2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner's Manual - Page 296

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer If you do, here are some important points: Three important considerations have to do with weight: • 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. • the weight of the trailer, • the weight of the trailer tongue • and the weight on your vehicle's tires. Tow/Haul Mode Tow/haul is designed to assist while your vehicle is pulling a large or heavy load or trailer. Tow/haul is most useful while pulling such a load in rolling terrain, in stop-and-go traffic, or when you need improved low-speed control, such as when parking. The purpose of the tow/haul mode is to do the following: • 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. • Reduce the frequency and improve the predictability of transmission shifts when pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. • Provide the same solid shift feel when pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load as when the vehicle is unloaded. • 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 (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions). See "Tow/Haul Mode" next. • Improve control of vehicle speed while requiring less throttle pedal activity when pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. Tow/haul is designed to be most effective when the vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75% of the vehicle's Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). See "Weight of the Trailer" later in this section. 4-54