Acura 2001 TL - Owner's Manual - Manual (Page 192)

CONTINUED
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle’s handling and performance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
For your safety and the safety of
others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the
open road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the transmission shifts frequently
between 4th and 5th gears while
going up a hill, shift to D . And if the
transmission shifts frequently
between 3rd and 4th gears, shift to
D .
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
Use the D or D position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D is
the proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(See ‘‘
’’ in the
following column for additional gear
information.)
When towing a trailer in the
Sequential SportShift mode, select
Fourth, Third, Second, or First gear;
depending on the vehicle speeds and
road condition. Do not use Fifth gear.
The recommended speed range for
each gear position is shown in the
table.
Gear position
1
2
3, 4
Speed range
0 37 mph
(0 60 km/h)
12 68 mph
over 25 mph
(over 40 km/h)
4
3
5 4
3
(20 110 km/h)
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Driving Saf ely With a Trailer
Towing Speeds and Gears
Making Turns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
189
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