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ct78barnes's avatar
ct78barnes
Explorer
Mar 16, 2014

Towing A Equinox 65 MPH Max

I took our new car to a scale at Jays and it weigh in at 4,070 pounds with a full tank of gas . Also I tried my new Good Sams card and it worked and got 3 cents off a gallon. It did ask for a code number but I just pushed enter and it asked for my zip cod and it worked. Fun time at a truck stop. I all so called GM and asked when in the hills if going down a hill would it damage anything if once in a while I went let say 70 going down a hill they called me back an hr latter and said you will have to break it all the way down a grade and to not go over 65 mph at any time. If any of you tow a Equinox please weigh in and let me know how you do it. We had a Trailblazer as our old toad and it had no speed limit.
  • Read the CYA message on the sidewall of the coach tires. Chances are they read Speeds are not to exceed 65 MPH. As stated its a CYA for safety reasons. Just be careful and use your best judgement. If you are unsure, play it safe. Being conservative regarding safety is the way to be. My 2 cents.......enjoy and relax, you are on vacation!
  • Thanks for all your post I two drive at 62 mph most of the time but do like to use the down hill run to get up the next grade. I try to do as the truckers do as far as using the down hill run up to save running my coach hard up the hills . If I hit 70 going down I slow down to 50 mph or slower going up so it is not like I am driving all day long at 70 mph.I know hear in Ohio the turnpike has went up to 70 as well as some State Roads so I will be spending 99% of the time in the far right lane. This is a great site with great people Thanks Again.
  • It most likely won't hurt anything if you go 70 with it once in awhile....that said, you'll for certain hurt a lot of things if you have a blowout or any other emergency going that fast..:S..be safe...Dennis
  • We tow a 2011 Equinox, & I have towed over 65 -- Not much, but when passing or going down hill, I don`t hold back -- William Willard
  • We don't tow, but we keep our speed at 55-60. Not only for the gas savings, but because we are in a big rig that take a long ways to stop. How far does it take you to stop a rig towing doing 70 mph?
  • I have occasionally pulled our Terrain (sister to your Equinox) over the 65 limit and have yet to experience any problems. However, I don't think that I've ever been over 70 with it and I sure wouldn't go over 65 as a sustained speed.

    We typically drive 62 - 65 and now have about 50K on the Terrain with probably close to 20K being towed.

    Ron
  • I tow either a 2007 HHR or a 2011 Ford Ranger 4WD. Both automatic trannys. The motorhome is usually on cruise control at a bit over 60mph. I do that not because of any limitations that GM or Ford say....but any faster than that, my fuel gauge drops awful fast.

    I would hazard a guess that the speed limit GM (or Ford) mention is, as said before, a CYA situation....or a LEGAL thing....so I wouldn't worry too much about it. What I WOULD worry about is if they told you to pull over every couple hundred miles and start the motor to get oil flowing in the tranny....that is needed or you'll replace the tranny...but it is a royal PITA..
    And that is why, IMO if one is in the market for a toad...pick one that can be towed 4 down with NO limitations like starting the motor periodically. There's quite a few out there. Take your time and reserach.

    Just FWIW.
  • Don't know about your GM Equinox but I have the same 65MPH towing restriction on my Chevy HHR. I usually cruise at 70 MPH when towing and have done so for 50,000+ miles with the HHR behind. No problems with the HHR which now has 40,000 of it's own driven miles on it. I wouldn't worry about it if you occasionally go over 65 MPH.
  • You will have to make the decision as to what you feel you can do with your car. It sounds like the manufacturer states that you cannot do it. Our Suzuki Grand Vitara stated that it could not be towed over 55 mph. We tow it between 60 and 65 mph all of the time. We currently have 100 K on it without a problem.
  • ct78barnes wrote:
    I all so called GM and asked when in the hills if going down a hill would it damage anything if once in a while I went let say 70 going down a hill they called me back an hr latter and said you will have to break it all the way down a grade and to not go over 65 mph at any time.


    that is of course what they are "required" to say on such inquiries. that is strictly a CYA situation. of course it will not hurt anything if it hits 66 mph for a short spell. when I towed my tracker I think it said 55 mph max but I pulled it at 60 all the time.
    bumpy