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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
NOTICE
■
To prevent the water damage
●Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does not occur.
● Water entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
● Water entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift
quality, locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ulti-
mately damage.
● Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and pre-
mature failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and
transfer case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■ When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams, first check
the depth of the water and the bottom of the river bed for firmness. Drive
slowly and avoid deep water.
■ Inspection after off-road driving
●Sand and mud that has accumulat ed in brake drums and around brake
discs may affect braking efficiency and may damage brake system compo-
nents.
● Always perform a maintenance inspection after each day of off-road driv-
ing that has taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintenance information, refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
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2-5. Driving information
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving
the vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropri-
ate to the prevailing weather conditions.
■ Pre-winter preparations
●Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tem-
peratures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspect the level and specific grav-
ity of battery electrolyte.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set
of tire chains for the rear tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains
match the size of the tires.
■Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions.
●Do not try to forcibly open a window, scrape an outside rear
view mirror surface or move a wiper or outside rear view mir-
ror that is frozen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to
melt the ice. Wipe away the water immediately to prevent it
from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of th e climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents
in front of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumu lated on the vehicle chassis.
● Periodically check for and remove any excess ice or snow
that may have accumulated in the wheel well or on the
brakes.
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2-5. Driving information
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When driving
Selecting tire chains
Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the snow chains.
Chain size is regulated for each tire size. Side chain
0.2 in. (5 mm) in diameter
Cross chain
0.25 in. (6.3 mm) in diameter
■When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to road conditions.
■ When parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the
parking brake. The parking brak e may freeze up, preventing it
from being released. If necessary , block the wheels to prevent
inadvertent sliding or creeping.
■ Refueling (Flex-fuel vehicles)
Observe the following precautions when switching fuels, in order
to maintain starting and driving performance.
●Do not change fuels when the fuel level is 1/4 or less.
● Always add at least 2.6 gal. (10 L) of fuel.
● After fulling up with fuel, warm up the engine or drive the vehi-
cle for at least 5 minutes or 7 miles (11 km).
● Do not accelerate rapidly immediately after refueling.
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2-5. Driving information
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When driving
GCWR, TWR and Unbraked TWR
Confirm that the gross trailer weight, gross combination weight, gross
vehicle weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight are all within the
limits.
■ GCWR
* and TWR*
*1: The model code is indicated on the Certification Label. (P. 646)
■Unbraked TWR*
1000 lb. (453 kg)
*: These models meet the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SAE
International per SAE J2807.
Model code*1EngineDriving
systemGCWRTWR
UPK60L-GKTSKA
4.6L V8
(1UR-FE)
engine2WD
13000 lb. (5897 kg) 6900 lb. (3130 kg)UPK60L-GKTLKA6800 lb. (3084 kg)
UPK65L-GKTSKA4WD
6600 lb. (2994 kg)UPK65L-GKTLKA
USK60L-GKTSKA
5.7L V8
(3UR-FE) engine
2WD 13600 lb. (6169 kg)
7400 lb. (3357 kg)USK60L-GKTLKA7300 lb. (3311 kg)
USK60L-GKTZKA13400 lb. (6078 kg) 7200 lb. (3266 kg)
USK65L-GKTSKA
4WD13600 lb. (6169 kg)
7100 lb. (3221 kg)
USK65L-GKTLKA13500 lb. (6124 kg)USK65L-GKTZKA7000 lb. (3175 kg)
USK65L-GKTSGA5.7L V8
(3UR-FBE) engine13600 lb. (6169 kg) 7100 lb. (3221 kg)
USK65L-GKTLGA13500 lb. (6124 kg)USK65L-GKTZGA7000 lb. (3175 kg)
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286 2-5. Driving information
Connecting and disconnecting a trailer (vehicles with
electronically modulated air suspension)
If a height control system is installed in your vehicle, you have to con-
nect and disconnect your trailer more carefully.
● Connecting
Set the height control of elec tronically modulated air suspen-
sion system to N mode.
Turn off the engine, or set the electronically modulated air
suspension system to MAN. (manual).
Connect the trailer.
Turn the engine switch to the START position and start the
engine.
Press the height control mode select switch to cancel the
MAN. (manual) condition that was set on .
Check that the MAN. indicator turns off.
Set the height control of elec tronically modulated air suspen-
sion system to N mode.
■ Service connector for towing br ake controller (with towing package)
Your vehicle is equipped with a service
connector for the trailer brake controller
as shown.
Access the service connector.
Remove the scuff plate.
Remove the clip (screw type) and trim
board.
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2-5. Driving information
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When driving
●
Disconnecting
Set the height control of elec tronically modulated air suspen-
sion system to N mode.
Set the electronically modulate d air suspension system to
MAN. (manual).
Turn off the engine.
Set the supporting leg of the trailer on the ground and raise
the hitch by 4 in. (100 mm).
Turn the engine switch to the START position and start the
engine.
Press the height control mode select switch to cancel the
MAN. (manual) condition that was set on . Check that
the MAN. indicator turns off.
Wait until vehicle height is stabilized.
Make sure the hitch is disconne cted. If the hitch does not dis-
connect, raise the hitch higher and repeat steps 2 through 7.
Move the vehicle forward in LO mode where the hitch does
not touch anything in N mode.
Set the height control of elec tronically modulated air suspen-
sion system to N mode.
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2-5. Driving information
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When driving
●
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before mak-
ing a turn.
● Note that when making a turn, th e trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in crosswinds, on wet or slippery
surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● 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 hav e plenty of room before changing
lanes.
● To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not use the transmission in
D.
Transmission shift range position must be in 4 in the S mode.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill 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.
● 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, immedi ately turn off the air condition-
ing (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
( P. 637)
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290 2-5. Driving information
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the
trailer’s wheels when parking. Ap ply the parking brake firmly, and
put the transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blo cks under both the vehicle’s
and trailer’s 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 P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, 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 R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.