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276 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
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.
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.
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. Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and
options.
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Driving and Operating 277
VehicleMaximum Trailer Weight *GCWR
2.5L and 3.6L Engines 454 kg (1,000 lb)2 722 kg (6,000 lb)
3.6L Engine With V92 Trailer Towing Package 1 814 kg (4,000 lb)4 075 kg (8,984 lb)
*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 trailering
information or advice.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (1) 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
0221.
If a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch is being
used, the trailer tongue (1) should
weigh 10-15 percent of the total
loaded trailer weight (2).
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
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GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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278 Driving and Operating
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 0221 for 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
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,
then be sure to seal the holes
when the hitch is removed. If the
holes are not sealed, dirt, water,
and deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from the exhaust may get
into the vehicle. See Engine
Exhaust 0232. Weight-Distributing Hitches and
Weight Carrying Hitches
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body-to-Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, the hitch must be adjusted so
that the distance (2) remains the
same both before and after coupling
the trailer to the tow vehicle.
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Driving and Operating 279
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.
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 450 kg (1,000 lb) 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 antilock
brakes, 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.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Basic Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness, with a
seven-pin connector, is located at
the rear of the vehicle and is tied to
the vehicle's frame. The harness
connector can be plugged into a
seven-pin universal heavy-duty
trailer connector available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow/Gray: Stop/Turn
Signal Left
. Green/Violet: Stop/Turn Signal
Right
. Gray/Brown: Parking Lamps
. White/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Black: Ground
. Blue: Electric Brake* *The fuse for this circuit is installed
in the underhood electrical center,
but the wires are not connected.
They should be connected by your
dealer or a qualified service center.
If the back-up lamp circuit is not
functional, contact your dealer.
If a remote (non-vehicle) battery is
being charged, turn the Tow/Haul
Mode knob on the center console.
This will boost the vehicle system
voltage and properly charge the
battery. If the trailer is too light for
Tow/Haul Mode, turn on the
headlamps (non-HID only) as a
second way to boost the vehicle
system and charge the battery.
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280 Driving and Operating
Electric Trailer Brake Control
Wiring Provisions
These wiring provisions for an
electric trailer brake controller are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. The
instrument panel contains blunt cut
wires above the parking brake
assembly for the electric trailer
brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires:
.Blue: “To Trailer”
. Red/Black or Red/Blue:
Battery Feed
. White/Blue: Brake Apply Signal
. Black: Ground
The electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or
a qualified service center.Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light)
0 132. A device connected to the
DLC —such as an aftermarket
fleet or driver-behavior tracking
device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect
vehicle operation and cause a
crash. Such devices may also
access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 085 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 086.
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Vehicle Care 309
FusesUsage
F2 Starter 1
F3 DC DC transformer 1
F4 –
F5 –
F6 –
F7 DC DC transformer 2
F8 Starter 3
F9 –
F10 –
F11 –
F12 Front wiper
F13 Starter 2
F14 LED/Automatic headlamp leveling
(if equipped)
F15 Rear wiper 1
F16 –
F17 – Fuses
Usage
F18 Automatic headlamp leveling
(if equipped)
F19 –
F20 –
F21 –
F22 Electronic brake control module
F23 Parking/ Trailer lamp
F24 Right trailer stoplamp/Turn
signal lamp
F25 Steering column lock
F26 –
F27 Left trailer stoplamp/Turn
signal lamp
F28 –
F29 –
F30 Washer pump Fuses
Usage
F31 Right low-beam headlamp
F32 Left low-beam headlamp
F33 Fog lamps
F34 Horn
F35 –
F36 Left high-beam headlamp
F37 Right high-beam headlamp
F38 Automatic headlamp leveling
(if equipped)
F39 Transmission control module 1
F40 Left rear bus electrical center/
Ignition
F41 Instrument cluster
F42 HVAC
F43 Head-up display (if equipped)
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310 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F44 –
F45 –
F46 –
F47 –
F48 Rear wiper 2
F49 Interior rearview mirror/Trailer
F50 Fuel system control module
F51 Heated steering wheel
F52 A/C clutch
F53 Transmission range control
module
F54 Coolant pump
F55 –
F56 –
F57 Engine control module/Ignition
F58 Transmission control module/
Ignition Fuses
Usage
F59 Engine control module battery
F60 Transmission control module 2
F61 O2 sensor 1/ Aeroshutter
F62 Engine control module–odd
F63 O2 sensor 2
F64 Engine control module–even
F65 Engine control module
powertrain 1
F66 Engine control module
powertrain 2
F67 Powertrain TRCM
F68 –
F69 –
F70 –
F71 –
F72 – Fuses
Usage
F73 –
F74 –
F75 –
F76 –
F77 –
K1 Starter 1
K2 Run/Crank
K3 Starter 3
K4 LED/Automatic headlamp (if
equipped)
K5 –
K6 Coolant pump
K7 Engine control module
K8 A/C
K9 –
K10 Starter 2
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314 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F2 Trailer battery 1
F3 Driver safety belt
F4 Rear blower
F5 Rear drive control
F6 Passenger safety belt
F7 Passenger window
F8 Rear defogger
F9 Driver window
F10 –
F11 Trailer reverse
F12 –
F13 –
F14 –
F15 –
F16 –
F17 Camera
F18 Trailer module
F19 Ventilated seats
F20 – Fuses
Usage
F21 Trailer connector
F22 –
F23 –
F24 Passenger window switch
F25 –
F26 Trailer brake
F27 Driver ventilated seat/Lumbar
F28 Passive entry/ Passive start
F29 –
F30 Canister vent
F31 –
F32 Heated mirror
F33 –
F34 Logic mode
F35 Fuel system control module
F36 Passenger ventilated seat/
Lumbar Fuses
Usage
F37 –
F38 Window module
F39 Rear closure
F40 Memory seat module
F41 Automatic occupancy sensor
F42 Trailer battery 2
F43 –
F44 –
F45 Liftgate
F46 Rear heated seats
F47 –
F48 Glass breakage
F49 –
F50 –
F51 –
F52 Semi-active dampening system
module
F53 Rear parking aid module