ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
•
Do not tow a trailer until you drive your
vehicle at least 1,000 mi (1,600 km).
• Consult your local motor vehicle laws for
towing a trailer.
• See any instructions that come with
towing accessories for the proper
installation and adjustment specifications.
• Service your vehicle more frequently if
you tow a trailer.
See Scheduled
Maintenance (page 537).
• If you use a rental trailer, follow the
instructions the rental agency gives you.
You can find information on load
specification terms found on the tire label
and Safety Compliance label as well as
instructions on calculating your vehicle's load
in the Load Carrying chapter. See Load Limit
(page
305).
Remember to account for the trailer tongue
weight as part of your vehicle load when
calculating the total vehicle weight. Trailer Towing Connector (Vehicles
with a Trailer Towing Package and
7–Pin Connector)
When attaching the trailer wiring connector
to your vehicle, only use a proper fitting
connector that works with the vehicle and
trailer functions. Some seven-position
connectors may have the SAE J2863 logo,
which confirms that it is the proper wiring
connector and works correctly with your
vehicle. Function
Color
Left turn signal and stop lamp.
Yellow
Ground (-).
White
Electric brakes.
Blue
Right turn signal and stop lamp.
Green
Battery (+).
Orange
Running lights.
Brown
Reverse lights.
Grey
Trailer Hitch Cover
Your vehicle has a removable trailer hitch
cover. To remove the trailer hitch cover:
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1.
Grab the trailer hitch cover at the bottom
and pull towards the rear of the vehicle
until the bottom of the trailer hitch cover
unsnaps from the bumper.
2. Grab the trailer hitch cover at the edge and rotate until the top of the trailer hitch
cover unsnaps from the bumper, then
remove the trailer hitch cover.
To install the trailer hitch cover: 1. Line up the snaps on the trailer hitch
cover to the holes on the bumper and
push forward until it snaps into place.
Hitches WARNING: Do not cut, drill, weld or
modify the trailer hitch. Modifying the trailer
hitch could reduce the hitch rating.
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle.
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the
total trailer weight is on the tongue. Integrated Hitch Rating WARNING:
Towing trailers beyond
the maximum recommended gross trailer
weight exceeds the limit of your vehicle
and could result in engine damage,
transmission damage, structural damage,
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover and
personal injury.
The standard integrated hitch has two ratings
depending on mode of operation:
• Weight-carrying mode requires a draw
bar and hitch ball. The draw bar supports
all the vertical tongue load of the trailer.
• Weight-distributing mode requires an
aftermarket weight-distributing system,
which includes draw bar, hitch ball, spring
bars and snap-up brackets. This system
distributes the vertical tongue load of the
trailer between the truck and the trailer.
You must use a weight-distributing hitch for
weights above 6,000 lb (2,721 kg), up to your
vehicle's maximum towing capacity.
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Note:
These are hitch ratings only. Actual
vehicle ratings are dependent on engine,
transmission and axle combinations.
Weight-distributing Hitch WARNING: Do not adjust the spring
bars so that your vehicle's rear bumper is
higher than before attaching the trailer.
Doing so will defeat the function of the
weight-distributing hitch, which may cause
unpredictable handling, and could result
in serious personal injury.
When hooking-up a trailer using a
weight-distributing hitch, always use the
following procedure:
1. Park the loaded vehicle, without the trailer, on a level surface.
2. Measure the height to the top of your vehicle's front wheel opening on the
fender. This is H1.
3. Attach the loaded trailer to your vehicle without the weight-distributing bars
connected. 4. Measure the height to the top of your
vehicle's front wheel opening on the
fender a second time. This is H2.
5. Install and adjust the tension in the weight-distributing bars so that the height
of your vehicle's front wheel opening on
the fender is approximately half the way
down from H2, toward H1.
6. Check that the trailer is level or slightly nose down toward your vehicle. If not,
adjust the ball height accordingly and
repeat Steps 2-6.
When the trailer is level or slightly nose down
toward the vehicle:
• Lock the bar tension adjuster in place.
• Check that the trailer tongue securely
attaches and locks onto the hitch.
• Install safety chains, lighting and trailer
brake controls as required by law or the
trailer manufacturer. Safety Chains
Note:
Do not attach safety chains to the
bumper. Always connect the safety chains
to the frame or hook retainers of your trailer
hitch.
Install trailer safety chains to the trailer hitch
as recommended by the manufacturer. Cross
the chains under the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning tight corners. Do
not allow the chains to drag on the ground. If the trailer safety chain hook has a latch,
make sure the latch fully closes.
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Trailer Brakes (If Equipped)
WARNING:
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system directly to your
vehicle's brake system. Your vehicle may
not have enough braking power and your
chances of having a collision greatly
increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you install
them properly and adjust them to the
manufacturer's specifications. The trailer
brakes must meet local and federal
regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Separate functioning brake systems are
required for safe control of towed vehicles
and trailers weighing more than 1500 lb
(680 kg) when loaded. Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
(If
Equipped) WARNING:
Use the integrated trailer
brake controller to properly adjust the
trailer brakes and check all connections
before towing a trailer. Failure to follow
this instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, personal injury or
death. When used properly, the trailer brake
controller assists in smooth and effective
trailer braking by powering the trailer’
s
electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes with
a proportional output based on the towing
vehicle ’s brake pressure.
The controller user interface consists of the
following:
A: + and - (Gain adjustment buttons): Pressing
these buttons adjusts the controller's power
output to the trailer brakes in 0.5 increments.
You can increase the gain setting to 10.0
(maximum trailer braking) or decrease it to
0 (no trailer braking). The gain setting
displays in the message center.
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Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up to
get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip. When
turning, make wider turns so the trailer
wheels clear curbs and other obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•
Do not drive faster than 70 mph
(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi
(800 km).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly after
you have traveled
50 mi (80 km).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
transmission in park (P) to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.
• Turn off the speed control when carrying
heavy loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically when
you are towing on long, steep grades. •
Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission has a Grade Assist
or Tow/Haul feature, use this feature
when towing. This provides engine
braking and helps eliminate excessive
transmission shifting for optimum fuel
economy and transmission cooling.
• If your vehicle has AdvanceTrac with
RSC, this system may turn on during
typical cornering maneuvers with a
heavily loaded trailer. This is normal.
Turning the corner at a slower speed
while towing may reduce this tendency.
• If your vehicle has Adaptive suspension,
you can select NORMAL or SPORT drive
control modes for better experience
when towing a trailer.
See Information
Displays (page 133). •
If you are towing a trailer frequently in
hot weather, hilly conditions, at the gross
combined weight rating (or any
combination of these factors), consider
refilling your rear axle with synthetic gear
lubricant (if the axle is not already filled
with it).
See Capacities and
Specifications (page 435).
• Allow more distance for stopping with a
trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow.
2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the transmission in park (P).
4. Place wheel chocks in the front and back
of the trailer wheels.
Note: Chocks are not included with your
vehicle.
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•
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight.
• Avoid adding particular accessories to
your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 mi (480 km). During this
time, your vehicle may exhibit some unusual
driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1,000 mi
(1,600 km)
. Vary your speed frequently and
change up through the gears early. Do not
labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first
1,000 mi
(1,600 km). DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING:
Do not drive through
flowing or deep water as you may lose
control of your vehicle.
Note: Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water, check
the depth. Never drive through water that is
higher than the bottom of the wheel hubs. When driving through standing water, drive
very slowly and do not stop your vehicle.
Your brake performance and traction may
be limited. After driving through water and
as soon as it is safe to do so:
•
Lightly press the brake pedal to dry the
brakes and to check that they work.
• Check that the horn works.
• Check that the exterior lights work.
• Turn the steering wheel to check that the
steering power assist works.
FLOOR MATS WARNING:
Use a floor mat designed
to fit the footwell of your vehicle that does
not obstruct the pedal area. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in the
loss of control of your vehicle, personal
injury or death. WARNING:
Pedals that cannot move
freely can cause loss of vehicle control and
increase the risk of serious personal injury.
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TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE If you need to tow your vehicle, contact a
professional towing service or, if you are a
member of a roadside assistance program,
your roadside assistance service provider.
We recommend the use of a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment to tow your
vehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. We do
not approve a slingbelt towing procedure. If
you tow your vehicle incorrectly, or by any
other means, vehicle damage may occur.
We produce a towing manual for all
authorized tow truck operators. Have your
tow truck operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing procedures for
your vehicle.
We recommend towing a four-wheel drive
vehicle with all wheels off the ground, such
as using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment.
We recommend towing a rear-wheel drive
vehicle with the rear wheels on a tow dolly
when towing your vehicle from the front
using wheel lift equipment. This prevents
damage to the transmission.
We recommend towing a rear-wheel drive
vehicle with the front wheels on a tow dolly
when towing your vehicle from the rear using
wheel lift equipment. This prevents damage
to the front fascia.
TOWING POINTS - 4WD
WARNING: Switch the ignition off
before removing the recovery hook. Failure
to do so could result in personal injury. WARNING:
The recovery hook can
become hot. Let the recovery hook cool
down before removing it. Failure to do so
could result in personal injury.
Your vehicle comes with frame-mounted
front recovery hooks. These hooks should
never have a load applied to them greater
than the gross vehicle weight rating of your
vehicle.
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Remove the covers to access the front
recovery hooks.
Before using recovery hooks:
•
Make sure all attaching points are secure
and capable of withstanding the applied
load.
• Do not use chains, cables or tow straps
with metal hook ends.
• Only use recovery straps that have a
minimum breaking strength two to three
times the gross vehicle weight of the
stuck vehicle.
• Make sure the recovery strap is in good
condition and free of visible cuts, tears
or damage.
• Use a damper device such as a tarp,
heavy blanket or piece of carpet draped
over the recovery strap to help absorb
the energy in the event the strap breaks. •
Make sure the stuck vehicle does not
have a load heavier than its gross vehicle
weight rating specified on the
certification label.
• Always align the tow vehicle and stuck
vehicle in a straight line, within 10
degrees.
• Keep bystanders to the sides of the
vehicle, at a distance of at least twice the
length of the recovery strap. This helps
avoid injury from the hazard of a recovery
hook or strap breaking, or a vehicle
lurching into their path.
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