I drove over to the shop to get my coach. Hooked up my VUE, did my departure checks and headed home - a 5 mile trip. Got out and noticed that the back up lights on the VUE were on. Thats right! I towed the VUE for 5 miles with the auto-transmission in reverse! With great trepidation, I started the toad and put it into reverse. It worked as did all the forward gears. No blown seals or anything else to indicate damage. Lesson learned - don't rush!!! Jim.
JAG
1993 Pace Arrow Diesel
2004 Saturn VUE V6 AT
El Cajon, CA
An unnamed friend towed his new Ford Courier Toad behind his Newmar Diesel pusher for 50 miles in first gear (manual tranny) on the freeway(70MPH). toasted the engine. Guess what? Ford replaced the engine under warranty. He told them he didn't know what happened....
2005 Dutchmen 35SRV, Pergo, 5th Airborne, JT Strong Arm, Kodiak Disk Brakes, Backup camera
2006 Dodge CTD RAM QC 3500 LWB 4WD, Reese 16k, Airbags, Pacbrake, Britebox, 60g aux fuel tank
04 Harley Ultra, 05 CanAM 400MAX Quad
When I discovered that I had been towing my Lincoln Town Car with the parking brake set (disovered by feeling the wheels during a routine walk-around), I immediately dropped the car off at a Lincoln dealer. I told them what I had done and to fix whatever I damaged.
A couple hours later they called me and told me that there was no damage and nothing needed to be done. Apparently the brake was not fully set.
So, the bad part was that I confessed my sin for no reason.
'05 Fleetwood Bounder Diesel 39Z | Datastorm F2 Satellite Internet | Toad1: '03 Lincoln Town Car | Toad2: '08 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited 4WD
You have just joined the largest anonymous group on this form.
Who hasn't left the e-brake on (me), left it in gear, forgot to disengage the drive shaft, unlock the steering wheel and etc.
I have finally got such a rigid routine for hookup even a "senior moment" doesn't get in the way.
2000 Rexhall Roseair 3450 V10, GearVendor, AutoFormer
2009 Ford Flex, BRAKEbuddy
Belgian Sheepdogs, Blazer & Chayna
Shareholder Pismo Coast Village
No matter what I say, it's my wife's job to check everything I just told her I checked - No matter what SHE says, it's my job to check everything she just said she checked - then we check it again...
Towed a Saturn in "D" for 20 miles. No problems. I have also towed it with the emergency brake on for 20 miles. Brakes went to the floor when I started it, but after backing around the CG for a while, the self adjusters did their job.
Michael, Kay, Hans (our Mini-Schnauzer co-pilot) and Prissy (Hans' Malti-Poo co-pilot)
'05 Coachmen SportsCoach SE 372DS a.k.a. "Mana's Cabana"
If the car was in "Drive" the wheels would rotote and there would be a drag which likely wouldn't be noticed by the driver in the motorhome. With the transmission in "R" wouldn't the wheels lock up to the point that the wheels would not rotate forward resulting in a flat spot on the tires and or a 5 mile long skid mark. Apparently not but I find that interesting. Certainly if in "P" that's what would have happened. I just didn't think you would get forward rotation if in R. I haven't done it yet but I've made about every other mistake so it's likely only a matter of time.
An automatic transmission will not be "in gear" without the engine running, no matter what position the selector is in. ALL gears in an automatic (no, not including "PARK", that isn't really a "gear", and it is mechanicly actuated) are hydraulicly actuated. when the engine isn't running, there is no hydraulic pressure, thus the transmission cannot be "in gear". Years ago, automatic trannys had a rear pump, that was driven by the output shaft. With them, if it was in gear, the transmission clutches or bands WOULD actuate at over 30 MPH. That is how you could push start an auto tranny back then. They haven't been built that way in over 40 years, though.
I don't think you damaged your tranny in any way. There wouldn't even be any "drag", as there was no way to actuate (pressurize) any clutches or bands in the tranny.
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, Std. cab, LB, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 273,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '06 Jeep Liberty CRD
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
I haven't done any of the aforementioned goofs, but once I unhooked the Tahoe on a down grade without first setting the brake or engaging the transfer case. As the Tahoe rolled slowly toward the MH, the horror of what I had done suddenly sank in!! If I wasn't quick, I would've gotten trapped.....
The moral is...take your time, use a list hooking AND unhooking. The consequences are too great. This stuff is very UNfunny.
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