Towing a trailer – HONDA 2000 CR-V - Owner's Manual User Manual

Page 178

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Towing a Trailer

Driving Safely With a Trailer

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.

Towing Speeds and Gears

Drive slower than normal in all

driving situations, and obey posted

speed limits for vehicles with trailers.

If you have an automatic

transmission, use the Over-Drive

(O/D) mode when towing a trailer

on level roads. Turn off the Over-

Drive (O/D) mode when towing a

trailer in hilly terrain (see page

140

).

(See "Driving on Hills" in the next

column for additional gear

information.)

Making Turns and Braking

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.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch

your temperature gauge. If it nears

the red 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 automatic transmission shifts

frequently between 3rd and 4th

gears while going up a hill, turn off

the Over-Drive (O/D) mode (see

page

160

).

If you must stop when facing uphill,

use the foot brake or parking brake.

Do not try to hold the vehicle in

place by pressing on the accelerator,

as this can cause the automatic

transmission to overheat.

When driving down hills, reduce

your speed and shift down to 2nd

gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, and

remember it will take longer to slow

down and stop when towing a trailer.

Driving

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