Buick Regal: Trailer Towing

Caution: Towing a trailer improperly can damage the vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer correctly, follow the directions in this section and see your dealer for important information about towing a trailer with the vehicle.

Trailer Weight

Warning: Never exceed the towing capacity for your vehicle.

Safe trailering requires monitoring the weight, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature, dimensions of the front of the trailer, and how frequently the vehicle is used to tow a trailer.

Before towing a trailer, always separately weigh:

• total weight on the vehicle's tires
• the trailer
• the trailer tongue

Warning: You and others could be seriously injured or killed if the trailer is too heavy or the trailer brakes are inadequate for the load. The vehicle may be damaged, and the repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.

Ask your dealer for advice and information about towing a trailer.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

For information about the vehicle's maximum load capacity, see Vehicle Load Limits. When calculating the GVWR with a trailer attached, the trailer tongue weight must be included as part of the weight the vehicle is carrying.

Maximum Trailer Weight

The trailer should never weigh more than 454 kg (1,000 lb). The maximum allowable weight of the trailer may be lower based on the weight of the passengers and cargo in your trailer.

The maximum trailer weight rating is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment.

The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers, and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.

Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight Rating

The Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight Rating is the allowable trailer tongue weight that the vehicle can support using a conventional trailer hitch. It may be necessary to reduce the overall trailer weight to stay within the maximum trailer tongue weight rating while still maintaining the correct trailer load balance.

Do not exceed a maximum trailer tongue weight of 45 Kg (100 lbs).

Trailer Load Balance

The correct trailer load balance must be maintained to ensure trailer stability. Incorrect load balance is a leading cause of trailer sway.

The trailer tongue weight (1) should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight (2). Some specific trailer types, such as boat trailers, fall outside of this range. Always refer to the trailer owner's manual for the recommended trailer tongue weight for each trailer. Never exceed the maximum loads for your vehicle, hitch and trailer.

After loading the trailer, separately weigh the trailer and then the trailer tongue to see if the weights are appropriate for your vehicle. If the trailer weight is too high, it may be possible to transfer some of the cargo into your vehicle. If the trailer tongue weight is too high or too low, it may be possible to rearrange some of the cargo inside of the trailer.

Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight for your vehicle. Use the shortest hitch extension available to position the hitch ball closer to your vehicle. This will help reduce the effect of the trailer tongue weight on the trailer hitch and the rear axle.

If a cargo carrier is used in the trailer hitch receiver, choose a carrier that positions the load as close to the vehicle as possible.

Make sure the total weight, including the carrier, is no more than half of the maximum allowable tongue weight for the vehicle.

Ask your dealer for trailering information or assistance.

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