2011 TOYOTA MATRIX Owners Manual

161 2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
■Before towing
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. (P. 360)
●Trailer tires should be inflated according to the trailer manufacturer's rec-
ommendation.
●All trailer lights must work in order to be legal.
●Confirm all lights work each time you connect them.
●Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or unloaded trailer
is hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle is not level, and check for improper
tongue load, overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
●Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded.
●Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal, state/provincial
or local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors appropriate for
towing purposes.
■Break-in schedule
Toyota recommends that you do not use a new vehicle or a vehicle with any
new power train components (engine, transmission, differential, wheel bear-
ings, etc.) to tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) of driving.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance
due to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner's Manual Supplement”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approxi-
mately 600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.

162 2-5. Driving information
CAUTION
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue load capacities.
●Never load more weight in the back than in the front of the trailer. About
60% of the load should be in the front half of the trailer, and the remaining
40% in the rear.
■Hitches
●If you wish to install a trailer hitch, contact your Toyota dealer.
●Use only a hitch that conforms to the total trailer weight requirement.
●Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.
●Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.
●Remove the trailer hitch whenever you are not towing a trailer. After
removing the hitch, seal any mounting hole in the vehicle body to prevent
entry of any substances into the vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
●If the gross trailer weight exceeds 1000 lb. (453 kg), trailer brakes are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
●Never tap into your vehicle's hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehi-
cle's braking effectiveness.
●Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both
the trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.

163 2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Trailer towing tips
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to
avoid accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind
when towing:
●Before starting out, check the trailer lights and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
●Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel
of the vehicle.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
●Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install
the trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
●Do not use axle-mounted hitches, as they can cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheels or tires.
■Brakes
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all applicable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
■Safety chain
A safety chain must always be used between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to the ground in
the case that it becomes damaged or separated. For the correct safety chain
installation procedure, ask your Toyota dealer.
■Do not directly splice trailer lights
Directly splicing trailer lights may damage your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction.

164 2-5. Driving information
●Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
●As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
●Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and
loss of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
●Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before mak-
ing turns.
●Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a larger than normal turning radius.
●Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely affect handling of your
vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Periodically check the rear to
prepare for being passed by large trucks or buses, which may
cause your vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying occurs, firmly grip
the steering wheel, reduce speed immediately but gradually, and
steer straight ahead. Never increase speed. If you make no
extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle and
trailer will stabilize.
●Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of
your trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing
lanes.

165 2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
●To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not use 5th gear (manual
transmission), or do not put the transmission in “D” (automatic
transmission).
●Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle's engine may
overheat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when
driving up a long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air condition-
ing (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(P. 433)
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and the trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P (automatic transmission) or in 1 or R (manual
transmission). Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do so
only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into 1 or R (manual transmission) or P (automatic trans-
mission) and turn off the engine.
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166 2-5. Driving information
●When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in the P position (automatic transmis-
sion) or the clutch pedal (manual transmission) depressed,
start the engine. On vehicles with an automatic transmission,
be sure to keep the brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into the R position.
Release the parking brake (also brake pedal on vehicles with
an automatic transmission), and slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION
■To avoid an accident
●Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) or posted towing speed limit, whichever
is lower. As instability (swaying) of the towing vehicle-trailer combination
increases as speed increases, exceeding 45 mph (72 km/h) may cause
loss of control.
●Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
●Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency.
●Do not tow the vehicle with the compact spare tire installed.
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167
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Dinghy towing (automatic transmission)
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Active
Torque Control 4WD system (AWD models)
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on
the ground) behind a motor home.
Do not tow your vehicle with 4 wheels on
the ground.
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from
the rear with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious damage
to the transmission.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with
any of the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission and Active Torque Control 4WD
system.

168
2-5. Driving information
Dinghy towing (manual transmission)
Towing your vehicle with 4 wheels on the ground
To prevent damage to your vehicle, perform the following procedures
before towing.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Switch to the “ACC” position. (P. 115)
Ensure that the audio system and other powered devices have been
turned off.
Release the parking brake.
After towing, leave the engine in idle for at least 3 minutes before
driving the vehicle.
■Necessary equipment and accessories
Specialized equipment and accessories are required for dinghy towing. Con-
tact the service branch of the motor home manufacturer regarding recom-
mended equipment.
Your vehicle can be dinghy towed in a forward direction (with 4
wheels on the ground) behind a motor home.
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