2009 SATURN VUE tow

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
To avoid damage, the disabled
vehicle should be towed with all four
wheels off the ground. Consult your
dealer/retailer or a professional
towing service if the disabled vehicle
must be towed. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6.
To tow the 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 the vehicle behind another
vehicle – such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common
types of recreational vehicle towing
are known as dinghy towing anddolly towing. Dinghy towing is towing
the vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground. Dolly towing is towing the
vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational
vehicle towing:
What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read
the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer/retailer or trailering
professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.
Is the vehicle ready to be towed?
Just as preparing the vehicle for a
long trip, make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore
Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-24.
Dinghy Towing
Front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive
vehicles may be dinghy towed from
the front. These vehicles can also be
towed by placing them on a platform
trailer with all four wheels off of the
ground. For other towing options,
see “Dolly Towing” following in this
section.
For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about ve minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components.
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To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will
be towed and secure it to
the towing vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition key to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
3. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
4. Turn fog lamps and all
accessories off.5. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the 2 amp
IGN SW fuse from the instrument
panel fuse block and store it in a
safe location. SeeInstrument
Panel Fuse Block on page 5-80
Notice:If the vehicle is towed
without performing each of the
steps listed under “Dinghy
Towing,” the automatic
transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of the
dinghy towing procedure prior to
and after towing the vehicle.
Notice:If the vehicle has
a four-speed automatic
transmission, it can be dinghy
towed from the front for unlimited
miles at 65 mph (105 km/h).
The vehicle could be damaged If
65 mph (105 km/h) is exceeded
while towing the vehicle. The
repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Never
exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while
towing the vehicle.Once the destination has been
reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
3. Reinstall the 2 amp IGN SW fuse
to the instrument panel fuse
block.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/
OFF and remove the key from
the ignition.
Notice:Too much or too
little uid can damage the
transmission. Be sure that the
transmission uid is at the proper
level before towing with all four
wheels on the ground.
Notice:Do not tow a vehicle
with the front drive wheels on the
ground if one of the front tires is a
compact spare tire. Towing with
two different tire sizes on the front
of the vehicle can cause severe
damage to the transmission.
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Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles)
All-wheel-drive vehicles should not
be towed with two wheels on
the ground. To properly tow these
vehicles, they should be placed on a
platform trailer with all four wheels
off of the ground or dinghy towed
from the front.
Dolly Towing
(Front-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
Front-wheel-drive VUE Red
Line vehicles should not be towed
with two wheels on the ground.
To properly tow these vehicles, they
should be placed on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the ground
or dinghy towed from the front.To tow the vehicle from the front
with the rear wheels on the ground,
do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a
clamping device designed
for towing.5. Remove the key from the
ignition.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly.
7. Release the parking brake.
Towing the Vehicle From
the Rear
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Notice:Towing the vehicle from
the rear could damage it. Also,
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Never have
the vehicle towed from the rear.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well — or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may
also be damaged; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer/retailer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.Notice:Pulling a trailer
improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer/
retailer for important information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
The vehicle can tow a trailer if it is
equipped with the proper trailer
towing equipment.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving
the vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration,
braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
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The following information has 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 pulling a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as
the engine, transmission, rear axle,
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. The
trailer also adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
The vehicle has Trailer Sway
Control (TSC). See “Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)” inStabiliTrak
®
System on page 4-7for more
information.
Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
There are many different
laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with
trailering. Make sure the rig will
be legal, not only where you
live but also where you will
be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or
provincial police.
Do not tow a trailer at all during
the rst 500 miles (800 km)
the new vehicle is driven.
The engine, axle or other
parts could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles
(800 km) that a trailer is towed, do
not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in
at the heavier loads.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or
hilly conditions.
Obey speed limit restrictions
when towing a trailer. Do not drive
faster than the maximum posted
speed for trailers, or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h), to save wear
on the vehicle’s parts.
Do not tow a trailer when the
outside temperature is above
100°F (38°C).
Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
The weight of the trailer
The weight of the trailer tongue
The total weight on the
vehicle’s tires
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Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is
used. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature
and how much the vehicle is used
to pull a trailer are all important.
It can depend on any specialequipment on the vehicle, and the
amount of tongue weight the vehicle
can carry. See “Weight of the
Trailer Tongue” later in this section
for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment.The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
Look in the following chart to nd
the maximum trailer weight for the
vehicle.
Vehicle
Axle Ratio Max. Trailer Wt. *GCWR
2WD — 2.4L L4 Engine 3.911,500 lbs (680 kg) 5,375 lbs (2 438 kg)
2WD — 3.6L V6 Engine** 2.773,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 7,800 lbs (3 538 kg)
AWD — 3.5L V6 Engine 2.773,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 8,000 lbs (3 629 kg)
AWD — 3.6L V6 Engine** 2.773,500 lbs (1 588 kg) 8,000 lbs (3 629 kg)
*The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment and conversion. The GCWR for the vehicle should not be
exceeded.
**The VUE Red Line should not be used to tow a trailer.
Ask your dealer/retailer for trailering
information or advice.
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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes
the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle. If
there are a lot of options, equipment,
passengers or cargo in the vehicle,
it will reduce the tongue weight the
vehicle can carry, which will also
reduce the trailer weight the vehicle
can tow. If towing a trailer, the
tongue load must be added to the
GVW because the vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
Loading the Vehicle on page 4-28for
more information about the vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.For a weight-carrying hitch, the
trailer tongue (A) should weigh
10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After loading the trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Trailering may be limited by the
vehicle’s ability to carry tongue
weight. Tongue weight cannot cause
the vehicle to exceed the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) or the
RGAWR (Rear Gross Axle Weight
Rating). The effect of additionalweight may reduce the trailering
capacity more than the total of the
additional weight.
Consider the following example:
A vehicle model base weight is
5,500 lbs (2 495 kg); 2,800 lbs
(1 270 kg) at the front axle and
2,700 lbs (1 225 kg) at the rear
axle. It has a GVWR of 7,200 lbs
(3 266 kg), a RGAWR of 4,000 lbs
(1 814 kg) and a GCWR (Gross
Combination Weight Rating) of
14,000 lbs (6 350 kg). The trailer
rating should be:
Expect tongue weight to be at
least 10 percent of trailer weight
(850 lbs (386 kg)) and because the
weight is applied well behind the rear
axle, the effect on the rear axle is
greater than just the weight itself,
as much as 1.5 times as much.
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Hitches
It is important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds,
large trucks going by and rough
roads are a few reasons why
the right hitch is needed.
The rear bumper on the vehicle is
not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
Will any holes be made in the
body of the vehicle when the
trailer hitch is installed? If so,
be sure to seal the holes when
the hitch is removed. If they are
not sealed, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from the engine’s
exhaust can get into the vehicle.
SeeEngine Exhaust on
page 2-28. Sealing the holes will
also prevent dirt and water from
entering the vehicle.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation
for attaching safety chains and do
not attach them to the bumper.
Always leave just enough slack so
the rig can turn. Never allow safety
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 1,000 lbs (450 kg) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the trailer.Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted and
maintained properly. Because the
vehicle has StabiliTrak
®, do not try
to tap into the vehicle’s hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both brake
systems will not work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
{CAUTION
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear
of the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
(Continued)
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