Toyota Matrix (2014 year). Instruction

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Trailer towing (2.4 L 4-cylinder [2AZ-FE] engine)

Towing related terms

■

GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating)

The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross
combination weight is the sum of
the total vehicle weight (including
the occupants, cargo and any
optional equipment installed on
the vehicle) and the weight of the
trailer being towed (including the
cargo in the trailer).

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 tow-
ing equipment, that the towing equipment has been installed cor-
rectly 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 condi-
tions.

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 towing kits, etc.

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■

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)

The maximum allowable gross
vehicle weight. The gross vehicle
weight is the total weight of the
vehicle. When towing a trailer, it
is the sum of the vehicle weight
(including the occupants, cargo
and any optional equipment
installed on the vehicle) and the
tongue weight.

■

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)

The maximum allowable gross
axle weight. The gross axle
weight is the load placed on
each axle (front and rear).

Front GAWR

Rear GAWR

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■

TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)

The maximum allowable gross
trailer weight. The gross trailer
weight is the sum of the trailer
weight and the weight of the
cargo in the trailer.

TWR is calculated assuming
base vehicle with one driver, one
front passenger, towing package
(if available), hitch and hitch sys-
tems (if required).

Additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the vehi-
cle will reduce the trailer weight
rating so as not to exceed
GCWR, GVWR and GAWR.

■

Unbraked TWR (Unbraked Trailer Weight Rating)

The trailer weight rating for tow-
ing a trailer without a trailer ser-
vice brake system.

(With brakes)

(Without brakes)

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■

Tongue Weight

The load placed on the trailer
hitch ball. (

→P. 171)

Weight limits

● The gross trailer weight must never exceed the TWR described in

the table. (

→P. 171)

● The gross combination weight must never exceed the GCWR

described in the table. (

→P. 171)

● The gross vehicle weight must

never exceed the GVWR indi-
cated on the Certification
Label.

● The gross axle weight on each

axle must never exceed the
GAWR indicated on the Certi-
fication Label.

● If the gross trailer weight is over the unbraked TWR, trailer service

brakes are required.

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GCWR, TWR and Unbraked TWR

Confirm that the gross trailer weight, gross combination weight, gross
vehicle weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight are all within the
limits.

■

GCWR

and TWR

■

Unbraked TWR

1000 lb. (454 kg)

: These models meet the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SAE Interna-

tional per SAE J2807.

Trailer Tongue Weight

● A recommended tongue weight varies in accordance with the types

of trailers or towing as described below.

● To ensure the recommended values shown below, the trailer must

be loaded by referring to the following instructions.

• Tongue Weight

The gross trailer weight should be distributed so that the tongue
weight is 9% to 11%. (Tongue weight /Gross trailer weight x 100
= 9% to 11%)

Driving system

Grade

Transmission

GCWR

TWR

2WD

S grade

Automatic

transmission

4975 lb.

(2257 kg)

1500 lb.

(680 kg)

Manual

transmission

4900 lb.

(2223 kg)

XRS grade

Automatic

transmission

5055 lb.

(2293 kg)

Manual

transmission

4975 lb.

(2257 kg)

AWD



5195 lb.

(2356 kg)

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Gross trailer weight
Tongue weight

The gross trailer weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight
can be measured with platform scales found at a highway
weighing station, building supply company, trucking company,
junk yard, etc.

Hitch

Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities. Toyota rec-
ommends the use of Toyota hitch/bracket for your vehicle. For details,
contact your Toyota dealer.

● If you wish to install a trailer hitch, contact your Toyota dealer.
● Use only a hitch that conforms to the gross trailer weight require-

ment of your vehicle.

● Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.
● Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coating of grease.
● Remove the trailer hitch whenever you are not towing a trailer.

After removing the hitch, seal any mounting hole in the vehicle
body to prevent entry of any substances into the vehicle.

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Positions for towing hitch receiver and hitch ball

Weight carrying ball position:
36.2 in. (920.3 mm)
Hitch receiver pin hole posi-
tion: 29.1 in. (739.4 mm)

Connecting trailer lights

Please consult your dealer when installing trailer lights, as incorrect
installation may cause damage to the vehicle’s lights. Please take
care to comply with your state’s laws when installing trailer lights.

Trailer towing tips

Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when
towing:

● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not

exceed the posted towing speed limit.

● Toyota recommends that the vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph

(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the
posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s manual, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increases as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of con-
trol.

● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-

trailer connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.

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● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in

an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel
of the vehicle-trailer combination.

● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice.

Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.

● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-

vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.

● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jack-

knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet
or slippery surfaces.

● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before mak-

ing a turn.

● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than

the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a wider than normal turning radius.

● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery

surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.

● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-

able distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of
your trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing
lanes.

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● Automatic transmission:

To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in
“D”. If in the S mode, the transmission shift gear position must be in
4 or lower.

● Manual transmission:

To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not use fifth gear.

● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long

downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill 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.

● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may

overheat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when
driving up a long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air condition-
ing (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(

→P. 430)

● Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the

trailer’s wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and
put the transmission in P (automatic transmission) or in 1 or R
(manual transmission). Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after performing the following:

Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s
and trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.

STEP

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Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into 1 or R (manual transmission) or P (automatic trans-
mission) and turn off the engine.

● When restarting after parking on a slope:

With the transmission in P (automatic transmission) or the
clutch pedal (manual transmission) depressed, start the
engine. On vehicles with an automatic transmission, be sure
to keep the brake pedal depressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake (and also the brake pedal on vehi-
cles with an automatic transmission), and slowly pull or back
away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.

■

Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height

STEP

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.

Coupler

Trailer ball

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■

Before towing

Check that the following conditions are met:

●

Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. (

→P. 451)

●

Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacturer’s recom-
mendation.

●

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, transmission, differential or wheel bearing), Toyota rec-
ommends 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 approxi-
mately 600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.

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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.

●

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.

CAUTION

■

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.

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CAUTION

■

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 sur-
faces.

●

Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.

●

Do not use cruise control when towing.

●

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 vehi-
cle.

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CAUTION

■

Hitch

Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the
hitch manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of
towing a higher weight, the operator must determine the maximum weight
rating of the particular hitch assembly and never exceed the maximum
weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the maximum weight
rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an accident resulting in
death or serious personal injuries.

■

When towing a trailer

Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable fed-
eral 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 appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.

●

Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehi-
cle’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.

NOTICE

■

When installing a trailer hitch

Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install the
trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.

■

Do not directly splice trailer lights

Do not directly splice trailer lights. Directly splicing trailer lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

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Dinghy towing (automatic transmission)

NOTICE

■

To avoid serious damage to your vehicle

■

To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Active
Torque Control 4WD system (AWD models)

Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on
the ground) behind a motor home.

Do not tow your vehicle with 4 wheels on
the ground.

2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from
the rear with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious damage
to the transmission.

AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with
any of the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission and Active Torque Control 4WD
system.

Toyota Matrix (2014 year). Instruction - part 11