2010 Pontiac Vibe Owner's Manual - Page 183

Driving and Operating Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires Be sure the vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper limit for cold tires. These numbers can be found on the Tire-Loading Information label. See Vehicle Load Limits on page 8-12. Make sure not to go over the GVW limit for the vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue. The trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10 to 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 aren't, adjustments might be made by moving some items around in the trailer. 8-49 • Will any holes be made in the body of the vehicle when the trailer hitch is installed? If there are, then be sure to seal the holes later when the hitch is removed. If the holes are not sealed, dirt, water, and deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from the exhaust can get into the vehicle. See Engine Exhaust on page 8-23. Safety Chains Always attach chains between the vehicle and the trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue from contacting the road if it becomes separated from the hitch. Always leave just enough slack so the rig can turn. Never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. Towing Equipment Hitches It is important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a few reasons why the right hitch is needed. • The rear bumper on the vehicle is not intended for hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the bumper.