2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO trailer

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4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions.
We've also included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Traction Assist System (TAS) (Option)
4
-12 Steering
4
-14 Off-Road Recovery
4
-14 Passing
4
-16 Loss of Control
4
-17 Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
4
-34 Driving at Night4
-35 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-38 City Driving
4
-39 Freeway Driving
4
-40 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-41 Highway Hypnosis
4
-42 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-44 Winter Driving
4
-48 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-52 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-62 Camper Wiring Harness (If Equipped)
4
-62 Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
4
-63 Towing a Trailer

4-48
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as ªdinghy
towingº (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing your vehicle
with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on
a device known as a ªdollyº).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See ªDinghy
Towingº and ªDolly Towing,º following.Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:

What's the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.

How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.

Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your
dealer or trailering professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.

Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See
ªBefore Leaving on a Long Tripº in the Index.

4-49 Dinghy Towing
When towing your vehicle, turn the ignition off.
To prevent your battery from draining while towing,
remove the IGN 0 fuse from the instrument panel
fuse block. Be sure to reinstall the fuse when you reach
your destination. See ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in
the Index.
Tw o
-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Tw o
-wheel-drive vehicles, should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two
-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles, they
should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.In rare cases when it's unavoidable that a
two
-wheel-drive vehicle is to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground, the propeller shaft to axle yoke
orientation should be marked and the propeller shaft
removed following the applicable service manual
removal/installation procedure.
Dust or dirt can enter the back of the transmission
through the opening created by removing the propeller
shaft if proper protection is not provided. Also, check
the transmission fluid level before driving the truck.

4-51 Dolly Towing (Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles)
Tw o-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Tw o
-wheel-drive vehicles, should not be towed
with the rear wheels on the ground. Two
-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles, they
should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.
In rare cases when it's unavoidable that a
two
-wheel-drive vehicle is to be towed with the rear
wheels on the ground, the propeller shaft to axle yoke
orientation should be marked and the propeller shaft
removed following the applicable service manual
removal/installation procedure.
Dust or dirt can enter the back of the transmission
through the opening created by removing the propeller
shaft if proper protection is not provided. Also, check
the transmission fluid level before driving the truck.
When the vehicle is properly attached to the tow vehicle
and is ready to be towed, turn the ignition to LOCK.
Clamp the steering wheel in a straight
-ahead position
with a clamping device designed for towing.Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Four
-wheel-drive vehicles are not designed to be
dolly towed.
If you need to tow a four
-wheel-drive vehicle see
ªDinghy Towingº earlier in this section.
NOTICE:
Dolly towing a four-wheel-drive vehicle will
damage drivetrain components. Don't dolly tow
a four
-wheel-drive vehicle.

4-62 Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch loads from the CWR for
your vehicle. Weigh your vehicle with the trailer
attached, so that you won't go over the GVWR or
GAWR. If you are using a weight
-distributing hitch,
weigh the vehicle without the equalizer bars in place.
You'll get the best performance if you spread out the
weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, see ªTrailer Towingº in
the Index.
Camper Wiring Harness
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with a camper wiring
harness, see ªTrailer Wiring Harnessº in the Index for
further information.
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
General Motors is aware that some vehicle owners may
consider having the pickup box removed and a
commercial or recreational body installed. Before you
do so, first contact GM Customer Assistance for
information on such conversions specific to this vehicle.
Owners should be aware that, as manufactured, there are
differences between a chassis cab and a pickup with the
box removed which may affect vehicle safety. The
components necessary to adapt a pickup to permit its
safe use with a specialized body should be installed by a
body builder in accordance with the information
available from GM Customer Assistance. See
ªCustomer Assistanceº in the Index.

4-63
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy,
the brakes may not work well
-- or even at all.
You and your passengers could be seriously
injured. Pull a trailer only if you have followed
all the steps in this section. Ask your dealer for
advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
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. Additional rear axle maintenance is
required for a vehicle used to tow a trailer. See
ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the Index.
To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the information in
ªWeight of the Trailerº that appears later in this section.
If yours was built with trailering options, as many are,
it's ready for heavier trailers. 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 part. 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.

4-64 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 less than 5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg) for light duty
vehicles, or less than 7,500 lbs. (3 405 kg) for heavy
duty vehicles. You should always use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh more than these limits.
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 km/h) and
don't make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.

If you have an automatic transmission, you can
tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower
gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
If you have a manual transmission and you are
towing a trailer, it's better not to use the highest gear.
See ªTow/Haul Modeº in the Index.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:

the weight of the trailer,

the weight of the trailer tongue

and the weight on your vehicle's tires.

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Tow/Haul Mode (If Equipped)
Tow/haul is a feature on automatic transmission
equipped vehicles that assists when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load. The purpose of the
tow/haul mode is to:

Reduce the frequency and improve the predictability
of transmission shifts when pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load.

Provide the same solid shift feel when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load as when the
vehicle is unloaded.

Improve control of vehicle speed while requiring less
throttle pedal activity when pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load.
Automatic transmission equipped vehicles are provided
with a button at the end of the shift lever which when
pressed enables tow/haul. When the button is pressed,
a light on the instrument panel will illuminate to indicate
that tow/haul has been selected. Tow/haul may be turned
off by pressing the button again, at which time the
indicator light on the instrument panel will turn off.
The vehicle will automatically turn off tow/haul every
time it is started.Tow/haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75% of
the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See ªWeight of the Trailerº later in the section.
Tow/haul is most useful under the following
driving conditions:

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.
Operating the vehicle in tow/haul when lightly loaded or
with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benefit to the selection of tow/haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy.
Tow/haul is recommended only when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.