GM Reneges on Towing Numbers
Tim Esterdahl | Jun 13, 2012 | Comments 5
GM recently announced via a press release that is was taking back the 2013 towing numbers it released. The reason? Ford and Chrysler aren’t changing their numbers until later models. Makes sense to consumers right?
GM has officially reneged on its 2013 towing numbers even though they have already been released.
We have been writing about towing and the new SAE J2807 standard for a while since Toyota was the first major manufacture to adopt the new standard. We can’t imagine why other manufactures have taken so long to implement something they collaborated on years ago. Toyota didn’t have a problem with it.
Besides the fact the new standard makes a tremendous amount of sense to customers shopping for trucks, it also takes away that mysterious (and often blatantly wrong) towing number that each individual manufacture has come up with in the past. This could actually be its big downfall; being too consistent and factual.
It would seem the retraction has nothing to do with consumers and everything to do with marketing. Take a look for yourself, below is GM’s statement.
GM Statement on SAE J2807
“General Motors is postponing the implementation of new SAE J2807 trailer tow vehicle ratings for its vehicles, which was planned to begin during the 2013 model year. GM has tested and prepared our ratings to the SAE standard and is ready to implement the new ratings when we can do so without creating consumer confusion about comparisons of vehicles commonly used for trailering.
For example, key competitors are continuing to use their existing ratings for 2013 model year pickups. Retaining our existing rating system will reduce confusion for dealers and customers.
As always, customers must determine the appropriate vehicle and trailering capacity for their needs based on their particular situation, including the curb weight of their specific vehicle, the number of passengers they will actually carry, the actual tongue weight for their combination, the amount of cargo in their vehicle, and the weight of the load they plan to tow. Customers should follow the trailering guidelines in their owner’s manual, ask their Chevrolet or GMC dealer for trailering advice, or contact their Customer Assistance offices for more information.”
You can tell what we think about this about face. What do you think? Is it sleazy or a reality of the competitive truck market?
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Filed Under: Auto News
Is it sleazy or a reality of the competitive truck market?
Both!!
It’s hard to believe isn’t it? Outrageous tow ratings are a serious problem in the industry, and it’s the safety of the consumer AND the driving public at stake.
It’s like GM, Ford, and Chrysler-Fiat don’t care if one of their truck owners causes an accident by overloading his pickup. They need to just change the ratings unilaterally and be done with it – where’s NHTSA when you need them?
This is an opportunity for Toyota. The fact is, according to the J2807 standard, the Tundra can tow just as much as most of GM’s gas powered 3/4 ton trucks. Toyota should throw this fact in GM’s face. GM’s statement of “customer confusion” is a pot of crap. What’s more important: safety or “confusion”? GM feels that confusion ranks higher. When a truck’s tow rating drops by 4800 lbs, there’s a safety reason for it. If one reads the details of the J2807 standard, they will realize that is covers handling for both towing and braking, along with acceleration and integrity of the trailer hitch and the strength of the parking brake.
The big three are whimping out.
LJC,
Good points.
-Tim
Agree. It’s also good to see Toyota jumped in first to get these towing numbers out. Also shows that GM is willing to lie to customers. What’s new with that GM? You were along with Fiat/Dodge/Chrysler were given a bailout by our govt. You should take the lead and follow our govt. mandates.