2015 Honda Fit

[chili_s_trip]

In case there was any doubt: from the 2015 Honda Fit owners manual.
pg 309
automatic transmission(CVT)models
Towing Your Vehicle
Your vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motorhome.

What a disappointment!
Jack H

[pierandpatti]

deleted

[Butch50]

pierandpatti wrote:
YES! 2015 HONDA FIT - MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS TOWABLE. Page 308 of the 2015 Honda Fit Owner's Manual specifically states how to tow the 2015 MANUAL TRANSMISSION Honda Fit behind a motorhome. See http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AH/A5A1515OM/enu/5A1515OM.pdf#page=309

Nobody is disputing that the manual is towable this thread is about the automatics no longer being 4 down towable.

[pierandpatti]

YES! 2015 HONDA FIT - MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS TOWABLE. Page 308 of the 2015 Honda Fit Owner's Manual specifically states how to tow the 2015 MANUAL TRANSMISSION Honda Fit behind a motorhome. See http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AH/A5A1515OM/enu/5A1515OM.pdf#page=309

[jasion]

chili's trip wrote:

gemsworld wrote:
Expect more vehicles with CVTs to hit the market due to better fuel economy compared to traditional transmissions. Unfortunately, CVTs can't be towed.

I have read that the 2015 Honda CRV will have a CVT. What a revolting development that will be to a lot of RVers. Thanks
Jack H

Yes, All New Honda CRV used CVT transmission, in some Asian country FIT aka Jazz also opt in manual / CVT transmission

[willald]

chili's trip wrote:
It must be one of few Ford autos that hasn't had a transmission problem towing.

Ford's eCVT tranny used in their hybrids has been around and been used in their hybrids for several years, with no issues, ever, related to flat towing.

The transmissions used in a few of their other (non-hybrid) vehicles, is where they've had flat towing issues. That was/is part of why we went with the hybrid.

As far as towing procedures, making a buying decision based on having to idle 3 minutes in neutral every 8 hours or "go" doesn't compute.

Some of the procedures I've read for some vehicles, its more like, having to stop and idle 5-10 minutes every 4 hours. Either way, its something I did NOT want to have to deal with.

Also, you forgot some other PITA 'procedures' necessary for some vehicles, that you don't have to with Ford hybrids:

1. Disconnect battery
2. Pulling various fuses
3. Having to run shift lever through various, peculiar shift 'patterns' before towing.

The CVTs I have driven or read about are mush buckets like my Moped! Hopefully they have improved. Thanks.
Jack H

Older belt-driven CVTs, I agree were not so hot. However, the eCVT Ford uses, from what I can tell is a whole different, much better animal.

[chili_s_trip]

willald wrote:

kyhawk wrote:
We've been towing our Escape Hybrid with CVT for 6 years, so I'd disagree with the blanket statement that CVT's can't be towed. It seems to be a matter of design. You have to check the owners manual.

..You beat me to it. Indeed, Ford's eCVT transmission they use in their hybrids is flat towable, and has been for several years, without any known issues with it, ever.

That was one of the main reasons we got our Ford Fusion hybrid 'bout a year ago. 'Twas one of the most simple, easiest automatic tranny vehicles for flat towing that we could find. No fuses to pull, no battery disconnect, no crazy procedures requiring you to stop and run the engine every so often, no crazy, unique shift pattern to go through before towing. None of that. Just hitch it up, put it in neutral and go, basically.

Would not surprise me at all, if we start seeing more and more CVT transmissions instead of geared transmissions. CVT is soo much more smooth and efficient, IMO.

Its unfortunate that us MH owners that want to flat tow are such a tiny percentage of the auto buying population, that fewer and fewer options are out there for us.

It must be one of few Ford autos that hasn't had a transmission problem towing. As far as towing procedures, making a buying decision based on having to idle 3 minutes in neutral every 8 hours or "go" doesn't compute. The CVTs I have driven or read about are mush buckets like my Moped! Hopefully they have improved. Thanks.
Jack H

[willald]

gemsworld wrote:
"Not that it matters - Bean Counters will tell Engineering to do what helps Bottom Line - But - How many LIKE CVT's???"

It has nothing to do with bean counters and everything to do with better fuel mileage.

I purchased a new 2014 Honda Accord last October with a CVT and any reservations I had about the CVT quickly disappeared.

I just returned from a 500 mile round trip and I got 42 MPG going one way and 35 MPG going the opposite direction. Did I mention I was driving 74 to 75 MPH on the highway? Those MPG numbers are pretty close to hybrid MPG numbers and I didn't have to spend thousands of dollars more for a hybrid model.

Yes, once you drive a CVT vehicle for a while, you won't want anything else. Its amazing how much more efficiently and smoothly it uses the engine's power, keeping the engine at the perfect RPM range for how much load it is under without any 'shifting', ever.

We spent the extra $$ for the hybrid not so much for the mileage, but for how easy it was to flat tow. Mileage was just an added bonus making it even more worth the extra $$.

[Community Alumni]

"Not that it matters - Bean Counters will tell Engineering to do what helps Bottom Line - But - How many LIKE CVT's???"

It has nothing to do with bean counters and everything to do with better fuel mileage.

I purchased a new 2014 Honda Accord last October with a CVT and any reservations I had about the CVT quickly disappeared.

I just returned from a 500 mile round trip and I got 42 MPG going one way and 35 MPG going the opposite direction. Did I mention I was driving 74 to 75 MPH on the highway? Those MPG numbers are pretty close to hybrid MPG numbers and I didn't have to spend thousands of dollars more for a hybrid model.

[willald]

kyhawk wrote:
We've been towing our Escape Hybrid with CVT for 6 years, so I'd disagree with the blanket statement that CVT's can't be towed. It seems to be a matter of design. You have to check the owners manual.

..You beat me to it. Indeed, Ford's eCVT transmission they use in their hybrids is flat towable, and has been for several years, without any known issues with it, ever.

That was one of the main reasons we got our Ford Fusion hybrid 'bout a year ago. 'Twas one of the most simple, easiest automatic tranny vehicles for flat towing that we could find. No fuses to pull, no battery disconnect, no crazy procedures requiring you to stop and run the engine every so often, no crazy, unique shift pattern to go through before towing. None of that. Just hitch it up, put it in neutral and go, basically.

Would not surprise me at all, if we start seeing more and more CVT transmissions instead of geared transmissions. CVT is soo much more smooth and efficient, IMO.

Its unfortunate that us MH owners that want to flat tow are such a tiny percentage of the auto buying population, that fewer and fewer options are out there for us.

[kyhawk]

We've been towing our Escape Hybrid with CVT for 6 years, so I'd disagree with the blanket statement that CVT's can't be towed. It seems to be a matter of design. You have to check the owners manual.

[j-d]

Particularly if CR-V continues to NOT have a manual transmission available.
Not that it matters - Bean Counters will tell Engineering to do what helps Bottom Line - But - How many LIKE CVT's???
I'll wager CVT's are also less expensive to build than one with real gears.

[chili_s_trip]

gemsworld wrote:
Expect more vehicles with CVTs to hit the market due to better fuel economy compared to traditional transmissions. Unfortunately, CVTs can't be towed.

I have read that the 2015 Honda CRV will have a CVT. What a revolting development that will be to a lot of RVers. Thanks
Jack H

[chili_s_trip]

golfknut wrote:
Chili's Trip: Have you had any issues towing your 2009 Fit?

We tow a 2009 Fit Sport and have had no issues so far, although we haven't towed it a lot.

We did meet a couple in Florida last winter who tow an '08 and had to have their transmission replaced. He said he performed the "pre-towing procedure" religiously.

I have towed the car close to 30,000 miles and driven 65,000 with out a problem. I have changed the fluid every 25,000 as required for towed Fits and also have been very careful. Especially the warning about not shifting from reverse into neutral then towing. The car tows beautifully. This the first I have heard about a Fit with a auto trans problem. I love the car! Good luck.

[Community Alumni]

Expect more vehicles with CVTs to hit the market due to better fuel economy compared to traditional transmissions. Unfortunately, CVTs can't be towed.