Community Forums

RVHillbillE · 07-18-2022, 04:47 PM

My owners manual says I can tow my FWD RAV4, two wheels down. The problem is I can't put the thing in Neutral and shut it down. By that I mean I can shut off the engine, but not the electrical system.
So I drive it up on the dolly, put it in Park and shut it off, no problem. Then I strap it and chain it down.
That's where it gets tricky. I can't tow in Park of course so I put it in neutral, and sure enough it shuts down. But the instant I open the door, the electrical system springs to life and I get a audible warning. I've towed it just like that but it runs the battery down. All kind of scary warnings come up after I recharge the battery.
Should I disconnect the battery?

carybosse · 07-18-2022, 04:51 PM

Why can't you tow a FWD vehicle in Park on a dolly? Never heard of such a thing.

I towed a Saturn Vue (same as Chevy Equinox) on a tow dolly in park. No, you can't set the parking brake. But once it is strapped to the dolly, no need for a parking brake.

BillJinOR · 07-18-2022, 05:25 PM

I dolly towed all my fwd cars in park. Why do you think “of course” you can’t . Park locks the front wheels on a fwd … that’s perfect ! You want the front wheels imobile.

twinboat · 07-18-2022, 05:43 PM

You can't dolly tow with the parking brake on but there is no reason not to have the transmission in park.

I've dolly towed 3 different FWD cars in 9 years, all were in Park.

FL420 · 07-18-2022, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVHillbillE

My owners manual says I can tow my FWD RAV4, two wheels down. The problem is I can't put the thing in Neutral and shut it down. By that I mean I can shut off the engine, but not the electrical system.

Is it possible you are thinking the acronym FWD stands for FOUR WHEEL DRIVE instead of FRONT WHEEL DRIVE? Assuming everyone interprets an acronym the same can lead to trouble. I have seen some people have used FWD when 4WD is the more commonly used acronym for FOUR WHEEL DRIVE.
FWD on a tow dolly without modifications, usually [emoji106]
4WD on a tow dolly without modifications, usually [emoji107]
[emoji40][emoji382][emoji382]... [emoji382][emoji40]

theroc · 07-18-2022, 08:23 PM

What model year is your RAV4?

I agree with others. I don't see why you can't dolly tow it in "park" ...does the owner's manual specifically say to put it in neutral?

(I believe Toyota uses the acronyms as it pertains to the RAV4 as 2WD and AWD ...therefore, less chance for confusion, lol --but the bad part when doing that is it creates another confusion if 2WD stand for RWD or FWD ...we know, but it could be confusing for some)

KingKid · 07-18-2022, 10:19 PM

Yeah, just put it in park and you are good to go, I have a fwd that's what I do just don't put the parking brake on.

EdInArk · 07-19-2022, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVHillbillE

My owners manual says I can tow my FWD RAV4, two wheels down. The problem is I can't put the thing in Neutral and shut it down. By that I mean I can shut off the engine, but not the electrical system.
So I drive it up on the dolly, put it in Park and shut it off, no problem. Then I strap it and chain it down.
That's where it gets tricky. I can't tow in Park of course so I put it in neutral, and sure enough it shuts down. But the instant I open the door, the electrical system springs to life and I get a audible warning. I've towed it just like that but it runs the battery down. All kind of scary warnings come up after I recharge the battery.
Should I disconnect the battery?

We towed our Front wheel drive RAV4 for thousands upon thousands of miles on a dolly in park. The front wheels don't turn, so it's not an issue. All wheel drive would be a different issue. The rear wheels turning on the front wheel drive model is perfectly fine.

Don't tow it with the ignition on, or you'll screw up your traction control.

tuffr2 · 07-19-2022, 12:34 PM

FWD has always been Front Wheel Drive..

FL420 · 07-19-2022, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

FWD has always been Front Wheel Drive..

In the US maybe sometime after the 1929 Cord L-29 and the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado became available to the American public. Plenty of folks who aren't into cars could probably just as easily assume FWD stood for Four Wheel Drive as Front Wheel Drive.
Here's a quote with some good advice.
"Never say always and never say never."
[emoji40][emoji382][emoji382]... [emoji382][emoji40][emoji106]

EdInArk · 07-20-2022, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL420

In the US maybe sometime after the 1929 Cord L-29 and the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado became available to the American public. Plenty of folks who aren't into cars could probably just as easily assume FWD stood for Four Wheel Drive as Front Wheel Drive.
Here's a quote with some good advice.
"Never say always and never say never."
[emoji40][emoji382][emoji382]... [emoji382][emoji40][emoji106]

That's why I spell out "Front wheel drive"; no room for confusion.

Martian · 07-21-2022, 07:24 AM

There are some things that just can't be fixed! This is way beyond duct tape.

Gary RVRoamer · 07-21-2022, 03:58 PM

And if FWD was "four wheel drive", then it couldn't be dolly-towed at all. Only the front-drive Rav4 is dolly-towable and yes it should be in Park to do so.

RVHillbillE · 07-22-2022, 04:54 PM

Every vehicle I have owned over the last 50 years had a parking brake, a pedal on the floor to set it and a handle to release it. This car does not have a pedal or a release. It's automatic and I don't know how to release it when in park.