Tow / Haul button

[TerryandKim]

Hello,
Do I use the tow/haul button always when towing the TV or just in town, or just on Hwy ??
Thanks!

[campigloo]

Push the button. Your very expensive torque converter likes it.

[oughtsix]

I use my tow/haul button when my 10yo daughter looks over at my dashboard and reminds me I forgot to turn it back on after our last stop! 🙂

[Hank85713]

I have 04 6.0 ford and 2012 E450 RV. Very seldom us TH on either. The TH is used when going down long grades or starting out on hills or with heavy load. The rpms will go down generally when out of TH for towing and just cruising and as a result economy will be a little better. Dont know what the issue is with folks complaining about 'searching' in OD but the truck just pulls and the rv pulls its towd without searching unless on long hills. When that happens just down shift from OD to direct and keep on going. Both have the 5 speed trans and never really have issues with the od on. on real steep climbs like over wolf creek TH was not of much use. Had better results just going to direct not TH, did use the th for the down hill portion, but in a couple of cases just downshifted and had about the same result. It may be what you are trying to pull that is the issue. And yes we use cruise unless going up and over hills constantly. even in Wyo and Mont when out of the hills and cruise can handle it we use it.

[dtappy3353]

when I bought my GMC Duramax, I asked the dealership mechanics about this very issue.

Here is what they said: "push the button when towing anything and leave it there till your done....better to be safe than sorry".

Give that finger some exercise...push it.

[Bedlam]

stetwood wrote:
I use mine when unhooked when coming up to stops. Slows the vehicle down without excessive use of the brake. One fellow uses it this way and gets 120K on brake pad changes.

You will have to see how much of a fuel impact it has verses just using your brakes. It definitely is not tuned for economy when running in tow/haul mode. We used to have a Mitsubishi with a sport mode on the automatic which would give you better performance. In this mode mileage dropped 10-15% over the standard economy mode.

[gkainz]

but what happens if you push the "Tow" button when you're only hauling? Or the "Haul" button when you're really just towing? Does it phone home via OnStar and report you to Mother? 😄

[stetwood]

I use mine when unhooked when coming up to stops. Slows the vehicle down without excessive use of the brake. One fellow uses it this way and gets 120K on brake pad changes.

[TerryandKim]

What a great bunch of replies, Thanks y'all!! Fantastic, Now I know what to do ... I'm gonna go hook up and drive around just so I can push that button!

[cdlaine]

Terry,
100% of the time when the 5ver is hooked up. Everything just
seems to run a bit better...

per Gm ..Tow haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and trailer combined weight is at
least 75% of the GCWR. There is no benefit to the selection
of tow haul when unloaded but you will not cause damage...may
experience unpleasant engine/shift performance, and reduced fuel
economy.

Bottom line..GM recs. use only when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large heavy load. I'm glad mine has it, and the Allison grade
braking feature.

Charles

[Bedlam]

When empty, it also works well when stuck in traffic. It will leave the torque converter engaged longer so you can drive by skinny pedal instead of having to use the brake often.

You may find when towing heavy on flats or into the wind, the transmission will not shift into the final gear. I will disable tow/haul to see if I can get into the top gear and whether it will hold it. If it doesn't or the transmission hunts, tow/haul will get enabled again and I continue on.

[APT]

Any time my trailer is hitched and sometimes when it is not. I prefer the behavior in T/H mode.

For your 4-spd auto, I recommend tow/haul and lock out overdrive any time your TT is attached.

[The_Texan]

It is on any time there is a trailer hooked to the truck OR I am going down a hill without the trailer. It is about the best feature on the transmission.

[korbe]

I use it when I am towing or hauling.

[DutchmenSport]

Mine is on whenever the trailer is hitched.

I have found the best combination for towing is:
Tow mode button pushed on
Exhaust brake button pushed on
Cruise control button pushed on
On rain slicked roads - 4x4 button pushed on
And I live in FLAT Indiana. I can't imagine how wonderful this combination would be if I actually traveled in hilly country!