Stennis
Starkville, Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 04/28/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
I have been reading this Forum for many years. Every time the subject comes up, I see what I think might be mis-information relative to towing Honda's four down without modification. Just what are the facts?
In the past, Honda did not "approve" their units for towing four down behind a RV. However, they did provide "preparation for towing behind a RV instructions". Understand, that I am talking about those units which are generally accepted as towable with manual and regular automatic transmissions. When I started this, I was thinking about the usual toad's (Civic's, Accord's, CRV's and now Fit's) but I think input on other models would be helpful to others.
Take it as given that for many years Honda did not approve four down towing and that the warranty would not cover any damage resulting from the towing. As we know, CVT transmissions (hybrids and a couple more) were specifically prohibited from towing four down - one does not need to comment on them because we know bad things will happen.
If you have had problems, specifically transmission problems, while towing a Honda four down, please share. Also, please indicate if you followed the Honda "preparation for towing four down" procedures. Just looking for problems - we know many have had successful experences. The question I have is "have people had problems?".
Earl
|
trop-a-cal
Palm Coast Fl
Senior Member
Joined: 09/24/2007
View Profile
 Online
|
There have been those that did not go from drive to neutral and cause damage. It specificaly says run it three minutes in drive then shift to neutral from drive and turn key to ACC.
|
Deen
Vancouver, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/07/2000
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
|
I know of two '05 Ody's that had the transmissions go out after towing, one at 18,000 miles and the other at 25,000. The owners contacted me via email some years ago, don't know if they still post here or not. We quit towing ours after about 300 miles when Honda called us on a Friday morning and specifically told us it was not towable four down.
There was a thread a while back about someone that towed his Civic and had to have the trans rebuilt.
They now approve (since the '05 model year) only the CR-V and Fits.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
435/1200 ISC Cummins/Banks PowerPak
'08 Honda Civic/dolly
'05 Honda Odyssey/dolly
NRA Benefactor and Recruiter
FMCA f47302s, Life Member: Good Sam,
Newmar DP Owners Group
52nd yr of RV'ing
|
Deen
Vancouver, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/07/2000
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
|
trop-a-cal wrote:There have been those that did not go from drive to neutral and cause damage. It specificaly says run it three minutes in drive then shift to neutral from drive and turn key to ACC. That leaves the transmission partly in gear and will destroy it.
|
Marv Hoag
Redding, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/14/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
This is taken from my 09 Fit manual.
Towing your vehicle behind a motorhome / Automatic transmission.
1. Check the transmission fluid level.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press on the brake pedal. Move the shift lever through all its positions.
4. Shift to the D position and hold for 5 seconds, then to N. Let the engine run for three minutes, then turn it off.
5. Release the parking brake.
Notices
Leave ignition switch in ACC position and make sure the steering wheel turns freely before you begin towing.
Severe transmission damage will occur if the vehicle is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
If you tow more than 8 hours in one day, repeat the above procedure at least every 8 hours.
Manual transmissions
1. Move the shifter into the Neutral position.
2. Release the parking brake.
Leave the ignition switch in the ACC position so the steering wheel does not lock.
2000 Monaco Windsor 40'
2004 Honda CRV, Unified Tow Brake
2009 Honda Fit
|
|
|
Rick Jay
Greater Springfield area, MA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/02/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
trop-a-cal wrote:It specificaly says run it three minutes in drive then shift to neutral from drive and turn key to ACC.
That is incorrect. Here's a link to the Honda Technical Service Bulletin defining the proper procedure, but it states to let it idle in NEUTRAL for at least three minutes and then shut it off with the shifter in neutral.
There are many folks that come on here stating they have followed the directions to the letter, yet when they make posts, they often abbreviate the process. If they, in fact, do as they post, then they are NOT following the Honda recommended procedure, even though they say they do.
To the OP....it'll be hard to separate out those that really do from those that do not.
We DO. I follow the procedure I linked to above. HOWEVER, our vintage Honda Odyssesy's had known transmission failures even on units that weren't towed. So, I repeat our shift sequence every 3-4 clock hours (NOT towing hours, instead of the 8 hours in the TSB) and I change the ATF in the transmission with genuine Honda ATF every year. $20 of cheap insurance in my opinion.
So far, no problems. We've been towing for about 4 years and probably have about 15,000 miles towing the Ody. Even if we have a problem, I can't blame the towing because of the transmission design problem Honda has on these models. But so far, my aggressive preventative maintenance schedule seems to have given us better service than many had who didn't tow. In this case, it could be that our towing it (with the accelerated maintenance intervals) is actually extending it's life. 
~Rick
* This post was
edited 11/03/09 03:58pm by Rick Jay *
2005 Georgie Boy 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22 (Class A)
Rick, Gail, 1 girl (12-Angel, Lexi96.org), 1 girl (8), 2 boys (9 & 6).
2001 Honda Odyssey, Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
|
Techie
Pahrump, NV, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/30/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
We have towed our Element over 40,000 mi (between current & last rig) without ever having a problem. We follow the Honda procedure and only run the engine before starting out and then every 8 hours of elapsed time after that.
While I know the quetsion was if you ever had any problems, everyone that I've talked to with Honda's that RV that follow the Honda procedure haven't had any related problems.
2006 CC Allure 40' Quad Slides Tag Axle Cummins 400
2004 Honda Element EX/AWD Toad; Blue Ox Aventa II/USGear
MS S&P/EVDO
FMCA
|
Larry Cohen
Mobile, AL
Senior Member
Joined: 04/23/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Rick Jay wrote:There are many folks that come on here stating they have followed the directions to the letter, yet when they make posts, they often abbreviate the process. If they, in fact, do as they post, then they are NOT following the Honda recommended procedure, even though they say they do.
Rick hit the nail on the head as to why Honda quit covering towed cars...too much operator error/misunderstanding costing the factory a bunch...if I was Honda, I would do the same...
2006 Mountain Aire 43
Wife and 4 sugar gliders are co-pilots, along with Garmin Nuvi 660
05 Honda Pilot with Air Force One supplemental brake
Blue Ox Aventa II towbar
|
Stennis
Starkville, Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 04/28/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
From her O9 Fit Manual,Mary Hoag presents proper preparation for towing procedure as does the link Rick Jay provided. Trop-a-cal is probably on target about some not properly preparing for towing - that is probably where problems occur. Non of us would like to own up to that - I sure would not want to tell my wife.
I started this topic to determine if there was a problem but more to make a point. It has been my opinion that it is completely safe to tow most Honda's with automatic transmissions if the proper procedure is followed. Am I right or wrong? We all need to know.
What bothers me is that we have newbies coming to this forum and receiving what may be mis-information (could be me or could be someone else).
I cannot tell you how much several of the forums have helped me. Yet, one needs to be wary of those who will offer advice without researching the topic or personal experience.
The bottom line is that this topic has been a "bust" so far. All of those out there towing Honda's and blown transmissions have failed to post. Even if they did, we would not know if they prepared for towing properly.
Current tally: four first person no problem reports,two second party failure reports, and no first person failure posts.
Earl
|
rr2254545
Minnesota
Full Member
Joined: 07/12/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
Please note the manual also says. "Do not exceed 65 MPH. Otherwise severe transmission damage will occur." (Page 238) Page 239 outlines procedures for Manual Transmissions.Page 241 also tells you when to change the transmission fluid. So all in all 4 pages in the owners manual devoted to the subject in my 09 Fit Manual
R Ream
2008 Winnebago Voyage 35 L
Toad 09 Honda Fit w/ auto Trans
|
|
|
|
