geodrake
Moderator Emeritus
We tow a Honda Fit.
vehicles that can be flat towed behind motorhome
- Thread starter elaine12
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
ducmons
Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2012
- Posts
- 5
We had an '08 Avalanche that we falt towed. It can be flat towed from factory.
AndyinLexington
Well-known member
123rickw said:
We're towing a 2005 Malibu. It's a nice, easy tow. We have the Roadmaster baseplates and tow bar. The baseplates have an adapter between the permanently mounted baseplate and the tow bar, that's easily removable, so the equipment is not easily visible when not towing. When we're not travelling, the Malibu is a daily driver so it's nice not to have a lot of stuff hanging from the front of the car day-to-day.
mypursuit
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Posts
- 405
I put 30k miles on a 92 Tercel, 4spd manual no trouble. Just bought a 07 Ford Focus all set up and ready to tow. Haven't towed it yet but PO assures it ok. Has 5 spd .
mossrocker
New member
- Joined
- May 15, 2012
- Posts
- 2
Anyone towing a Toyota Highlander? Mine is a 2006, Remco says it can be towed with a Tranny Lube Pump, but I understand there may be issues with this technology failing without notification to the MH driver and smoking a tranny.
judway
Well-known member
REMCO gives you a one year warranty for the pump and transmission. You must have less than 40K miles on your car for it to be valid.
If it lasts for one year you should be good for as long as you need to keep the car.
I have my 2012 Malibu ready but have not towed it yet. Plan to tow it over the Memorial Day weekend for the first time.
If it lasts for one year you should be good for as long as you need to keep the car.
I have my 2012 Malibu ready but have not towed it yet. Plan to tow it over the Memorial Day weekend for the first time.
tstumpf
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2010
- Posts
- 652
We flat tow a 2011 Honda Element. They're ugly cars, but they grow on you after awhile.
I like them, because I can crawl from the front to the back if I need to, there's no carpeting, so when it gets muddy it's easy to wash out, and if you want to, you can order the Encamper conversion that adds a pop top sleeper for two, and wala! Guest room!!!
The owner's manual says you can't flat tow it, but it's the same drive-train as the Honda CRV. There's a procedure you need to follow before you take off. If you forget that, and ruin your transmission, you'll be screwed as far as your warranty goes. JUST DON'T FORGET!
-Roni
I like them, because I can crawl from the front to the back if I need to, there's no carpeting, so when it gets muddy it's easy to wash out, and if you want to, you can order the Encamper conversion that adds a pop top sleeper for two, and wala! Guest room!!!
The owner's manual says you can't flat tow it, but it's the same drive-train as the Honda CRV. There's a procedure you need to follow before you take off. If you forget that, and ruin your transmission, you'll be screwed as far as your warranty goes. JUST DON'T FORGET!
-Roni
mossrocker
New member
- Joined
- May 15, 2012
- Posts
- 2
Thanks judway
diehard
Well-known member
judway said:
Umm... I'm sorry I didn't see this before, but I think you had better check with Chev before you do that. Although the manual might say it is towable, if it's the 6 spd automatic, it is not towable. Not sure if the tranny pump changes that, but I would certainly verify first. They're not covering it under warranty if you do damage.
judway
Well-known member
Thanks for your concern.
I bought a 2011 Chevy Cruze LT and lost the transmission the first time out. The transmission was replaced and we made it back to the house after about 2500 miles with no problem. When we got back to the house a letter was there from GM notifying me that the Cruze was not flat towable. No more towing!
GM next traded me a 2012 Malibu LT even. I had just gotten the base plate installed when I noticed the same addendum that was sent to me for the Cruze. I called my dealer and told him that I had found a notice that the Malibu could not be flat towed. After a period of silence, he said he would call back. He called later and said that they were looking into trading me an Equinox for the Malibu. They had also found the addendum in all of their Malibu manuals.
The next day I was called back and told that after consulting GM in Detroit, the addendum in the Malibu manual was not correct and the Malibu could be flat towed and GM would send me a letter verifying all of this. I now have the letter and consider that the Malibu can be flat towed. The how-to instructions are in the manual.
As far as I am concerned, the warranty along with the letter is all that I need.
Why the Malibu can be flat towed and the Cruze can not is a mystery to me. Both have a 6 speed transmission and a 4 cylinder engine.
Other than a lot of work by me removing and installing stuff, GM and Starling Chevrolet has been very good about the whole issue.
judway
I bought a 2011 Chevy Cruze LT and lost the transmission the first time out. The transmission was replaced and we made it back to the house after about 2500 miles with no problem. When we got back to the house a letter was there from GM notifying me that the Cruze was not flat towable. No more towing!
GM next traded me a 2012 Malibu LT even. I had just gotten the base plate installed when I noticed the same addendum that was sent to me for the Cruze. I called my dealer and told him that I had found a notice that the Malibu could not be flat towed. After a period of silence, he said he would call back. He called later and said that they were looking into trading me an Equinox for the Malibu. They had also found the addendum in all of their Malibu manuals.
The next day I was called back and told that after consulting GM in Detroit, the addendum in the Malibu manual was not correct and the Malibu could be flat towed and GM would send me a letter verifying all of this. I now have the letter and consider that the Malibu can be flat towed. The how-to instructions are in the manual.
As far as I am concerned, the warranty along with the letter is all that I need.
Why the Malibu can be flat towed and the Cruze can not is a mystery to me. Both have a 6 speed transmission and a 4 cylinder engine.
Other than a lot of work by me removing and installing stuff, GM and Starling Chevrolet has been very good about the whole issue.
judway
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I also have a GM 6 speed auto tranny that is fully towable. It's not that all 6 speeds are not towable, but there have been problems with the particular model of 6-speed transmission used in the Cruze. The mystery is that the Malibu uses the same model of 6 speed, yet they say that one is towable. May be some quirk in the Cruze layout, e.g. less cooling air flow in the Cruze or whatever.
