Can A Chevy Bolt Be Towed? (Flat Towed Or Any Other Way)?
Do you have a Chevy Bolt and are wondering if you can tow it (and how)? Or perhaps you are debating purchasing a Chevy Bolt and are wondering how you could tow it should you need to? Maybe you have been asked to tow a Chevy Bolt and are wondering how to do it?
Whatever the reason is that brought you here today, we are here to help!
We know how stressful it can be having to tow a car, especially an electric car. The last thing you want to do is accidentally damage it or risk damaging the tow truck or person operating it.
You start to panic, unsure how you will move your Chevy Bolt should anything happen to it; how will your car get towed? Can it get towed? These questions race through your mind, haunting you at night, disrupting your sleep, and leaving you paralyzed with fear.
Well, no more! Today we are here with all the answers that you need! Keep reading to find out if you can tow your Chevy Bolt and how best to do it!
Can A Chevy Bolt Be Towed?
Let’s get straight into it! Yes, your Chevy Bolt can be towed, but it can’t just be towed in any old way. Your Chevy Bolt cannot be flat towed, but it can be towed with a tow dolly that has electric brakes. Knowing this allows you to tow your car correctly, preventing any damage along the way!
Although this sounds simple, towing your Chevy Bolt with a dolly isn’t as easy as you think, and there are a few factors that you will need to be aware of and additional steps needed to be followed.
Don’t worry; we will get onto this later and provide you with a detailed step-by-step guide for you to follow.
But for now, let’s take a look at why you can’t tow your Chevy Bolt in certain ways.
Why Can’t A Chevy Bolt Be Flat Towed?
While we say that you can’t flat tow your Chevy Bolt, Chevrolet, and virtually every other electric car manufacturer will tell you only to tow your electric car on a flat-bed trailer or directly on a flat-bed truck.
It’s how any roadside assistance service will transport your car should you break down.
The theory is that if the car is left in neutral, then flat towing is possible. Leaving the car in neutral disconnects the motors from the drivetrain, preventing any potential damage during the journey.
So if that’s the theory, then why shouldn’t you do it? Well, for the Chevy Bolt to remain in neutral, a driver needs to be in the car on the tow belt, which you aren’t supposed to do when towing.
It’s dangerous, and if you were involved in an accident, your insurance is unlikely to cover any medical bills or damages incurred because you weren’t supposed to be there.
It’s this reason that makes it okay for your Chevy Bolt to go through an automatic car wash. The driver will be sitting in the car the entire time, keeping it in neutral and allowing the process to run smoothly. But you cannot do that when towing a car, especially for a long distance.
This means we need to turn to other methods, where the tow dolly comes in.
How Do I Tow My Chevy Bolt?
As we mentioned earlier, you can use a tow dolly to tow your Chevy Bolt. You will need to adjust your usual towing method but have no fear; we will explain how to do this! In the step-by-step guide below, we are working on the presumption that the Bolt is being towed behind an RV. Follow the steps below to attach and tow your electric Chevy Bolt.
Prepare the Dolly
To start, you will need the correct tow dolly. You want one with electric brakes to check that your RV has an electric brake controller installed and working inside. It shouldn’t be too difficult to locate an electric brake dolly, with most being available online.
Load the Dolly
Next, you will want to start your Chevy Bolt and put the gear shifter into low. Then carefully drive up onto the dolly to the optimum position. You can have someone guide you here if you are unsure. Next, put your car into park.
Ensure the Parking Brake is Off
Here is the key step, and if done incorrectly, you can damage your Bolt! When you put the vehicle into park, it doesn’t lock the rear wheels, but when the electric parking brake is active, it does lock the rear wheels.
When the time comes to tow your dolly, you will want the electric parking brake off so that the wheels can roll freely.
Before you depart, it can be helpful to turn on the car and check the instrument cluster to check that the parking brake is not on. If it is, push the button next to the gear shifter to deactivate it. Check that it’s off before leaving the shifter in park and turning the engine off.
Check the Rear Wheels are Rolling
Before setting off, have someone observe the rear wheels to check they are turning and not locked. You must do this before leaving as it isn’t always obvious when driving if the wheels are locked or not. Generally, though, you will hear the dragging sound if your window is open!
Have someone check that the parking brake light is off too. If it isn’t, turn it off and try again.
Drive and Check
Some people think this is overkill, but we would rather be safe than sorry! Drive a short distance, roughly a ¼ mile, and then pull over to check on the car and wheels.
You might need to tighten the wheel straps and check the electric parking brake is off. You can have someone else check this as you drive forward, too, paying attention to the rear wheel.
It’s also worth looking for signs of wear and tear, allowing you to make any adjustments before serious damage occurs. After the first ¼ mile, we would only check on your car each time you stop for a rest.
The wheel straps will naturally loosen, and this is an excellent time to tighten them and check for any damage.
And that is how you safely tow your Chevy Bolt!
Final Word
And just like that, we have come to the end of our Chevy Bolt journey today. As you can see, a Chevy Bolt can be towed, but you need to be careful. You should avoid using a flat tow where possible as it is not the safest method.
While it’s the method used by professional tow truck drivers, we would not recommend trying it yourself.
Instead, use the steps listed above and a dolly to tow your electric car. Remember to ask a professional for help if you aren’t sure and to check out some tutorials online if you need more advice!
This article should be considered as guidance only, remember we are only one voice in a sea of many!