If your 2002–2003 Acura RSX needs to be towed, how the tow truck moves it matters.
The factory service manual recommends a flatbed as the best method of transporting the RSX. Wheel-lift equipment is also considered acceptable, but Honda specifies that if a flatbed isn’t available, the car should normally be transported with its front wheels off the ground.
There is a reason for that.
The RSX is front-wheel drive, with the transmission and drive wheels at the front of the vehicle. Incorrect towing can potentially damage the drivetrain—and turning a $150 tow into a transmission repair is an impressive way to make a bad afternoon considerably worse.
What Is the Best Way to Tow an Acura RSX?
According to the factory service manual, flatbed equipment is the preferred method.
With a flatbed, the entire RSX is loaded onto the truck instead of leaving two wheels rolling on the road.
The RSX also has factory towing and tie-down provisions. Honda states that the towing hook can be used with a winch to pull the vehicle onto the truck, while the tie-down hook slots can be used to secure it.
For an owner calling roadside assistance, the simplest request is therefore:
Send a flatbed.
Especially if you don’t know exactly what failed.
Can a Tow Truck Use a Wheel Lift on an RSX?
Yes.
Honda describes wheel-lift equipment as an acceptable way of towing the vehicle.
This type of tow truck places pivoting arms underneath a pair of tires, lifts those wheels off the ground, and leaves the other two wheels rolling on the pavement.
However, Honda goes further and specifies that when a flatbed isn’t available, the RSX should be towed with the:
Front wheels off the ground.
That’s the important part.
Can an RSX Be Towed With Its Front Wheels on the Ground?
Honda provides an emergency procedure for situations where vehicle damage makes it necessary to tow the RSX with the front wheels on the road.
For a manual-transmission RSX, the factory instructions specify releasing the parking brake and placing the transmission in Neutral.
The manual also provides a separate procedure for the automatic transmission. The available scan of the manual does not cleanly reproduce the transmission selector-position characters, so they should not be guessed from the extracted text. What the manual does clearly specify is that the parking brake is released, the engine is started as part of the preparation sequence, and the engine is then shut off before towing.
For an automatic RSX, a flatbed eliminates that ambiguity entirely.
How Far Can an Acura RSX Be Towed With the Front Wheels Down?
This is where the factory manual gets very specific.
Honda states that the vehicle should be towed no farther than 50 miles (80 km) when using the front-wheels-on-the-ground procedure.
It also specifies keeping towing speed:
Below 35 mph (55 km/h).
Those aren’t normal driving limits. They’re restrictions for the towing procedure described by the manual.
So don’t interpret “50 miles maximum” as Honda enthusiastically approving a 49-mile freeway tow at 34 mph.
Flatbed transportation remains the preferred method.
What If the Automatic RSX Won’t Start?
Use a flatbed.
The factory manual specifically warns that improper towing preparation can damage the transmission. It states that if an automatic-transmission vehicle cannot be started or the transmission cannot be shifted as required, the vehicle must be transported on a flatbed.
That’s particularly relevant when the reason for the breakdown isn’t known.
If the engine won’t start, electrical power is missing, the transmission selector won’t move normally, or the drivetrain has been damaged, don’t improvise.
Put the car on the truck.
Can You Tow an RSX With a Rope or Chain?
No—not according to Honda’s service instructions.
The manual tells technicians to use a professional towing service and specifically warns against towing the RSX behind another vehicle using only a rope or chain.
Besides the lack of controlled braking and steering assistance that can accompany a disabled vehicle, a simple rope or chain gives you considerably less control over what happens when the vehicle in front suddenly stops.
You want roadside assistance, not an impromptu physics experiment involving two Hondas.
Can You Use a Sling-Type Tow Truck on an RSX?
Honda warns against it.
With sling-type equipment, cables and hooks wrap around portions of the frame or suspension before lifting one end of the vehicle.
The RSX service manual states that this method can seriously damage the suspension and body.
Considering how many surviving DC5s already have questionable jack-point history, adding tow-truck damage isn’t particularly helpful.
Can You Pull an RSX by the Bumper?
Definitely not.
Honda explicitly warns against lifting or towing the RSX by its bumpers because the bumpers are not designed to support the vehicle’s weight.
A tow hook and a bumper are not interchangeable simply because they’re located near each other.
The factory towing provisions exist for a reason.
What Should You Tell the Tow-Truck Driver?
If you’re arranging transportation for a disabled RSX, tell the towing company that it’s a front-wheel-drive Acura RSX and request a flatbed.
If a wheel-lift truck must be used, the factory procedure calls for transporting the vehicle with the front wheels raised rather than rolling on the pavement.
Also mention anything unusual about the car.
A lowered RSX, damaged suspension, locked wheel, broken axle, seized transmission, or aftermarket body kit may require additional precautions during loading.
Twenty-year-old modified Hondas are rarely known for being exactly the height the factory intended.
Does a Lowered RSX Need a Flatbed?
The service manual does not provide a separate towing procedure for lowered or modified cars, so there isn’t a factory specification in this manual supporting a special lowered-RSX method.
However, Honda already identifies the flatbed as the preferred transportation method for a stock vehicle.
Owners of modified cars should tell the towing operator about reduced ground clearance before loading so the operator can determine what equipment is appropriate.
Don’t assume the driver can see every expensive piece of exhaust hanging three inches above the pavement.
Quick Answer
The best way to tow a 2002–2003 Acura RSX is on a flatbed.
Honda considers wheel-lift towing acceptable, but if a flatbed isn’t available, the factory manual says the RSX should normally be transported with its front wheels off the ground.
If damage requires the front wheels to remain on the road, Honda provides emergency procedures and specifies a maximum towing distance of 50 miles (80 km) while keeping speed below 35 mph (55 km/h).
Avoid sling-type towing, don’t pull the vehicle by its bumpers, and don’t drag it behind another car with a rope or chain.
Sometimes the boring answer—call a flatbed—really is the cheapest one.