What Is The Tow/Haul Button Used For?

The tow haul button comes with certain truck and suv models that have an automatic transmission, and it helps them control the shifting cycle of the vehicle to compensate for the extra weight of the trailer. Today’s heavy duty trucks and SUVs come with powerful engines that can deliver the kind of torque that towing a trailer requires, but sometimes, they can use every bit of help.

You may be towing a trailer heavy enough that your setup is already nearing the limits of your vehicle’s capabilities. Or perhaps you are hauling heavy cargo over steep hills, climbs, or any kind of uneven terrain. In these cases, a tow haul assist feature helps automatic transmission trucks deal with the extra load on the engine with a few clever adjustments.

Automatic transmission trucks, especially those that come with tow packages or are designed from the ground up for hauling, will often come with a tow/haul mode. As the driver, you may already be familiar with the tow haul button – it’s that button on the dashboard, console, or near your shift lever that activates the tow haul mode of your truck or SUV.

The use of the tow haul button differs from one manufacturer to the next, or in some cases, even from one model to another. For some vehicles, the manufacturer will recommend that you push the tow haul button every single time you are supposed to haul a trailer, cargo, boats, livestock, or even another vehicle in a flat tow configuration.

Others recommend that you reserve this tow haul mode only in cases that you need it – in this case, the manufacturer will usually give you an estimate on the type and weight of loads that you should press this button for.

As always, it’s usually the best idea to check with your owner’s manual on what your tow haul button is for. Your manufacturer or dealer may be able to offer you more information on the tow haul features of your particular vehicle’s make and model, and they may be able to offer you additional tips on how to get the most out of this driving mode as well.

What Does The Tow Haul Button Do?

To put it simply, the tow haul button activates the tow haul mode of your vehicle which essentially put the vehicle in a lower gear, and may even shift earlier, providing a little more torque. This is a simple answer, of course, as most transmissions these days are pretty smart and have other things that go on when this feature is activated but that is basically it in a nutshell.