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Towing
a
Trailer
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section, and
see your Pontiac dealer for
important information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle
.
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is
equipped with the 2.3L OHC or Quad 4
Engine (Code 3 or D).
Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped
with the 2.3L High Output Quad 4 (Code
A) or 3.1 L V6 (Code
M) engine and
proper trailer towing equipment. To
identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in ''Weight of the
Trailer" that appears later in this section.
But trailering is different than just driving
your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability, and fuel
economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used
properly.
That's the reason for this section. In it are
many time-tested, important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of your
passengers. So please read this section
carefully before you puli a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
mgine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against the
jrag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads,
generating extra heat. What's more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0
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.
0
Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don't tow a trailer at all during the
first 1000 miles (1 600 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
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