Towing Your Own Car: Why It Usually Goes Wrong
Short answer: Towing your own car goes wrong for reasons most people do not anticipate. With the engine off, your power brakes lose vacuum after one or two pedal presses and your steering becomes extremely heavy, so the person in the towed vehicle has almost no ability to stop or steer. Automatic transmissions can be damaged when towed on their drive wheels without the engine running. All wheel drive vehicles can be damaged with any wheels on the ground. And most insurance policies do not cover what happens during a self-tow.
Towing a car looks straightforward. Hook it up, drive slowly, done.
The reality is that a towed vehicle behaves nothing like a driven one, and the failure modes are not obvious until you are already moving. This guide covers what actually goes wrong, the situations where DIY towing is genuinely fine, and what to do instead.
What This Guide Covers
- What goes wrong mechanically
- The rope and strap problem
- Insurance and liability
- Alberta requirements
- When DIY towing is actually fine
- What to do instead
What Goes Wrong Mechanically
Your brakes stop working
This is the one almost nobody knows, and it is the most dangerous.
Power brakes rely on engine vacuum. With the engine off, the brake booster holds enough vacuum for roughly one or two pedal presses. After that, stopping the car requires enormous physical force on the pedal, and the effective braking distance increases dramatically.
Someone sitting in a towed vehicle believing they can brake if something goes wrong is mistaken. They largely cannot.
Your steering goes heavy
Same principle. Power steering is driven by the engine. With it off, turning the wheel at low speed takes real physical effort, and precise control becomes difficult exactly when you need it, such as following the tow vehicle through a corner.
Transmission damage
Automatic transmissions are lubricated by a pump driven by the engine. Tow an automatic on its drive wheels with the engine off and the internal components turn without lubrication.
Most owner’s manuals specify this directly, including maximum towing speed and distance if flat towing is permitted at all. Many modern vehicles say flat towing is not permitted under any circumstances.
All wheel drive is worse
All wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles connect all four wheels through a transfer case and differentials. Towing one with any wheels on the ground can damage the drivetrain, which is why professional operators put them on a flatbed rather than a wheel lift.
This is the single most common expensive mistake in DIY towing, because the vehicle appears to tow fine and the damage shows up later.
Suspension and body damage
Attachment points matter. Tow hooks, bumpers, and suspension components are rated for specific loads in specific directions. Rigging to the wrong point, or pulling at the wrong angle, bends things that are expensive to straighten.
The Risks Beyond Mechanics
The Rope and Strap Problem
Rope or strap towing between two vehicles is the most common DIY attempt and the one most likely to end badly.
No braking. See above. The towed vehicle cannot reliably stop, which means the tow vehicle is doing all the braking for both, and the towed car will run up on it in any hard stop.
Slack and snap. A rope that goes slack then suddenly loads can snap. Under tension, a failing strap whips with enough force to injure anyone nearby and to damage both vehicles.
Coordination. Two drivers, no communication, and one of them has degraded control. Intersections, hills, and any change in speed become genuinely hazardous.
Legality. Towing on public roads with an improvised connection may not meet requirements for lighting, connection type, or securement.
If a vehicle cannot be driven, it needs to be towed properly or recovered rather than dragged.
Insurance and Liability
This is where a bad afternoon becomes an expensive year.
Many personal auto policies do not cover damage or injury occurring during a self-tow. Coverage can be further limited if the activity is treated as commercial, or if you are working roadside without appropriate coverage.
A single incident can involve the tow vehicle, the trailer, the towed vehicle, and any third party involved, plus time off work. None of that is likely to be recoverable if your policy excludes it.
Worth checking your own policy wording before you ever consider it, rather than after.
Alberta Requirements
Towing a vehicle on Alberta roads carries obligations most people never look up.
Trailers require functioning lights, safety chains, and appropriate weight ratings. Combined vehicle and trailer weight can affect what licence class you need. Securement standards exist for a reason and are enforceable.
Confirm current requirements with Alberta Transportation before towing anything on a public road. Assuming a trailer borrowed from a friend meets them is how people end up with tickets on top of everything else.
When and How to Tow Safely
When DIY Towing Is Actually Fine
Being fair about this matters, because a blanket “never” is not true.
Short moves on private property. Repositioning a vehicle in a driveway, yard, or shop with a suitable vehicle and proper attachment points, at walking pace, off public roads.
Purpose-built equipment you own and understand. A proper trailer with working lights and chains, correctly rated for the load, and experience using it.
Recreational and utility towing. Boats, campers, and equipment trailers designed for the job, which is a different activity from towing a disabled car.
What does not qualify: an improvised connection, a borrowed trailer of unknown rating, a vehicle whose owner’s manual you have not checked, or anything on a public road at speed.
What to Do Instead
Most breakdowns do not even need a tow.
- Will not start → a battery boost usually resolves it on the spot
- Flat tire with a usable spare → a tire change on scene
- Locked out → non-destructive entry, no tow required
- Out of fuel → fuel delivery brings enough to reach a station
- Overheating or collision damage → flatbed towing
- Off the road surface → recovery and winching
- Motorcycle → motorcycle transport with chocks and soft straps
- Commercial vehicle → heavy duty towing or truck recovery
Our guide to roadside assistance covers the on-scene work, and what to expect when you call covers exactly what dispatch will ask.
Why Call Tuber Towing
We are locally owned and operated, staffed 24 hours a day, and run as an authorized CAA and AMA service provider. Our operators are trained and insured, and we carry the right equipment for the vehicle rather than improvising.
Your vehicle also goes where you choose. Your mechanic, dealership, body shop, or driveway. Our guide to what to look for in a tow truck company covers how to evaluate any operator, and common towing scams covers the warning signs.
We dispatch across Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Acheson, Stony Plain, and Leduc, plus surrounding rural areas. The full list is on our areas we serve page.
Call 587-598-8237 any hour, or contact us online for anything non-urgent.
For more on vehicle safety and roadside emergencies, subscribe to TuberTaylor on YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest risks of towing my own car?
Your power brakes lose vacuum with the engine off, so the towed vehicle cannot reliably stop, and steering becomes extremely heavy. Automatic transmissions can be damaged when towed on their drive wheels. All wheel drive vehicles can be damaged with any wheels on the ground.
Why do the brakes stop working on a towed car?
Power brakes rely on engine vacuum. With the engine off, the booster holds enough for roughly one or two pedal presses, after which stopping requires enormous physical force on the pedal. Anyone sitting in a towed vehicle expecting to brake if something goes wrong largely cannot.
Can I tow my car with a rope or strap?
It is the most common DIY attempt and the most likely to end badly. The towed vehicle cannot brake reliably, a slack rope that suddenly loads can snap and whip, and coordinating two drivers when one has degraded control is genuinely hazardous. It may also not meet legal requirements on public roads.
Will towing my own car damage the transmission?
It can. Automatic transmissions are lubricated by an engine-driven pump, so towing on the drive wheels with the engine off turns internal components without lubrication. Check your owner’s manual, which specifies whether flat towing is permitted and any speed or distance limits.
Does my insurance cover damage during a self-tow?
Often not. Many personal auto policies exclude damage or injury occurring during self-towing, particularly if it is treated as commercial activity or roadside work without appropriate coverage. Check your policy wording before towing anything, not after something goes wrong.
When is it acceptable to tow a vehicle myself?
Short moves on private property at walking pace with proper attachment points, or towing with purpose-built equipment you own and understand, correctly rated for the load. What does not qualify is an improvised connection, a borrowed trailer of unknown rating, or anything on a public road at speed.
Does an all wheel drive car need a flatbed?
Yes. All wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles connect all four wheels through a transfer case and differentials, so towing with any wheels on the ground can cause drivetrain damage. This is the most common expensive mistake, because the vehicle appears to tow fine and damage appears later.
What should I do instead of towing my own car?
Most breakdowns do not need a tow at all. Battery boosts, tire changes, lockouts, and fuel delivery are resolved on scene. If a tow is needed, a professional operator has the right equipment for your vehicle and insurance covering it in transit.