2009 Dodge Journey Owner's Manual - Page 388

386 STARTING AND OPERATING WARNING! Improper towing can lead to an injury accident. Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing as safe as possible: Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer and that it will not shift during travel. When trailering cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts can occur that may be difficult for the driver to control. You could lose control of your vehicle and have an accident. • When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause a loss of control, poor performance, or damage to brakes, axle, engine, transaxle, steering, suspension, chassis structure, or tires. • Safety chains must always be used between your vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough slack for turning corners. • Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transaxle in PARK. Always, block or chock the trailer wheels. • GCWR must not be exceeded. • Total weight must be distributed between the tow vehicle and the trailer such that the following four ratings are not exceeded: 1. GVWR 2. GTW 3. GAWR