10-26Technical and consumer information
Several types of braking systems are available.
Surge Brakes -The surge brake actuator is
mounted on the trailer tongue with a hydraulic
line running to each trailer wheel. Surge brakes
are activated by the trailer pushing against the
hitch ball when the tow vehicle is braking.
Hydraulic surge brakes are common on rental
trailers and some boat trailers. In this type of
system, there is no hydraulic or electric connec-
tion for brake operation between the tow vehicle
and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes - Electric braking
systems are activated by an electronic signal
sent from a trailer brake controller (special brake
sensing module) .
Have a professional supplier of towing equip-
ment make sure the trailer brakes are properly
installed and demonstrate proper brake function
testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system
directly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
. Be certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if it has an
abnormal nose-up or nose-down condition;
check for improper tongue load, overload,
worn suspension or other possible causes
of either condition.
. Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
. Keep the cargo load as low as possible in
the trailer to keep the trailer center of gravity
low.
. Load the trailer so approximately 60% of the
trailer load is in the front half and 40% is in
the back half. Also make sure the load is
balanced side to side.
. Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure,
vehicle tire pressure, trailer light operation,
and trailer wheel lug nuts every time you
attach a trailer to the vehicle.
. Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing before
driving the vehicle.
. Determine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability, and braking
performance will be somewhat different than
under normal driving conditions.
.Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
. Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadver-
tently becoming unlatched.
. Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
. Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that are
towing trailers. Obey the local speed limits.
. When backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want the
trailer to go. Make small corrections and
back up slowly. If possible, have someone
guide you when you are backing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift lever to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the blocks
absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Make sure that the 4WD shift switch is
engaged in the AUTO, 4HI or 4LO position
and the Automatic Transmission (AT) park
warning light is turned off.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift the transmission into gear. 4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are
clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
. While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may
decrease overall stability. Therefore, to
maintain adequate control, reduce your
speed and shift to a lower gear. Avoid long
or repeated use of the brakes when
descending a hill, as this reduces their
effectiveness and could cause overheating.
Shifting to a lower gear instead provides
“engine braking” and reduces the need to
brake as frequently.
. If the engine coolant temperature rises to a
high temperature, see “If your vehicle over-
heats” (P.6-14) .
. Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
. Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (800 km).
. Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
maintenance schedule shown in the "9.
Maintenance and schedules" section. .
When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
. Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect
vehicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the
vehicle.
.Do not correct trailer sway by steering orapplying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of the road in
a safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is balanced as described earlier in this section.
. Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember the length of the trailer
must also pass the other vehicle before you
Technical and consumer information10-27
11 Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ......................... 5-137
Advanced Air Bag System ....................................... 1-58
Aiming controlHeadlights ............................................................. 2-39
Air bag system Advanced Air Bag System ................................ 1-58
Front passenger air bag and status light ...... 1-60
Front-seat mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag system ............................ 1-65
Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and
rollover supplemental air bag system ............. 1-65
Air bag warning labels .............................................. 1-68
Air bag warning light ..................................... 1-68, 2-16
Air cleaner housing filter ........................................... 8-15
Air conditioner Air conditioner operation ................................... 4-52
Air conditioner service ....................................... 4-58
Air conditioner specification label ................. 10-12
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations .................... 4-58, 10-7
Automatic air conditioner .................................. 4-54
In-cabin microfilter ............................................... 4-58
Alarm, How to stop alarm (see vehicle
security system) .......................................................... 2-31
Alcohol, drugs and driving ....................................... 5-10
Antenna ......................................................................... 4-92
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ......................... 5-137
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light .... 2-11
Appearance care Exterior appearance care ..................................... 7-2
Interior appearance care ....................................... 7-4
Armrest .......................................................................... 1-10
Around View
ŠMonitor .............................................. 4-29 Audible reminders ...................................................... 2-20
Audio operation precautions ................................... 4-59
Audio system ............................................................... 4-59
Steering wheel audio controls ......................... 4-91
Auto closure ................................................................. 3-25
Autolight system ......................................................... 2-37
Automatic Air conditioner ...................................................... 4-54
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) .................. 8-8
Door locks ................................................................ 3-6
Drive positioner .................................................... 3-33
Driving with automatic transmission ............... 5-18
Seat positioner ..................................................... 3-33
Average fuel consumption and speed .................. 2-28
Avoiding collision and rollover .................................. 5-8
B
Back door (See liftgate) ........................................... 3-22
Back-up Collision Intervention (BCI) ..................... 5-56
Battery ........................................................................... 8-11 Battery saver system ............................... 2-39, 2-64
Intelligent Key ....................................................... 8-21
Variable voltage control system ....................... 8-13
Before starting the engine ....................................... 5-15
Belts (See drive belts) .............................................. 8-13
Blind Spot Intervention
Š(BSI) ................................ 5-43
Blind Spot Intervention (BSI) ON
indicator light ............................................................... 2-17
Blind Spot Warning (BSW) .................................... 5-33
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)/Blind Spot
Intervention (BSI) system warning light ................ 2-12
Bluetooth
ŠHands-Free Phone System ............. 4-106
Bluetooth Šstreaming audio ..................................... 4-81
Booster seats .............................................................. 1-48 Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ................... 5-137
Brake booster ....................................................... 8-18
Brake fluid ................................................................ 8-9
Brake system ...................................................... 5-136
Parking brake operation ..................................... 5-22
Warning light ........................................................ 2-12
Break-in schedule .................................................... 5-121
Brightness control Display ON/OFF button ........................................ 4-8
Instrument panel .................................................. 2-40
Bulb check/instrument panel ................................... 2-11
Bulb replacement ....................................................... 8-24
C
Cabin air filter .............................................................. 4-58
CAMERA button ........................................................... 4-8
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ............................... 10-2
Car phone or CB radio .......................................... 4-106
Cargo floor box ........................................................... 2-56
Cargo light ................................................................... 2-67
Catalytic converter, Three way catalyst .................. 5-4
CD/DVD/USB memory care and cleaning .......... 4-90
Center multi-function control panel ......................... 4-4
Chassis and body maintenance ............................. 9-11
Child restraints ............................................................ 1-31 Booster seats ....................................................... 1-48
LATCH system ..................................................... 1-33
Precautions on child restraints ........................ 1-31
Top tether strap ................................................... 1-36
Child safety .................................................................. 1-28
Child safety rear door lock ........................................ 3-6
Chimes
Audible reminders ............................................... 2-20