Buick Enclave: General Towing Information. Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips. Trailer Towing
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 towing a disabled vehicle, see Towing the Vehicle . For information
on towing the vehicle behind another vehicle such as a motor home, see Recreational
Vehicle Towing . 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 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 . 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: See Towing Equipment . The engine, axle, or other parts could be damaged. Use a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often. See “Tow/Haul Mode” later in this section. 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. Tow/Haul Mode Tow/Haul assists when pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. The purpose
of the Tow/Haul mode is to:
Press this button located on the console to turn on and turn off the Tow/Haul
mode. See Tow/Haul Mode . The Tow/Haul light on the instrument panel comes on to indicate that Tow/Haul
mode has been selected. Tow/Haul may be turned off by pressing the button again, at which time the indicator
light on the instrument panel will turn off. The vehicle will automatically turn off Tow/Haul every time it is started. 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 Trailer Towing . Tow/Haul is most useful when pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
under the following driving conditions: Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul when lightly loaded or with no trailer will
not cause damage but there is no benefit. Such a selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and transmission driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy. 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. 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. See “Automatic Engine Grade Braking”
within Tow/Haul Mode . 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 a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the vehicle speed to around 88
km/h (55 mph) to reduce the possibility of the engine and the transmission overheating. Parking on Hills 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. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park). Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you: Maintenance When Trailer Towing The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a trailer. See Maintenance Schedule . 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 . Three important considerations have to do with weight: 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. Use the following chart to determine how much the vehicle can weigh, based upon
the vehicle model and options. Ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice. See Customer Assistance Offices (U.S. and Canada) or Customer Assistance
Offices (Mexico) for 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 If a weight-carrying hitch or a weight-distributing hitch is being used, the
trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10-15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). 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 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.General Towing Information
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.
WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer attached can be dangerous. If
something goes wrong, the rig could start to move.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal.
5. Release the brake pedal.
1.1. Start the engine.
1.2. Shift into a gear.
1.3. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.Trailer Towing
► The weight of the trailer tongue
► The total weight on the vehicle's tires
