2000 Honda Odyssey Owner's Manual - Page 219

Towing a Trailer Your Odyssey has been designed to tow a trailer, as well as for carrying passengers and their cargo. To safely tow a trailer, you must observe the load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in this section. Load Limits Total Trailer Weight: As shown in the load limits table, how much weight you can tow is limited by the number of occupants in your vehicle and whether or not you have installed a transmission fluid cooler. (See page 220 for information about transmission fluid coolers.) Towing a load that is too heavy can seriously affect your vehicle's handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and drivetrain. *: Including driver. Based on 150 Ibs (70 kg) per occupant. * *: Weight limited to avoid exceeding rear GAWR (see page 219). Tongue Load: The weight that the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer puts on the hitch should be approximately 10 percent of the trailer weight. Too little tongue load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much tongue load reduces front-tire traction and steering control. To achieve a proper tongue load, start by loading 60 percent of the load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then readjust the load as needed. Driving