- First Name
- John
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2026
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Palm Desert, CS
- Vehicle(s)
- 2026 Ford Maverick AWD Hybrid Lariat
- Engine
- 2.5L Hybrid
- Thread starter
- #1
Greetings! I have a 2026 Grand Design 31ZW5 and flat towing a 2026 Ford Maverick Hybrid AWD. I recently had the entire set up installed at the GD dealer, and recommendations. For the braking system, they installed the Roadmaster InvisiBrake Flat Tow Brake System.
Yesterday I turn the engine brakes on while towing, I got an error message that popped up on my Ford F-550 dashboard that said Tow Brake Error that lasted about 5 seconds, then went away.
My theory is that the engine brake will trigger the brake lights to come on (or come on at some threshold) which then triggers the InvisiBrakes to come on, but I’m not 100% sure. In researching F-600/F-550 Ford Chassis and reading the owners manual about Engine Brakes, it’s still not clear if the brake lights come on or not when the engine brakes are engaged. It would make sense that they do because you want to alert those behind you that you’re braking (regardless of how).
I’m new at Flat Towing, and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and any recommendations for how to Flat Tow on mountain grades without burning your brakes up in the tow vehicle.
Some suggestions based on my research is to have the installer isolate (somehow) the Engine Brake, which triggers the coach brake lights, which triggers the Maverick brakes. I live south of the Sierras and visit often, and I know I’m going to have some steep mountain/hill grades, and given that Engine Brakes can stay on the entire time going down a grade, that implies that the Maverick brakes are also on the entire time, which is not good.
I think what I’m going to have to do is have someone stand behind and the side of the road and as I drive by at 40 mph with the engine brakes on, lift off the accelerator right when I pass my helper, and see if the brake lights come on. This will give me the clue as to whether there’s another issue or I need to have the installer isolate the light signal coming from the Engine Breaks.
I was wondering if others out there understand this problem and any recommendations.
Yesterday I turn the engine brakes on while towing, I got an error message that popped up on my Ford F-550 dashboard that said Tow Brake Error that lasted about 5 seconds, then went away.
My theory is that the engine brake will trigger the brake lights to come on (or come on at some threshold) which then triggers the InvisiBrakes to come on, but I’m not 100% sure. In researching F-600/F-550 Ford Chassis and reading the owners manual about Engine Brakes, it’s still not clear if the brake lights come on or not when the engine brakes are engaged. It would make sense that they do because you want to alert those behind you that you’re braking (regardless of how).
I’m new at Flat Towing, and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and any recommendations for how to Flat Tow on mountain grades without burning your brakes up in the tow vehicle.
Some suggestions based on my research is to have the installer isolate (somehow) the Engine Brake, which triggers the coach brake lights, which triggers the Maverick brakes. I live south of the Sierras and visit often, and I know I’m going to have some steep mountain/hill grades, and given that Engine Brakes can stay on the entire time going down a grade, that implies that the Maverick brakes are also on the entire time, which is not good.
I think what I’m going to have to do is have someone stand behind and the side of the road and as I drive by at 40 mph with the engine brakes on, lift off the accelerator right when I pass my helper, and see if the brake lights come on. This will give me the clue as to whether there’s another issue or I need to have the installer isolate the light signal coming from the Engine Breaks.
I was wondering if others out there understand this problem and any recommendations.
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