Towing A Trailer - Honda Civic Owner's Manual

Your vehicle has been designed to
primarily carry passengers and their
cargo. You can also use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
before starting to drive.
Load Limits
Total Trailer Weight: The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everthing in or on it must
not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg).
Towing a load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.

Towing a Trailer

Tongue Load: The weight that the
tongue of a fully-loaded trailer puts
on the hitch should be approximately
10 percent of the total trailer weight.
Too much tongue load reduces front-
tire traction and steering control.
Too little tongue load can make the
trailer unstable and cause it to sway.
CONTINUED
173