Community Forums

Grower15 · 04-06-2016, 05:22 PM

Does anyone have advice, experience with towing a 2016 Ford Explorer FWD? We are considering a new tow vehicle purchase and needed advice. We use a Blue Ox tow system with a Patriot Brake. Ford requires the negative battery cable be disconnected while towing. However, the Patriot requires continuous 12 volt power. Trying to determine if we can make this work with our current arrangement. Thanks!

brobox · 04-06-2016, 05:47 PM

For brake systems that require 12v while the battery is disconnected, run a hot wire from the MH 7 pin plug to a 12v outlet inside the toad. The wire would be in your towing harness then run a wire to a 12v outlet for the brake system.

Mwillis · 04-06-2016, 08:28 PM

First I've heard about disconnecting the battery. I tow a 2012 2wd explorer and do not need to disconnect anything. Put it in neutral and go. Maybe they changed something. Even the 2015 tow guide makes no mention of it.

Mallory
2016 Anthem 44B

mgosselin · 04-06-2016, 08:35 PM

We tow a 2013 Ford Explorer FWD and have never had to disconnect battery. Have not had any issues towing this vehicle. Used to tow Chevy Avalanche and the Explorer seems a lot lighter and is a great tow vehicle.

pallencollin · 04-06-2016, 08:39 PM

We tow 2014 Sierra and do have to disconnect the battery. Installed a quick disconnect, very easy.

Peter & Kathy Collins
Woodland WA
2014 Anthem 42DEQ

50sbuckeye · 04-06-2016, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pallencollin

We tow 2014 Sierra and do have to disconnect the battery. Installed a quick disconnect, very easy.

Peter & Kathy Collins
Woodland WA
2014 Anthem 42DEQ

Why do you have to disconnect your battery?

Nowabeachbum · 04-06-2016, 10:47 PM

I have no experience with the 2016 Explorer but am currently in the market for a new tow car and am aware of the need to disconnect the negative cable. Many of the 2016 and beyond GM cars need to as well. Supposedly, it is because of the electric power steering units that they are now using rather than the old belt driven pumps. Your Entegra has a 7 wire trailer connector that has 10 amp power from the coach. You can run a wire from there to your brake assist. make sure you run a ground from the brake assist to the coach also since you are disconnecting the negative battery cable.
Using that power source, I am also planning on installing a contactor relay so that when I plug in the tow car, it automatically disconnects the negative side of the battery.

Winepress · 04-07-2016, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

For brake systems that require 12v while the battery is disconnected, run a hot wire from the MH 7 pin plug to a 12v outlet inside the toad. The wire would be in your towing harness then run a wire to a 12v outlet for the brake system.

If your manual says to disconnect the battery, then do so. I would wire my braking system to the car battery as there is very low power drain running down the road. If in the event of toad separation from the tow vehicle, you may need power to apply the brakes in the toad from your supplemental braking system.
I use a RVi brake in my toad and it needs power to apply the brakes in case the toad disconnected. As stated above, you could use power to the toad to keep the battery topped off.
Hope that never happens to any of us.

Try and live up to your dogs opinion of you.

brobox · 04-07-2016, 04:31 AM

For those asking why batteries need to be disconnected......some of the new vehicles on the market have electric power steering. If the battery is not disconnected the steering can be damaged or not track straight. That is the reason on the Chevy Colorado I am shopping for.

The reason is to meet new higher fuel mileage requirements....no engine driven power steering pump which takes horse power to run. Time will tell how many more of the newer vehicles switch to electric power steering. DW got her new MKX yesterday, and disconnecting the battery is not required to tow it.

Triker56 · 04-07-2016, 07:10 AM

Ford 2016 towing 4 wheel down
All-wheel-drive/Intelligent 4WD vehicles cannot be towed on a dolly.
3.5L engine Maximum speed with automatic transmission is 65 mph.
Start the engine and allow it to run for five (5) minutes at the beginning of each day and every six (6) hours thereafter.

Read the owners manual for 4 down towing requirements.
Mine says after the 5 minutes running. Shift transmission to D then R then N. Shut engine off.

Nothing about unhooking battery. That is not required on my 3.5L AWD toad.
With electric steering.
But you may want to install a charging line to the toad battery.

brobox · 04-07-2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowabeachbum

Using that power source, I am also planning on installing a contactor relay so that when I plug in the tow car, it automatically disconnects the negative side of the battery.

Gary, I didn't mean to almost duplicate your post, I didn't read it first...sorry. However, interested on how this works. Those that are also looking at new toads with battery disconnect might be interested as well.

Grower15 · 04-07-2016, 10:22 AM

Wow...thank you for all the great info and suggestions. WRT to disconnecting the negative cable for flat towing. We downloaded the owners manual for the Ford Explorer FWD (3.5L Ecoboost) engine) we were considering. Page 249 says to "disconnect the negative (black) cable from the battery. You will need the door key to lock and unlock doors when the battery cable is disconnected". This applies to cars with keyless and keyed ignition. The Ford Fleet website does not mention unhooking the battery, just the other items mentioned above.

kalynzoo · 04-07-2016, 10:34 AM

I tow the 2015 Explorer. Tracks beautifully and tows trouble free. I also read that the 2016 needs a battery disconnect, although this is not noted in Motorhome Magazine towable guide. I had the shop run a trickle charge from the motorhome to the Explorer just for the heck of it. With the Tiffin it was easy, as one of the umbilical leads is charged anyway. I would be concerned about disconnecting the battery on towing, since you would probably have to reset the clock, radio stations, seat position, and any other preset programs???
Happy Trails.

dcphil_98 · 04-07-2016, 10:34 AM

I guess I like simple. We tow a 2 WD 2015 Ford Explorer. Just hook it up, start the engine, put in neutral, engine off, and ready to go. I don't periodically stop and run the engine. I do have power from the coach through the plug to the car. Never had a problem. Also, and this is where I differ from some, I do not have auxiliary brakes. Never have. Three motor homes and almost 200,000 miles and no problems. I drive the speed limit up to 65 mph, slow down in traffic, and keep a good distance. Jake brake almost always on. JMO