brobox
Sunny SW. Florida
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Joined: 11/18/2003
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Earl,
This was a great post and one I was watching to see what the answers would be. It came out just about what I thought it would, NO direct problems towing a Honda.
Personally, I have talked several people in RV Parks towing Honda automatics (Ody's, 1 Civic) and not one had reported a problem. All were using the pre 05 towing procedure recommendations.
Chuck
02 Travel Supreme, 2 street side slides
09 Toyota Tacoma 2WD
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Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
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Joined: 09/30/2002
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I think trop-a-cal's answer might be the reason for some failures. You have to get the steps as well as the procedure in the right order. You do not run it in drive for three minutes then shift to neutral and turn it off. Disaster ahead!
You run through the Honda gears, then shift from drive to neutral and THEN let the engine run for three minutes (at least) Then simply turn the switch off. This lets the transmission fluid circulate and warm up. It takes about 6 hours for the fluid to drain back down. At about 3 hours of towing, we do the procedure again. We have towed all around the nation and have never had a problem with the transmission on our 03 Element
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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Rick Jay wrote:Even if we have a problem, I can't blame the towing because of the transmission design problem Honda has on these models.
~Rick That same design problem exists in the newer Ody's also. Sometimes when you shift from reverse to drive and try to accelerate it seems like the trans is still partly in reverse or the brakes are on. Then after a few feet it'll take right off.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
435/1200 ISC Cummins/Banks PowerPak
'08 Honda Civic/dolly
'05 Honda Odyssey/dolly
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FMCA f47302s, Life Member: Good Sam,
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52nd yr of RV'ing
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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brobox wrote:Earl,
This was a great post and one I was watching to see what the answers would be. It came out just about what I thought it would, NO direct problems towing a Honda.
Personally, I have talked several people in RV Parks towing Honda automatics (Ody's, 1 Civic) and not one had reported a problem. All were using the pre 05 towing procedure recommendations. You just haven't heard from the right people yet. Did the person that posted a thread about the transmission failure in his '06 Civic post? How about the two Ody owners that contacted me why both had trans failures after towing? You're getting feedback from a very small fraction of a percentage of owners.
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brobox
Sunny SW. Florida
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Joined: 11/18/2003
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Deen wrote:brobox wrote:Earl,
This was a great post and one I was watching to see what the answers would be. It came out just about what I thought it would, NO direct problems towing a Honda.
Personally, I have talked several people in RV Parks towing Honda automatics (Ody's, 1 Civic) and not one had reported a problem. All were using the pre 05 towing procedure recommendations. You just haven't heard from the right people yet. Did the person that posted a thread about the transmission failure in his '06 Civic post? How about the two Ody owners that contacted me why both had trans failures after towing? You're getting feedback from a very small fraction of a percentage of owners. Did the Ody owners that contacted you, really follow the towing procedures? Were you there to make sure they did? I am sorry Deen, but that is hear say, you or I weren't there to make sure they were following procedure.
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flibmeister
Gold Canyon, Arizona
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Joined: 03/03/2006
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Re: Odyssey's, I've searched the internet, I've posted requests for trouble reports in half-a-dozen different forums, I've asked every RV'er I've come across in campgrounds that's towing an Odyssey (probably a dozen of them by now), and I've talked to the service managers of four different Honda dealerships in the middle of Arizona snowbird country-- and I've yet to find a single first-person report of transmission damage attributed to towing a post-2004 Ody.
Doesn't mean it can't happen (particularly if the proper procedure isn't used), but sure doesn't appear to happen very often.
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vfrmarc
Ohio
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Joined: 01/11/2009
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Deen wrote:brobox wrote:Earl,
This was a great post and one I was watching to see what the answers would be. It came out just about what I thought it would, NO direct problems towing a Honda.
Personally, I have talked several people in RV Parks towing Honda automatics (Ody's, 1 Civic) and not one had reported a problem. All were using the pre 05 towing procedure recommendations. You just haven't heard from the right people yet. Did the person that posted a thread about the transmission failure in his '06 Civic post? How about the two Ody owners that contacted me why both had trans failures after towing? You're getting feedback from a very small fraction of a percentage of owners.
I have posted here before about towing an 06 Honda Civic. It wasn't my car but the car of the women that bought my tow dolly. She destroyed the tranny in her 06 Civic and needed the dolly to tow. She followed Demco's advice (her words) and towed flat and killed the tranny on the drive home from getting all (RV & Car) outfitted by the dealer. The reason I know all of this we we have an 07 Civic - same car, but we used the dolly as the manual explicitly said no flat towing.
I believe that the women with the Civic did follow some kind of pre-drive prep that she was given, just don't know what it was - and obviously it did not work.
I happen to know that older Civics can be towed flat as we encountered full timers towing a 2001 Civic with the 4spd auto tranny. They showed me their pre-tow instructions. When I enquired about it.
Our Civic is leased and soon to go back (glad we leased as our other vehicle is AWD and would need a trailer). So there is a Fit, Fusion or Escape in our future.
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nalcon
SE Texas
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I have an '08 Accord with less than 7k miles and one year before paid off. We really like this car and use a dolly. My question is: how much would it cost to rebuild the tranny if I did ruin it? That cost might be less than what I would lose on a trade in for a 4 down.
I have also talked to others who tow Accords 4 down and service manager at Honda dealer who says go for it.
Unlike some posters, we don't have unlimited funds to just buy a new vehicle. If I do decide to tow 4 down, I will post my results.
Charlie and Sherrie
'99 Fleetwood Southwind Storm 31'
'08 Honda Accord
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vfrmarc
Ohio
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nalcon wrote:I have an '08 Accord with less than 7k miles and one year before paid off. We really like this car and use a dolly. My question is: how much would it cost to rebuild the tranny if I did ruin it? That cost might be less than what I would lose on a trade in for a 4 down.
I have also talked to others who tow Accords 4 down and service manager at Honda dealer who says go for it.
Unlike some posters, we don't have unlimited funds to just buy a new vehicle. If I do decide to tow 4 down, I will post my results.
On the Accord not sure of repair price, the woman that bought my tow dolly for her 06 Civic paid $2700 to have her tranny replaced/repaired. Once it fails and is repaired then what do you do? Go on towing it, replace it, either way you just dropped almost $3000 into your car and it could fail again it you continue to tow flat.
If you are sure you want to tow it flat then talk to demco about a pump. Not sure of install price, but certainly cheaper than a repaired tranny.
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Stennis
Starkville, Mississippi
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Joined: 04/28/2003
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First, someone mentions having to go to a trailer because their Honda had four wheel drive - CRV AWD?
I towed my CRV AWD automatic four down. I do not remember how many miles but in the thousands and had no problem with the car. I have little first-hand knowledge relative to the issue but I am sure you are right in saying that an AWD cannot be towed on a dolly. The Honda manual says as much.
As indicated elsewhere, I towed a four door civic quit a few miles - 10,000 on a single trip to Alaska. No pump, no dolly - just followed Honda's preparation procedure.
Someone else mentioned a lady who followed Demco's recommendations and had problems. That brings two questions to mind. First, did she have a transmission pump installed? Second, did she use Honda's procedure for towing?
If she had a pump installed, then the Civic cannot be blamed. If she followed advice from someone other than Honda, then the Civic cannot be blamed.
I cannot speak to Odessy but given experience with two Civics and a CRV, I tend to think a transmission failure in these units while towing is most likely the result of operator error. That said, I would strongly advise those without the competence to follow Honda's preparation procedure not to attempt towing four down.
I would also note that we still are not getting first person reports on failures. I am sure they are out there but I have yet to meet one of these in a campground or elsewhere and I have encountered quite a few individuals towing Honda's. The one thing all say is to be sure you follow Honda's preparation for towing procedures.
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