Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
290 Vehicle Care
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle, such as a motor home. The
two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are
known as dinghy towing and dolly
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
traveled? 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 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.
Caution
Use of a shield mounted in front
of the vehicle grille could restrict
airflow and cause damage to the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the
towing vehicle.
Dinghy Towing RS Model with
Automatic Transmission
Caution
If the vehicle is towed with all four
wheels on the ground, the
drivetrain components could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not tow the vehicle
with all four wheels on the
ground.
Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-9085902) -
2016 - CRC - 5/27/15
Vehicle Care 291
The vehicle was not designed to be
towed with all four wheels on the
ground. If the vehicle must be
towed, a dolly should be used. See
the information on dolly towing later
in this section.
Dinghy Towing All except RS
Model with Automatic
Transmission
When dinghy towing a vehicle with
an automatic transmission, the
vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about five minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components.
To dinghy tow the vehicle from the
front with all four wheels on the
ground:1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it to the towing
vehicle.
2. Shift the automatic transmission to P (Park) or a
manual transmission into
1 (First) gear and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent the battery from draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove the DLIS
fuse from the instrument panel
fuse block. See Instrument
Panel Fuse Block 0252.
5. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
6. Shift an automatic transmission to N (Neutral) or a manual
transmission to Neutral.
7. Release the parking brake.
Reinstall the DLIS fuse once the
destination has been reached.Caution
If 105 km/h (65 mph) is exceeded
while towing the vehicle, it could
be damaged. Never exceed
105 km/h (65 mph) while towing
the vehicle.
Caution
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.
