Tow/Haul button question

[LA88]

Hi all,

Am I suppose to use the tow/haul button everytime I tow or only use it when going up/down hill? I started to tow the Saturn Vue last week and when I engaged tow the entire trip(250 miles), the engine downshift a lot, even on small hills.

Any of you use the tow/haul button when towing? Do you use it all the time or only on hills? Which is the right way? Thanks.

[LA88]

Hi all,

Am I suppose to use the tow/haul button everytime I tow or only use it when going up/down hill? I started to tow the Saturn Vue last week and when I engaged tow the entire trip(250 miles), the engine downshift a lot, even on small hills.

Any of you use the tow/haul button when towing? Do you use it all the time or only on hills? Which is the right way? Thanks.

[Frankie]

I use it while towing 95 percent of the time.The fact that it downshifts is a good thing for your brakes .I got used to the way it downshifts.

[LA88]

Thanks Frankie,

How about on flat road? are we suppose to use this button? I noticed that when I slam on the brake, it tends to downshift even is not on the hill. Wonder if this will cause any engine problem or use more gas than usual.

[Frankie]

Use it the way you feel comfortable.Thats why the button is there.I can always kick the gear back when it downshifts.The v-10 is a high rev engine,it can handle it.It does confuse my toad brake,but no other probs.

[MyLife]

I tow a Liberty Jeep and always put it into tow/haul. Has no problem.

[Lisa G]

We tow a 7x12 trailer with the motorcycles in it and use the tow/haul mode. We also noticed the constant downshift. It sounds like the engine is about to blow up from the high rpm. Takes a little getting used to. If it's anything like the motorcyles or my car, a little high rpm on occasion is good for it. I've never liked to baby my engines. We have some older customers at our auto shop who've had the same car for 25 years or more. We take those old '68 Cougars, etc. out for a good throttle pushing run on the highway just to clear the carbon out. They weren't meant to be driven 2 miles to the grocery store at 25mph.

[Jim Bouchard]

We have a 2005 34N with the Banks Powerpak in it, We Tow a 34 foot enclosed trailer with 5 race snowmobiles in it Around 10,000 lbs. the only time I put the tow/haul on is on real long hill climbs or longs downhills, On the flats we do not use it.

Hey Frankie how's things been?

[Noelj]

Ours is a 99 29D model. What is a tow/haul button?? All I have is Overdrive lockout, which I use a lot on downhill runs, esecially with the toad attached.

[TXiceman]

NoelJ, the 99 model had a 4r100 transmission and had 4 speeds, 3 plus OD. Later models with the Toeque Shift 5 speed had the tow haul.

We had a 1999 with the V-10 and 4R100 transmission. We ran flat country and slight hills toing our dinghy in OD. As soon as w started to shift out of OD, I locked OD out until we were back on mode level road.

Ken

[billyb]

so what does the tow/haul thing do, just shift the tranny out of od, or what.

[Ray,IN]

Tow/haul alters transmission shift points to better utilize both engine and transmission when under heavy load. Speaking only about GM products, tow/haul mode envokes the computer to monitor engine RPM and transmission gear. If RPM reaches an upper set-point(downhill retard mode) the computer demands a transmission upshift to protect the engine from damage.

[george henry]

Seth , and Merry Christmas back to you also