Turn Signals When Towing
a
Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (included in the optional trailering package).
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument panel
will flash for turns even if
the
bulbs
on
the trailer are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you
are seeing your
signal when they are not. It’s important to check occasionally
to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before
you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to
use your brakes
so
much that
they
would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45
mph
(70
km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and
you
have a manual
transmission with FIFTH
(5)
gear, you may prefer not to
use
FIFTH
(5).
Just drive
in
FOURTH
(4)
(or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can
be
damaged.
But
if
you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P)
yet,
or into gear for a manual transmission.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are
in
place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes.
Then
apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
PARK
(P),
or
REVERSE
(R)
for a manual transmission.
If
you
have
a
four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be
sure
the transfer case
is
in
a
drive gear
--
not
in
NEUTRAL
(N).
Release
the
regular brakes.
4-55
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