Issues with flat towing?

[realshelby]

Don't know what year the Escape hybrid was....but I towed a 2013 Ford Cmax many thousands of miles behind my motorhome. The HV battery probably isn't dead.....It will be the LV/12 volt battery going dead. Common issue back then. Fix was to run a power lead through the harness from the starting batteries on the coach into the Cmax to it's 12v battery. There is a spare circuit on most 7 pin connections. Never had an issue again. Before that I carried a small lithium jump start pack, just a quick touch to the 12v battery and the engine would start right up. Engine starts off HV system, but without 12v to tell the computer what to do it is dead.

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[Donald]

Just towed my 2023 Maverick Hybrid 800 miles. 400 each stop. No issues at all with battery. I did run a 12 volt wire from my motorhome to the jumper post in the engine compartment. Tows great.

 

[Maverick tow car]

Thanks for the reply.
According to the rv tech, the customer was following Ford’s process with their Escape hybrid. still had the battery die. So I’m just wondering how people who have flat towed their Mavs are doing. Maybe it’s an Escape issue but my tech was concerned about Ford’s hybrids, not concerned about Toyota’s hybrids

Hi I have a 2012 escape hybrid ,towed a lot( 25k miles total muliple trip )not had any problems with the battery .

 

[Maverick tow car]

Just towed my 2023 Maverick Hybrid 800 miles. 400 each stop. No issues at all with battery. I did run a 12 volt wire from my motorhome to the jumper post in the engine compartment. Tows great.

Hi are you using a brake system ? I was thinking of using brake buddy 3 portable unit for my maverick .

 

[Donald]

Using the RVi system. Easiest and most portable ive found.

 

[BradnChristine]

Hi are you using a brake system ? I was thinking of using brake buddy 3 portable unit for my maverick .

I'll be using my 20 year old (yellow) Brake Buddy. So simple, and it has been in about 8 different toweds so far.

 

[BradnChristine]

...

Tech told me they think it is the regen braking draining the battery. The tech said when the car was put into tow mode there was an error popping up on the screen that was along the lines that there was a severe battery drain. The Escape was using the Patriot braking system. FYI, he said they don’t see this happening on other manufacturer‘s hybrids like Toyota.

For those that are already flat towing the Mav behind your RV are y’all seeing any issues? I know there are general battery issues apparently from the cable connection and perhaps that’s the real issue for the Escape customer or maybe it’s a software issue, but I want to get “real life” feedback on the towing aspect from Mav owners.
thx Peach

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't see any comment regarding the errors.

This is an RV tech to stay away from. NONE of the Toyota Hybrids can be flat-towed, so his comment that he doesn't see battery depletion when towing a Toyota Hybrid is completely made up.

I will run a charge wire to my Maverick's positive post, just like on my C-Max Hybrid. It likely isn't necessary when following the manual's instruction on time limits, but it doesn't hurt to keep a float charge.

Regarding the Escape, that "severe battery draw" has to be something else wrong. I did set my Brake Buddy into my S-10 a bit too tight once. It didn't cause the brakes to come on, but it did cause the brake lights to activate for about a 5 hour trip and it depleted the 12 v battery.

I expect my Maverick to work exactly as the C-Max does.

 

[GApeach]

Thanks!

 

[keef033]

Using the RVi system. Easiest and most portable ive found.

Hello

Can you tell me how the RVi towed battery charger is hooked up to the Maverick please? Can you see the readouts from the battery charger on the RVi tablet?

Thanks.

 

[Wiz]

If it did drain the battery, I wonder if you could install a battery disconnect switch?

 

[BradnChristine]

If it did drain the battery, I wonder if you could install a battery disconnect switch?

I haven't investigated fully, but that might cause an issue with the neutral tow setting.

The manual is a little vague... But my RV has power in its 7-pin that I will use as a charge wire to keep the battery charged

I think this particular item is no longer produced, but I will be moving my "Toad-Charge" from my C-Max to my Maverick. https://www.bestconverter.com/Toad-Charge_c_125.html
C

 

[JimParker256]

Makes no sense. There shouldn’t be any regenerative braking in neutral tow mode with the vehicle off as described above.

Not to mention that "regenerative braking" does NOT drain the battery. The whole point of regenerative braking is to actually charge the battery... I think they are wrong, and that something else is going on.

By the way, my Toyota Prius C manual specifically prohibited flat-towing. Just saying...

 

[BradnChristine]

Not to mention that "regenerative braking" does NOT drain the battery. The whole point of regenerative braking is to actually charge the battery... I think they are wrong, and that something else is going on.

By the way, my Toyota Prius C manual specifically prohibited flat-towing. Just saying...

Toyota's system is different than Ford's (regarding regenerative braking). None of the Toyota Hybrids are flat towable, but ALL of Ford's Hybrids are, at least 2013 on. Not sure about the early Escapes.

 

[Donald]

Hello

Can you tell me how the RVi towed battery charger is hooked up to the Maverick please? Can you see the readouts from the battery charger on the RVi tablet?

Thanks.

I hooked mine to the jumper post under the hood.

 

[keef033]

I hooked mine to the jumper post under the hood.

Thank you. Where did you connect the wire that is meant to go to the battery -ve terminal? Can you see the info on the RVi command center from the battery charger?

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