Extended Flat Towing

[NatD]

Members, I would love if those with experience far distance flat towing their Maverick Hybrid would chime in.
I have a 2024 XLT Hybrid. I have towed short distances without issue. I plan on long distance towing later in the summer.
I am comfortable with putting the car in and out of Flat Tow Mode. My issue is with what exactly to do after 6 hrs.

I understand - Start > brake > D > N.

My issue is the last sentence: Before continuing to Tow, switch neutral tow on and keep vehicle on for 3 min???

You cannot put the vehicle into Tow mode while the vehicle is on!!!!

Anybody have any real world experience??

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[pat carden]

I see what you are asking, and also not sure what that means. I have flat towed over 2000 miles with no problems, most of the time we do not tow more than 6 hours, but when I do, I do get in and start the truck and run it thru the gears for 3 to 5 mins, make sure you keep your foot on the brake and then turn off the truck, and reset the flat tow mode, and hook the brake system back up and plug the power to it back in. We did have an 12 volt plug that is on all the time installed. Hope this helps.

 

[mavlooker]

I like to start the engine and get some lubrication through it as well as the transmission. I was stumped about that because if you put it in start mode only the electric motor comes on. But when you start it in park and push the accelerator to the floor, the engine will come on. Let off the accelerator and run through the gears.

 

[BradnChristine]

Real world experience here...last trip was 2622 miles. YOUR 2024 manual is DIFFERENT than my 2023 manual.

That extra 3 minutes is a new addition from 2023. I put my truck in and out of NT many times during that 2 week trip, NEVER waiting 3 minutes after setting up NT...as the Truck isn't running at that point...you are in accessory mode. But they are telling you to have the vehicle on for 3 minutes to make sure something gets warm during this "each morning and every 6 yours if you drive that long in a day" period. I think it is just poor sentence structure. They still weren't smart enough to tell folks exactly how to make the engine come on, as someone did when they wrote the C-Max towing instructions (step on the gas pedal).

 

[BradnChristine]

Real world experience here...last trip was 2622 miles. YOUR 2024 manual is DIFFERENT than my 2023 manual.

That extra 3 minutes is a new addition from 2023. I put my truck in and out of NT many times during that 2 week trip, NEVER waiting 3 minutes after setting up NT...as the Truck isn't running at that point...you are in accessory mode. But they are telling you to have the vehicle on for 3 minutes to make sure something gets warm during this "each morning and every 6 yours if you drive that long in a day" period. I think it is just poor sentence structure. They still weren't smart enough to tell folks exactly how to make the engine come on, as someone did when they wrote the C-Max towing instructions (step on the gas pedal).

Making me think this morning....

The *ONLY* other thing I could think of would be that the computer might need 3 minutes of being "on" in accessory mode after placing the truck into NT. But that makes little sense to me.

I really think that the 3 minutes is PRIOR to turning off the truck and putting it in ACC in order to put it into NT so that it gets a chance to circulate fluids...ince they did not tell you anywhere to make sure the ICE is running for the "few minures".

But leaving it sit there, with ACC on for 3 minutes after putting it into NT would cover all the bases. Restarting is NOT the answer. If I ever tow our 2024, I suppose I would do that just to be sure, until Ford fixes/updates the manual. @Ford Motor Company ????

 

[sapperforward]

Members, I would love if those with experience far distance flat towing their Maverick Hybrid would chime in.
I have a 2024 XLT Hybrid. I have towed short distances without issue. I plan on long distance towing later in the summer.
I am comfortable with putting the car in and out of Flat Tow Mode. My issue is with what exactly to do after 6 hrs.

I understand - Start > brake > D > N.

My issue is the last sentence: Before continuing to Tow, switch neutral tow on and keep vehicle on for 3 min???

You cannot put the vehicle into Tow mode while the vehicle is on!!!!

Anybody have any real world experience??

I believe that's talking about if you're having the truck towed not you towing something with the truck

 

[ChiliDawg]

I believe that's talking about if you're having the truck towed not you towing something with the truck

They're discussing recreational towing, like behind a motorhome. This is available for the Hybrid only. This was the big reason we chose the Maverick - as a toad for our motorhome.

 

[dlhort1955]

Members, I would love if those with experience far distance flat towing their Maverick Hybrid would chime in.
I have a 2024 XLT Hybrid. I have towed short distances without issue. I plan on long distance towing later in the summer.
I am comfortable with putting the car in and out of Flat Tow Mode. My issue is with what exactly to do after 6 hrs.

I understand - Start > brake > D > N.

My issue is the last sentence: Before continuing to Tow, switch neutral tow on and keep vehicle on for 3 min???

You cannot put the vehicle into Tow mode while the vehicle is on!!!!

Anybody have any real world experience??

Can I assume this only applies to Hybrids and not EB?

 

[BradnChristine]

Can I assume this only applies to Hybrids and not EB?

Yes. You absolutely, positively cannot flat tow an EB.

 

[realshelby]

I have MANY 400-500+ mile days flat towing my Maverick.
I always let the Maverick run a few minutes ( at least a couple times forcing gas engine to start by pressing throttle to the floor) and switch between R, N, D 2-3 times. ( often I have the Maverick hooked up from the night before so this routine is common). Then go to "neutral tow".
I don't wait 6 hours typically. Anywhere in the 3-5 hour range and I happen to stop I will "exercise" the Maverick. Same routine as I do first thing in the morning.
Not having an auxiliary braking system in the floor makes this almost no hassle. Regardless, like the Cmax I towed many thousands of miles, I do it for the Maverick. Usually twice a day on average.

I have often suspected this is to make the High Voltage battery come in play to charge the 12V system and "exercise" the relays and such. Yes, there may be a lubrication factor. But I don't see how 3 minutes of running matters at the 5 hour mark? If lubrication is ok for 5-6 hours I cannot reason why it isn't good all day....BUT I still do the dance with it.

 

[NatD]

Terry when u "force" the gas engine to start (most probably from park), it does shut off when u switch thru the gears correct? Then I know u do "force" the gas engine start a couple of times.

 

[BradnChristine]

I've gotten used to dealing with the BrakeBuddy in the way. It is a pain.

I do not believe the ICE goes off when I run it through the D-R-N sequence. Funny, my 1998 Honda CR-V warned that the LAST shift should never be from R to N when setting up for towing, while Ford specifies the D-R-N order.

I have developed a habit of NEVER turning the truck off if the ICE is still running at that point. I turn off the climate control if I think that is causing the ICE to be on (easy to see in the animated fower flow app). I figure the truck wanted the ICE on for some reason...like the 12V battery needed it at that time. Takes up to 3 minutes to go off, then I shut the truck off.

I haven't seen Deep Sleep for a few weeks now, after a period of seeing it almost daily. I don't know if this helps DS or not. I also leave it locked to try to mitigate deep sleep.

 

[BradnChristine]

I create cards whenever I set up a towed vehicle and leave them in the lid of the center consoles.

Here is a combo card of Ford's instructions that includes my BrakeBuddy. I never trust my memory, as It is different for each towed vehicles. Note: This is a push button Lariat.

I am going to be using a portable power station to keep the BrakeBuddy charged, rather than wiring a straight socket. Going to give that a try next trip. If you follow my card exactly, the BrakeBuddy will have no power while the truck is being towed...and even though the compresser says there is pressure, it can only trigger and release if there is power (late lesson learned on another vehicle).

 

[NatD]

For those who are smarter than me - Does the transmission fluid circulate only when the ICE is on, or also when it is on electric?

 

[The Real Maverick]

For those who are smarter than me - Does the transmission fluid circulate only when the ICE is on, or also when it is on electric?

Only when ICE is on in the first three generations of Ford Hybrids so probably yes in this truck too.

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