s t a l l e d a t t h e r e a r o f t h e
v e h i c l e , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e m a n -
u f a c t u r e r ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s .
Y o u r v e h i c l e i s p r i m a r i l y d e s i g n e d
f o r t r a n s p o r t i n g p e o p l e a n d l u g g a g e
b u t i t m a y a l s o b e u s e d f o r t o w i n g a
trailer.
D r i v i n g w i t h a t r a i l e r s u b j e c t s t h e t o w -
i n g v e h i c l e t o m o r e s i g n i fi c a n t s t r e s s
a n d i t s d r i v e r m u s t b e p a r t i c u l a r l y
c a r e f u l .
A i r d e n s i t y d e c r e a s e s w i t h a l t i t u d e ,
t h u s r e d u c i n g e n g i n e p e r f o r m a n c e .
A b o v e 1 0 0 0 m e t r e s , t h e m a x i m u m
t o w i n g l o a d m u s t b e r e d u c e d b y 1 0 %
and so on for every 1 000 metres of
a l t i t u d e . Driving advice
Tyres: C h e c k t h e t y r e p r e s s u r e s o f
t h e t o w i n g v e h i c l e a n d o f t h e t r a i l e r ,
observing the recommended pres-
s u r e s .
Braking: Towing increases the braking
distance.
Lights: Check the electrical signalling
on the trailer.
Side wind: T a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e
increased sensitivity to side wind.
Cooling: Towing a trailer on a slope
i n c r e a s e s t h e t e m p e r a t u r e o f t h e
coolant.
A s t h e f a n i s e l e c t r i c a l l y c o n t r o l l e d ,
its cooling capacity is not dependent
on the engine speed.
O n t h e c o n t r a r y , u s e a h i g h g e a r t o
l o w e r t h e e n g i n e s p e e d a n d r e d u c e
y o u r s p e e d .
T h e m a x i m u m t o w i n g l o a d o n a l o n g
slope depends on the gradient and
t h e o u t s i d e t e m p e r a t u r e .
I n a l l c a s e s , p a y a t t e n t i o n t o t h e c o o l a n t
t e m p e r a t u r e .
I n c e r t a i n c a s e s o f p a r t i c u l a r l y a r d u -
o u s u s e ( t o w i n g t h e m a x i m u m l o a d
on a steep gradient in high tempera-
t u r e s ) , s w i t c h i n g o f f t h e a i r c o n d i t i o n -
ing permits the recovery of engine
power and therefore an increase in
the towing capacity.
I f t h e w a r n i n g l i g h t c o m e s o n , s t o p
the vehicle and switch off the engine
as soon as possible.
D i s t r i b u t i o n o f l o a d s : D i s t r i b u t e t h e
load in the trailer so that the heaviest
items are as close as possible to the
axle and the nose weight approach-
e s t h e m a x i m u m p e r m i t t e d w i t h o u t
exceeding it.
