Clay L wrote:
There are lots of us out here towing Accords.
As mentioned above, after about 2005 or so Honda stopped saying it was okay to tow Accords four down. I have been told that the transmission didn't change but that some people were no following the pre-tow procedure required and making warranty claims when damage ensued. I have towed my Accord about 53,000 miles with no problems.
The letter I got from Honda detailing the pre-tow procedure is below.
02/22/02
(all models except CR-V)
Dear customer:
Regarding your inquiry on towing your Honda or Acura automobile behind a motorhome:
For your vehicle, the Owner's Manual advises against towing at more than 35 m.p.h or for more than 50 miles. However, this recommendation exists primarily because Honda has not conducted formal tests at higher speeds and for greater distances.
We are not aware of any particular problems being caused by motorhome towing of Honda/Acura automobiles with either manual or automatic transmission, so long as proper pre-towing preparations are made and the vehicle is towed at legal highway speeds.
Manual Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission is full of fluid. Do not overfill.
• Release the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission to Neutral.
• Turn the ignition key to the ACCESSORY (1) position to release the steering wheel lock. Make sure that the radio and all accessories are turned off.
Automatic Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission fluid level is full. Do not overfill.
If Honda/Acura automobile with an automatic transmission is towed with the front or all four wheels on the ground, you must do the following every day immediately before towing:
• Start the engine.
• Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1).
• Shift to D, then to N. Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine.
• Release the parking brake.
• Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off so you do not run down the battery.
If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures.
NOTICE:
The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle.
CAUTION:
Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
Nice letter, but it doesn't apply to the Accord in question.
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