Latest Saturn horror story

Philip Nasadowski > wrote in message >...
> In article >,
> (misterfact) wrote:
>
> > I tow my saturn behind my r.v. the dealer never told me I had to
> > balance and rotate my tires. every 6000 miles.
> > the transmission was destroyed they told me it was my fault.
>
> Huh?
>
> Standard text in ANY car owner's manual - do not tow the car on all 4
> wheels. In fact, it's bad for any car out there, and murderous to any
> *automatic* transmission car.
>
> Because the transmission doesn't get lubrication when the motor's not
> running - the engine spins the tranny's oil pump.
>
> The simple fact is, and RV heads absolutely hate hearing this, but the
> only safe way to tow a car is either with a dolly that keeps the drive
> wheels off the ground, or with the halfshafts out. Spinning the
> transmission via the drivesshaft for hours on end at high speed, without
> the engine running to keep the pump going, will destory ANY automatic
> out there, and is bad for most manuals too.
>
> No car company covers dammage from intentional use. I'm failing to see
> how this is a 'horror story'....


The horror story happens because the facts are hidden IN FINE PRINT
somewhere in the middle of the owners manual! Besides- common sense
says that when any car is put in NEUTRAL the wheels are dis-engaged
from the transmission. So why should the trans be affected at all? We
all see cars being towed with 4 wheels on the pavement and conditioned
to believe it can't hart any car! So thanks for the information but
don't expect Saturn to put a bold sticker on the dashboard informing
owners of this!