Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle behind another vehicle - such as behind a motorhome. The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing are known as "dinghy towing" (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and "dolly towing" (towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a device known as a "dolly").
With the proper preparation and equipment, many vehicles can be towed in these ways. See "Dinghy Towing" and "Dolly Towing," following.
Here are some important things to consider before you do recreational vehicle towing:
| • | What's the towing capacity of the towing vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. |
| • | How far will you tow? Some vehicles have restrictions on how far and how long they can tow. |
| • | Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your dealer or trailering professional for additional advice and equipment recommendations. |
| • | Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See Before Leaving on a Long Trip . |
Dinghy Towing
To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground, follow these steps:
- Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
- Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
- Set the parking brake.
- To prevent your battery from draining while the vehicle is being towed, remove the following fuses from the left side instrument panel fuse block: WIPER, PCM ACC and IPC/BFC ACC. See "Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Driver's Side)" under Fuses and Circuit Breakers for the location of these fuses.
- Turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY.
- Shift your transaxle to Neutral (N).
- Release the parking brake.
Remember to reinstall the fuses once you reach your destination. To reinstall a fuse do the following:
- Set the parking brake.
- Remove the key from the ignition switch.
- Put the fuse back in.
Notice: If 65 mph (105 km/h) is exceeded while towing the vehicle, it could be damaged. Never exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) while towing the vehicle.
Notice: Towing the vehicle from the rear could damage it. Also, repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Never have the vehicle towed from the rear.
Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and a dolly, do the following:
- Put the front wheels on a dolly.
- Put the vehicle in PARK (P) for automatic transaxles and Neutral for manual transaxles.
- Set the parking brake and then remove the key. (For manual transaxle vehicles, the shift lever must be in REVERSE (R) before removing the key.)
- Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position with a clamping device designed for towing.
- Release the parking brake.
