33
Safety features of your vehicle
WARNING- Driver’s seat
• Never attempt to adjust the seat
whilst the vehicle is moving. This
could result in loss of control,
and an accident causing death,
serious injury, or property dam-
age.
• Do not allow anything to interfere
with the normal position of the
seatback. Storing items against a
seatback or in any other way
interfering with proper locking of
a seatback could result in serious
or fatal injury in a sudden stop or
collision.
(Continued)
WARNING
Do not use a sitting cushion that
reduces friction between the seat
and passenger. The passenger's
hips may slide under the lap por-
tion of the seat belt during an acci-
dent or a sudden stop. Serious or
fatal internal injuries could result
because the seat belt can't operate
normally.
WARNING - Seatback
adjustment
When you return the seatback to its
upright position, hold the seatback
and return it slowly and be sure
there are no other occupants
around the seat. If the seatback is
returned without being held and
controlled, the back of the seat
could spring forward resulting in
accidental injury to a person struck
by the seatback.
WARNING- Driver respon-
sibility for passengers
Riding in a vehicle with the seat-
back reclined could lead to serious
or fatal injury in an accident. If a
seat is reclined during an accident,
the occupant’s hips may slide
under the lap portion of the seat
belt applying great force to the
unprotected abdomen. Serious or
fatal internal injuries could result.
The driver must advise the passen-
ger to keep the seatback in an
upright position whenever the vehi-
cle is in motion.
(Continued)
• Always drive and ride with your
seatback upright and the lap por-
tion of the seat belt snug and low
across the hips. This is the best
position to protect you in case of
an accident.
• In order to avoid unnecessary
and perhaps severe air bag
injuries, always sit as far back as
possible from the steering wheel
whilst maintaining comfortable
control of the vehicle. We recom-
mend that your chest be at least
250 mm (10 inches) away from
the steering wheel.
WARNING
After adjusting the seat, always
check that it is securely locked into
place by attempting to move the
seat forward or reverse without
using the lock release lever.
Sudden or unexpected movement
of the driver's seat could cause you
to lose control of the vehicle result-
ing in an accident.
Driving your vehicle
66 5
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to your
country’s regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
loaded, then it needs its own brakes and
they must be adequate. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
• Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-
tem.
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer towbar
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tyres and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start moving your vehicle and
trailer and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection(s) at the same time.
During your trip, occasionally check to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and trailer brakes are still working.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turns
When you're turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won't strike kerbs, road signs,
trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden manoeuvres. Signal well in
advance.
WARNING- Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This should
be performed by professionals who
are experienced in this field.
