Toyota Corolla Cross: Trailer towing

Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger- and-load-carrying vehicle. Towing a trailer can have an adverse impact on handling, performance, braking, durability, and fuel consumption. For your safety and the safety of others, you must not overload your vehicle or trailer. You must also ensure that you are using appropriate towing equipment, that the towing equipment has been installed correctly and used properly, and that you employ the requisite driving habits.

Vehicle-trailer stability and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brake performance and setting, trailer brakes, the hitch and hitch systems (if equipped).

To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance with your trailer's characteristics and operating conditions.

Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.

Contact your Toyota dealer for further information about additional requirements such as a towing kit, etc.

■Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height

No matter which class of tow hitch applies, for a more safe trailer hookup, the trailer ball setup must be the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.

1. Coupler
2. Trailer ball

■Before towing

Check that the following conditions are met:

• Ensure that your vehicle's tires are properly inflated.
• Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacturer's recommendation.
• All trailer lights work as required by law.
• All lights work each time you connect them.
• The trailer ball is set at the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.
• The trailer is level when it is hitched.

  Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and check for improper tongue weight, overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.

• The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
• The rear view mirrors conform to all applicable federal, state/provincial or local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.

■Break-in schedule

If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components (such as an engine, transaxle, transfer [AWD models], rear differential [AWD models] or wheel bearing), Toyota recommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km).

After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the vehicle at a speed of less than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle acceleration.

■Maintenance

• If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due to the additional load.

  (See "Scheduled Maintenance Guide" or "Owner's Manual Supplement".)

• Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately 600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.

■If trailer sway occurs

One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.

• If trailer swaying occurs:
  • Firmly grip the steering wheel.

    Steer straight ahead.

    Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.

  • Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradually to reduce speed.

    Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.

If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer should stabilize.

(if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can also help to stabilize the vehicle and trailer.)

• After the trailer swaying has stopped:
  • Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
  • Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
  • Check the load in the trailer.

    Make sure the load has not shifted.

    Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.

  • Check the load in the vehicle.

    Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.

If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.

Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.

WARNING

■Trailer towing precautions

To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance with the trailer's characteristics and operating conditions.

Failure to do so could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Vehicle stability and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brake setting and performance, and the hitch. Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer.

■To avoid accident or injury

• Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
• Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place heavier loads as close to the trailer axle as possible.
• Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner's manual, whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident.

  If you experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certain speed, slow down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of which you experience the instability.

• Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.
• Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
• Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
• Do not use the following systems when trailer towing.
  • Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range
  • LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
  • LDA (Lane Departure Alert)
  • PKSB (Parking Support Brake) (if equipped)
  • RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) (if equipped)
  • PCS (Pre-Collision System)
  • BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if equipped)
• Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long downhill grades.
• Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long downhills.

  Before descending steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshift. Do not make sudden downshifts when descending steep or long downhill grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too frequently.

  This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking efficiency.

• Do not tow a trailer when the compact spare tire is installed on your vehicle.

■When towing a trailer

Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.

• If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brakes are required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.
• Never tap into your vehicle's hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehicle's braking effectiveness.
• Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both the trailer and the vehicle.

  If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.

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