Anyone Towing a 2012 Honda Pilot

[Samuangelman]

Originally Posted by bdickson

That is what the owners manual says for my 2012 CR-V. If you go from Reverse to Neutral and then tow, unspecified BAD THINGS happen. Is your Pilot 4WD/AWD? The AWD CR-V MUST be towed 4 down according to the manual. I suspect that any Honda with the lube pump on the output shaft can be towed 4 down, Honda just don't want the liability.

Thank you for your input I'm sure it is the same for it is a Honda.

Yes mine is four wheel drive. I pull it behind my MH durring the winter and again in the spring and then pull my little 177 R-pod durring the summer for two months.

Thanks again.

[tennz]

I pull a 2012 Accord Coupe and have had no problems. Remco lists it as towable "as is". Remco says the 2011 Pilot Towable as is. Refer to owners manual for confirmation and procedures. 2012 should be now different. 2013s are another story.

Jim
Mandalay 38b

[CPAKESHA]

OK you guys out there who have recently been towing 2010 Honda Pilots - How's it going? I bought a 2010 suburban which was supposed to be towable but oops I got the one that wasn't and a lube pump could not be added. After 2 years of using a very heavy duty tow dolly I have started to consider trading it in for a very nice 2010 or 2011 Honda pilot. I looked at the Traverse but am not sure I like it as well. Obviously I am nervous about going against the warranty of the pilot but am really thinking hard about it.

Any problems since last posts?

[Samuangelman]

I just traded for a 2012 Pilot and wasn't sure it could be towed. Well I just pulled for over 500 miles stopping at around 250 miles and running engine and cycling tranmission. There is no problem with it that I can tell. It does travel very well behind the motor home.

[mkwarlick]

I’m about to become a motorhome owner (2009 Winnebago Sightseer 35J ) and I have a couple of questions for you Honda Pilot owners.

Basically, how is dinghy towing going with the newer Pilots? I own a 2012 Pilot and would like to tow it behind the Winnebago. I know what the owner’s manual says but I’ve talked to Remco (a couple of times) who made me feel better about towing the Pilot (as long as I follow to a T the instructions in the CR-V procedures), and I’ve done a lot of Goggle searches but have not found any horror stories. (And I do know that if something does happen to the trans, I won’t have a leg to stand on). So for those of you towing a newer Pilot, is everything still okay?

Also, the Pilot weight about 4400 lbs. and the MH, with a Ford V-10 Triton engine, has a 5000 pound towing capacity. Do you see any problems towing the Pilot?

Thanks,
Michael

[Samuangelman]

Good morning Michael,

I have a 2012 Pilot that I pull behind my motor home that has the Ford V-10. I have had no problem with it. I also stop around 200/250 miles and start the engine and cycle the transmission.

Just follow the procedure as stated below on thread and you shouldn't have any problem.

Staying warm in South Texas .

Sam

[mkwarlick]

Thanks Sam for the input...how many times have you towed the pilot? And what Pilot model do you have. I can't remember if all Pilots were 4wheel/AWD or if you had a choice of 2 wheel drive.

Staying cool in VA (at least this week)

-Michael

[Samuangelman]

Good morning Michael,

I have pulled the Pilot twice now for about a 1000 miles.

I know of two models, 4 wheel drive and two wheel drive. I have the 4 wheel drive good for up to 16 MPH or when your in mud or snow and a wheel spins then it becomes all wheel drive.

I traded my Saturn in for the 4 wheel drive Pilot for when I was in WV last summer pulling my R-Pod I had trouble getting over a hill at a stop sign. The 4 wheel Pilot has more pulling capacity and more room in it than the GMC Saturn with about the same fuel use.

Have a great day everyday,

Sam

[Gary RVRoamer]

The problem is that you could tow it for a couple years and many thousands of miles before a problem arises. And even then it may not be 100% clear that towing caused the excessive wear and tear. Towing damage, which is a result of excess heat and inadequate lubrication, is not a cut & dried thing.

[Samuangelman]

Good morning Gary,

This is true I was told last summer during my summer trip from a couple that was traveling that pulling a car behind would after a time mess up the transmission. That is why you need to stop and cycle the transmission every couple hundred miles or so. When you stop for gas or a rest stop start the engine and warm it up and cycle the transmission. At least prolong the inedible as long as possible.

Sam

[hogdriver]

I know it's not the same year as a 2012 but up until last year my toad car was a 2003 Honda Pilot that I towed over 50,000 miles. I literally towed that car to both coasts and everywhere in between. Mine was a 4WD also. I still own that car and use it out of town as my work car. It has over 125,000 miles and still going. I was religious about stopping every 3 hrs/200 mi and cycling the transmission, and I changed the transmission fluid and filter a couple of times.

The Honda Pilot is a great tow car.

[mkwarlick]

I found a old Honda news release (2003) which list all Honda's (besides the minivan) as being flat towable (using the proper procedures). And as far as I know, the transmissions in the Pilots haven't changed that much. The 2003 Pilots were 4WD w/ VTM-4 and so is my 2012 Pilot