If you have a car that needs towing, it’s important to understand what steps can help prevent damage to your car. Towing a car in a parking lot is known to cause some damage to important components, especially if the car has an automatic transmission. When towing in a parking lot, the drive wheels can slip, which can damage the tires as well as the linkage back to their transmission. Here’s our overview of towing a car in a parking lot or with the emergency brake on, and what you can do to avoid costly damage.
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How To Tow A Car In Park?
Towing a vehicle in the park has a high chance of damaging some of its components, which requires very careful precautions to be done safely.
If your car is equipped with an automatic transmission system, allowing the wheels to roll on the ground can cause the mechanical lock to break. So the best way is to put the car in neutral or tow it on the flatbed of the trailer.
Whether it’s a four-wheel-drive car or an all-wheel-drive car, different problems arise. Therefore, for a 4WD vehicle, the rear prop shaft should be removed and the rear wheels dragged to the ground.
Alternatively, you can switch it to two-wheel drive, which will allow you to tow it at even highway speeds.
Also Read: How Do Tow Trucks Tow Cars in Park?
Is It Safe To Tow A Car In Park?
Yes, it is safe to tow a vehicle in the park as long as the manufacturer’s instructions are strictly followed.
Conversely, doing so can cause serious damage to some of its components if you’re not careful enough. For example, the mechanical locks in the transmission of an autonomous car in a parking lot can be damaged if it is towed with its wheels on the ground.
What To Use To Tow A Car Into The Park?
First and foremost, if you want to tow a car safely in the park, you should make sure its drive wheels are off the road to protect some of its vital parts. Therefore, you will need a flatbed service for a trailer or trailer
Likewise, you may also need to disconnect the driveshaft of the rear wheel before pulling it off the ground. If you ensure these conditions, you can tow safely in the parked position.
What Can Happen When You Tow Your Car Incorrectly
There are many reasons why your vehicle may need towing. Maybe you’re moving to a new city, taking your car on a trip, or it broke down on the side of the road. Whatever the reason, it’s important to follow the correct guidelines to properly tow your vehicle. Often, people choose to tow the vehicle themselves, but may not know how to do so safely. Improper towing can cause a variety of problems resulting in serious damage to the vehicle. Whether you hire a professional towing company or do it yourself, it’s important to use special precautions for the following reasons.
- Appearance damage
If the vehicle is not properly attached, cosmetic damage may result, including external scratches, dents, dents, and wheel and tire damage. While these issues may not affect the performance of the vehicle, repair costs are still high. Even if you are using a towing service, you should always pay close attention to make sure they connect your vehicle to the towing vehicle correctly to avoid cosmetic damage to your car.
- Mechanical problems and transmission damage
In addition to cosmetic damage, incorrect towing methods can lead to more serious problems such as mechanical and transmission damage. For the most part, vehicles with manual transmissions are fairly easy to tow, even over long distances. However, it gets a little complicated when dealing with automatic transmissions. Significant damage can be caused if a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission is towed with all wheels on the ground. Likewise, all-wheel drive vehicles require special precautions. In most cases, it is recommended to remove the rear prop shaft and tow the vehicle with the rear wheels on the ground to prevent damage to the transmission. There is also a risk of damage to the manual transmission if the manual transmission is towed while the vehicle is in the “park” position These vehicles can only be towed in “neutral”. Conversely, when the vehicle is in “neutral,” the automatic transmission doesn’t disengage, and traction can force the transmission to move in the wrong direction. Improper towing methods can cause serious damage to the vehicle, ultimately resulting in costly repairs. Therefore, it is important to have a clear understanding of the specific specifications of the vehicle before attempting to tow it. By following the correct guidelines and taking the necessary precautions, you can tow your vehicle safely. Before attempting to tow a vehicle, or even if you are hiring a towing company, make sure you have the correct towing equipment and make sure the person towing the vehicle pays special attention to the car’s specifications.
Conclusion
Towing a car may be required for several reasons. However, it should not be forgotten that towing requires great attention and adherence to the manufacturer’s recommendations if unnecessary damage to some important components must be avoided.
Specifically, in most cases, you’ll want to ensure that the vehicle’s drive wheels are lifted off the ground during towing to protect the drivetrain.
All in all, most of the time, if you’re not sure about the basics, it’s best to tow your vehicle with a trailer flatbed. When towing in this way, the risk of possible damage to the vehicle’s driveline is substantially avoided.
