Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2015 Chevy Malibu with Active Air Shutter System

Question:

My mother-in-law has a 2015 Chevy Malibu with the “active air shutter system”, rendering most tow bars for RVs, including their Blue Ox system, pretty much useless. They don’t want to spend four figures on a tow dolly. Can you help? Would need an install.

asked by: Bill

Helpful Expert Reply:

We do have the Roadmaster base plate kit part # RM-523183-5 which is a confirmed fit for your 2015 Chevy Malibu with the Active Air Shutter System.

You'd want to use a tow bar that is designed to work with it like the Falcon # RM-520.

For safety cables you can use # RM-643. The coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground.

For lighting you can use the diode kit, # RM-15267, and not have to worry about cutting into the taillight housing. This will splice into your taillight wiring to allow your tow vehicle to control the taillight assemblies of the towed vehicle. This comes with a round 6-way connector that you will install on the front of your towed vehicle and enough coiled wire to go from there to the RV.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking in the vehicle being flat towed. The easiest system to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR, that applies the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Most likely you will also need a high low adapter so that the tow bar will be level when you are flat towing. I attached a link to a page that has all of the ones we carry.

I have included a couple of helpful links to our articles on flat towing for you. Be sure to consult the vehicle owners manual for more specific information on flat towing your vehicle.