GM overstates 2014 tow ratings by almost 25%

[EXSlider400]

Before I start, I have owned several Sierras and never an issue. Current truck has no real issues....except.....

GM overstated tow ratings by almost 25% on 2014 1500 NBS half ton Sierra Silverado with 3.08 gears.

GMC is wanting to royally screw me. They sent me a recall for owners manual that lowered my tow rating on 3.08 geared truck by 2,000 pounds (from 8,600 to 6,600). Now my camper is overweight at 7,600, even though when I bought the truck I was 1000 pounds under the trucks limit. My Insurance and Allied have both sent me a letter saying they are not liable for any damages/injuries because my camper is over weight, and GM's solution is to have me trade in my truck for one with lower gears....AND WANTS ME TO PAY THE EXTRA COST!!!! I turned down that ridiculous slap in the face so waiting for what their final offer will be today but pretty sure it will also be insulting. They act like this is my fault and they are helping me out by allowing me to trade in my truck and ultimately pay more money!!

This includes starting over on my payments and everything. This will cost me around 17,000 (low trade in price, higher monthly note on brand new truck over another 6 years)which I don't have the funds for. I even offed a deal so my payments would be an additional $50 per month and I would still start over on my 6 years of payments (currently 9 months in). So we have been camping in the back yard as pulling is it not worth the liability.

So I am talking to Attorney but without saying what he wants to do (probably take his route anyway), I was looking at trading my 2004 Jayco Eagle for a 2011 Forest River Surveyor Sport 293 and force GM to pay the difference.

Are these any good?

[Beer_Belly]

Quite possible he questioned the insurance company about liability to use as a pick against GM to shore up his case. Not a good situation if the insurance company will not cover him while towing, and I'm afraid to say he may be fighting a losing battle. I almost bought a Silverado with 3:08 gears back in 2013, but did read about it not being good for towing.....would have liked 3:73 or 4:10's, but ended up with 3:42, and coupled with the 6 speed, it's still somewhat a pig with just our 3,500lbs. Pop Up, let alone a 8,000lbs. TT. Question- Did the truck tow fine before this ??.......

[Golden_HVAC]

If your insurance company is worried about it. find another insurance company that will not bail out on you for any reason that they can think of.

For what it is worth, my sister had a problem towing a 5,000 pound toyhauler with her GMC 1500, and traded up to a new 2012 F-150 with the Ecoboost! They love the extra power, and the truck does not overheat, even in hot Phoenix weather!

The GM would overheat and not have the power they needed going up the mountains around Roosevelt Dam.

Fred.

[jmtandem]

However, I think we're all still waiting for a scan of the letter from your insurance company.

Did GM contact them directly because the lien requires the insurance company information?

I have never heard of an insurance company getting involved with tow ratings until this post, so please post the letter to prove this is fact.

The OP appears to be side stepping three issues: Providing a scanned copy of the insurance company's letter; the reason why the insurance company sent the letter; and a photo of the specific data plate information pertinent to his truck. He has provided a lot of verbage about not understanding tow ratings, yet when those here that are taking an interest in his situation and trying to help him understand the difference between gross weight, combined gross weights, payload and tow ratings the requested information is not forthcoming.

[RinconVTR]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Published MAX Tow Rating was changed but YOUR trucks GWVR, Axle Weight Ratings and Tire Load Ratings haven't changed.

If current trailer didn't cause you to go over any of those ratings before.....changing the max tow rating won't cause it now

So either you were over your trucks ratings before and still are or you weren't and aren't.

This might be the only time I agree with Old-Biscuit!

However, I think we're all still waiting for a scan of the letter from your insurance company.

Did GM contact them directly because the lien requires the insurance company information?

I have never heard of an insurance company getting involved with tow ratings until this post, so please post the letter to prove this is fact.

[thomasmnile]

OP, have you considered writing a letter to Mary Barra, GM's new CEO. She promised culture change at GM. Forget the zone manager and dealer. Send her a detailed letter with any supporting documentation you have and see if her words have meaning or were just so many road apples.........

[fla-gypsy]

Look for terms similar to these in your warranty,
"There are no implied warranties, including without limitation any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose".

Gotcha!

[Old-Biscuit]

Published MAX Tow Rating was changed but YOUR trucks GWVR, Axle Weight Ratings and Tire Load Ratings haven't changed.

If current trailer didn't cause you to go over any of those ratings before.....changing the max tow rating won't cause it now

So either you were over your trucks ratings before and still are or you weren't and aren't.

[BubbaChris]

I admire the OP for staying so cool about the comments from some folks here. I also feel sorry for the situation he's in.

I am sure his insurance company has the VIN and that could be tied to the build and also to the change in specs. If so, those guys have their act more together than most.

I agree that Payload is the magic number folks should key in on, but like most I didn't learn that until after I had my rig purchased.

[Gdetrailer]

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..

[Majja13]

Just a side note just because you tow with no water doesn’t mean you are dry. Dry weight is no propane tanks, no battery, no dishes, no clothes no food. ECT ECT. I would just pay the 1500 to 2000 up the gears to either a 3.73. or 4.10's and be done with it. As stated before what your door sticker say does, not the owner’s manual?

[EXSlider400]

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:

[goducks10]

Gr8life wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Some of you have to remember, his truck has the 6 speed auto. That trans with 3.08 gears is like the old school 4 speed auto and 3.73's (or there about)!

Exactly. Towing in fourth instead of fifth, or third instead of fourth, pretty much compensates for the difference in axle ratios. I am sure he is not towing in sixth anyway.

I bet the only time he sees 6th gear is if he just lets up on the gas or is going down hill.

When we had our 7300lb loaded TT and 2010 F150 5.4 (close to the 5.3) and 3.73 gears it would hardly stay in 6th. No OD lockout on the 2010 6th sp. Slightest grade change or even when passing semis on the freeway it would shift between 5th and 6th. I couldn't imagine having 3.08 gears. Just taking off would be a job with 8000+lbs behind it.

I wonder what brought GM to change the tow rating? That's what I'd want to know. Do they know something and are hiding it? Will the OP have issues down the road. He's already been stirring up a mess at the dealer. If he goes in for a blown tranny or overheating issues is he going to be covered by the warranty? They know he's towing over. A new dealer may be the answer.

[jmtandem]

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.

Another tangential issue that has been mentioned several times is that no matter what axle ratio, the GVWR and the payload do not change. An 8000 pound trailer will have a tongue weight of 1040 at 13 percent and a hitch weight of at least 75-100 pounds. That represents a substantial amount of the truck's payload and leaves little for people, dogs, bikes, kayaks, etc. And it does not appear that GM made any mistake in the payload or GVWR caluclations that you (hopefully) considered prior to purchase. Like others have said, a half ton is still a half ton no matter what you do to it.

If this issue really keeps you from enjoying the trailer, the solution is to get a three quarter ton truck or a smaller trailer. First, I would take the truck and trailer loaded for camping to the scales and determine how far over or under you are regarding GCWR and payload. You may have been in excess of those parameters all along and not even knowing it. And apparently you insurance company did not know either or you might have received 'the' letter.

[Gr8life]

dodge guy wrote:
Some of you have to remember, his truck has the 6 speed auto. That trans with 3.08 gears is like the old school 4 speed auto and 3.73's (or there about)!

Exactly. Towing in fourth instead of fifth, or third instead of fourth, pretty much compensates for the difference in axle ratios. I am sure he is not towing in sixth anyway.

[dodge_guy]

Some of you have to remember, his truck has the 6 speed auto. That trans with 3.08 gears is like the old school 4 speed auto and 3.73's (or there about)!