2003 GMC SAVANA weight

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service
if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see“Recreational Vehicle Towing”following.
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“dinghy towing”(towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and“dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a“dolly”).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any
of its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must
be towed, see“Towing Your Vehicle”earlier in
this section.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certication/Tire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door. The label shows the size of your original
tires and the ination pressures needed to obtain the
gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is called Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
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The Certication/Tire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). Tond out the actual loads on
your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help you
with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on
both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose
control and crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
•Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
•Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
•Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
•When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
•Don’t leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
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Payload
The Payload Capacity is shown on the Certication/Tire
label. This is the maximum load capacity that your
vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight of the
people inside as part of your load. If you added any
accessories or equipment after your vehicle left
the factory, remember to subtract the weight of these
things from the payload. Your dealer can help you
with this.
Add-On Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put a
limit on how many people you carry inside your vehicle.
Be sure to weigh your vehicle before you buy and install
the new equipment.
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
evenat 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
“Scheduled Maintenance Services”in the Index.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in“Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section.
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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.
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 lbs (1 800 kg). You can ask a
hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during therst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during therst 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.
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).
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 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).
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 benet 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.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
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.
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The following chart shows how much your trailer can weigh, based upon vehicle model and options.
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G1500 Cargo Van 2WD*
4300 V6 3.42 4,400 lbs. (1 998 kg) 9,000 lbs. (4 086 kg)
5300 V83.42
3.736,400 lbs. (2 906 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
*Trailer tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
H1500 Cargo Van AWD*
5300 V83.42
3.736,600 lbs. (2 997 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G1500 Passenger Van 2WD*
4300 V6 3.42 4,000 lbs. (1 816 kg) 9,000 lbs. (4 086 kg)
5300 V83.42
3.736,400 lbs. (2 906 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg).
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Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
H1500 Passenger Van AWD*
5300 V83.42
3.736,200 lbs. (2 815 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G2500 Cargo Van 2WD*
4300 V6 3.73 4,700 lbs. (2 123 kg) 9,500 lbs. (4 313 kg)
4800 V83.73
4.106,300 lbs. (2 860 kg)
7,300 lbs. (3 314 kg)11,000 lbs. (4 994 kg)
12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
5300 V8 3.73 6,600 lbs. (2 996 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
6000 V83.73
4.108,300 lbs. (3 768 kg)
10,000 lbs. (4 540 kg)14,000 lbs. (6 356 kg)
16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
H2500 Cargo Van AWD*
5300 V8 3.73 6,400 lbs. (2 906 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
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Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G2500 Cargo Van 2WD Long Wheelbase
4300 V6 3.73 4,500 lbs. (2 043 kg) 9,500 lbs. (4 313 kg)
4800 V83.73
4.106,100 lbs. (2 769 kg)
7,100 lbs. (3 223 kg)11,000 lbs. (4 994 kg)
12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
5300 V8 3.73 6,400 lbs. (2 906 kg) 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)
6000 V83.73
4.108,100 lbs. (3 677 kg)
10,000 lbs. (4 540 kg)14,000 lbs. (6 538 kg)
16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G2500 Passenger Van 2WD Short Wheelbase*
6000 V83.73
4.107,900 lbs. (3 587 kg)
9,900 lbs. (4 495 kg)14,000 lbs. (6 538 kg)
16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
Vehicle* Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR
G2500 Passenger Van 2WD Long Wheelbase*
6000 V83.73
4.107,600 lbs. (3 450 kg)
9,600 lbs. (4 358 kg)14,000 lbs. (6 356 kg)
16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
* Tongue weight should be 10 percent to 15 percent of trailer weight up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).
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