Towing a trailer (Honda Accord 6)

Warning! Incorrect placement of luggage, as well as transportation of excessively heavy loads on a vehicle or towed trailer can significantly worsen the controllability and braking properties of the vehicle/road train, which is fraught with the creation of an emergency situation on the roads. Before starting to drive, always carefully check the correct loading of the vehicle and trailer.

The models of cars considered in this Manual are, of course, primarily passenger cars and are intended for transporting people and their luggage. However, subject to mandatory compliance with a number of general rules, which are given below, Honda cars can also be successfully used for towing a trailer.

The total mass of the trailer, including its own mass and the mass of the load placed in it, must not exceed the maximum permissible mass of the towed trailer (see Specifications). The maximum permissible mass of the trailer depends on whether it is equipped with brakes or not.

The maximum vertical load on the towing hitch of a vehicle with a gross trailer weight must not exceed 50 kgf. For trailers with a gross weight of up to 500 kg, the following rule should be followed: the vertical load on the towbar should be approximately 10% of the gross trailer weight. For example, if the gross trailer weight with cargo is 225 kg, the vertical load on the towing hitch should be approximately 22.5 kgf. Adjust the load on the towbar of the vehicle by placing the load on the trailer accordingly. For starters, it is recommended to place the load so that approximately 60% of its weight is in front of the trailer axle and 40% is behind. If the gross trailer weight exceeds 500 kg, try to distribute the load more evenly along the length of the trailer. Never load the trailer so that the rear of the trailer outweighs the front - this leads to unloading of the rear wheels of the vehicle, which worsens the traction of the tires with the road surface.



The gross vehicle weights and the towed trailer must not exceed the corresponding maximum permissible values (see Specifications).

Note. The gross vehicle weight includes: the unladen weight of the vehicle, the weight of the driver, passengers and luggage, the weight of the towing hitch and the weight of the trailer pertaining to it. Remember that the weight of additional equipment installed on the vehicle and the weight of the trailer pertaining to the towbar (when towing a trailer) reduce the payload capacity of the vehicle by corresponding amounts. The most reliable way to check whether the vehicle and trailer are loaded correctly is to weigh them. Load the vehicle and trailer as they are usually used as part of a road train and weigh them on a truck scale. Determine the values of the gross vehicle and trailer weights, as well as the weights pertaining to the axles of the vehicle and trailer. Compare the measurement results with the requirements Specifications.

Towing device

Installation of towing devices that do not correspond in size to the trailer's weight and dimensions, or are incorrectly installed on the vehicle, may cause damage to the vehicle's body elements.

The design of the towing device intended for installation on your vehicle must fully meet all necessary requirements; if necessary, consult a Honda service station.

The towing device must be secured at several specially designated points on the base of the vehicle body so that the loads from the towed trailer are distributed more evenly and fall on the body reinforcement elements. It is prohibited to mount towing devices on the vehicle that rest only on the rear bumper, which is not designed to withstand such loads. The towing device must be installed by qualified personnel at a car service center.

Rear view mirrors

Towing a large trailer (such as a "Caravan") usually requires the installation of additional rear-view mirrors with extended brackets on the vehicle. Check the requirements of local legislation and the Road Traffic Regulations regarding towing trailers by cars. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and assess the degree of deterioration of the rear view through the standard rear-view mirrors. If the view is unsatisfactory, then for safety reasons it is necessary to equip special mirrors that provide the driver with an adequate view of the space behind the vehicle.

Attaching a trailer to a vehicle

If you are going to buy a trailer equipped with brake mechanisms, make sure that they have an electric control drive, the design of the hydraulic drive of the service brake system of your car does not provide for the possibility of connecting any additional circuits to it, in particular, to activate the brake mechanisms of the trailer. Any method of connecting the brake system of the trailer to the brake hydraulic drive of the car, no matter how attractive it may seem, will lead to a deterioration in the efficiency of braking of the car and a decrease in traffic safety.

When connecting a trailer to a vehicle, always use a safety chain. The ends of the safety chain must be securely fastened to the appropriate places on the trailer drawbar and on the vehicle's towing hitch. Make sure that the chain passes under the trailer drawbar - this will prevent the front end of the drawbar from falling onto the road in the event of disconnection of the coupling. The free length of the chain must be sufficient so as not to interfere with the road train's U-turns with minimal radii, however, the chain should not be allowed to drag on the ground.

Outdoor lighting and signaling devices on the trailer

Since trailers of different brands may use different wiring, the installation of the towbar should be entrusted to specialists of the car service. In some cases, it may be necessary to install an adapter.

Before connecting the trailer's electrical equipment to the vehicle's electrical system, be sure to consult a service station.

Preparing to tow a trailer

Before starting to drive, you should carry out a control inspection and check of the vehicle and trailer.

Measure the vertical load on the towing hitch using a standard floor scale.

Check the trailer drawbar and safety chain for secure attachment.

Check the technical condition of the tires and the air pressure in the tires on the car and trailer. Low air pressure in the tires significantly worsens the controllability of the car and the road train. At the same time, check the condition and air pressure in the spare wheel.

Once the trailer is fully loaded and connected to the vehicle, make sure that there is no excessive "sag" in the rear of the vehicle - if necessary, remove excess weight from the vehicle/trailer.

Check the proper functioning of the external lighting and signaling devices on the vehicle and trailer.

Check the current traffic regulations for the maximum speed of a road train consisting of a car and a trailer. If you are planning a trip to several countries, familiarize yourself in advance with the specifics of local requirements and restrictions regarding towing a trailer with a car, as each country may have its own restrictions. Note: In European countries, the speed limit for a road train consisting of a car and a trailer is set at 100 km/h.

Safety precautions when towing a trailer

It should be taken into account that the braking distance of a vehicle towing a trailer increases. Therefore, when driving with a trailer, you should maintain an increased distance from the vehicle in front. Try to avoid sudden braking and turns. This may lead to the jackknifing of the road train or even the overturning of the trailer.

Remember that the length of a road train is significantly greater than the length of a single car. When turning right, leave a significantly larger distance than usual between the edge of the road and the wheels of the right side of the car to avoid the trailer wheels hitting the curb. Keep in mind that when turning a road train, the trailer moves along an arc of a smaller radius than the car and may run into or collide with an obstacle that the car has easily passed. When overtaking another vehicle, do not rush to return to your lane, as this may lead to a collision between the overtaken car and the trailer.

A road train, compared to a single car, is more sensitive to the effects of crosswind gusts and aerodynamic disturbances from other cars. If you are overtaken at high speed by a heavy truck or road train, try to maintain a straight and uniform movement of your car. To reduce the aerodynamic disturbances acting on the road train from the car in front, reduce speed to get out of the turbulent flow.

When towing a trailer, the load on all the main units and systems of the vehicle increases. Therefore, if the vehicle is frequently used to tow a trailer, it is necessary to carry out periodic maintenance of the vehicle in accordance with the regulations typical for intense operating conditions (see Chapter Settings and ongoing maintenance).



The additional load on the vehicle increases even more when operating the road train in hilly terrain. When overcoming long climbs, carefully monitor the engine temperature using the pointer on the dashboard. When the pointer approaches the overheating zone, turn off the air conditioner (if equipped and turned on) and continue driving. If the engine coolant temperature does not decrease or continues to increase, stop on the side of the road and let the engine cool down. Note: The air conditioner should also be turned off when rapidly increasing speed on a descent when driving in hilly or mountainous terrain. If the engine coolant temperature constantly increases when driving in second gear, reduce the speed below 60 km/h.

When driving in hilly or mountainous terrain, the automatic transmission may experience cyclic shifting between third and fourth gears. In this case, shift to the low range "D3" to prevent overheating and excessive wear of the AT friction components. To avoid overheating of the brakes when driving on long descents, use engine braking. For effective engine braking, engage the low range or one of the lower stages of the automatic transmission.

When stopping the road train on an incline, do not hold it in place by pressing the gas pedal - this may lead to overheating of the AT. Use the service brake system or the parking brake.

When operating an automatic transmission in manual mode, use third, second and first gears, depending on the vehicle speed and road conditions. When towing a trailer, do not engage fourth gear. The Specifications provide recommended speed ranges for using the various gears of the transmission.

When parking a road train for a long period of time, especially on a descent or ascent, take all precautions to ensure reliable braking of the vehicle and trailer. Turn the front wheels of the vehicle so that when the road train rolls down, they rest against the curb. Fully apply the parking brake and move the range selector lever to the "P" position. On models equipped with a manual transmission, engage first or reverse gear. Additionally, place wheel chocks under both wheels of the trailer.

Driving a road train in reverse presents certain difficulties and requires special skills and training from the driver. Reverse carefully and slowly, do not turn the steering wheel too quickly. When maneuvering in reverse in confined spaces, it is useful to have someone standing outside to monitor the movements of the trailer and direct your actions. Keep in mind that when you turn the steering wheel clockwise (to the right), the trailer moves to the left, and vice versa. When maneuvering a road train in reverse, it is recommended to hold the steering wheel rim from below (and not from above, as is usual when moving forward). With this grip, the usual correspondence between the direction of rotation of the steering wheel and the movement of the trailer is maintained: moving your hand to the left leads to the trailer turning to the left and vice versa.

(The original text of the article is located on the website «hondabook»)