What gear should an automatic transmission tow truck use?
2 Answers
An automatic transmission tow truck should be in N (Neutral) gear. Below are some relevant introductions about tow trucks: 1. The meaning of a tow truck: The full name of a tow truck is a road clearance vehicle, also known as a tow truck, road rescue vehicle, or towing vehicle. It has multiple functions such as lifting, pulling, and towing. Tow trucks are mainly used for road breakdown vehicles, urban traffic violation vehicles, and emergency rescue operations. 2. Precautions for towing: The color of the tow truck should be bright, preferably a warning color that can alert others. Reflective strips can be applied during night towing to remind passing vehicles. During towing, it is necessary to maintain good communication with the vehicle being towed, requiring close coordination between the two vehicles to control a safe distance. The tow rope should not be too short, as the vehicle being towed already has issues. If the tow rope is too short, sudden braking can easily lead to a rear-end collision between the two vehicles.
I've been driving for over a decade and often help friends with towing. When towing an automatic transmission vehicle, it's essential to shift to neutral (N position). Using P position for towing is a major mistake because it has an internal locking mechanism—forcing towing in this position can damage the transmission gears. Once on the highway, my friend's SUV had a flat tire, and he towed it in P position. After just a few hundred meters, the transmission seized up, costing over ten thousand yuan in repairs. The correct procedure is simple: shift to N position before towing, turn off the engine, and rotate the key to the auxiliary position to allow steering wheel movement. Different models may have specific requirements—for example, four-wheel-drive vehicles are best towed on a flatbed to avoid wear, while front-wheel-drive vehicles can safely be towed in N position. Keep towing speed moderate to prevent losing control on downhill slopes. I always check the owner's manual for details before towing—it's both safe and cost-effective.
