2009 Pontiac Vibe Owner's Manual - Page 253

Vehicle Service and Care Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns. 9-81 Making Turns Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. The vehicle could be damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering. When you are turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so your trailer will not strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance. When towing a trailer, the arrows on the instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It is important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working. Passing More distance in front is needed to pass when towing a trailer. And, because the tow vehicle and trailer are longer, you will need to go farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane. Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of the engine and the transmission overheating. Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, just 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. Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check with your dealer/retailer. The arrows on the instrument panel flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps also flash, telling other drivers you are about to turn, change lanes or stop.