2006 Cadillac STS Owner's Manual - Page 307

• Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles (1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg). These are total maximum weights including the load. But even that can be too heavy. The STS-V is not rated or designed to tow any trailer. 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. It can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry. 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. • Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. • Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Do not 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. Three important considerations have to do with weight: • the weight of the trailer • the weight of the trailer tongue • and the total weight on your vehicle's tires 4-41