2014 Citroen DS4 Owner's Manual

295
Towing the vehicleProcedure for having your vehicle towed or for towing another vehicle using a removable towing eye.
The towing eye is installed in the boot under
the floor.
To gain access to it:
F
o
pen the boot,
F

r
aise the floor,
F

s
ecure it by hooking its cord on the hook
on the rear parcel shelf support,
F

r
emove the towing eye from the holder.
Access to the tools
General recommendations
Observe the legislation in force in your
c o unt r y.
Ensure that the weight of the towing
vehicle is higher than that of the towed
vehicle.
The driver must remain at the wheel
of the towed vehicle and must have a
valid driving licence.
When towing a vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground, always use an
approved towing arm; rope and straps
are prohibited.
The towing vehicle must move off
g e nt l y.
When towing a vehicle with the engine
off, there is no longer any power
assistance for braking or steering. In the following cases, you must always call
on a professional recovery service:
-

v
ehicle broken down on a motor way or
fast road,
-

f
our-wheel drive vehicle,
-

w
hen it is not possible to put the gearbox
into neutral, unlock the steering, or
release the parking brake,
-

t
owing with only two wheels on the
ground,
-

w
here there is no approved towing arm
available...
Practical information

F On the front bumper, unclip the cover by pressing at the bottom.
F

S
crew the towing eye in fully.
F

I
nstall the towing bar. F
O n the rear bumper, unclip the cover by
pressing at the bottom.
F

S
crew the towing eye in fully.
F

I
nstall the towing bar.
F

S
witch on the hazard warning lamps on
both vehicles.
F

M
ove off gently, drive slowly and for a short
distance.
Towing your vehicle Towing another vehicle
F Place the gear lever in neutral
(position N on an electronic or
automatic gearbox).
F

ailure to observe this instruction
could result in damage to
certain components (braking,
transmission...) and the absence
of braking assistance the next time
the engine is started.
F

U

nlock the steering and release the
parking brake.
F

S

witch on the hazard warning lamps on
both vehicles.
F

M

ove off gently, drive slowly and for a short
distance.

297
Towing a trailer
We recommend the use of genuine
CITROËN towbars and their harnesses
that have been tested and approved
from the design stage of your vehicle,
and that the fitting of the towbar is
entrusted to a CITROËN dealer or a
qualified workshop.
If the towbar is not fitted by a
CITROËN dealer, it must still be
fitted in accordance with the vehicle
manufacturer's instructions.
Your vehicle is primarily designed for
transporting people and luggage, but it may
also be used for towing a trailer. Driving with a trailer places greater
demands on the towing vehicle and the
driver must take particular care.
Practical information

driving advice
distribution of loads
F Distribute the load in the trailer so that the heaviest items are as close as possible to
the axle and the nose weight approaches
the maximum permitted without
exceeding
it.
Air density decreases with altitude, thus
reducing engine per formance. Above
1
000 metres, the maximum towed load must
be reduced by 10
% for every 1 000 metres of
altitude.
Side wind
F Take into account the increased sensitivity to side wind.
Cooling
Towing a trailer on a slope increases the
temperature of the coolant.
As the fan is electrically controlled, its cooling
capacity is not dependent on the engine speed.
F

T
o lower the engine speed, reduce your
speed.
The maximum towed load on a long incline
depends on the gradient and the ambient
temperature.
In all cases, keep a check on the coolant
temperature.
F

I
f the warning lamp and the STOP
warning lamp come on, stop the
vehicle and switch off the engine
as soon as possible.
Braking
Towing a trailer increases the braking distance.
To avoid overheating of the brakes on a long
mountain type of descent, the use of engine
braking is recommended.
Ty r e s
F Check the tyre pressures of the towing vehicle and of the trailer, observing the
recommended pressures.
Lighting
F Check the electrical lighting and signalling on the trailer.
Refer to the "Technical data" section for
details of the weights and towed loads
which apply to your vehicle.
The rear parking sensors will be
deactivated automatically if a genuine
CITROËN towbar is used.

299
Towbar with quickly detachable towball
For information on the maximum trailer
weight and the recommended nose
weight, refer to the "Technical data"
section.
For information on safely towing a
trailer, refer to the "Towing a trailer"
section.
Observe the legislation in force in the
country in which you are driving.
Presentation
This towbar allows the towball to be fitted and
removed quickly and easily without the use
of tools. Installed behind the rear bumper, the
towbar is invisible after removing the towball
and folding the trailer harness socket carrier.
1.
Ca

rrier.
2.
P

rotective blanking plug.
3.
S

ecurity ring.
4.
F

olding trailer harness socket.
5.
D

etachable towball.
6.
L

ocking / unlocking wheel.
7.
S

ecurity key lock.
8.
L

ocking wheel protector.
9.
Ba

ll protector.
10.
St

orage bag.A. Locked position
The locking wheel is not in contact with the
towball (gap of about 5 mm).
The green mark is visible.
The lock for the locking wheel is facing
rearward.
B. Unlocked position
The locking wheel is in contact with the towball.
Then green mark is hidden.
The lock for the locking wheel is facing for ward.
Practical information

Before each use
Check that the towball is correctly fitted by verifying the following points:
- t he towball is correctly locked in place (position A ),
-

t
he security key lock is on and the key removed; the locking wheel can no longer be
operated,
-

t
he towball must no longer move at all in its carrier; try to shake it by hand.
during use
Never unlock the device when a trailer or load carrier is fitted to the towball.
Never exceed the maximum authorised weight for the vehicle plus trailer (Gross Train
Weight - GTW).
After use
For journeys made without a trailer or load carrier, the trailer harness socket must be folded
away, the towball removed and the blanking plug inserted in the carrier. This measure
applies particularly if the towball could hinder visibility of the number plate or lighting.
Fitting the towball
Remove the protective plug from the carrier
and check the condition of the fixing system.
If necessary, clean the carrier with a brush or
clean cloth.
Take the towball from the storage bag.
Remove the protective cover from the ball and
the protective cap from the locking wheel.
Stow the plug, cover and cap in the storage
bag.
Check that the towball is unlocked (position B ).
If not, insert the key in the lock and turn the key
anti-clockwise to unlock the mechanism.

301
If the key cannot be turned or removed,
this means that the towball is not fitted
correctly; start the procedure again.
If one of the locking conditions is not
met, start the procedure again.
In all cases, if the marking remains
red, do not use the towbar and contact
a CITROËN dealer or a qualified
workshop.
Take the towball in both hands; insert the end
of the towball into the carrier by lifting it, then,
to ensure that it has correctly locked in place,
pull firmly down on the ball end of the towball.
The locking wheel automatically turns a quarter
of a turn anti-clockwise, making a perceptible
click; take care to keep your hands clear.
Check that the towball has correctly locked in
place (position A
).
Turn the key clockwise to lock the towball fixing
mechanism.
Always remove the key and keep it in a safe
place.
Practical information

Attach the trailer to the towball.
Attach the cable on the trailer to the security
ring located on the carrier.
Lower the trailer harness socket carrier by
pulling down on the ring visible below the
b u m p e r.
Remove the protective cover from the socket
and connect the trailer wiring harness.
Removing the towball
Disconnect the trailer harness from the socket
on the carrier.
Detach the cable on the trailer from the security
ring on the carrier.
Unhook the trailer from the towball.
Return the trailer harness connector carrier to
the folded position.Insert the key into the lock.
Turn the key anti-clockwise to unlock the
towball fixing mechanism.