Can 2019 Honda Accord Manual Transmission Be Flat Towed

Question:

I have a 2019 Honda Accord. The owners manner only refers to towing the vehicle in emergency conditions. It states that it is acceptable to tow the car with the front wheels up in an emergency situation. I was under the impression that ALL front wheel drive cars could be safely towed with the front wheels up and the rear wheels touching the ground. Could you please clarify? Thank You.

asked by: Richard F

Expert Reply:

I pulled up the owners manual of your 2019 Honda Accord and Honda specifies that only manual transmission models should be flat towed behind a motorhome. I'd agree that it seems any FWD vehicle SHOULD be flat-towable but since we aren't the ones who would honor the warranty of your Accord we have to recommend you stick with Honda's recommendation.

For a base plate kit that fits the Sport models of the 2019 Honda Accord with a manual transmission we have the Roadmaster part # RM-521572-4.

In addition to the base plates, you will also need a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow your vehicle. The most popular compatible tow bar is the Falcon All Terain, # RM-522. This has non-binding arms which makes the setup very easy to connect/disconnect.

For lighting/safety cables, locks, and covers for the tow bar we have the Roadmaster Falcon All Terrain kit part # RM-9243-1 which comes with all of that as one part number. The diode kit that comes with this allows you to splice into the taillight wiring so that your RV controls the vehicle taillights and does not require drilling into the taillight housings. This comes with a round 6-way connector that you will install on the front of your towed vehicle and enough coiled wire to go from there to the RV.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking in the vehicle being flat towed. The easiest system to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR, that applies the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Most likely you will also need a high low adapter so that the tow bar will be level when you are flat towing. I attached a link to a page that has all of the ones we carry.

I have included a couple of helpful links to our articles on flat towing for you. Be sure to consult the vehicle owners manual for more specific information on flat towing your vehicle.