NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight
of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has
to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that
of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to
do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
4,000 lbs. (1 800 kg) or less. You should
always use a sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
4,000 Ibs. (1 800 kg). You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at the
heavier loads.
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Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the
driver and one passenger are in the towing vehicle and it
has all
the required trailering equipment. The weight of
additional equipment, passengers and cargo in the
towing vehicle must be subtracted from
the above
maximum trailer weights.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or
you can write us at the address listed in your
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet.
In Canada, write
to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L 1 H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo
you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in
the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer, you
must add the tongue load to the GVW because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using your platform hitch as a weight-carrying
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you’re using your
platform hitch
as a weight-distributing hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then
the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around
in the trailer.
4-31
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Comfort Controls ................................ 3-2
Compact Disc Care ............................. 3-26
Compact Disc Player
....................... 3- 16. 3.20
Console Storage
................................ 2-48
Control of
a Vehicle .............................. 4-5
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-46
Coolant
....................................... 6-21
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-16
Cooling System
................................ 5- 14
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-8
Crankcase Capacity ............................. 6-68
Cruise Control
................................. 2-37
Cupholders
.................................... 2-48
Customer Assistance Information
................... 8- 1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2
Customer Assistance
for Text Telephone Users
......... 8-4
Damage. Finish
...................................... 6-57
Sheet Metal ................................. 6-57
Daytime Running Lamps
......................... 2-41
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator
Light ............ 2-62
Dead Battery ................................... 5-3
Defects. Reporting Safety
................... 8-10. 8-1 1
Defensive Driving ............................... 4-2
Defogging
................................. 3.3. 3.4
Defrosting
................................. 3.3. 3.4
Dome Lamps
.................................. 2-43
Door Locks
....................................... 2-4 Sliding
..................................... 2-12
Storage
..................................... 2-48
Swing-Out Side
.............................. 2-10
Drive Position. Automatic Transmission
............. 2-23
DriverPosition
................................. 1-17
Driving City
........................................ 4-18
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-19
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-25
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-15
Night
...................................... 4-14
OnCurves
................................... 4-9
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-35
On Hill
and Mountain Roads .................... 4-21
OnSnowandIce
............................. 4-23
Throughwater
............................... 4-17
WetRoads
.................................. 4-15
Winter
...................................... 4-23
With
a Trailer ................................ 4-33
Drunken Driving
................................ 4-3
Dual Tire Operation
............................. 6-45
Storagepocket
............................... 2-48
Electrical Equipment. Adding
.................... 6-61
Electrical System
............................... 6-61
Electronic
Road Speed Governor (Gasoline Engines) ... 2-53
9-3
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Engine ....................................... 6-10
Coolant ..................................... 6-21
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-38
Cooling System
.............................. 5-14
Exhaust
...................... 2.29.2.30.2.33. 4.26
FuseBlock
.................................. 6-65
Identification
........................... 6.60. 6.67
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-38
Overheating
................................. 5-11
Running While Parked
......................... 2-30
Starting Your
................................ 2- 18
Engine Coolant Heater ........................... 2-20
Engineoil
.................................... 6-12
Adding
..................................... 6-13
Additives
................................... 6-15
Checking
................................... 6-13
Pressure Gage ................................ 2-60
Used ....................................... 6-16
Whentochange
.............................. 6-15
Exhaust, Engine
................. 2-29,2-30.2-33, 4-26
Exterior Lamps
................................. 2-40
Coolant Temperature
Gage
..................... 2-57
Engine Oil (Continued)
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-52
Filling
a Portable Fuel Container .................... 6-7
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-5
Filter. Air ..................................... 6-16
Finish Care
.................................... 6-55
Finish Damage
................................. 6-57 First Gear. Automatic Transmission
................ 2-23
Flashers. Hazard Warning
......................... 5-2
Flat Tire. Changing
............................. 5-22
Fluids and Lubricants
............................ 7-44
Foreign Countries. Fuel
........................... 6-5
French Language Manual 11
Front Parkingmurn Signal Lamp Bulb Replacement .... 6-35
Front Storage Area
.............................. 2-48
FrontTowing
.................................. 5-10
Fuel
.......................................... 6-3
Canada
...................................... 6-3
Filling
a Portable Container ...................... 6-7
Gage
....................................... 2-63
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-5
Tank Capacity
............................... 6-69
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... 6-61
.. ...........................
Filling Your Tank .............................. 6-5
Gages Engine Coolant Temperature
.................... 2-57
Engine Oil Pressure
........................... 2-60
Fuel
....................................... 2-63
Speedometer
................................. 2-52
Voltmeter
................................... 2-55
Gear Positions. Automatic Transmission
............. 2-21
Gross Axle Weight Rating
........................ 4-27
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
...................... 4-27
Guide en Franpis
11
GAWR ....................................... 4-27
.. .................................
GVWR ....................................... 4-27
9-4
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