1998 Pontiac Sunfire Owner's Manual - Page 204

Do not tow when the ambient temperature is above 100°F (38°C). Do not tow more than 1,000 miles (1 600 km) per year. 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. You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Pontiac Customer Services Department One Bontiac Plaza Pontiac, Michigan 48340-2952 In Canada, write to: General Motors 'ofCanada Limited Customer Communication Centre 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 * 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 C ~ also depend on any D 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 moreinformation about your vehicle's maximum load capacity.