
Driving your vehicle
90
5
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak-
ing system, make sure it conforms to
your country’s regulations and that it
is properly installed and operating
correctly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the
maximum allowed weight without
trailer brakes, then the trailer will also
require its own brakes as well. Be
sure to read and follow the instruc-
tions for the trailer brakes so you’ll be
able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
• Do not tap into or modify your vehi-
cle's brake system.
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you must get to
know your trailer. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly so respon-
sive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tyres
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. And, because of the increased
vehicle length, you’ll need to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before you can return to your
lane. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle
may also take longer to pass than it
would on flat ground.
WARNING
-
Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have proper-
ly set up the brake system. This
is not a task for amateurs. Use
an experienced,
competent
trailer shop for this work.
Summary of Contents for Cerato
Page 392: ...Features of your vehicle 4 296 CE for EU ...
Page 393: ...Features of your vehicle 297 4 NCC for Taiwan ...
Page 394: ...Features of your vehicle 4 298 MOC for Israel ...
Page 395: ...Features of your vehicle 299 4 ANATEL for Brazil ...
Page 396: ...Features of your vehicle 4 300 ...
Page 517: ...What to do in an emergency 22 6 EC Declaration of Conformity for Jack for Europe JACKDOC14F ...
Page 586: ...Maintenance 64 7 Driver s side fuse panel OYD076001L ...
Page 591: ...7 69 Maintenance Engine compartment fuse panel OYD076030 ...
Page 646: ...Index I I ...