How To Tow Honda Civic

Honda Civic is among the vehicles susceptible to severe damage to vital parts if flat towed, according to its manufacturers in the owner’s manual. Although despite this important advice, if one should tow it properly, there is little cause for concern thereof.

However, curiously, towing this car without any qualms may necessitate you to maintain its internal moving parts fully oiled; a procedure that can curtail the prospect of some of these metallic parts from rubbing against one another, thereby catalyzing wear and tear.

Notably, even though towing this car remains largely a personal decision, still, it must not be forgotten that doing so may end up voiding the warranty coverage on the vehicle since it contravenes a most important regulation.

Consequent to this serious (but luckily avoidable risk), it is highly recommended that you always refer to the owner’s manual of the vehicle, which has every information you may need before you attempt to tow this vehicle.

Notably, therefore, to tow this car without any damage to it demands the proper execution of some important steps in chronological order as outlined below.

1. First, begin the process by kick-starting the engine of the vehicle after which you should put its transmission in the lowest ‘Drive’ or ‘D’ setting of the gear.
2. After the previous step, allow the car to idle in the same mode of the gears for another 30 seconds or thereabouts. Then, it should  be expected that adequate lubricating oil might have circulated among its moving metallic parts which will allow smooth or unimpeded movements as well as the generation of less heat in the transmission
3. Now, it is appropriate to move the gear lever to the next ‘D’ setting, while at the same time allowing it to remain in the setting for a further 30 seconds.
4. This step entails moving the shifter up the gears progressively. Thereafter, the must be maintained in this mode for not more than about 30 seconds again until it eventually reaches the ‘N’ setting of the gears once again.
5. This is where you are expected to turn the key in the ignition slot to the position of the Roman numeral ‘I’ before proceeding to the next step.
6. Proceed to fasten the tow cable onto the tow hitch of the truck. If the vehicle has a tow cable with a hook fitted on it, you may simply loop it around and hook it on.  If it is not, you may have to use a double knot to tie it to the tow hitch. Alternatively, you may use any tow cable meant for towing, which can be purchased from any auto shop that may be close to you. Although it is common for people to use chains or possibly even ropes in towing, regrettably, however, these items can snap suddenly during the tow if they are old and frayed which could cause significant damage to either the car or other vehicles that may be plying the road at the time.
7. At last, it is good to run the tow cable over the bumper and around the parts at the front end of the body of the vehicle or its frame. In addition, it is suggested that you double loop the cable around the frame of the vehicle before running it beneath the bumper and finally attaching its other end onto the tow hitch. After that, it is now safe to tow the car. In a nutshell, you must be certain to maintain the recommended speed of about 35 mph, which is the standard velocity for safe towing in most places. To make the process more convenient and effective, it is good you make steady stops at regular intervals and also be careful while taking turns throughout the tow.

Can I tow a Honda Civic with a tow dolly?

Sometimes, most regular or conventional vehicles may require complicated processes before it may be possible to tow them with a dolly. Luckily, Honda Civic boasts of a simple process of flat towing as against most other modern cars, especially when it comes to dolly towing, which may not necessarily need any special arrangements.

Specifically, therefore, Honda Civic is manufactured to cope with weights up to about 850 lbs or a little more, including both passengers and cargo.

To make matters more interesting, Honda Civic can withstand light-duty towing conveniently, particularly with the use of a trailer hitch. Fortunately, these hitches are readily available for purchase and use in most auto shops. Therefore, yes, Honda Civic can be flat towed with the aid of a tow dolly.

Is it safe to tow a Honda Civic?

Strict adherence to the recommendations in the user manual is imperative if you want to tow Honda civic safely and conveniently too.

For this reason, Honda civic can be flat towed safely on a tow dolly much like any front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle, which raises its front-drive above the ground, or on the flatbed of a tow truck. In both these procedures, the drive wheels are not permitted to roll on the road, which protects the transmission system from likely damage in the process.

In addition, when towing the vehicle, you should ascertain that both the brakes and indicator lights are working properly too. Also, never endeavor to drive at speeds exceeding those which are known to be safe by the manufacturers of the vehicle.

If you strictly obey these recommendations, then, Honda Civic can be towed conveniently and safely too, just like other cars.

What can I use in towing a Honda Civic?

To tow a Honda Civic safely and conveniently, you must have the use of some very important items and bits of equipment.

First, you are likely going to require an appropriate tow bar compatible with the weight of the vehicle to be towed. Again, for a more proper choice of the tow bar, you may have to refer to the user manual as well.

Secondly, you may also need the use of a tow dolly or the bed of a tow trailer. Finally, you also need a very effective braking system as well as functioning side and indicator lights too.

Finally, you must not forget the importance of clean and properly positioned rearview mirrors too. In a nutshell, you may have to use base plates, a tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental brakes for a proper and convenient tow of the vehicle, among several other implements.

Can all Honda Civics be towed?

The company specifically discourages flat towing this vehicle in the owner’s manual. That notwithstanding, however, if you do it correctly, it is both possible and safe to undertake.

Therefore, if you use the correct trailer hitch, it is even possible to increase the towing capacity of the vehicle. In addition to all these, before you embark on towing the Honda Civic, you must make sure to ascertain its type and other specifications.

Otherwise, you may tow it wrongly with regrettable and expensive damage to very important parts of the car. In summary, all Honda Civics can be safely flat towed, but it has to be undertaken properly.

FAQs

(1). Should a car be towed in Neutral on a tow dolly?

Yes, you can very well tow a car in ‘Neutral’ regardless of whether you are using a tow dolly or not. Therefore,  you are recommended to leave its transmission system in the ‘Neutral’ position throughout the tow, or else you may risk destroying some important internal parts.

Although, it is possible not to require any special components to tow this car even when you permit its engine to run during the tow. 

(2). Can you tow a car with a tow dolly?

Yes, it is possible to tow most FWD (Front Wheel Drive) cars with the aid of a tow dolly. In this process, you are essentially raising your front drive wheels above the ground, which will protect your transmission from damage.

Again, you should drive carefully whenever you are towing and at a safe speed as stated in the user manual.

In addition to this, you must ascertain that the vehicle has effective brakes too. Your indicator/sidelights must be in order as well. Also, the rearview mirrors will enable you to monitor what is happening behind you.

Consequently, these too should be clean and well-positioned. If you observe all these suggestions, you can safely tow pretty much any front-wheel-drive vehicle on a tow dolly without complications.

Finally, you should also ensure that you get a tow dolly that is fully compatible with the vehicle you plan to tow because dollies are designed to specifically handle different weights and vehicles.

(3). How do I protect my transmission while towing?

It is of utmost importance that you take the necessary measures to enable you to protect your transmission system while towing.

Consequently, several methods of protection are explained to assure the safety of the transmission mechanism. First, you can protect it by ensuring that the drive wheels of the vehicle do not make contact with the ground in all FWD(front&wheel-drive) vehicles.

In addition, when it comes to towing most rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive models, it is best if you flat tow them on the flatbed of a tow trailer. This will raise all the wheels from the ground, thus, protecting the transmission mechanism.

Finally, it is also common among drivers to disengage the drivetrain of the vehicle too, before towing, which may enable you to flat-tow the vehicle even when its drive wheels are making contact with the ground without any complications.

Whatever the case may be, it is highly advised for you to always consult the owner manual of the car before you proceed to flat tow.

In this way, you are certain to avoid any avoidable damage to vital parts of the vehicle. Alternatively, you may seek expert advice on the matter before resorting to anything.

Conclusion – How To Tow Honda Civic

The user manual might have strongly frowned against towing this vehicle considering the risks associated with the process. However, in most cases, and contrary to this advice, you can tow it without any complaints, provided it is done with proper care and diligence.

As a result, front-wheel-drive (FWD) cars are recommended to be flat towed by either a tow dolly or the bed of a tow truck. In the same vein, it is equally possible to tow a rear-wheel-drive ( FWD) vehicle or even an all-wheel-drive model on the bed of a tow truck as well.

Most importantly, you are supposed to ascertain that adequate measures which will assure the safety of the transmission and other car parts are taken before you tow the car.

Notwithstanding,  it is also very common for many people to disable the drivetrain before they set out to flat tow, a procedure that protects the transmission from wilful damage as well.