2006 Honda Pilot as a Toad

[Ron]

I have a 2006 Honda Pilot. Can this be towed? The owners manual doesn't give me much comfort in using it as a tow vehicle.

[Gary Carmichael]

Ron, I had a 2005 pilot and towed it a couple years, The only problem with it was the battery would run down, but that was because of the way the RV shop wired it. Jeep and Tahoe are very good and easy!

[merle&louise]

Ron,

I have a Honda Pilot 2005 which I have towed 4 wheels down for 7 years ~ no problems.

1. With the engine idling, make sure the last gear selection is DRIVE then put it in neutral and turn off the engine and turn the key to the first notch. Turn off the radio and AC.
2. Make sure the steering wheel can be turned
3. Drive 65 mph and after about 8 hours stop and start the Honda and run thru the gears MAKING SURE THAT THE LAST GEAR YOU SELECT BEFORE NEUTRAL IS DRIVE.

That's it!

Just give Honda a call or look in your owner's manual under RV towing. I'm not sure what year Honda discontinued towing the Pilot.

It's a great little car; I have 219,000 miles on mine and I plan on keeping it a few more years.:D

[Ron]

Ok thanks for the info!

[travelite]

A 2006 Pilot has been my toad for 6 years. No problems. Tuga's got the recipe.

[DonS]

Is there a reason that a new Pilot cannot be towed, four wheels down?

[merle&louise]

Don,

I really don't know. All I have heard is that Honda wants RVers to use their Honda C/RV for towing. I am not sure if the transmission is different from the Pilot or what. I plan to keep mine for a few more years unless I have trouble with it.

When it comes time for a new toad, I will get the Pilot and have a REMCO transmission oil transfer pump installed. I like the size of the Pilot; the C/RV is too small for my needs. It is a pretty little thing, but I just like something a little larger.

[Ray Davis]

Honda used to say that the Pilot was towable. They rescinded that either in 2005 or 2006. From what I understand the transmissions are just the same, but some owners burned things up, not following instructions, and they don't want to be liable.

There is a very specific procedure you need to follow before you tow, and about every 250-300 miles thereafter.

Ray

[merle&louise]

Ray,

Excellent point! My 2005 Honda Pilot owner's manual states that it is o.k. to tow @ 65 mph for 8 hours. Then the engine needs to be started and shifted thru the gears (P, R, D, then N) for a couple of minutes, then you can drive another 8 hours. MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE LAST GEAR YOU SELECT IS DRIVE THEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL!

You are correct about some owners not following the procedure and burning up transmissions. I suppose Honda got tired of the arguements with customers who didn't follow procedure.

Does anyone tow a Honda C/RV? What procedure does Honda recommend for towing the C/RV?

I wonder if it has the same transmission that is in the Pilot?

[Ron]

I'm feeling better about towing my 2006 Pilot. Uhm, I would hate have to tell my wife that after installing a brand new Blue Ox Aventa tow hitch, that i didn't look in the owners manual and we can't pull the thing....oops!

[Ray Davis]

Tuga, you missed one extremely, EXTREMELY important point in the shifting of the gears. DO NOT shift into neutral from reverse!!!!. Honda was very specific about that. Run from Park down the gears to Low, and back up through DRIVE to NEUTRAL. That is the only acceptable pattern.

[merle&louise]

Tuga, you missed one extremely, EXTREMELY important point in the shifting of the gears. DO NOT shift into neutral from reverse!!!!. Honda was very specific about that. Run from Park down the gears to Low, and back up through DRIVE to NEUTRAL. That is the only acceptable pattern.

You're right Ray, my bad! That was a biggie; I am going to edit my post just in case someone reads it and not the remaining posts. Thanks again for pointing that out!

[Ray Davis]

Good idea since these comments fell onto the next page ....

[DonS]

Forgot to ask if the Pilots were FWD or AWD? Also, if you install a pump does it matter? Would this be true for other toads?

[merle&louise]

DonS,

My 2005 Honda Pilot is FWD. If the front wheels start to spin (mud, snow, ice, etc.) then the back wheels automatically engage so that you have 4 WD. There is a button on the dash that will engage all 4 wheels. Mine is not AWD.

Check with Honda about installing the transmission pump; I don't know how that would work. I do have to change the oil in the VTM-4 periodically.

I think that Honda Pilots can be ordered with only FWD! This would be the ticket if you are buying new. My next Pilot will only have FWD if it can be ordered that way. I have never used the 4WD feature; of course, I live in south Louisiana.