What the heck is Tow/haul for?

gmcsmoke wrote:
why would you take delivery on a vehicle you're not familar with? The salesman should have explained the trucks features or at a minumum you should have asked.

You must be kidding. My latest RAM came with four manuals. One for the truck, a diesel supplement, another for the multi media and nav system and still another for the Uconnect system. Two years later I am still learning things about it. I bought a new car four months ago and it has so much tech in it, I am continually sitting in the garage with the manuals (plural) playing with systems and trying to figure them out. I'm hoping I'll have most of it down before I trade it in.

What finally worked for us was the internet salesman who has a duramax truck was the one who we ordered from. 5 mistakes on the early 05 brochure were caught by me and this really threw the first salesman into confusion.

chevman

In general, I have found fleet sales are much more versed in what they sell. I had a very good experience buying my truck through fleet and suggest anyone to walk right by the car sales guys.

Lessmore wrote:

gmcsmoke wrote:
why would you take delivery on a vehicle you're not familar with? The salesman should have explained the trucks features or at a minumum you should have asked.

A vehicle salesman explaining the features of any vehicle ? My experience is that if they don't know the answer...which is usually the case....then they make it up.

The only person at a dealership that usually has a clue is the service manager.

This forum is about the best place to ask a technical question regarding towing. Where would you find a more knowledgeable group ?

then a good salesman would get the service manager to explain. Paying a commission for piss poor service make you look like a idiot and the guy taking your money look like a genius.

Two times when looking at a new towing truck both salesman's knew what they were selling. One ford and one dodge . It was a surprise. Last 2 chev's we bought the salesman were car guys and didn't have a clue. It didn't matter on the chevs because I knew what we wanted.
chevman

gmcsmoke wrote:
why would you take delivery on a vehicle you're not familar with? The salesman should have explained the trucks features or at a minumum you should have asked.

A vehicle salesman explaining the features of any vehicle ? My experience is that if they don't know the answer...which is usually the case....then they make it up.

The only person at a dealership that usually has a clue is the service manager.

This forum is about the best place to ask a technical question regarding towing. Where would you find a more knowledgeable group ?

In all fairness to #3. The manual also does not specify how the vehicle moves forward when you put it in "D". So to specify using tow/haul when you are towing or hauling is consistent. It is not a service/shop manual. I am assuming the op was referring to the owners manual.

#1 Most sales people are useless when it comes to this kind of information. I researched my truck for over a year and knew every detail, every option, what was included with what package, what color combos were available etc etc before I started to talk to a sales person. Its sad, but its true.

#2 The job of a service writer is to get you to purchase as much service as neccessary. They rarely know anything about the vehicle, but know enough jargon to confuse some people into buying unncessary service.

#3 I agree that most owners manuals now do a poor job of explaining some features. In essence, most tow/haul modes do a couple of things; they adjust your shift points higher so you get into higher RPM's before shifting (more power), they downshift when you brake (more stopping power) and often times they increase line pressure to the transmission (better cooling).

#4 The trailer isn't overly huge, but its not a walk in the park either. 4600 lbs dry can be well over 5500 lbs loaded. Pulling that up a hill or keeping it under control down a hill requires more work on the truck. I use tow haul on my truck when pulling my camper thats only 1000 lbs heavier.

#5 A gas engine isn't overworking at 5000 RPM. Your redline is probably well into the 6000 range. Redline is the RPM that you do not want to exceed. If you are driving UP the hill, 5000 RPM will gulp down gas faster than you would ever want to know. Going DOWN the hill you shouldn't be using gas, just using the engine for assistance braking. Obviously you don't want to be doing 5000 RPM in 1st gear. Ideally you have slowed down enough BEFORE you get to the hill that you aren't constantly revving 5000 RPM the entire time. Between your brakes and engine braking you should be able to slow down enough that your RPMs drop. I was in the mountains 2 weeks ago comeing down a 12% grade through some windy roads. I had the trans in 2nd gear and it was up around 4500 RPM's. I would still pick up speed and had to occasionally use the brakes to keep my speed steady and at a comfortable rate. It felt a little uneasy hearing that engine roar (I have a louder aftermarket exhaust), but the truck handled it fine and kept the speeds reasonable on that steep grade. Engine builders know what they are doing, you just have to learn to be comfortable with the engine revving that high. Its like riding a sportbike... those suckers can get up to 13K RPMs. Feels awful weird the first couple times hearing that engine scream, but thats what they are designed for. Same with your gas truck engine.

#6 Usually the trans gauge is an "idiot light", not a great representation of your trans temp. Usually by the time you notice that the needle is rising, you are getting pretty hot temps. If you have the ability to see your actual transmission temperature, that is the best. You can know that your truck is usually 180 degrees, but goes up to 200 when you are towing. If you see it start to creep up to 210... you know that its hotter then normal and can start to closely monitor it. If your truck doesn't offer that, you might be able to buy a Scangauge tool and monitor your temps via a OBD sensor.

Thank you for the information.

1) Salesperson was useless on this. They know lots about how to use the MyFord Sync, and how it has almost unbreakable headlamps, but the real nity grity stuff, no clue.

2) Service writers, know about the same: Use it when towing or hauling.

3) Service manual is useless too. Does not say what it does, just to use it.

4) The trailer is 2100KG, which is 4600lbs.

5) is the engine screaming at 5000RPM a good thing going down a hill?

6) There is a Tranny Temp Gauge.

Tow/Haul (has to do with towing and hauling with 'that' vehicle) is for folks
who do NOT either want to or know HOW2 manage and shift a manual tranny themselves

'Automatic' is a tranny that shifts through the gears 'automatically' using
look up tables on HOW2 shift

After too many burned up automatics and the warranties that must have come...the
OEMs invented the 'Tow/Haul' button to further change the look up tables. Telling
the computer that this vehicle is 'hauling' or 'towing' something.

Mainly to protect the automatic from harming itself by NOT staying in a gear
long 'enough', or shifting down a gear to reduce the loading on the engine (both
gasser and diesel...aka ICE)

Amazingly, folks try to defeat the safeties dialed in when the 'Tow/Haul' button
is switched on...to then risk the issues the OEM has invented the 'tow/haul'
button to prevent or avoid