Standard Procedure
DO NOT use sling-type equipment when towing. When securing the vehicle to a flatbed truck, do not attach to front or rear suspension components. Damage to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
Towing this vehicle in violation of the below requirements can cause severe transmission damage. Damage from improper towing is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
This article describes procedures for towing a disabled vehicle using a commercial wrecker service.
Vehicles equipped with Quadra-Lift must be placed in Transport mode, before tying them down (from the body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to the information on Quadra-Lift for more information. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode (for example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fastened to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow these instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or cause loss of proper tie-down tension.
| Towing Condition | Wheels OFF the Ground | Two-Wheel Drive Models | Four-Wheel Drive Models Without 4WD LOW Range | Four-Wheel Drive Models With 4WD LOW Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Tow | NONE | IF transmission is operable:
|
NOT ALLOWED | See Instructions
|
| Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow | Front | NOT ALLOWED | NOT ALLOWED | |
| Rear | OK | NOT ALLOWED | NOT ALLOWED | |
| On Trailer | ALL | BEST METHOD | OK | BEST METHOD |
Towing A Disabled Vehicle
- Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other equipment designed for this purpose, following equipment manufacturer's instructions. Use of safety chains is mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to main structural members of the vehicle, not to bumpers or associated brackets. State and local laws regarding vehicles under tow must be observed.
- If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.) while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN position, not the ACC position.
Two-Wheel Drive Models
- The manufacturer recommends towing your vehicle with all four wheels OFF the ground using a flatbed.
- If flatbed equipment is not available, and the transmission is operable, the vehicle may be towed (with rear wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
- The transmission must be in NEUTRAL. Refer to "Manual Park Release" in this article for instructions on shifting the transmission to NEUTRAL when the engine is off.
- The towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
- The towing distance must not exceed 30 miles (48 km).
If the transmission is not operable, or the vehicle must be towed faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or farther than 30 miles (48 km), tow with the rear wheels OFF the ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the vehicle on a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised and the rear wheels on a towing dolly, or (when using a suitable steering wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels in the straight position) with the rear wheels raised and the front wheels on the ground.
Four-Wheel Drive Models
- The manufacturer recommends towing with all wheels OFF
the ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the vehicle on a flatbed or with one end of vehicle raised and the opposite end on a towing dolly.
If flatbed equipment is not available, and the transfer case is operable, vehicles with a two-speed transfer case may be towed (in the forward direction, with ALL wheels on the ground), IF the transfer case is in NEUTRAL (N) and the transmission is in PARK . Refer to "Recreational Towing" in "Starting And Operating" for detailed instructions.
Vehicles equipped with a single-speed transfer case have no NEUTRAL position, and therefore must be towed with all four wheels OFF the ground.