NHTSA Complaint #10489225 — 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

I WAS TRAILERING A BOAT ON TANDEM AXLE TRAILER WITHIN THE TRAILERING RATING FOR THE TRAVERSE, BUT NEAR THE NIGH END. IT WAS RAINING AND WE HYDROPLANED BUT THE HYDROPLANING STOPPED AFTER A SECOND AND WE CONTINUED. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND WE SLOWED DOWN AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ANY FURTHER. I'VE TRAILERED WITH MY 2004 SILVERADO MANY TIMES AND DON'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITH IT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME USING THE TRAVERSE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WORKING OKAY, EXCEPT FOR THE HYDROPLANING. I THINK WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED IS THAT THE TRAILER WAS PUSHING DOWN ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE LIFTING UP ON THE FRONT AND THUS REDUCING TRACTION WITH THE FRONT WHEELS. I DON'T THINK THE TONGUE WEIGHT WAS TOO HIGH OR EXCESSIVE. AT ANY RATE, I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS JUST BEING UNSAFE BY TRAVELING THAT SPEED WITH THE RAIN, OR IF THE RATING FOR THE TRAVERSE'S TRAILERING TONGUE WEIGHT SHOULD BE REDUCED OR IF SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TO INITIAL A SAFETY DOCUMENT ANYTIME THEY PUT A HITCH ON THEIR VEHICLE STATING THEY UNDERSTAND THE EXTRA HYDROPLANING POSSIBILITIES WHILE TRAILERING OR WHAT. BUT I WANTED TO REPORT WHAT HAPPENED IN CASE IT IS HAPPENING TO OTHERS AS WELL. I ALSO HAD TROUBLE PULLING MY BOAT OUT OF THE WATER WITH ONLY 2WD. I HAD TO GET AN ASSIST FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. IF IT WAS ONLY FOR THE HYDROPLANING ISSUE, I WOULD TRAILER WITH THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. HOWEVER, WITHOUT 4WD TO PULL THE BOAT OUT OF THE WATER, THERE IS NO WAY I WILL USE IT AGAIN. (AND THAT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE TRACTION BEING LESS WHEN THE TONGUE HAS SOME WEIGHT ON IT.) THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ME TO GET 4WD SINCE THEY KNEW I WOULD BE TRAILERING A BOAT. *TR