2009 Saturn VUE Owner's Manual - Page 245

Driving Your Vehicle CAUTION (Continued) To maximize safety when towing a trailer: • Have the exhaust system inspected for leaks and make necessary repairs before starting a trip. • Never drive with the liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most window open. • Fully open the air outlets on or under the instrument panel. • Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting that brings in only outside air and set the fan speed to the highest setting. See Climate Control System in the Index. For more information about carbon monoxide, see Engine Exhaust on page 2-28. Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Get to know the rig before setting out for the open road. Get acquainted 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 longer and not as responsive as the vehicle is by itself. Before starting, check all trailer hitch parts and attachments, safety chains, electrical connectors, lamps, tires and mirror adjustments. If the trailer has electric brakes, start the vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This checks the electrical connection at the same time. During the trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes are still working. 4-41 Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when driving the vehicle without a trailer. This can help to avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns. Passing More passing distance is needed when towing a trailer. Because the rig is longer, it is necessary to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before returning to the lane. Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you.