steering INFINITI EX 2013 Towing Guide

2013 Infiniti Towing Guide
1
SAFETY IS PRIORITY ONE
Obviously, your first concern should be safety. Your vehicle was designed to be used primarily to
carry passengers and cargo. Always remember that towing a trailer places additional loads on your
vehicle’s engine, drivetrain, suspension, steering, braking, and other systems. Therefore, be certain
that your vehicle can meet the demands of the towing application you have in mind.

Rent or purchase only the highest-quality towing and safety equipment you can find. Reinforced tow
hitches designed especially for certain Infiniti vehicles are available from your Infiniti retailer.
Hitches for other Infiniti models — if Infiniti recommends towing with that vehicle — should be
bought from and installed by a professional supplier of towing equipment.

Finally, it is important to follow the towing capacity limit set for your specific vehicle and to ensure
that your vehicle is in top mechanical condition, especially the tires, brakes, suspension, and
engine cooling system. See your vehicle owner’s manual for details.

NEVER EXCEED THE ESTABLISHED TOWING CAPACITY
Towing capacities vary from vehicle to vehicle. See the towing information in your vehicle owner’s
manual for the towing capacities of 2013 Infiniti vehicles produced at the time of Towing Guide
publication. Use this data to help select the proper Infiniti vehicle to meet your anticipated towing
needs, and refer to it when towing, renting a trailer or other piece of towing equipment.

EQUIP YOUR INFINITI FOR TOWING
The frequency and type of towing should influence the manner in which you equip your vehicle. If
you plan to tow often, either for recreation or work, select the engine size, transmission type,
suspension, and towing capacity that are best suited to your requirements. This guide can help you
select the proper equipment.

READ THIS GUIDE BEFORE YOU TOW
This guide was designed to provide an overview of safe towing practices. Here, you will find
information on towing equipment, safety, proper loading and driving techniques, towing tips, and
much more.

It is also a good idea to discuss your towing requirements with either your Infiniti retailer or a
professional supplier of towing equipment before you equip your Infiniti vehicle for towing.
Finally, there are state and local laws on towing that you should review to ensure compliance with
all regulations.

Special Note: Do not use your new vehicle to tow a trailer or haul a heavy load for the first 500 miles
(800 km). Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. For the first 500 miles that you tow a
trailer, do not drive over 50 mph and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and
other parts of your vehicle wear in at heavier loads.
INTRODUCTION

2013 Infiniti Towing Guide
13
Towing can significantly alter the handling and performance characteristics of your vehicle. Plus, it
puts increased strain on the engine and drivetrain. Therefore, it is always a good idea to approach
towing from the standpoint of safety — whether you are purchasing equipment or actually pulling
the trailer.

Always make sure your vehicle’s towing capacity is adequate for the trailer you intend to tow. Buy or
lease only quality equipment. In addition, be certain that you have all of the equipment needed for
safe towing, such as safety chains/cables, electric trailer brakes, electric trailer brake controller,
breakaway switch, and extended rear view mirrors.

You should follow a more frequent maintenance schedule and check fluid levels, pressures, tire
condition, etc., more often when on the road. See your vehicle owner’s manual for details.

LOADING YOUR TRAILER
Taking the time to load and balance your trailer properly will improve overall handling and minimize
the strain on your tow vehicle. Incorrectly loaded trailers tend to sway or swing from side to side,
upsetting vehicle handling. Careful loading and balancing can help eliminate these problems.

As mentioned earlier, conventional trailer tongue load must fall between 10-15% of the total trailer
weight, or within the limits of the maximum trailer tongue load specified by the trailer manufacturer.
Excessive trailer tongue load can actually push down the vehicle in back, lifting the front wheels to
a point where traction, steering response, and braking are severely reduced. Insufficient trailer
tongue load or negative load can lift the trailer tongue upwards on the trailer ball causing instability,
which may lead to “tail wagging” or jackknifing.

With this in mind, proper loading is extremely
important. When loading a trailer, 60% of the total
cargo weight should be positioned in the front
portion of the trailer and 40% in the back. Then the
load should be adjusted until the proper tongue load
ratio is achieved.

60%40%

TOWING SAFETY

2013 Infiniti Towing Guide
16
If you have never towed a trailer before, be aware that it does take getting used to. To begin with,
towing noticeably affects your vehicle’s performance:
Š It will not accelerate as quickly — an important point to keep in mind when merging onto a
highway.
Š It will not stop as quickly. Leave more room than usual between you and the traffic ahead, and
brake sooner when coming to a stop.
Š Abrupt maneuvering can unbalance the load and reduce the handling and stability of your tow
vehicle. Plan ahead and make lane changes and turns smoothly.

If possible, before you actually hit the open road, practice towing in a large uncrowded area such as
a stadium or shopping center parking lot. Become especially familiar with backing up a trailer — the
maneuver many people find most difficult.

BRAKE SOONER
The combination of your tow vehicle and trailer obviously requires a greater distance to stop. A
good rule of thumb to remember is that for each 10 mph of speed, allow yourself one tow vehicle
and trailer length of distance between the front of your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.

When braking, use firm but gradual pressure on the pedal rather than panic braking. Applying the
brakes abruptly or with too much force can cause the trailer to skid or jackknife at its point of
attachment with the vehicle. This, in turn, can throw the tow vehicle out of control. If equipped with
an electric trailer brake controller, follow the recommended operational instructions.

CORNER MORE SLOWLY
Know your vehicle and trailer capabilities. Entering a sharp corner too quickly or abruptly can “crack
the whip,” whereby the trailer can actually pull the tow vehicle off the road. Therefore, when
approaching a relatively sharp corner, begin braking sooner than you would when not towing. Do
your braking in a straight line prior to the corner, and turn smoothly into it. In addition, remember to
make a wider turn than normal to ensure that the trailer safely clears the inside of the turn.

BACK UP WITH CAUTION
Backing up with a trailer is a difficult maneuver. Steer with one hand at the bottom of the steering
wheel. To turn the trailer to the left, first move the steering wheel to the left. To turn the trailer to the
right, move the wheel to the right. All movements of the wheel should be done in small increments.
Of course, backing up should be done only at very slow speeds. For large trailers that obstruct your
TOWING TIPS