1996 Buick Park Avenue Owner's Manual

Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the3800 (L67) Supercharged engine or the 3800 (L36)engine and proper trailer towing equipment. To identifywhat the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle,you should read the information in “Weight of theTrailer” that appears later in this section. But traileringis different than just driving your vehicle by itself.Trailering means changes in handling, durability, andfuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correctequipment, and it has to be used properly.That’s the reason for this part. In it are manytime-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.Many of these are important for your safety and that ofyour passengers. So please read this section carefullybefore you pull a trailer.Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harderagainst the drag of the added weight. The engine isrequired to operate at relatively higher speeds and undergreater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, thetrailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasingthe pulling requirements.If You Do Decide To Pull A TrailerIf you do, here are some important points:00000There are many different laws, including speed limitrestrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sureyour rig will be legal, not only where you live butalso where you’ll be driving. A good source for thisinformation can be state or provincial police.Consider using a sway control if your trailer willweigh 2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should alwaysuse a sway control if your trailer will weigh morethan 2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealerabout sway controls.Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,axle or other parts could be damaged.Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that voutow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 kmi) anddon’t make starts at full throttle. This helps yourengine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at theheavier loads.Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speedfor trailers (or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) tosave wear on your vehicle’s parts.4-31