Towing With Prius?

Hytec · 08-13-2004, 04:01 PM

I've read a few topics that mention adding a tow hitch to a Prius. But I see nothing in the Toyota literature that addresses towing, either positively or negatively.

- Has anybody towed with a Prius?
- What, or how much weight was towed?
- What does the warranty say about towing?
- Can Toyota cancel the warranty if a tow hitch is installed?

Thanks, Hank

shocker · 08-13-2004, 04:07 PM

I remember the owner's manual mentioning this. I will try and find the page numbers.

Frank Hudon · 08-13-2004, 04:36 PM

tow hitches are installed on lots of Priu's and most are used for other than towing trailers. The Prius has a load capacity of about 800Lbs, people, luggage, fuel, etc. If the trailer you tow weighs 150 lbs and the load you put in it is 450 lbs that equals 600Lbs. and if you weigh 175 lbs that leaves you 50lbs for fuel, at about 7.5 Lbs per gallon you can carry about 6.5 gallons. That said if you burn out the MG2 and you car has a trailer hitch on it I'm sure your going to be in for a rough time trying to get warranty. If the water pump goes or a wiper motor burns out I don't think the trailer hitch will have anything to do about it. So why would Toyota care one way or the other. That said you change the mounting bolts to studs and take the hitch off when not in use. Mount the tow/hold down hooks back on and most dealers would never find the difference. Stud for the simple reason that screwing the bolts in and out eventually wears out the threads whereas studs you just change them. I personally have never towed more than about 200 lbs in my 125lb trailer on my home made hitch thats now in the basement. Lots of people tow with the Prius no one will admit to it here but they do on YG.

naterprius · 08-13-2004, 07:22 PM

I think you could successfully tow an inflatable raft through the city (high speed would increase drag).

I'm very curious to see if towing specs for Hylander are the same as the ICElander.

Nate

Brian · 08-14-2004, 12:44 AM

You MUST not tow anything with your Prius. Do NOT. It isn't good with a Prius. I have the Coastal Tech's hitch installed on my Prius and it is specifically only for bike carriers and things like it. It has something to do with ruining the Hybrid System. It says driectly on the page as follows:
Quote taken from Coastal E Tech's Receiver Hitch site.

Quote:

**NOTE: As Toyota does not recommend towing by the Prius, Coastal Electronic Technologies intends the use of its' receiver hitches for bike racks and related accessories and not for towing.**

DaveinOlyWA · 08-14-2004, 03:29 AM

the weight of a trailer wouldnt be the same as cargo weight. and why would you tow something anyway??

i wouldnt tow something with a corolla, so shy with a Prius?... although i did know this guy who towed a bike trailer with his car. i have no idea how heavy the trailer was, but i do remember him saying that the trailer was a modified model that was made for the Honda goldwing motorcycle.

well, he had problems with the car (it was a civic) i think it was because the trailer was too heavy, he didnt think so... who knows?

Hytec · 08-14-2004, 08:48 AM

Thanks for all of your inputs. I'm glad to find out that the Prius should not be used for towing.

I'm also interested to learn the Prius' load capacity is 800 pounds. I guess this is reasonable for four adults. It's just that I never thought of my wife and two friends in a sedan as "carrying a load"....

However, my son will be pleased to know that his Dad is finally buying a "half-ton truck"...

Frank Hudon · 08-14-2004, 10:21 AM

ya I keep all this in mind when I'm towing my trailer.

DaveinOlyWA · 08-14-2004, 10:40 AM

cargo can be up to 845 lbs... that would be 4 rather hefty adults. although i could easily see a normal family with luggage reaching that weight.

once i had me, my sis, and 3 teenage girls who were going to band camp about 65 miles away. they all had instruments, back packs, and an overnight bag (90 % of what they were carrying was makeup and portable music however!!)

the car didnt ride like it was full at all. the power was still excellent. i could feel it just a little on some corners but i think that had to do with the fact that we got a little lost and consequently were in a bit of a hurry towards the end of the trip.

but i estimated our total weight at close to 700 lbs.

Frank Hudon · 08-14-2004, 10:36 PM

put 700 lbs in the back of a Prius verses 10% tounge weight of a 400Lb. trailer =40 lbs and the 35 lbs the hitch weighs is 75 lbs additional on the rear suspension. Whats the difference a bit of rolling resistance for the trailer tires, 700 lb internal load is more abusive to the car than a 400 lb. load in a 150 lb. trailer any day of the week.

08-13-2004, 04:01 PM	#1
Hytec Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 157 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Towing With Prius? I've read a few topics that mention adding a tow hitch to a Prius. But I see nothing in the Toyota literature that addresses towing, either positively or negatively. - Has anybody towed with a Prius? - What, or how much weight was towed? - What does the warranty say about towing? - Can Toyota cancel the warranty if a tow hitch is installed? Thanks, Hank

08-13-2004, 04:36 PM	#3
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	tow hitches are installed on lots of Priu's and most are used for other than towing trailers. The Prius has a load capacity of about 800Lbs, people, luggage, fuel, etc. If the trailer you tow weighs 150 lbs and the load you put in it is 450 lbs that equals 600Lbs. and if you weigh 175 lbs that leaves you 50lbs for fuel, at about 7.5 Lbs per gallon you can carry about 6.5 gallons. That said if you burn out the MG2 and you car has a trailer hitch on it I'm sure your going to be in for a rough time trying to get warranty. If the water pump goes or a wiper motor burns out I don't think the trailer hitch will have anything to do about it. So why would Toyota care one way or the other. That said you change the mounting bolts to studs and take the hitch off when not in use. Mount the tow/hold down hooks back on and most dealers would never find the difference. Stud for the simple reason that screwing the bolts in and out eventually wears out the threads whereas studs you just change them. I personally have never towed more than about 200 lbs in my 125lb trailer on my home made hitch thats now in the basement. Lots of people tow with the Prius no one will admit to it here but they do on YG. __________________ You can quote me on this, People who drive vehicles that idle at a traffic light, are idiots. mine 2k3 avg. 5.36 for 46,915Km Best tank 4.4L per 100K 64.2 Imperial 53.4 U.S. gallon, MiniScanner, SilverStars, block heater, winter lips, in as of Oct 15, out on April 25. In again on Sept. 21st. her's 2k4 "B" avg. 6.01 for 42,317 Km Best tank 4.02L per 100K, CAN-view with OBD11 module and flashloader, SilverStars, 06 Chrome grill bar, Michelin HydroEdge, upper and lower grill blocker,upper out as of April 7, lower out on April 28. In again on Sept 21st.

08-14-2004, 03:29 AM	#6
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,544 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	the weight of a trailer wouldnt be the same as cargo weight. and why would you tow something anyway?? i wouldnt tow something with a corolla, so shy with a Prius?... although i did know this guy who towed a bike trailer with his car. i have no idea how heavy the trailer was, but i do remember him saying that the trailer was a modified model that was made for the Honda goldwing motorcycle. well, he had problems with the car (it was a civic) i think it was because the trailer was too heavy, he didnt think so... who knows? __________________ My 2006: Last tank 463.1 miles @49.2 pump (49.4 computer) 4.22 cpm winter mpg 50.70 summer mpg 54.59 lifetime: 33,038.3 miles 52.79 mpg pump (54.04 mpg computer) 5.74 cpm My 2007 Zenn Driven 5849 miles, 2.00 cpm/ 105 mpg (at $2.05/gal), 4.04 miles/ Kwh Savings over my Prius $300.79 The Corolla...567.79 The REAL SAVINGS from not driving Corolla 657.39 +Prius= 958.18 (excludes maintenance costs...would be unfair to ICE vehicles) My Plate: DUALPWR (Dual Power)

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08-13-2004, 04:07 PM	#2
shocker Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Northeast Posts: 87 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I remember the owner's manual mentioning this. I will try and find the page numbers.

08-13-2004, 07:22 PM	#4
naterprius Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,830 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I think you could successfully tow an inflatable raft through the city (high speed would increase drag). I'm very curious to see if towing specs for Hylander are the same as the ICElander. Nate

08-14-2004, 08:48 AM	#7
Hytec Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 157 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Thanks for all of your inputs. I'm glad to find out that the Prius should not be used for towing. I'm also interested to learn the Prius' load capacity is 800 pounds. I guess this is reasonable for four adults. It's just that I never thought of my wife and two friends in a sedan as "carrying a load".... However, my son will be pleased to know that his Dad is finally buying a "half-ton truck"...

08-14-2004, 10:21 AM	#8
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	ya I keep all this in mind when I'm towing my trailer.

08-14-2004, 10:40 AM	#9
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,544 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	cargo can be up to 845 lbs... that would be 4 rather hefty adults. although i could easily see a normal family with luggage reaching that weight. once i had me, my sis, and 3 teenage girls who were going to band camp about 65 miles away. they all had instruments, back packs, and an overnight bag (90 % of what they were carrying was makeup and portable music however!!) the car didnt ride like it was full at all. the power was still excellent. i could feel it just a little on some corners but i think that had to do with the fact that we got a little lost and consequently were in a bit of a hurry towards the end of the trip. but i estimated our total weight at close to 700 lbs.

08-14-2004, 10:36 PM	#10
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	put 700 lbs in the back of a Prius verses 10% tounge weight of a 400Lb. trailer =40 lbs and the 35 lbs the hitch weighs is 75 lbs additional on the rear suspension. Whats the difference a bit of rolling resistance for the trailer tires, 700 lb internal load is more abusive to the car than a 400 lb. load in a 150 lb. trailer any day of the week.