Towing A Trailer - Honda 2005 Element Owner's Manual

Main Menu Table of Contents
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.
Be sure to read the
Driving Off-
Highway Guidelines section
157 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.
Load Limits
on page
Total Trailer Weight:
maximum allowable weight of the
trailer and everything in or on it
must not exceed 1,500 lbs (680 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.
The Tongue Load:
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.

Towing a Trailer

The weight that
CONTINUED
149