1998 Mercury Villager Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 241

Driving Trailer Towing Tips Before starting on a trip, practice turning, stopping and backing in an area away from heavy traffic. Get to know the "feel" of the vehicle/trailer combination. Practice backing up. Back up very slowly, with someone outside at the rear of your trailer to guide you. Place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and move it in the direction you want the rear of the trailer to swing. Slight movement of the steering wheel results in a much larger movement of the rear of the trailer. When turning, drive slightly beyond the normal turning point so the trailer wheels will clear curbs or other obstructions. Allow more room for stopping with a trailer attached. Trailer brakes should be applied first, whether manually or automatically controlled, when approaching a stop. For an easy-to-operate vehicle/trailer combination, the trailer tongue load should be approximately 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. Make a thorough check of your equipment before starting out on the road. After you have traveled about 50 miles (80 km), stop in a protected area and double-check your hitch and electrical connections. Also check trailer wheel lug nuts for tightness. When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place the gearshift selector lever in Park (P) to increase the engine idle speed. This aids in engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. If the engine overheats, press the air intake selector button to select the fresh air position to stop the air conditioner compressor. Increase the engine speed for a short time. Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. However, if you must park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer's wheels as follows: 237