Towing Rules
- Switch on the ignition or turn the ignition key to the "ACC", so that the steering wheel cannot be locked and the direction indicators, horn and windshield wiper can be used.
- Turn on the hazard warning lights on both vehicles.
- Since the power brake booster only works when the engine is running, on a vehicle with power brake booster, when the engine is not running, depress the pedal accordingly.
- On a vehicle with power steering, a lot of effort must be applied to steer the vehicle, since there is no servo boost when the engine is not running.
- The tow rope must be elastic to soften the jerks of the towing and towed vehicles. Use only artificial fiber cables or cables with elastic inclusions. The most reliable is towing with a tow bar.
- On the vehicle being towed, close the outside air intake damper to prevent the exhaust gases of the towing vehicle from entering the passenger compartment.
- On vehicles with all-wheel drive, ensure that the differential lock is not engaged when towing with the front wheels raised. If there is no oil in the gearbox, the vehicle may only be towed with the drive wheels raised.
- Hook the tow rope only on the eyelets provided for this purpose. Otherwise, significant damage to the bodywork may occur.
Towing vehicles with automatic transmission
- Shift lever position "N".
The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h!
The maximum towing range is 30 km!
- For longer distances, the vehicle must be towed with the front wheels raised. Cause: When the engine is not running, the transmission oil pump does not operate and the transmission is not adequately lubricated.
Use of a towing vehicle
Attention: Vehicles with automatic transmission or all-wheel drive must be towed on the rear wheels only. Cause: When the vehicle is raised from behind, the front wheels rotate in the opposite direction. Because of this, the planetary gears in the transmission reach such a high number of revolutions that it can cause damage to the transmission.
- On all-wheel drive vehicles, in addition, the front wheels must be able to rotate freely, otherwise the intermediate differential will be overloaded. It is best to load the car onto a truck or trailer.
Attention: for vehicles with automatic transmission it is not possible to start the engine in tow. Cars with a gasoline engine and a catalyst also cannot be tow-started, as this poses a risk of catalytic converter failure.