GM overstates 2014 tow ratings by almost 25%

EXSlider400 wrote:

Dadoffourgirls wrote:
The towing guide and order guide had correct information.

Your telling us that you validated towing in the Owners Manual before purchasing, and not the towing guide used online and in the dealer?

I suspect that GM informed you of this change, and now you want to make an issue since you did not truly investigate prior to purchase. Also, the GCWR was 14000. I suspect that you exceeded this if the trailer weighed 7600. So bought only on tow rating, and not GCWR.

I remember verifying the 5.3 and 3.08 last August (2013) and seeing that it was less than the 4.3 with 3.42. This was because I was going to trade for a weekend until I realized that the 4.3 V6 had better tow rating.

Before I bought the truck I looked online and in owners manual and both had higher rating at 8600. I don't know about a "Towing guide", just manufacturer specs in owners Manuel. So yes I only bought on tow rating. Then a few weeks ago I received a recall notice with the lower rating. Tow info is confusing and just read some of the post....still only a few truly understand it. I also agree and think...why would they make a V8 tow less than a v6.... so they can say their V8 gets best in class MPG....

I will have to look in door jam for the other info. but there is nothing I can do now so I will just take this as a learning experience and hopefully help another reading this.

here is the updated info in users manual:

You keep sidestepping folks questions about what YOUR DOOR STICKER STATES, that is where the REAL LEGAL INFORMATION RESIDES.

So, if I got this correct.. You are mad at GM for you NOT doing your homework by reading some manufacturer dribble out of a generic owners manual INSTEAD OF READING AN ACTUAL DOOR STICKER…

Sorry, but you ARE in the wrong, you ASSUMED (like many others who insist on justifying an overweight trailer for the tow vehicle) that the info MASS PRINTED in a manual is set in stone, it is not.

That info in the owners manual is GENERIC and typically requires specific options and packages AND assumes no other Payload in the vehicle except for the driver.

The REAL way to determine your actual towing capacity is by finding your ALLOWABLE CARGO WEIGHT of said vehicle.

You trailer tongue IS CONSIDERED CARGO OF THE TOW VEHICLE.

To find the real capacity you simply need two items (on GM only ONE item you need is listed which is the GVWR) on the DOOR/”B” PILLAR STICKER (you DO realize that there is a sticker on your vehicle which specifically states the MAX vehicle weights?).

Your door tag should look similar to

And newer vehicles (2011 ish and up perhaps) also have an additional YELLOW TIRE AND LOADING STICKER WHICH SPELLS OUT YOUR CCC.

You need the GVWR and the unladen weight (aka Curb or empty weight).

Subtract the unladen weight (you might be able to get the unladen weight from your title or registration card otherwise you will need to get your truck weighed) from the GVWR and that IS the available cargo weight your vehicle can carry.

Now, you need to subtract driver, passengers and other items you are hauling in the tow vehicle AND you full tank of fuel.

The result is what cargo weight you have left your vehicle can carry.

If you HAVE the YELLOW TIRE STICKER YOUR JOB IS DONE, that is the max cargo weight allowed which you need to subtract fuel and passengers from to get the max tongue weight allowed..

You don’t say if that 7,600 is the empty weight of the trailer or fully loaded but less assume 7,600 is the full loaded weight.. You tongue MUST weigh at a min of 760 lbs (10%) but can weigh as much as 1140 lbs (15%) not including WD.

So, bottom line if you have less than 760 lbs -1140 lbs of CARGO CAPACITY for YOUR vehicle you have always been overweight REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES..

It is for this reason I have argued many times with folks that they NEED to ignore what is written in the owners manual (it is ONLY a “GUIDE”) and calculate the proper info for their vehicle BY USING THE DOOR/PILLAR STICKER.

Take a picture of the door sticker and post it here (Photoshop the vin number out) and get your vehicles actual UNLADEN WEIGHT and post that here. That IS the ONLY AND TRUE WAY TO DETERMINE JUST HOW HEAVY OF A TRAILER YOU CAN TOW..