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03-24-2017, 08:41 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 5
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Flat Towing Ford Focus
Looking for thoughts on flat towing a Ford Focus. We haven't bought the vehicle yet but looking at 2L model that is rated for Recreational Towing. My concern is I have been told by a transmission mechanic I checked with to NOT go with the Focus. He said there are blogs and info reporting transmission damage despite what the owners manual says.
Interested in everyone's opinion please. Thanks.
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03-24-2017, 08:55 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: bel air, md
Posts: 822
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I have a 2015 , and have towed it 8k of its 16k miles. tows great. the tranny clutch sometimes stutters in 1 gear, but goes away. most of the time it runs flawlessly. nice solid car to drive. can get up to 43 mpg on the hihway which we have done.
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09 Winnie 32 h adventurer towing '18 Malibu
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03-24-2017, 09:38 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,740
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There is apparently some confusion on flat towing the Focus . The battery must be disconnected when towing
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03-24-2017, 12:35 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 1,111
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I own a 2012 ford focus, 40-50k towing with not problems. Follow the instructions in the owner manual.
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Mark
1999 Bounder 32H Ford V10, 2012 Ford Focus, Pretty DW, 1 cat. Retired USAF
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03-24-2017, 05:19 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tampa Area (sometimes!)
Posts: 620
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Towed my 2014 Focus for about 15000 miles. No issues. You do have to disconnect the battery but that was a quick, 30 second process. Mine was the pushbutton start model so it was super easy. There was a short process, detailed in the owners manual to get it into tow mode. Basically, push start button with foot OFF brake, shift to neutral, wait for message to appear on display, push start button to turn power off. Then, I'd unlock the hood, exit the car, lock the doors, open the hood, disconnect the battery, and drive off. When entering the car on arrival, I'd have to use the key to open the door but that was a very minor inconvenience.
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Randy and Tina & fur baby - Cinnamon
2020 Tiffin Wayfarer RW
Mercedes Benz 2019 Sprinter Chassis
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03-24-2017, 05:33 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Full Timers
Posts: 355
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We flat tow a 2012 Focus. The battery cable clamp must be removed from the neg. battery post. A disconnect on the grounding end of the battery cable will not remove all the ground wires as this will not un-ground the "battery management system" . New neg. battery cable is $85...I got to buy one because of a disconnect switch.
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Dave & Sheryl Rambeau
2011 Itasca Meridian 39'
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03-24-2017, 05:35 PM
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: western NC mountains!
Posts: 4,106
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my '14 Fiesta is about the same chassis as the Focus, both towable....
60,000 miles with no problems...
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03-24-2017, 05:37 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Fulltime since ‘16
Posts: 2,624
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2012 Focus, 30-40k miles flat towed, no problems. We also disconnect battery.
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CC, Paul, & puppy Leap (ACD)
'17 DSDP4018, Wrangler toad
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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03-24-2017, 10:01 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: BC, Cariboo, Lower Mainland.
Posts: 2,293
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Manual tranny solves all, my 07 was an easy tow!
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2022 25FKBS
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03-24-2017, 10:17 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,740
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rlott2k
Manual tranny solves all, my 07 was an easy tow!
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Well , not exactly .
When it's also wife's car , who won't drive s stick
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03-24-2017, 10:26 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: BC, Cariboo, Lower Mainland.
Posts: 2,293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stepside454
Well , not exactly .
When it's also wife's car , who won't drive s stick
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Had the same problem. I taught her how to drive one!
Quote:
Originally Posted by rlott2k
Manual tranny solves all, my 07 was an easy tow!
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__________________
2022 25FKBS
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03-24-2017, 10:53 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,740
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rlott2k
Had the same problem. I taught her how to drive one!
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She can , but doesn't like it & it's not going to happen
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03-25-2017, 05:22 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tampa Area (sometimes!)
Posts: 620
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I realize that Ford says to remove the negative cable at the battery post. However, as the location of the negative cable makes it difficult to reach, I always disconnected the positive cable and just tucked it into the front of the battery box. I used a small piece of foam on top of the cable to prevent it from working it's way back up and and potentially contacting the terminal while towing. I kept a small thumb ratchet in a bag in the battery box that I used to disconnect and reconnect the cable. Simple. No disconnect switch of any type required and the entire process took less than 30 seconds.
__________________
Randy and Tina & fur baby - Cinnamon
2020 Tiffin Wayfarer RW
Mercedes Benz 2019 Sprinter Chassis
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03-25-2017, 06:08 AM
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#14
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Junior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 5
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Flat Tow Ford Focus
Thanks all for the great information. It certainly reassured that it is very doable despite hat I heard. Much appreciated.
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