American Honda Motor Company has recently released the following letter to customers inquiring about the towing ability of Honda vehicles.
Honda customer towing letter (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 tow 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 the 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.
NOTICE:
Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flatbed truck or trailer.
If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and powertrain are capable of being “motorhome towed”, America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator.
If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009. Service Bulletin Regarding Honda Towability 2/22/00
I live in the snow belt and this spring I had a problem with the rear brakes. I took the car to my mechanic who told me that the caliber has seized on the brake and had worn the pads off as well as damaging the brake surfaces etc. I took it to the dealer as it’s supposed to be under warranty and the bill I got was for $587.00. The dealership denied the warranty stating that it was due to owner negligence and cited appendix B in the owner’s manual which states that if the car is operated in snow climates the brakes are required to be serviced twice a year which entails lubrication being applied to the brakes.
I appealed this to Honda Canada who stated that they were not responsible for the excessive rust that develops on there brakes as a result of road salt being applied and causing premature rusting to the brakes if the brakes are not lubed twice a year. The cost to lube the brakes is approx $100.00 each time so this added maintenance cost of $200 a year is certainly not talked about and adds to the cost of ownership of these vehicles if you live in a snowy region. Something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a dinghy in the future and live in a snowy climate. RV.NET