2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX trailer

8-48 Driving and Operating
The following describes how the URPA display lights appear as the vehicle
gets closer to a detected object:Description Metric Englishamber light 2.5 m 8 ft
amber/amber lights 1.0 m 40 in
amber/amber/red lights and continuous beeping for five seconds 0.6 m 23 in
amber/amber/red lights flashing and continuous beeping for five seconds 0.3 m 1 ft
Park Assist Off displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) to
indicate that URPA is off, see Driver
Information Center (DIC)
on
page 4‑24for more information.
System Settings
Each time the vehicle is started
URPA defaults to the On setting.
Use the Vehicle Personalization
on
page 4‑34menu to
configure URPA. The settings are:
.On: Turns URPA on
.Off: Turns URPA off
.Tow Bar: Use when a tow bar is
attached to the vehicle
Tow Bar
When the tow bar setting is used,
an area of 16 cm (6 in) around the
hitch is not detected by the system.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
If the URPA system does not
activate due to a temporary
condition, the message Park Assist
Off displays on the DIC and a red
light is shown on the rear URPA
display when the shift lever is
moved into R (Reverse). This can
occur under the following
conditions:
.The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice and slush. For cleaning
instructions, see Exterior Care
on page 9‑75.
.A trailer was attached to the
vehicle, or an object was
hanging out of the liftgate during
the last drive cycle, a red light
may come on in the rear display.
Once the attached object is
removed, URPA will return to
normal operation.

Driving and Operating 8-57
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you
and others:
.Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
.Do not fill a container while it
is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
.Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.
Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer.
See the following trailer towing
information in this section:
.For information on driving while
towing a trailer, see “Driving
Characteristics and
Towing Tips”.
.For maximum vehicle and trailer
weights, see “Trailer Towing”.
.For information on equipment to
tow a trailer, see “Towing
Equipment”.

8-58 Driving and Operating
For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, seeTowing the Vehicleon
page 9‑72. For information on
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle —such as a motorhome,
see Recreational Vehicle Towing
on
page 9‑72.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{WARNING
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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
The vehicle can tow a trailer when
equipped with the proper trailer
towing equipment. For trailering
capacity, see “Trailer Towing”
following in this section. Trailering
changes handling, acceleration,
braking, durability and fuel
economy. With the added weight,
the engine, transmission, wheel
assemblies and tires are forced to
work harder and under greater
loads. The trailer also adds wind
resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements. For safe trailering,
correctly use the proper trailering
equipment. The following information has
important trailering tips and rules for
your safety and that of your
passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many laws, including
speed limit restrictions that apply
to trailering. Check for legal
requirements with state or
provincial police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 1 600 km (1,000 miles)
the new vehicle is driven. The
engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
.During the first 800 km
(500 miles) that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over 80 km/h
(50 mph) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This reduces wear
on the vehicle.
.The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.

Driving and Operating 8-59
.Do not use the Fuel Saver Mode
when towing.
.Obey speed limit restrictions.
Do not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
.For vehicles with the Ultra Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system,
turn the system off when towing
a trailer. If the tow bar is
installed while not towing a
trailer, change the URPA system
to the“Tow Bar” setting. See
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on
page 8‑46for more information.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself. Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, 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.

8-60 Driving and Operating
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal so the
trailer will not strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Use the turn signal well in
advance and avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers.
Turn Signals When Towing
a Trailer
The turn signal indicators on the
instrument panel flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps also flash, telling other
drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows
on the instrument panel flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, engine coolant
will boil at a lower temperature than
at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground,
with the transmission in P (Park) for
a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 9‑18.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.

Driving and Operating 8-61
3. When the wheel chocks are inplace, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 9‑18.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The total weight on the vehicle's
tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, special
equipment, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry
must be considered. 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.

8-62 Driving and Operating
Use the following chart to determine how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and options.Vehicle Maximum Trailer
Weight with Trailer Brakes† GCWR*
L4 Engine, FWD 680 kg (1,500 lbs) 2 625 kg (5,787 lbs)
L4 Engine, AWD 680 kg (1,500 lbs) 2 700 kg (5,952 lbs)
V6 Engine, FWD 1 588 kg (3,500 lbs) 3 600 kg (7,937 lbs)
V6 Engine, AWD 1 588 kg (3,500 lbs) 3 700 kg (8,157 lbs)
† For trailers without trailer brakes the maximum trailer weight is 454 kg
(1,000 lbs) and the GCWR is 2 300 kg (5,071 lbs). See Towing Equipment
on page 8‑63for more information.
*The Gross Combination Weight
Rating (GCWR) is the total
allowable weight of the completely
loaded vehicle and trailer including
any passengers, cargo, equipment
and conversions. The GCWR for the
vehicle should not be exceeded.
Ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice. See
Customer Assistance Offices
on
page 12‑3for more information.
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
Vehicle Load Limits on page 8‑24.
If a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch is being
used, the trailer tongue (A) should
weigh 10 to 15 percent of the total
loaded trailer weight (B).

Driving and Operating 8-63
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
additional weight may reduce the
trailering capacity more than the
total of the additional weight.
It is important that the vehicle
does not exceed any of its
ratings—GCWR, GVWR, RGAWR,
Maximum Trailer Rating or Tongue
Weight. The only way to be sure it is
not exceeding any of these ratings
is to weigh the vehicle and trailer.Total Weight on the Vehicle's
Tires
Inflate the vehicle's tires to the
upper limit for cold tires. These
numbers can be found on the
Certification label or see Vehicle
Load Limits
on page 8‑24for more
information. Do not go over the
GVW limit for the vehicle, or the
GAWR, including the weight of the
trailer tongue. If using a weight
distributing hitch, do not go over the
rear axle limit before applying the
weight distribution spring bars.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Use the correct hitch equipment.
See your dealer or a hitch dealer for
assistance.
.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 there
are, seal the holes when the
hitch is removed. If the holes are
not sealed, dirt, water, and
deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
from the exhaust can get into the
vehicle. See Engine Exhaust
on
page 8‑34.