Trailer App

zelmo · April 2, 2020

For those that have the GMC with the trailering app do you find it useful or is it just a gimmick that you forget about when the novelty wears off?

I tow a 4000 lb boat and nothing else so the ability to save multiple trailer profiles isn't necessary. The trailer has surge brakes, not electric, so I don't need to mess with gain. I also don't tow all that far so I really don't need to monitor tire pressure although that is a feature I think I would use. Tracking the mileage for maintenance purposes is a plus. I don't think I need a checklist as I have been pulling a trailer for decades.

Am I missing anything?

MX86 · April 2, 2020

I pull 3 trailers

Wakeboat with surge brakes
27’ snowmobile trailer with electric
Cargo trailer with electric.

I use the trailer light checker all the time and have the Tpms sensors in my snowmobile and cargo trailers. It’s a nice feature monitors pressure and temp on the tire.

The ability for me to have the 3 profiles are really nice.

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Jav_eee · April 2, 2020

The light check is neat.

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AlaskaErik · April 2, 2020

I love it and use it. I like having a profile for each trailer. I like the trailer guidance, which lets me home in on the tongue from far out and I like the downward look when I get close. It makes hooking up a trailer by myself so much easier. I also like how the parking brake is activated when you place the vehicle in park. And I like the light check once I'm hooked up. It's a world of difference between my 2016 and my 2019 Silverados. So it's definitely not a gimmick for those who tow.

Edited April 2, 2020 by AlaskaErik

zelmo · April 6, 2020

Thanks for the feedback. Will the app come on automatically when a trailer is hooked up that does not have electric brakes? Will the trailer lights be enough to trigger it?

MX86 · April 6, 2020

It will pull up the app when a trailer is connected and ask you to select a profile

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zelmo · April 6, 2020

Sorry, I now see that you hook up a trailer with surge brakes and it works. That is my situation so I am good.

Ltz73 · April 7, 2020

An awesome feature I discovered on accident is the security. If your trailer is hooked up and you park and lock your truck the trailer lights will flicker about every 10 seconds. The truck continually sends a signal to ensure the trailer is there. If someone disconnects the electrical hook Up the trucks alarm goes off.

zelmo · April 7, 2020

7 minutes ago, Ltz73 said:

If your trailer is hooked up and you park and lock your truck the trailer lights will flicker about every 10 seconds. The truck continually sends a signal to ensure the trailer is there. If someone disconnects the electrical hook Up the trucks alarm goes off.

Forever?

Ltz73 · April 7, 2020

I believe so. It is a quick little flicker I think it mimics the red light that flickers on the dash.

zelmo · April 7, 2020

While I had looked at the manual and read some of the info on the trailer app I should have studied it better. I went back and did that. Here is the section on the security feature:

Security Alert

A security alert can be set if a trailer is connected and the alert is enabled. When the trailer is disconnected and the vehicle is off, an alarm will sound. Touch Security Alert in Settings to view the Security Alert settings page. These alerts are based on the Trailer Profile, so the settings for each Trailer Profile must be turned on or off. Touch a profile to view more information or adjust the setting for that profile. This setting will be off by default for each Trailer Profile, including the Guest Trailer Profile. A smartphone will receive a notification that the trailer related to the selected Trailer Profile is disconnected from the vehicle, if the setting is on for the active Trailer Profile, the vehicle has an OnStar or connected service plan and the smartphone number has been added to the account for this notification.

If the setting is turned off for a given Trailer Profile, the smartphone will not receive this security notification even if the Trailer Profile is active.

Too bad you need Onstar for the smartphone feature to work.

zelmo · May 22, 2020

2020 Denali 1500 with Ultimate Package.

I had hooked up my trailer when I first got the TPMS sensors installed to ensure everything was working. I took it around the neighborhood and put 2 miles on it.

Yesterday I did my first tow to a boat ramp that I have used many times. I know the mileage to that ramp is 23 miles each way, or 46 miles roundtrip. When I started the trip I was watching the app and everything was working fine. When I got to the destination I stopped paying attention to the app and focused on the task at hand.

When I got back in the truck to head home I was shocked to see the miles on the trailer displayed as 48 miles. I left it on that screen and noticed that the mileage moved up and down during the drive and settled at 48 miles which would be correct for the trip I took plus the first two test miles.

It is as if the app was estimating the roundtrip. Is this possible? While I have that ramp loaded in the navigation system as a favorite and home as a favorite I did not have it turned on for this trip. I'll pay even more attention to it on the next trip but I was wondering if anyone else has noticed something similar?

zelmo · May 28, 2020

Well I don't know what is going on.

I took another trip with the starting mileage at 49. This time the destination was 64 miles away. That means that when I got there the mileage should have been 113. The app said the mileage was 119.

While that was off it wasn't the worst. When I got in the truck to go home the mileage had changed to 161. As I traveled the mileage ticked up and was at 210 when I got home. It should have said 177 (or 183 if you add 64 to 119.)

Any theories? Nothing adds up on this trip.

Edited May 28, 2020 by zelmo

Jav_eee · May 28, 2020

Well I don't know what is going on.

I took another trip with the starting mileage at 49. This time the destination was 64 miles away. That means that when I got there the mileage should have been 113. The app said the mileage was 119.

While that was off it wasn't the worst. When I got in the truck to go home the mileage had changed to 161. As I traveled the mileage ticked up and was at 210 when I got home. It should have said 177 (or 183 if you add 64 to 119.)

Any theories? Nothing adds up on this trip.

What about the mileage on your odometer? Does that read correctly?

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