Towing A Trailer - Honda Pilot Owner's Manual

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Towing a Trailer

Your vehicle has been designed to
tow a trailer, as well as carrying
passengers and their cargo. To
safely tow a trailer, you should
carefully observe the load limits (see
page 199 ), use the proper equipment,
and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Be sure to read the
Off-Highway
section on page
Driving Guidelines
230 if you plan to tow off paved
surfaces.
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.
220
Table Of Contents
Load Limits
Total Trailer Weight:
allowable weight of the trailer and
everything in or on it depends on the
number of occupants in your vehicle
and the type of trailer being towed
(see page 223
Towing a trailer that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain.
The maximum
).
2008 Pilot
The weight that the
Tongue Load:
tongue of a fully loaded trailer puts
on the hitch should be 5 to 10
percent of the total trailer weight for
boat trailers, and 8 to 15 percent of
total trailer weight for all other
trailers. (See page 223 for limits for
your towing situation). 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.