Chevrolet Silverado: Trailer Towing / Trailer Sway Control (TSC)

Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC) have a Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature. Trailer sway is unintended side-to-side motion of a trailer while towing. If the vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC detects that sway is increasing, the vehicle brakes are selectively applied at each wheel, to help reduce excessive trailer sway. If equipped with the Integrated Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system, and the trailer has an electric brake system, StabiliTrak/ESC may also apply the trailer brakes.

If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/ESC warning light will flash on the instrument cluster. Reduce vehicle speed by gradually removing your foot from the accelerator. If trailer sway continues, StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce engine torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC will not function if StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off. See Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control.

Warning

Trailer sway can result in a crash and in serious injury or death, even if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.

If the trailer begins to sway, reduce vehicle speed by gradually removing your foot from the accelerator. Then pull over to check the trailer and vehicle to help correct possible causes, including an improperly or overloaded trailer, unrestrained cargo, improper trailer hitch configuration, or improperly inflated or incorrect vehicle or trailer tires. See Towing Equipment for trailer ratings and hitch setup recommendations.

Aftermarket Electronic Trailer Sway Control Devices

Some trailers may come equipped with an electronic device designed to reduce or control trailer sway.

Aftermarket equipment manufacturers also offer similar devices that connect to the wiring between the trailer and the vehicle. These devices may interfere with the vehicle’s trailer brake or other systems, including integrated anti-sway systems, if equipped. Messages related to trailer connections or trailer brakes could appear on the DIC. The effects of these aftermarket devices may have on vehicle handling or trailer brake performance is not known.

Warning

Use of aftermarket electronic trailer sway control devices could result in reduced trailer brake performance, loss of trailer brakes, or other malfunctions, and result in a crash. You or others could be seriously injured or killed. Before using one of these devices:

• Ask the device or trailer manufacturer if the device has been thoroughly tested for compatibility with the make, model, and year of your vehicle and any optional equipment installed on your vehicle.
• Before driving, check the trailer brakes are working properly, if equipped. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road surface that is free of traffic at about 32-40 km/h (20-25 mph) and fully apply the manual trailer brake apply lever. Also, check the trailer brake lamps and other lamps are functioning correctly.
• If the trailer brakes are not operating properly at any time, or if a DIC message indicates problems with the trailer connections or trailer brakes, carefully pull the vehicle over to the side of the road when traffic conditions allow.

Trailer Tires

Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from vehicle tires. Trailer tires are designed with stiff sidewalls to help prevent sway and to support heavy loads. These features can make it difficult to determine if the trailer tire pressures are low only based on a visual inspection.

Always check all trailer tire pressures before each trip when the tires are cool. Low trailer tire pressure is a leading cause of trailer tire blow-outs.

If the vehicle is equipped with a trailer tire pressure monitoring system, see the trailer tire pressure monitoring system description and the trailering app.

The trailer tire sidewall will show the week and year the tire was manufactured. Many trailer tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires more than six years old.

Overloading is another leading cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never load your trailer with more weight than the tires are designed to support. The load rating is located on the trailer tire sidewall.

Always know the maximum speed rating for the trailer tires before driving. This may be significantly lower than the vehicle tire speed rating. The speed rating may be on the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed rating is not shown, the default trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h (65 mph).