Towing an automatic vehicle isn’t as straightforward as connecting it to a tow truck and pulling away. Depending on the vehicle, there might be special procedures recommended by the manufacturer to prepare the vehicle for towing. These procedures are done to prevent damage to the vehicle’s transmission, engine, and drivetrain.
Generally speaking, automatic transmission vehicles can be towed, but how they’re towed can vary depending on whether they’re front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive.
Since most cars are front wheel drive, you might be wondering how to tow a front-wheel drive automatic car. You’ll need to lift its front wheels off the ground with a tow truck or tow rig.
On the other hand, a rear-wheel drive car will need its rear wheels lifted from the ground. Hence, the tow truck must latch onto the vehicle from behind. Alternatively, the vehicle being towed must reverse onto the towing truck’s rear.
Some rear-wheel drive cars have the option to disengage the driveshaft with a built-in switch, which allows them to be towed with their drive wheels on the ground. However, other vehicles will require you to manually disconnect the driveshaft. This process involves lifting the vehicle and removing its driveshaft.
If your vehicle is four-wheel drive, then there’s no other option but to get a flatbed trailer. Generally, the vehicle’s drive wheels, which are the wheels connected to the engine and transmission, mustn’t be on the ground when the vehicle is pulled. If you aren’t sure about your vehicle’s drivetrain orientation, then you should call for a flatbed trailer.
You might be wondering, don’t they need to pull a vehicle to get them on the flatbed trailer? Yes, they do, but roadside services will pull the vehicle slowly and only for a very short distance.
That said, you should only tow a vehicle following the manufacturer’s specific instructions and guidelines. In all cases, you should set the gear lever to neutral and release the handbrake before towing.
Yes, but only if its drive wheels are raised off the ground. Why? When an automatic transmission vehicle is set to park, it applies a pawl that locks to a gear inside your transmission’s output shaft. This pawl acts like an additional brake that prevents the vehicle from moving while parked. Towing a car in park without lifting its drive wheels will destroy this pawl.
If your automatic transmission vehicle is being towed by roadside services, they should know the correct procedure when it comes to attaching the appropriate harnesses. However, if you’re the one being towed or doing the towing, then you need to know the following things.
You might be wondering, why can you tow manual transmission vehicles just by switching the car to neutral? Switching a manual transmission car to neutral disconnects the connection between the drive wheels from the vehicle’s engine and transmission. When the vehicle is pulled, the wheels and axle can move freely without affecting the engine and transmission.
In an automatic transmission vehicle, switching the car to neutral or park doesn’t disconnect the drive wheels from the transmission. So, moving the car without lifting its wheels off the ground will move certain transmission components. Automatic transmission vehicles require fluid to move inside the transmission during operation to lubricate and cool the transmission as it moves. However, towing a vehicle with the engine turned off will cause the transmission components to move without fluid pressure. Automatic transmissions aren’t designed to run without fluid pressure, so doing so will cause significant wear and pose a high risk of damage.
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