Tow/Haul button: what is it for?
Hi all, very noob question. Just purchased my second RV., 2012 24' Class C on E350. The tow/haul button automatically comes on when started. Sales person said to just turn it off. What is it used...
Forum Discussion
Keep in mind that overdrive is not intended or designed to pull heavy loads where torque is needed. I would leave the transmission in tow/haul all the time. It will hurt your gas mileage but, save your transmission. It causes the torque converter to lock up more meaning cooler fluid temps and it locks the vehicle out of overdrive. On my Suburban I leave the tow/haul off when not pulling the camper and it's always on if the trailer is hooked up.
One note of warning: With tow/haul on leave the cruise control off while climbing hills and mountains. The vehicle will try to maintain speed and in tow/haul it will get super weird on downshifts. When I'm in tow/haul I just leave the cruise off period. The cruise control computer doesn't care about the transmission, it just wants to maintain speed. The transmission tries to oblige by down shifting. If the vehicle is in tow/haul and in 3rd gear (locked out of overdrive), and the RPMs are already in the mid range but the speed is dropping, the cruise will force it to drop another gear. So, the RPMs will be near redline into the 2nd gear shift and that's a lot of torque and horsepower hitting that transmission and drivetrain. Better to control that with your foot and let the speed slip a little rather than hurt your expensive RV. Tow haul is great, awesome but, you be in charge not the cruise controller.
One note of warning: With tow/haul on leave the cruise control off while climbing hills and mountains. The vehicle will try to maintain speed and in tow/haul it will get super weird on downshifts. When I'm in tow/haul I just leave the cruise off period. The cruise control computer doesn't care about the transmission, it just wants to maintain speed. The transmission tries to oblige by down shifting. If the vehicle is in tow/haul and in 3rd gear (locked out of overdrive), and the RPMs are already in the mid range but the speed is dropping, the cruise will force it to drop another gear. So, the RPMs will be near redline into the 2nd gear shift and that's a lot of torque and horsepower hitting that transmission and drivetrain. Better to control that with your foot and let the speed slip a little rather than hurt your expensive RV. Tow haul is great, awesome but, you be in charge not the cruise controller.
