2002 Oldsmobile Alero towing

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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 Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
4
-11 Steering
4
-13 Off-Road Recovery
4
-13 Passing
4
-15 Loss of Control
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-16 Driving at Night4
-17 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
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-20 City Driving
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-21 Freeway Driving
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-22 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
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-23 Highway Hypnosis
4
-24 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-25 Winter Driving
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-30 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-34 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-36 Towing a Trailer

4-30
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.

4-31 Dinghy Towing
To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps:
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent your battery from draining while the
vehicle is being towed, remove the following fuses
from the left side instrument panel fuse block:
WIPER, PCM ACC and IPC/BFC ACC. See
ªInstrument Panel Fuse Block
-- Driver's Sideº in
the Index for the location of these fuses.
5. Turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.

4-32
Remember to reinstall the fuses once you reach your
destination. To reinstall a fuse do the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Put the fuse back in.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
65 mph (110 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.

4-33 Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
a dolly, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P) for automatic transaxles
and NEUTRAL for manual transaxles.
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
(For manual transaxle vehicles, the shift lever must
be in REVERSE (R) before removing the key.)
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight
-ahead position
with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.

4-36
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. You may also damage your vehicle;
the resulting repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. 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.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. 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. 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.
Load
-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What's more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.

4-37 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. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.

Don't tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 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.

Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don't drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers, or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h),
to save wear on your vehicle's parts.Three important considerations have to do with weight:

the weight of the trailer,

the weight of the trailer tongue

and the total weight on your vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg).
But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at:
Oldsmobile Customer Assistance
P.O. Box 33171
Detroit, MI 48232
-5171
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163
-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7

4-40 Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly
as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving
and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to
be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check
your electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
you're towing a trailer. And, because you're a good
deal longer, you'll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that
hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move
your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone guide you.