Before towing, confirm the towing capacity with your local Toyota dealer or vehicle paperwork and make sure your trailer is suitable for the towing capacity.
Towing capacity tests were carried out at sea level. If you intend to drive into mountainous areas, please note that engine power and towing power will be reduced.
Warning! Different trailer hitches have different factory-set towing capacities. Even if the vehicle is physically capable of towing more weight, the driver must determine the maximum weight allowance for the specific hitch and never exceed the maximum weight allowed for the trailer hitch. Exceeding the trailer hitch manufacturer's maximum weight limit could cause an accident and result in serious injury.
Towing brackets
It is recommended to use only brackets designed and approved for your vehicle.
Trailer lights
Check the correct operation of the turn signals and brake lights each time you hitch a trailer. Direct connection may damage the electrical system of your vehicle and cause the lights to malfunction.
Trailer break-in schedule
It is not recommended to tow a trailer with a new vehicle or with a vehicle fitted with a new power component (engine, gearbox, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) the first 800 km of run.
Maintenance
If the vehicle is used to tow a trailer, it is subjected to additional stress and requires more frequent maintenance.
Tighten all fixing bolts of the tow ball and bracket approximately every 1000 km (km) mileage with a trailer.
Safety check before towing
Make sure you do not exceed the maximum load limit for the tow hitch ball joint. Remember that the load on the ball joint increases the load on the vehicle as a whole. Do not exceed the maximum permitted rear axle load.
Make sure the trailer load is secure and cannot move.
If standard rear-view mirrors are not enough to see the situation on the road, you will need additional exterior mirrors. Both exterior mirrors must be attached to the folding consoles and adjusted so that they provide a good view to the rear at all times.
Tips for towing a trailer
When towing a trailer, the vehicle will handle differently than when driving without towing. The top three causes of a car crash when towing a trailer are driver error, speeding, and improper trailer loading.
Before driving, check the operation of the lights and all connections between the vehicle and the trailer. After driving a short distance, stop and check the lights and connections again. Before towing a trailer, practice turning, stopping and reversing with a trailer in an area away from traffic until you are comfortable with trailer driving.
As the stopping distance increases when towing a trailer, the distance to the vehicle in front must also be increased. The distance to the vehicle in front is determined at the rate of at least one length of the vehicle with a trailer for every 10 km/h of speed. Avoid hard braking as this can cause the trailer to skid, wobble and lose control. This requirement is especially important to observe on wet or slippery roads.
Avoid jerky starts and sudden acceleration. To prevent excessive clutch slip, keep the engine running at low RPM and do not give it full throttle. Always start in first gear.
Avoid sharp maneuvers and tight turns. When making a sharp turn, the trailer may collide with the vehicle. Decelerate slowly before making a turn to prevent the need for sudden braking.
Driving backwards with a trailer is more difficult and requires practice. To move the trailer to the left, grab the steering wheel at the bottom and move your hand to the left. To move a trailer to the right, move your hand to the right; this procedure is the exact opposite of moving backwards without a trailer.) In addition, the steering wheel should be moved a little at a time, avoiding sudden movements and prolonged rotation. To reduce the risk of an accident when reversing, have someone give you directions.
Remember that when making a turn, the trailer wheels move closer to the inside of the turn than the car wheels. To compensate for this phenomenon, the turn should be made with a larger radius than when driving without a trailer.
Crosswinds and bumps in the road adversely affect the handling of the vehicle with the trailer, causing them to sway. Keep an eye on the road behind you to prepare for overtaking large trucks or buses that could cause the vehicle and trailer to sway. In the event of rocking, grasp the steering wheel firmly and immediately, but slowly, reduce the speed. Never increase your speed. If you need to slow down, apply slow braking. Hold the steering wheel so that the car is moving straight ahead. If you do not make sudden adjustments to the steering and brakes, the movement of the car and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when overtaking other vehicles. Overtaking other vehicles requires a considerable distance. Be aware of the length of the trailer and make sure that there is enough free space before changing lanes after overtaking a vehicle.
For engine braking to be effective, do not use fifth gear (Manual Transmission) or overdrive (Automatic transmission).
Since the trailer puts additional load on the vehicle, on hot days (at temperatures above 30°С) When driving up a long or steep slope with a trailer, the vehicle's engine may overheat. If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicates overheating, turn off the air conditioning system immediately (if it's enabled), pull off the road and stop in a safe place.
When parking, always place chocks under the wheels of both the car and the trailer. Apply the parking brake firmly. Set the gearbox to position «R» (Automatic transmission) or engage first or reverse gear (Manual Transmission). Avoid parking with a trailer on a slope, however, if this proves unavoidable, be sure to do the following first:
- 1. Press and hold the brake pedal;
- 2. Have someone put chocks under the wheels of both the car and the trailer;
- 3. When the pads are placed under the wheels, slowly release the brakes until the pads take the load on themselves;
- 4. Apply the parking brake firmly;
- 5. Engage first or reverse gear (Manual Transmission) or set to position «R» (Automatic transmission) and turn off the engine.
To start driving after parking on a slope:
- 1. Start the engine with the «R» leverage (Automatic transmission) or depressed clutch pedal (Manual Transmission). In the case of an automatic transmission, be sure to keep the brake pedal depressed;
- 2. Turn on the transmission;
- 3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on vehicles with automatic transmission) and slowly drive away from the blocks forward or backward. Stop and press the brake pedal;
- 4. Have someone remove the pads.