5 Things to Know About Towing with a Porsche Cayenne

1. Powertrain

The powertrain of your Cayenne has a great effect on how well it can tow. Both gasoline and diesel Cayennes can tow sufficiently, but the torque of the diesel-powered Cayenne is a great advantage. Towing requires a lot of torque to get the trailer rolling from a dead stop and therefore, the diesel-powered Cayenne will be able to get a trailer rolling with much less effort over the gasoline-powered Cayenne. The gasoline-powered Cayenne can still tow fairly heavy loads, but it will require more effort from the powertrain. Also, diesel powered Cayennes will generally get much better gas mileage while towing due to the inherent efficiency of a diesel power plant. There is a reason why most large trucks and haulers are diesel powered! 

2. Limitations for Towing

It is important to be aware of the limitations for the maximum weight your Cayenne can tow. Check your owner's manual for exact numbers on your maximum towing capacity as it will vary model year to model year and on the options your vehicle is equipped with. Some other limitations to towing other than maximum weight is the tongue weight. The tongue weight is the amount of the trailer's weight that rests on the hitch. It is really important to be aware of your tongue weight as it will cause instability and dangerous situations if you exceed it. There are tools you can buy to measure tongue weight and they are valuable investments. Lastly, the shape and aerodynamics of your trailer are a huge consideration. The Cayenne can be unstable when towing a long enclosed trailer as the wheelbase is short for a towing vehicle and the air drag caused by a large trailer will amplify the effect of wind. 

3. Suspension

Your Cayenne's suspension has a vast effect on its stability during towing. There are two options that will enhance your Cayenne's ability to tow. The first one is the Porsche Active Suspension Management system, also known as PASM. This system allows you to tailor your suspension dampening to the required driving type. You can stiffen or soften your dampening. By experimenting with these settings during towing, you will be able to find the most stable and comfortable option for your journey. The second option that will make your towing experience better is the factory air suspension. Air suspension works well for towing as you can level the car to adjust for the load from the trailer. Semi-trucks and other large trucks use air suspension to get maximum comfort and stability during towing. 

4. Electric Brakes and LED Trailer Lights

Electric brakes are an important safety feature while towing and is even required in some states by law. Electric brakes work by using current sent by your towing connector to the drum brakes on your trailer. These electric brakes take some of the load off of your Cayenne's brakes and offer greater stability during braking overall. Unfortunately, some early Cayenne's are not compatible with certain types of electric brakes, but there are ways to make them work by modifying the towing connector. Newer Cayenne's had this issue addressed and should be plug-and-play. Secondly, LED trailer lights also enhance the safety of your towing experience. Unfortunately, older Cayenne's also have compatibility issues with some LED lights, so check your exact model year to see if you can use LED trailer lights. 

5. Side Mirrors

Lastly, an often overlooked item in towing with a Cayenne's is the side mirror. The stock side mirrors often do not provide a complete video of your trailer which makes backing up and maneuvering your trailer very difficult. An easy fix would be to add stick on towing mirrors to gain a wider view of your trailer. A more permanent option would be to adapt a mirror from another vehicle like an F-250, although compatibility might be an issue depending on model year of your Cayenne and the options your car comes with. 

For information on maintenance and repairs for your Porsche, visit our do-it-yourself technical how-to articles here on Rennlist.com!