How to Tow a Honda Civic With a Dolly

There are many reasons to tow a Honda Civic on a tow dolly. A tow dolly is designed to pull a vehicle behind another vehicle with the idle wheels -- non-driving wheels -- on the the ground and the driving wheels off the ground. Some vehicles require a long process to prepare the vehicle for towing on a dolly. The Civic, however, has a very straightforward towing process when using a dolly and requires no special preparation.

Things You'll Need

  • Assistant
  • Park the tow dolly and the Civic on a flat surface. Position the Civic about 8 to 10 feet behind the rear of the dolly.

  • Grab the dolly's ramps and pull them outward until they are fully extended and lay them on the ground.

  • Enter the Civic and start the ignition.

  • Place the vehicle in "Drive" for automatic or "First Gear" if operating a standard transmission and slowly drive towards the ramps, using your assistant to guide you.

  • Continue driving up the ramps, with the guidance of your assistant.

  • Stop the Civic when your guide tells you that you have reached the dolly's platform, the area where the car's front wheels set in.

  • Place the Civic in "Neutral," set the parking brake, turn the ignition off and exit the Civic.

  • Place the dolly's ratcheting straps over the Civic's wheels, as instructed in the dolly's instructions. Tighten the straps using the ratchets until the vehicle's front wheels are secure.

  • Remove the key from the Civic's ignition, place the Civic's gear selector in "Park" if equipped with an automatic or "First" if equipped with a manual transmission and release the parking brake.

  • Accelerate and stop slowly and evenly, as hard acceleration or braking can cause damage to the towing vehicle.

  • Negotiate tight turns carefully, as the tow dolly will take turns slightly tighter than the towing vehicle. Pay close attention to your side view mirrors when in tight turns.