Best practices for towing a Prius?

sdp40f500 · 11-01-2007, 08:32 PM

OK, call it the German in me, but I'm trying to plan ahead for the possibility that some day my 2008 Prius will need to take a ride on a tow truck. Reading the manual, I'm told not to tow it with a "sling-type truck" (apparently due to clearance issues and possible body damage), but it's OK to tow with a wheel-lift type truck (one accompanying diagram shows just the front wheels off the ground, the next shows towing from the back with the back wheels up and the fronts wheels on a wheel dolly). On the next page, I'm told "To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission, never tow this vehicle with any of the wheels in contact with the ground," which kind of contradicts using a wheel-lift type truck on a forward-facing tow. That leaves a flat bed truck.

So, your dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree and it looks like you'll need a tow. You call AAA and tell them ... what? You have a Prius, nudge-nudge wink-wink? You definitely need a flat bed? Have the driver bring his dolly (do tow trucks even carry such things routinely)?

Having read other posts about cars getting towed has made me a bit paranoid, and it doesn't help that the manual wasn't written by a native English speaker!

Thanks.

Jim

Ichabod · 11-01-2007, 08:39 PM

The manual is unclear about it, but basically it's not anything new. The transmission is essentially always "in gear" so you can't tow with the front wheels down. The rear wheels are held tight by the parking brake (you do use the parking brake, right?!

). So as long as the front wheels are up and the parking brake is released, towing is fine. I don't know about your area, but I haven't seen a sling-style tow truck in years, so I don't worry about that.

I had my Prius towed not too long ago, but not because it broke down

... grumble grumble... stupid NYC and their stupid ever-vigilant parking cops...

Anyway, the Prius was not hideously deformed by that, so don't worry about it!

Boo · 11-01-2007, 09:08 PM

And if you're stuck in a deep ditch or something where first you have to be pulled out with a rope or chain, then you'll have to open the trunk, pull out the screw-in towing eye (or whatever you call it), remove the round tow hole cover on the front bumper, and screw in the towing eye.

11-01-2007, 08:32 PM	#1
sdp40f500 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 27 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	OK, call it the German in me, but I'm trying to plan ahead for the possibility that some day my 2008 Prius will need to take a ride on a tow truck. Reading the manual, I'm told not to tow it with a "sling-type truck" (apparently due to clearance issues and possible body damage), but it's OK to tow with a wheel-lift type truck (one accompanying diagram shows just the front wheels off the ground, the next shows towing from the back with the back wheels up and the fronts wheels on a wheel dolly). On the next page, I'm told "To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission, never tow this vehicle with any of the wheels in contact with the ground," which kind of contradicts using a wheel-lift type truck on a forward-facing tow. That leaves a flat bed truck. So, your dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree and it looks like you'll need a tow. You call AAA and tell them ... what? You have a Prius, nudge-nudge wink-wink? You definitely need a flat bed? Have the driver bring his dolly (do tow trucks even carry such things routinely)? Having read other posts about cars getting towed has made me a bit paranoid, and it doesn't help that the manual wasn't written by a native English speaker! Thanks. Jim __________________ General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) Manufactured Diesel-Electric hybrids for over 70 years! Why can't the road side learn from the rail side?

11-01-2007, 08:39 PM	#2
Ichabod Artist In Residence Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newton, MA Posts: 1,793 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Friends: 7	The manual is unclear about it, but basically it's not anything new. The transmission is essentially always "in gear" so you can't tow with the front wheels down. The rear wheels are held tight by the parking brake (you do use the parking brake, right?! ). So as long as the front wheels are up and the parking brake is released, towing is fine. I don't know about your area, but I haven't seen a sling-style tow truck in years, so I don't worry about that. I had my Prius towed not too long ago, but not because it broke down ... grumble grumble... stupid NYC and their stupid ever-vigilant parking cops... Anyway, the Prius was not hideously deformed by that, so don't worry about it! __________________ 2006 Barcelona Red Metallic - a.k.a. "The Professor" :: Accessories/Mods :: BT Tech Stiffening Plate - Engine Block Heater - OEM EV button - OEM Mud guards - Rear Bumper Protector :: Near-future :: ScangaugeII

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Towing my prius behind my RV	slimwille	Gen II Prius Modifications	19	03-15-2010 06:01 PM
Coastal Electronics Technologies and their business practices	adam1991	Gen II Prius Audio and Electronics	4	03-08-2007 03:48 PM
Towing the Prius behind an RV	compwolf	Gen II Prius Technical Discussion	10	06-28-2006 03:15 AM
SE Toyota Region Practices	9G-man	Gen II Prius Main Forum	28	10-23-2005 02:26 PM
Towing the Prius	Eugene J Young	Gen II Prius Main Forum	7	08-16-2005 10:44 AM

11-01-2007, 09:08 PM	#3
Boo Boola Boola Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 4,704 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 236 Thanked 427 Times in 228 Posts Friends: 22	And if you're stuck in a deep ditch or something where first you have to be pulled out with a rope or chain, then you'll have to open the trunk, pull out the screw-in towing eye (or whatever you call it), remove the round tow hole cover on the front bumper, and screw in the towing eye.