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    Issues towing a 2150kg caravan behind a 2021 Isuzu MU-X

    Isuzu Isuzu Advice Isuzu MU-X Isuzu MU-X Advice Isuzu MU-X 2021

    I recently bought a caravan to tow behind my 2021 Isuzu MU-X. The weight of the van is 2150kg. The car kept changing down gears. It was so annoying having it do this. I wasn’t sure if I’d damage the car. I drove 400km with the car doing this. Is there something that can be done to my car to make it run better when towing?

    Answered by CarsGuide
    30 April 2024
    David Morley

    Even though your caravan is not at the towing limit of your vehicle, more than 2000kg still puts a pretty big load on the Isuzu’s engine. And that, simply, put, is why it’s using its gearbox to keep the engine happy and revving at the appropriate speed to safely make the power and torque you require to move that caravan at highway speeds.

    The short answer is that you won’t be hurting the engine by allowing the gearbox to determine what gear it needs to be in. Quite the contrary, and over-riding the transmission to force the vehicle into a too-high gear would, indeed, damage things by overloading various components.

    Short of fitting a more powerful engine, there’s not a lot you can do about this. After all, you’ve taken a two-and-a-bit tonne vehicle and more than doubled its weight (with the caravan) meaning you’re asking it to do twice as much work with the same engine. Fundamentally, you can’t beat physics.

    Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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