Towing a new Buick LaCrosse

[cjean]

I will be installing a base-plate on the new Buick after having pulled a Ford Explorer and 2 Chevy Malibu's. Unlike these previous vehicles, the Buick instruction manual doesn't have provisions for removing a fuse. How do I stop battery drainage without having to start the car every few hundred miles? Suggestions I have had so far;
1.Install a battery disconnect switch.
2. Charge the batteries using a charger from the motorhome.

Assuming I go with #2 what is the preferred way of hooking up such a system?
Thanks

[Gary RVRoamer]

Why do you think the battery will discharge? Does the LaCrosse towing instructions talk about that? Not all cars need to have fuses removed.

If you need something, the easiest solution is Toad Charge, which will charge the toad battery from the coach as you drive.
TOAD-CHARGE Dinghy Vehicle Battery Charger/Maintainer

[cjean]

Today's car battery doesn't seem to hold a charge for very long, I remember having forgotten to remove the fuse one time on the Malibu and after a couple of hundred miles there had been to much drainage (phantom loads?). when I tried to start the vehicle it would not even turn over. Thanks for the suggestion I will investigate the toad charger solution.

[Gary RVRoamer]

There seems to be a lot of confusion as to whether the 2012 LaCrosse is flat-towable at all. At the very least, you have to know which transmission it has. I think theV6 engines are ok but the 4 cylinders ar not. But that's based on internet gossip. See a discussion of this subject at:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/flat-...sse-98324.html

[cjean]

There is a GM document #PIP4973A titled "Dingy Towing Quick Reference for 6SP Front Wheel Drive Automatic Transmission for 2011 and 2012 - (Nov 21, 2011)" which provides information on which vehicles with which transmissions are and are not dingy towable. This document supersedes document #PIP4973. Your dealer should be able to get this document.

It basically states that the 2011 and 2012 Buick LaCrosse and Enclave, Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Malibu, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia and Terrain are all dingy towable providing they have the 6T70/75 (RPOs MH2, MH4, MH6, MY9) transmission. 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and Malibu, GMC Terrain, and 2012 Chevrolet Sonic are also dingy towable providing they have the 6T30/6T40/6T45 (RPOs MHC, MH7, MH8, MH9) transmission.

The 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, Chevrolet Cruze, and 2012 Buick Verano, and Chevrolet Orlando (Canada only) are NOT dingy towable with the 6T30/6T40/6T45 (RPOs MHC, MHH, MH7, MH8, MH9) transmissions.

Notice that you cannot just go by the transmission. Sometimes a given transmissions is dingy towable and sometime not depending on which car it is used in.

[sturman]

GM claims that to flat tow a 2012 Buick LaCrosse one only has to remove Fuse #22 (Discrete Logic Ignition Switch fuse) from the Instrument Panel Fuse Block.HOWEVER, if the car is equipped with push button ignition, Fuse #22 is not there. The problem is that to flat tow the Lacrosse it must be in neutral and when in neutral the power is on in the auto. This places a 7.8 Amp load on the battery and if you flat tow for more than a couple of hours you wind up with a dead battery.

A BETTER SOLUTION is to apply power through a momentary normally-off push button switch to the M7 Transmission Shift Lock Control Solenoid Actuator in your automatic transmission. Here is how it works:-

The Control Solenoid Actuator prevents you from shifting out of PARK when your auto is not running. Thus, to flat tow your car, put the shift lever in Park, shut off your ignition and then push the button while moving the shift from Park to Neutral. You wind up in Neutral while at the same time, all the power to your auto electrons are turned off. VOILA IT REALLY WORKS. My dealer did this for me. It is an elegant solution to the problem.


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