1998 Lexus ES 300 Owners Manual - Page 157

DRIVING TIPS Trailer towing tips When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently than when not towing. The three main causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed and improper trailer loading. Keep these in mind when towing: D Before starting out, check the operation of the lights and all vehicle-trailer connections. After driving a short distance, stop and recheck the lights and connections. Practice turning, stopping and backing with a trailer in an area away from traffic until you learn the feel. D Backing with a trailer is difficult and requires practice. Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move the trailer to the right. (This procedure is generally opposite to that when backing without a trailer.) Also, just turn the steering wheel a little at a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when backing to reduce the risk of an accident. D Because stopping distance may be increased, vehicle-to-vehicle distance should be increased when towing a trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length between you and the vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces. D Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration. D Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns. The trailer could hit your vehicle in a tight turn. Slow down before making a turn to avoid the need of sudden braking. D Remember that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Therefore, compensate for this by making a larger than normal turning radius with your vehicle. 157