trailer or top rack

[balboa]

Does anyone know of a trailer hitch or roof rack to fit a Yaris.

[kac]

yes, there are some threads on it, I don't have any links to any right now, but a few people on here that have trailer hitches...

This would not be the place to post this type of thread, one of the mods can move it for you so that you can get more responses.

Welcome to the forum!

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by balboa

Does anyone know of a trailer hitch or roof rack to fit a Yaris.

Reese makes one...PN: 77191
Drawbar Kit PN: 3593

[the_boss]

took this while driving.. actualy was a red light. Its a non permanent roof rack, there was the strap on the side of the rack.

[jonismyname]

i use a hidden hitch, which i bought from autoanything.com, under $100 shipped. search forum and you'll find pictures.

[birdman]

I have the Hidden-hitch and use it to attach my Thule bike rack to. I was thinking about towing a light utility trailer for picking up long items at the home center or yard debris to the recycle place, but my insurance agent pointed out that in the event of an accident involving another vehicle or pedestrian where the trailer or hitch mounted bike rack caused harm I could be sued for everything I got. That's because of Toyotas non recommendation language in the manual.
Some take the risk but the stakes are too high for me. In Canada it's fine but not in the USA. There are also permanent roof tracks from Yakima and Thule that accept each others cross bars and accessories. Ideal for a 3dr lift back.

[ozmdd]

Originally Posted by birdman

I have the Hidden-hitch and use it to attach my Thule bike rack to. I was thinking about towing a light utility trailer for picking up long items at the home center or yard debris to the recycle place, but my insurance agent pointed out that in the event of an accident involving another vehicle or pedestrian where the trailer or hitch mounted bike rack caused harm I could be sued for everything I got. That's because of Toyotas non recommendation language in the manual.
Some take the risk but the stakes are too high for me. In Canada it's fine but not in the USA. There are also permanent roof tracks from Yakima and Thule that accept each others cross bars and accessories. Ideal for a 3dr lift back.

Mounting a bike rack would not cause you to have liability, unless you were at-fault to begin with, and your liability would not increase as a result of it. Not sure what your agent is thinking, but there is clear legal precedent to protect you for making "reasonable" modifications to your vehicle. You would need to show clear negligence in order to be found liable for damages, and a bike rack or utility trailer would not meet that burden.

The Toyota manual language is there to protect them in the event of warranty issues.
If your agent was correct, then no company would manufacture a hitch or rack for the Yaris for fear of liability.

If anyone is considering a hitch rack or small utility trailer, be sure the total weight doesn't exceed the load rating for the vehicle, but a Harbor Freight 4X4 trailer with a minimal load is a common application.

[fmicle]

Originally Posted by ozmdd

Mounting a bike rack would not cause you to have liability, unless you were at-fault to begin with, and your liability would not increase as a result of it. Not sure what your agent is thinking, but there is clear legal precedent to protect you for making "reasonable" modifications to your vehicle. You would need to show clear negligence in order to be found liable for damages, and a bike rack or utility trailer would not meet that burden.

The Toyota manual language is there to protect them in the event of warranty issues.
If your agent was correct, then no company would manufacture a hitch or rack for the Yaris for fear of liability.

If anyone is considering a hitch rack or small utility trailer, be sure the total weight doesn't exceed the load rating for the vehicle, but a Harbor Freight 4X4 trailer with a minimal load is a common application.

+1

Exactly my thoughts. There is no way having a hitch and even towing a small trailer would make me more liable than normal just because "Toyota said so". Liability issues are determined by traffic laws and the like and not by Toyota recommendations or any other manufacturer for that reason.

On the other hand, of course the insurance will give you a hard time and try everything they can to avoid paying, but that's somewhat understandable, that's what they do...

[birdman]

How is it "reasonable" to make modifications where the manufacturer recommends against it? So welcome to the club. This is a great place to learn and contribute. YarisWorld rocks!

[fmicle]

Originally Posted by birdman

How is it "reasonable" to make modifications where the manufacturer recommends against it? So welcome to the club. This is a great place to learn and contribute. YarisWorld rocks!

So Toyota recommends 87 octane gas in the manual. If you fill up 89 and have an accident, do you have increased liability because you didn't follow "manufacturer recommendations"?

[ozmdd]

Originally Posted by birdman

How is it "reasonable" to make modifications where the manufacturer recommends against it? So welcome to the club. This is a great place to learn and contribute. YarisWorld rocks!

Because "reasonable" is not limited to just what is written in a manual. There are many things outside of that context which would meet the legal definition of reasonable. Also, the exact same vehicle is approved for towing (by toyota) in other markets (Canada, etc.)

Aftermarket roof racks, while not recommended by Toyota, are considered a "reasonable" use of our vehicles. Also, attaching a bolt-on towing hitch is not a modification. If you are not clear on whether or not something is reasonable, then you probably shouldn't do it.

[contraband831]

I have a thule roof rack on my car and it clamps on

[therealrico]

balboa this is a pretty good option if you need to carry two snowboards

www.winterracks.com

[supmet]

Roof racks and hitch mounted bike racks should be fine. But I really don't understand how you guys don't think you'll be liable when your FWD economy car gets slung across 4 lanes of traffic from a fishtailing trailer in 15 mph winds. I've seen it happen to full sized trucks, you know, the things that were designed to tow trailers? No, you're not gonna crash and die every time. No, you're not gonna blow up your engine or transmission. No, you probably won't even void your warranty if you take the hitch off before you take it in. But its gonna be hard to explain why you didn't just rent a U-haul for 20 bucks after you totaled 3 cars and killed 4 people, after the car manufacturer explicitly told you not to tow, and apparently your car insurance agent did too.

Most americans can barely operate their cars without hundreds of pounds of dead weight slinging around behind them.

As for the manual only being for warranty issues, why would it be different for Canada? The fact it is recommended in Canada, and not recommended in the US, pretty much says to me it can only be because of legal issues, not warranty. Unless the cold prevents damage from towing??

[fmicle]

Originally Posted by supmet

But its gonna be hard to explain why you didn't just rent a U-haul for 20 bucks after you totaled 3 cars and killed 4 people, after the car manufacturer explicitly told you not to tow, and apparently your car insurance agent did too.

Yeah they told you not to tow only if you are a "US customer". If you're Canadian, go ahead, you can tow just fine up to 700 lbs. WTF recommendation is that?

Is it because, as you said, most American can barely drive the car itself, let alone tow something?

[ozmdd]

Originally Posted by supmet

Roof racks and hitch mounted bike racks should be fine. But I really don't understand how you guys don't think you'll be liable when your FWD economy car gets slung across 4 lanes of traffic from a fishtailing trailer in 15 mph winds. I've seen it happen to full sized trucks, you know, the things that were designed to tow trailers? No, you're not gonna crash and die every time. No, you're not gonna blow up your engine or transmission. No, you probably won't even void your warranty if you take the hitch off before you take it in. But its gonna be hard to explain why you didn't just rent a U-haul for 20 bucks after you totaled 3 cars and killed 4 people, after the car manufacturer explicitly told you not to tow, and apparently your car insurance agent did too.

Most americans can barely operate their cars without hundreds of pounds of dead weight slinging around behind them.

As for the manual only being for warranty issues, why would it be different for Canada? The fact it is recommended in Canada, and not recommended in the US, pretty much says to me it can only be because of legal issues, not warranty. Unless the cold prevents damage from towing??

A properly loaded trailer of appropriate size/weight will not fishtail or be a danger in almost any winds, provided you know how to drive with a trailer. Your liability in the US is primarily going to be related to your driving and loading issues. If you drive badly, you are liable. No trailer needed for that.

Your warranty will not be voided even if you leave the hitch in-place. The manufacturer cannot deny a warranty claim based on aftermarket parts unless they can demonstrate a direct relationship between the part and the failure. This has been pointed-out so many times on this forum that its amazing everone hasn't memorized the wording of the Act.

Highway speeds are higher in the US, and the # of cars so much greater that Toyota has more exposure here, so they tend to be extremely cautious -legally- here compared to other markets (Canada). US DOT rules regarding trailering (reinforcement, light hook-up accomodations, safety chain support, weight ratios) place such a high burden on the manufacturer that Toyota choose to decertify the Yaris for towing rather than try to make it meet US standards or be at risk of a consumer doing something stupid and blaming the car. You are not going to be breaking any laws if you tow with your Yaris, but Toyota ain't gonna back you up or warranty your car if you screw up or try to run at 75 mph with a 1500 lb trailer across the great divide or death valley, cooking your tranny in the process.
The rest of the world appears to have a little more sense, or better tort laws.

[fmicle]

Originally Posted by ozmdd

You are not going to be breaking any laws if you tow with your Yaris, but Toyota ain't gonna back you up or warranty your car if you screw up or try to run at 75 mph with a 1500 lb trailer across the great divide or death valley, cooking your tranny in the process.
The rest of the world appears to have a little more sense, or better tort laws.

+1 Amen!

There is waaay too much suing going on here in the US and a lot of things are much more expensive than they should be (auto insurance for example) because of that. If there was a way to limit the frivolous law suits (lady stumbles over her own child at JcPenney's, sues and wins settlement!!!) a lot of money could be used for better purposes

[Sodium Duck]

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21071

I do what I want.