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Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
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Safety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
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A separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
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Safety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your
state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature triggers the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-
tions. Make sure that your car/trailer combina-
tion complies with the local regulations:
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in your place of residence
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in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide reli-
able information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
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To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling characteris-
tics, you should practice the following in a
traffic-free location:
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cornering
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stopping
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backing up
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Before driving, check:
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trailer tow hitch
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safety switch for braked trailers
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safety chains
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electrical connections
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lights
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wheels
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Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
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If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually
using the brake controller and check whether
the brakes function correctly.
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Secure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is in
motion.
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When you couple up a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is firmly secured. If the
trailer is equipped with trailer lights and
brakes, check the trailer to ensure that these
are working.
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Bear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
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The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
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If possible, do not brake suddenly, but instead
depress the brake pedal moderately at first so
that the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
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If the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk
of engine failure.
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When driving downhill, shift to a lower gear to
utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
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If the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation
blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
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When overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane.
Towing a trailer
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Driving and parking
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