2012 Lexus GX 460 Owners Manual - Page 378

2-5. Driving information Trailer towing tips Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing: ● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not exceed the posted towing speed limit. ● Lexus recommends that the vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph (104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner's manual, whichever is lowest. Instability of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increases as speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of control. ● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer connections. Recheck after driving a short distance. ● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel of the vehicle-trailer combination. ● Reversing with a trailer attached 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 is generally opposite to reversing without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an accident. ● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-tovehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length. ● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jackknifing and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces. 2 When driving 381 GX460_U.S.A. (OM60J00U)