Towing behind RV on a dolly

[Klege]

I still have not figured out why it's doing it. It is hit and miss. I too thought of disconnecting the battery. I gave up. No damage was done and the computer resets after a few yards of driving.
Why do the sensors even read when the car is off. Is it because of the electronic parking brake?
We are about to order and install the Roadmaster towing kit. That will solve that mystery.

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[MakinDoForNow]

I still have not figured out why it's doing it. It is hit and miss. I too thought of disconnecting the battery. I gave up. No damage was done and the computer resets after a few yards of driving.
Why do the sensors even read when the car is off. Is it because of the electronic parking brake?
We are about to order and install the Roadmaster towing kit. That will solve that mystery.

Hybrid is very seldom if ever totally OFF. see manual for procedure to follow if you are going to store it for longer terms. For instance when you approach truck with key fob you can hear the door unlock and the relays close so that truck can begin to get ready for you. When you push button on dash you are notifying computer to prepare truck to enter ready status which will appear on dash when it actually is ready to drive. When you stop driving and you push the button you tell computer that you do not intend to drive. The truck stays in accessory mode and things will happen. Depending on temp of battery, coolant could possibly circulate until it reaches a set temp. Accessory mode apparently stays on until you actually exit vehicle. Also the anti theft, tilt sensors, plus more stays active. You will be able to hear the relays and things happen long after you leave vehicle.

 

[Islandman]

Hybrid is very seldom if ever totally OFF. see manual for procedure to follow if you are going to store it for longer terms. For instance when you approach truck with key fob you can hear the door unlock and the relays close so that truck can begin to get ready for you. When you push button on dash you are notifying computer to prepare truck to enter ready status which will appear on dash when it actually is ready to drive. When you stop driving and you push the button you tell computer that you do not intend to drive. The truck stays in accessory mode and things will happen. Depending on temp of battery, coolant could possibly circulate until it reaches a set temp. Accessory mode apparently stays on until you actually exit vehicle. Also the anti theft, tilt sensors, plus more stays active. You will be able to hear the relays and things happen long after you leave vehicle.

I hear you! I did try disconnecting the battery after taking the Maverick off the dolly. Everything went off but it did not matter. It did not reset the computer. The messages returned until I drove it a couple of blocks and all was good.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I hear you! I did try disconnecting the battery after taking the Maverick off the dolly. Everything went off but it did not matter. It did not reset the computer. The messages returned until I drove it a couple of blocks and all was good.

I don't know how long computer memory will take to reset but should be quite some time. My garage is a faraday cage and even with my metal garage door on the north side is open I lose contact with satellite. When I exit I get the screen that says contact is established and status reporting etc is now active so I assume that my driving and other things are being uploaded to Ford on the cloud. (Note that since the number of Amps it takes to move the truck is surely known such reporting could be included in the upload. When you hook a trailer up it will take more amps to roll it and could be used to determine how heavy a trailer you are pulling and I suppose the tilt sensors could be used to determine if you are on the flat or an incline ). If you disconnect the battery some have reported that they have lost the computer driving history and had to drive the same number of learning miles as when you first received the truck new.

 

[Klege]

It's alive. LOL

But seriously, remember that pretty much every new car nowadays has an LTE connection and is reporting home. Everything is connected these days.
And while I wish I could control what is sent back to Ford, I don't see that as a negative thing.

 

[Islandman]

I agree! I remember a couple of service guys where referring to the newer vehicles as PCs on wheels! I know they know everything I am doing and where I am with the Maverick.

 

[Islandman]

I don't know how long computer memory will take to reset but should be quite some time. My garage is a faraday cage and even with my metal garage door on the north side is open I lose contact with satellite. When I exit I get the screen that says contact is established and status reporting etc is now active so I assume that my driving and other things are being uploaded to Ford on the cloud. (Note that since the number of Amps it takes to move the truck is surely known such reporting could be included in the upload. When you hook a trailer up it will take more amps to roll it and could be used to determine how heavy a trailer you are pulling and I suppose the tilt sensors could be used to determine if you are on the flat or an incline ). If you disconnect the battery some have reported that they have lost the computer driving history and had to drive the same number of learning miles as when you first received the truck new.

Great info!

 

[Nexus]

So if I read this correctly I can tow my Maverick hybrid on a tow dolly behind my RV
with no issues ?

 

[Islandman]

You can tow your Hybrid Mav on a tow dolly but as mentioned above trip the error messages when you start up to take it off are abundant. After a short drive they clear with no after effects I can report.

 

[Klege]

Yup, you can tow it on a dolly, and we did it again today.
And the computer was bitching again.
It only takes a few yards of driving to reset everything.
We will get the Roadmaster tow kit in a few months.
About $2500 + install. Although I think I will try to tackle it myself.

 

[AutoDrifter]

HYBRID TOW DOLLY CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS FIX!!!! GREAT NEWS!!! I found a fix to the hybrid tow dolly Christmas tree of lights! I towed my hybrid behind my motorhome for over a year now. The lights come on the dash everytime we stop. Drive it 50 yards and they turn off. Once it did nothing. I couldn't figure out what I did different. That was about my third tow. Last week after prob. 30 tows throughout the year, It didnt light up. What did I do differently? What it was is I was at a RV park that had a muddy spot I got my tire in it. So I put the truck in slick mode to get up the dolly ramp. Thats the difference! I just tried it. Follow these instruction. This is a XL so if you have a upper model let me know if it works. Before pulling on the tow dolly 1.) turn on the auto hold brakes, the hand with the(( )) around it. 2.) Then put your truck in snow/slick mode. 3.) pull it on the tow dolly. 4.) Hold the brake. 5.) turn off the auto hold brake. 6.) Switch to regular drive mode. 7.) Put it in park 8.) Turn off the truck. Done! I then wrapped my seat belt around the steering wheel and and buckle it shut the doors and locked it. I left it on the dolly overnight then drove all day the next day. when I pulled it off NO LIGHTS!!! I believe when I towed it back on the third tow it snowed a bit and I remember putting it in slick mode to get it up the ramp. I believe the wheel sensors are confused by doing this so it doesnt throw the lights. I owned a gas maverick and it never threw lights when towed so its just a hybrid problem. Let me know if this works for you!

 

[Klege]

We finally invested in the Roadmaster base plate and flat tow since October last year. So much nicer. We did have it installed at a shop. The guy hated the Invisibreak. Be aware though that you might have to install an extra charging cable to keep the battery charged.

 

[processwrench]

HYBRID TOW DOLLY CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS FIX!!!! GREAT NEWS!!! I found a fix to the hybrid tow dolly Christmas tree of lights! I towed my hybrid behind my motorhome for over a year now. The lights come on the dash everytime we stop. Drive it 50 yards and they turn off. Once it did nothing. I couldn't figure out what I did different. That was about my third tow. Last week after prob. 30 tows throughout the year, It didnt light up. What did I do differently? What it was is I was at a RV park that had a muddy spot I got my tire in it. So I put the truck in slick mode to get up the dolly ramp. Thats the difference! I just tried it. Follow these instruction. This is a XL so if you have a upper model let me know if it works. Before pulling on the tow dolly 1.) turn on the auto hold brakes, the hand with the(( )) around it. 2.) Then put your truck in snow/slick mode. 3.) pull it on the tow dolly. 4.) Hold the brake. 5.) turn off the auto hold brake. 6.) Switch to regular drive mode. 7.) Put it in park 8.) Turn off the truck. Done! I then wrapped my seat belt around the steering wheel and and buckle it shut the doors and locked it. I left it on the dolly overnight then drove all day the next day. when I pulled it off NO LIGHTS!!! I believe when I towed it back on the third tow it snowed a bit and I remember putting it in slick mode to get it up the ramp. I believe the wheel sensors are confused by doing this so it doesnt throw the lights. I owned a gas maverick and it never threw lights when towed so its just a hybrid problem. Let me know if this works for you!

One question, what's the seat belt around the steering wheel for?

 

[capo99]

Yup, you can tow it on a dolly, and we did it again today.
And the computer was bitching again.
It only takes a few yards of driving to reset everything.
We will get the Roadmaster tow kit in a few months.
About $2500 + install. Although I think I will try to tackle it myself.

I was initially intimidated by the install but went very well. ETrailer has a good video that walks you through it. Couple of tools that made the job easier were an oscillating tool with a fine blade, a trim clip removal tool and not really required a 90 degree impact ratchet. I have Dewalt batteries so I purchased a Dewalt. I tried cutting the plastic with a dremel, but was difficult. Oscillating tool worked really well.
I put the truck up on 4” blocks and had plenty of room to do the install and run wires back for lights.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

UPDATE!

Well, it looks like I have figured it out.
Here is what I did:
Pretty much the same as before. And remember! We have the start button. No key in the ignition.
Truck on the dolly,
turned off,
turn on accessory mode,
turn off e-parking-brake,
turn off accessory mode,
now comes what I did differently,
I did not lock the truck.
When we arrived at the campground the was no bitching from the computer whatsoever.

Could it really be something simple like not to lock the truck?
I guess we will find out Sunday when we drive home.

Should be able to lock truck but disable anti theft both passive and interior first.

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