2008 Honda CR-V Owner's Manual - Page 269

Main Menu Table Of Contents Towing a Trailer The lights and brakes on your vehicle and the trailer are working properly. Your vehicle tires and spare are properly inflated, and the trailer tires and spare are inflated as recommended by the trailer maker. 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 in this section. Towing Speeds and Gears Drive slower than normal in all driving situations, and obey posted speed limits for vehicles with trailers. Use the D position when towing a trailer on level roads. D3 is the proper shift lever position to use when towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (See ''Driving on Hills'' in the following column for additional gear information.) Making Turns and Braking conditioning off, reduce speed and, if necessary, pull to the side of the road to let the engine cool. When driving down hills, reduce your speed and use the D3 position. Do not ''ride'' the brakes, and remember it will take longer to slow down and stop when towing a trailer. 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. Handling Crosswinds and Buffeting Driving 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 (Hot) mark, turn the air Crosswinds and air turbulence caused by passing trucks can disrupt your steering and cause the trailer to sway. When being passed by a large vehicle, keep a constant speed, and steer straight ahead. Do not try to make quick steering or braking corrections. 265 2008 CR- V