GMC 2006 Sierra - Manual (Page 380)

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
• There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also
where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
• Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches” later in
this section.
• Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
• Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow
a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t
make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine
and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
• If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection
if the transmission shifts too often, such as under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions. If you have a
manual transmission and you are towing a trailer,
it’s better not to use the highest gear. See Tow/Haul
Mode Light on page 3-50.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
• The weight of the trailer
• The weight of the trailer tongue
• The weight on your vehicle’s tires
Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul is a feature on automatic transmission
equipped vehicles that assists when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load. See Tow/Haul Mode
on page 2-31 for more information.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent
of the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” later in the section. Tow/Haul
is most useful under the following driving conditions:
• When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.
• When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.
• When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.
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