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254 Driving and Operating
3. Pull the cover downward todisengage the upper
attachments (1).
To reinstall hitch cover: 1. Hold cover at a 45 degree angle to the vehicle and push
the upper tabs into the slots in
the bumper.
2. Push the bottom of the cover forward until the lower tabs line
up with the lower slots (1).
3. Snap the hitch cover into place by pushing the upper corners
forward.
4. Reinstall the two fasteners on the lower tabs (2).
Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway
controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations
and instructions.Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure the front fender
height distance (2) before
connecting the trailer. Adjust the
spring bars until the front fender
height distance (2) is the same
height before the trailer was
connected. Do not reduce the front
fender height below the initial
distance (2).
Tires
. Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0297 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
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 combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
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Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg
(1,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
lf equipped, the trailer wiring
harness, with a 7-pin connector is
mounted on the trailer hitch.
1. Left Turn/Brake
2. Tail Lamps
3. Reverse Lamps
4. Battery feed
5. Right Turn/Brake
6. Electric Brakes
7. Ground
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
trailer connector on the trailer hitch,
a 7-wire trailering harness is tied to
the vehicles frame. The harness
requires the installation of a trailer
connector, which is 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:
Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Gray
Stop/Turn
Signal Right Green/Violet
Tail/Parking
Lamps Gray/Brown
Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground Black
Electric Trailer
Brake Blue
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
If equipped, (4) blunt-cut wires are
located near the driver's feet for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits:
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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256 Driving and Operating
Electric Trailer
BrakesBlue
Battery Feed Red/Black or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle. It may be
necessary to have a technician
connect the 12-volt power to the
engine compartment fuse block. The
electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or
a qualified service center.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, see Driver Mode
Control 0212.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0206.
Tow/Haul Mode 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).
See “Weight of the Trailer” under
Trailer Towing 0250. Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
.
through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
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258 Driving and Operating
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default
trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).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)0127.
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 075 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076.
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302 Vehicle Care
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The example shows a typical
passenger vehicle tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter“P”as the first character in
the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association. (2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item (3) of the illustration, it
would mean that the tire's
sidewall is 60 percent as high as
it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire.
The letter “R”means radial ply
construction; the letter “D”
means diagonal or bias ply
construction.
(5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power
windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
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Belt:A rubber coated layer of
cords between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
0 305.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings
:A code molded
into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 186.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0186.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0186. Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:The
load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.
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Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb). See Vehicle Load
Limits 0186.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:The
side of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a
vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bears
manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is
higher or deeper than the same
moldings on the other sidewall
of the tire. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on passenger cars and
some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as shown
on the tire placard. See Tire
Pressure 0305 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0186.
Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire
and upon which the tire beads
are seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead. Speed Rating
:An
alphanumeric code assigned to
a tire indicating the maximum
speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between
the tire and the road surface.
The amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with
the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the tread
of a tire when only 1.6 mm
(1/16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
0 313.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire
manufacturers using
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government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. SeeUniform
Tire Quality Grading 0316.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0186.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits 0186.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively.
{Warning
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating, which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0186.
How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.