2008 Acura RDX Owner's Manual - Page 323

Main Menu Table Of Contents Towing a Trailer Driving Safely With a Trailer The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires some special driving skills and techniques. For your safety and the safety of others, take time to practice driving maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines in this section. Towing Speeds and Gears Driving on Hills Drive slower than normal in all driving situations, and obey posted speed limits for vehicles with trailers. Use the D position when towing a trailer on level roads. See ''Driving on Hills'' in the next column for additional gear information. Do not exceed 55 mph (88 km/h). At higher speeds, the trailer may sway or affect vehicle handling. Making Turns and Braking When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge (see page 76 ). If it nears the H (Hot) mark, turn the A/C off, reduce speed and, if necessary, pull to the side of the road to let the engine cool. When driving down hills, reduce your speed, and shift down to S position, or use the paddle shift to the lower gear (3, 2 or 1)in the S position. When towing a trailer, do not ''ride'' the brakes, and remember, it will take longer to slow down and stop when towing a trailer. Driving Make turns more slowly and wider than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it can hit or run over something the vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or turn suddenly as this could cause the trailer to jackknife or turn over. CONTINUED 319 2008 RDX