1999 Cadillac Catera Owner's Manual - Page 202

yellowblue D 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. Don't drive faster than the maximum posted speed for trailers (or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) to save wear on your vehicle's parts. You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Cadillac Customer Assistance Center Cadillac Motor Car Division P.O. Box 436004 Pontiac, MI 48343-6004 In Canada, write to: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 D Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Three important considerations have to do with weight: D the weight of the trailer, D the weight of the trailer tongue D and the total weight on your vehicle's tires. Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs. (454 kg). But even that can be too heavy. It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See "Loading Your Vehicle" in the Index for more information about your vehicle's maximum load capacity. 4-32