Towing an automatic 4 wheels on the ground

[bdsewell]

We have contacted Remco and they tell us that it is safe to tow a Honda Accord with an automatic transmission with all four wheels on the ground.  Do any of you have any experience towing a Honda with an auto transmission please let us know if it has been safe for you and caused no transmission problems.  Thanks.
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[Tom]

What year Accord? Here's a library article on Honda towing. Note the change in Honda's policy effective 2006. Hopefully, later model Honda owners will respond.

 

[Ned]

We towed a 1997 Accord for 78,000 miles with no problems.  You do have to follow the referenced procedure for preparing the transmission each time you hook up.

 

[dverstra]

I towed my 2013 Honda CRV using the procedure specified in its owners manual. So far, no problems. Be sure to check your owners manual.

 

[bdsewell]

It is a 2008 EX-L.

 

[Tom]

Unless someone with that model & year has some input, your best bet will be the owners manual as others have said.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The key thing here is that Honda no longer approves towing of that model, i.e. will not warranty the transmission if it is towed. Since they used to OK it before 2006, I can only assume they had enough problems that they felt it should no longer be attempted.  If you chose to ignore their advice, just realize that you are taking some risk.

Towing an automatic generates heat and wear in the tranny.  Obviously the amount varies with a number of factors, e.g. distance, speed, ambient temperature, etc.  It may be that your particular use is easy enough on it that there would be no problems. Or maybe not.

 

[Tom]

[quote author=dverstra]I towed my 2013 Honda CRV using the procedure specified in its owners manual.[/quote]

I wonder if that means that Honda has had a change of heart, or if it's unique to the CRV  ???

 

[WILDEBILL308]

I haven?t had a chance to read a 2012 Manuel for the Accord but the one for the Civic says if you break down get a truck to pick you up DO NOT tow for any distance any time. I am waiting for some adventures person to prove them wrong before I try.
Bill

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Honda still approves towing for the CRV and FIT, but not for any other models.  Hard to say if there is any material difference in those models, or it is just a concession to Honda's marketing group because those are popular toads.  It could well be that the lighter CRV and FIT have fewer transmission issues than the Accord/Civic/Odyssey models, even if they are essentially the same tranny..

 

[Jeff3]

2006 was also the year that the Pilot and Ridgeline were removed from the list of approved models for towing four down.  As Gary said the CRVand Fit are the only Honda models left that specifically allow towing. We have towed three CRV's a total of 150,000 miles with absolutely no problems except running down a battery.

 

[mkwarlick]

[size=24pt][size=14pt]I?m about to become a motorhome owner (2009 Winnebago Sightseer 35J) and I have a couple of questions, especially for you Honda Pilot owners. 

Basically, how is dinghy towing going with the newer Pilots?  I own a 2012 Pilot and would like to tow it behind the Winnebago.  I know what the owner?s manual says but I?ve talked to Remco (a couple of times) who made me feel better about towing the Pilot (as long as I follow to a T the instructions in the CR-V procedures), and I?ve done a lot of Goggle searches but have not found any horror stories.  (And I do know that if something does happen to the trans, I won?t have a leg to stand on).  So for those of you towing a newer Pilot, is everything still okay? 

Also, the Pilot weight about 4400 lbs. and the MH, with a Ford V-10 Triton engine, has a 5000 pound towing capacity.  Do you see any problems towing the Pilot?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You may not have the full 5000 lb tow capacity available. The hitch is rated for that, but your chassis is limited to 26,000 lbs total and the coach could weigh up to 22,000 lbs by itself. Check your actual weight to make sure it is nor more than 21,200 lbs (with passengers and water onboard), so you can be sure the extra 4400+ does not exceed the chassis rating.

 

[mkwarlick]

Thanks Gary.  I'm showing GVWR of 20,500 lbs, so I guess I would be cutting it pretty close.

-Michael

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Even if you have the 20,500 lb GVWR chassis, the GCWR is still 26,000 on that one, so you may actually have more tow capacity than the 22,000 lb GVWR version - assuming your actual weight in no more than the 20,500.

 

[docj]

Honda still approves towing for the CRV and FIT, but not for any other models.  Hard to say if there is any material difference in those models, or it is just a concession to Honda's marketing group because those are popular toads.  It could well be that the lighter CRV and FIT have fewer transmission issues than the Accord/Civic/Odyssey models, even if they are essentially the same tranny..

According to http://www.remcoindustries.com/Towing/Store.php towing is not officially sanctioned by Honda for current CRVs but that there are lots of people successfully doing so if they very carefully follow the emergency towing instructions in their owners manuals.  Since I'm just quoting Remco on this I am curious if this statement is correct because, if it is, it still means that if you have problems with the vehicle Honda could blame you for having used an "emergency" procedure for something other than its intended purpose.

 

[Jeff3]

Page 236 of the 2013 Honda CRV Owners Manual gives specific instructions for towing behind a motorhome. (the link will take a couple of minutes to load the entire manual in PDF format.)

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The CRV and Fit are specifically okayed by Honda for towing. No other models are.