Community Forums

JohnQ · 07-14-2010, 02:23 PM

Has Ford discontinued the neutral tow switches for the Explorer/SportTrac/Ranger 4X4 Automatic transmission vehicles???? The Rumor is that the supplier went bankrupt -- true? Is anyone aware of a third party outfit that can do the same, i.e., the idiot light & PCM reflash combo???

Wizard · 07-14-2010, 03:29 PM

Hope not, love my Explorer, had the NTK on since I bought it. Planning on trading for another one in a year or so.

smlranger · 07-14-2010, 04:50 PM

At one time you could purchase them online. I've had two, one for a 2004 Exp and another for our 2008 Exp. I got the first one online and the most recent at the local dealer.

Your dealer parts dept. should be able to tell you.

Wizard · 07-15-2010, 07:01 AM

If I'm not mistaken, it still will have to be installed by a Ford dealer as there is a programming change that has to be made.

Gary RVRoamer · 07-15-2010, 03:37 PM

Where did you hear that rumor? I looked around the net a bit but did not find any mention of a problem with the switch or its supplier.

a k · 07-15-2010, 03:47 PM

All it is is a green LED light with a plug on it. There is No switch. You have to have the EPROM reflashed to ENABLE neutral tow. You can order the parts from Ford but most don't know about them.

For a 2004 it's part # 1L2Z-7H332-AB $25 They call it a kit.

DO NOT ORDER anything from BLUEOVAL.COM They Ain't part of Ford. I had to go thru credit card company to get money back.
GoToAutoAccessories.com These guys are rip offs also

Route 66 · 07-15-2010, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a k

All it is is a green LED light with a plug on it. There is No switch. You have to have the EPROM reflashed to ENABLE neutral tow. You can order the parts from Ford but most don't know about them.

No physical switch, but I guess the sequence involved "Switches" the transfer case into neutral.

I suppose it sounds better than "Neutral Transfer Shift Kit".

JohnQ · 07-15-2010, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary]

Where did you hear that rumor? I looked around the net a bit but did not find any mention of a problem with the switch or its supplier.

Over at RV.Net in this thread -- RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Dinghy Towing: Ford Toad's Confuse Me

Route 66 · 07-15-2010, 04:11 PM

Ain't that sumptin, as they say.

That will knock Ford off the toad list unless Ford decides it's worth their while to find another vendor.

The light is just an indicator, as the essential part is the ECM reprogram. which is Ford software, but dealers may not want to reprogram without an indicator light for liability reasons.

a k · 07-15-2010, 04:14 PM

There is a loose plug already under steering column for there 'KIT". Once you get it flashed, you put the shift lever in neutral with the key off and then you step on the brake pedal and hold in 4 x 4 switch for 5 seconds. The light blinks and when it's on steady the transfer case is in neutral. Won't work with AWD but works on 4 x 4. If you have the 4 x 4 button your good to go.

Route 66 · 07-15-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Won't work with AWD but works on 4 x 4. If you have the 4 x 4 button your good to go.

I believe some years AWD is towable.

Gary RVRoamer · 07-17-2010, 06:58 AM

Even if the vendor company went out of business, I suspect Ford can come up with another supplier for a green LED and a bit of wire.

JohnQ · 07-17-2010, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary]

Even if the vendor company went out of business, I suspect Ford can come up with another supplier for a green LED and a bit of wire.

I would hope so, but that is the core of the current problem, they haven't.

20champ1 · 10-24-2010, 02:57 PM

as several posts have said the kit is no longer available from ford. I just recently went through the whole process this past week for my 2004 explorer. all that is in the kit is an indicator light, decal with instructions, and ford has to enable neutral towing e prom in the computer. I had wired my own light but then I found a kit at (GREEN SALES)
1800-543-4959 they sell ford obsolete parts $8.75 plus postage. some peop[le that happen to have the kits like an Oregon ford dealer i found wanted $375.00 for the kit a real bandit. They retail for around 10 t0 12 dollars. the kit i got was for a 1996 thru 2001 explorer I have all the info just had to cut the plug off of the light because the 2004 was different. went to ford dealer had it programed took about 1`/2 hr. kit # F77z7h332AB