1999 Lincoln Town Car Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 121
1999 Lincoln Town Car Manual
Page 121 highlights
Driving Driving while you tow Do not drive faster than 88 km/h (55 mph) when towing a trailer. Speed control may shut off if you are towing on long, steep grades. When towing a trailer: • Use a lower gear when towing up or down steep hills. This will eliminate excessive downshifting and upshifting for optimum fuel economy and transmission cooling. • Anticipate stops and brake gradually. Exceeding the GCWR rating may cause internal transmission damage and void your warranty coverage. Servicing after towing If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more frequent service intervals. Refer to your Scheduled Maintenance guide for more information. Trailer towing tips • Practice turning, stopping and backing up in an area before starting on a trip to get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles. • Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. • The trailer tongue weight should be 10% of the loaded trailer weight. • After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. • When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place the gearshift in P (Park) and increase idle speed. This aids engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. • Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer's wheels. Launching or retrieving a boat When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval, • Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of the rear bumper and 121