Anyone Towing a 2019 Ford Explorer?

[wannabeacamper]

Last month we were travelling west on 1-4, about 60 miles east of Tampa, FL. As always, I-4 was packed, but we were plugging along in the slow lane at 50-55 mph. All of a sudden, my wife and I hear an explosion, the motor home lurches and I see our tow car swing into the middle lane. Someone had hit us from the rear. By the grace of God, no one was injured. However, our tow car, a 2010 Ford Edge didn't survive. So, the search for a new tow car began. We decided to buy a new car so we could use it as a family car, as well as our toad. Surprise, Surprise, Ford doesn't make a 2020 car or SUV that is flat towable. In fact, we couldn't find any 2020 car or SUV that could be towed flat. However, we continued looking for options, and we may have found a solution - but we would love to have confirmation from real live users. It seems that 2019 FWD (front wheel drive) Ford Explorers, with a 3.5 engine, can be towed with 4 wheels on the ground. Is anyone out there using a 2019 Ford Explorer as their tow car?

[upflying]

Not a single 2020 vehicle that can be flat towed sounds wrong.
Maybe the final specs aren't published yet.

Originally Posted by wannabeacamper

. Surprise, Surprise, Ford doesn't make a 2020 car or SUV that is flat towable. In fact, we couldn't find any 2020 car or SUV that could be towed flat. ?

[Hatchdog]

We have a 2019 Explorer but it is AWD, not FWD. Prior to buying our trailer we looked at Class C’s with the idea of towing our Explorer behind it. What I found out doing just a little research online and with the owners manual was that while it will flat tow you will have to stop every six hours (minimum) and cycle the transmission thru the gears. I believe this is to keep the fluid cycled throughout.

After looking at the costs of the Class C and converting our Explorer to tow we decided on the trailer as we already had an F250 for towing.

Not sure if the above applies to FWD.

[wannabeacamper]

Thank you for your help. We are hoping to find someone who is towing the car we are considering. But, if no one responds, that probably means that a 2019 Ford Explorer FWD (front wheel drive) with a 3.5L engine, probably cannot be towed with all 4 wheels down. Thanks, again, for taking the time to think along with us.

[AlaskaErik]

Check out Buick. My neighbor bought a new 2020 Envision because it can be flat-towed behind his motorhome.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by wannabeacamper

Thank you for your help. We are hoping to find someone who is towing the car we are considering. But, if no one responds, that probably means that a 2019 Ford Explorer FWD (front wheel drive) with a 3.5L engine, probably cannot be towed with all 4 wheels down. Thanks, again, for taking the time to think along with us.

Motorhome Magazine publishes lists of towable dinghy's, the '19 Ford Explorer is approved.
https://webcontent.goodsam.com/motor...inghyGuide.pdf

[wannabeacamper]

AlaskaErik, I just called Buick. Together with the Customer Service Rep, we visited the owners manual. On pages 296-298 we found a discussion of "dinghy" towing. Yes, flat towing is OK. My wife and I have been "Ford people" for a long time. So, we are still hoping for a confirmation that the 2019 Ford Explorer can be towed on 4 wheels. If not, we will be considering all options. Thank you.

[wannabeacamper]

Upflying, you were correct when you said no 2020 vehicles that can be flat towed sounded wrong. There is at least one: the 2020 Buick Envision. Also, I don't know why (we certainly weren't planning on changing tow vehicles) but we had saved our Dinghy Towing Guide. It does seem say that all 2019 Ford Explorers FWD (front wheel drive) and AWD (all wheel drive) can be flat towed. Nonetheless, we are hoping to hear from a few motorhomers who are actually towing one. I guess we are looking for a little reassurance.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by wannabeacamper

Upflying, you were correct when you said no 2020 vehicles that can be flat towed sounded wrong. There is at least one: the 2020 Buick Envision. Also, I don't know why (we certainly weren't planning on changing tow vehicles) but we had saved our Dinghy Towing Guide. It does seem say that all 2019 Ford Explorers FWD (front wheel drive) and AWD (all wheel drive) can be flat towed. Nonetheless, we are hoping to hear from a few motorhomers who are actually towing one. I guess we are looking for a little reassurance.

The only official reassurance will be the owners manual . Anything else is unverified internet sources.

[RJ I4]

I’ve been towing a 2019 4WD Explorer, a version of the AWD that I tow behind my 2019 Dynamax Isata 4-31. We have more than 4,000 towed miles with no problems. Yes, you need to cycle the fluids (I drive it around the neighborhood for 10 minutes). You need to keep the speed to 65 or less when towing, and repeat the cycling of fluids every 6 hours. I had a battery cutoff and charge line from the RV installed to power the Brake Buddy. One tip I did learn is that once you “reconnect” the car’s battery, you have to start the Explorer within 5 minutes so the Sync can retain its memory.
However,, I do find this article about the 2020 Explorer. Page 14 says it will be Flat Towable. https://webcontent.goodsam.com/motor...inghyGuide.pdf

[llr]

on page 252 of the 2019 owners manual it say the 3.5 can be towed 4 down
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo..._08_2018v2.pdf

[BobHanke]

The source I checked says that the Explorer 3.5 Liter Duratec FRONT WHEEL DRIVE can be four wheel down towed. There are some proviso's regarded the negative battery cable that should be followed. Into for the 2020 models will probably be out shortly after the beginning of next year. We have traveled with a professionally guided caravan group the past two years and those who tow prefer Jeep products by a fairly wide margin.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by BobHanke

The source I checked says that the Explorer 3.5 Liter Duratec FRONT WHEEL DRIVE can be four wheel down towed. There are some proviso's regarded the negative battery cable that should be followed. Into for the 2020 models will probably be out shortly after the beginning of next year. We have traveled with a professionally guided caravan group the past two years and those who tow prefer Jeep products by a fairly wide margin.

The owners manual for the 2020 Explorer is available online as a PDF. The relevant section says:

Recreational Towing

You cannot recreational tow your vehicle
with all wheels on the ground because
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
We recommend towing your vehicle with
all four wheels off the ground such as
when using a car-hauling trailer. Otherwise,
you cannot recreational tow your vehicle.

PDF is here: http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo...US_03_2019.pdf

Towing info is on page 283

Qwkynuf

[MacII]

Have you given any thought to towing on a trailer? I had over 70,000 miles towing behind our Monaco Executive with a Cummins ISX engine. We towed a 20 foot tiltbed trailer and I towed anything I wanted, car, pickup, ATV's and so forth.

I towed flat once and decided I liked towing on a trailer better. I didn't like towing a vehicle with a short narrow wheel base behind a far more powerful vehicle with a much longer and wider wheel base. I noticed that some others towing had problems with the toad not having the same wheel base as the tow vehicle.

With the tilt bed, I bolted wheel stops where I wanted the front end to be and threw a chain around the trailer hitch on the back of the "toad" with a load binder to cinch everything in place.

The only problem we ever had towing that way was a stolen tail light on the trailer at one truck stop.

I could back the trailer with the toad anywhere I wanted, I had more than adequate brakes on the trailer and all I had to do was drive the toad onto the tilt bed and chain it down. No stone damage to the front end of any toad, no need to drop drivelines or run a toad every so often.

The only possible problem was parking both a 42 foot motor home and a 20 foot trailer -- but it proved to never be a problem. All the RV parks were happy to accommodate us.

But, you are not going to find much welcome at Corp of Engineers campgrounds and most state campgrounds. Sites are too small. In some cases, they were too small the the motor home alone, let alone the trailer. But, RV parks always had room and in most I didn't even have to unhook the trailer in the pull throughs.

[RedLdr1]

The number of Ford flat towables has decreased since they killed their car line up. But there are still a few. The new Explorer is a RWD vehicle for 2020 so it is definitely off the list.

I've attached the Ford Towing Guide for 2019 and 2020 as this is the "official word" from Ford. I also confirm with my dealers service manager that a specific vehicle is actually flat towable.

[Steve-W]

Per the 2019 Dinghy Towing Guide the Explorer with the 3.5 is flat towable.

Here is the link to the guide:
Dinghy Towing Guide 2019

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by RJ I4

I’ve been towing a 2019 4WD Explorer, a version of the AWD that I tow behind my 2019 Dynamax Isata 4-31. We have more than 4,000 towed miles with no problems. Yes, you need to cycle the fluids (I drive it around the neighborhood for 10 minutes). You need to keep the speed to 65 or less when towing, and repeat the cycling of fluids every 6 hours. I had a battery cutoff and charge line from the RV installed to power the Brake Buddy. One tip I did learn is that once you “reconnect” the car’s battery, you have to start the Explorer within 5 minutes so the Sync can retain its memory.
However,, I do find this article about the 2020 Explorer. Page 14 says it will be Flat Towable. https://webcontent.goodsam.com/motor...inghyGuide.pdf

That sounds like a huge inconvenience. 65 mph speed limit and cycle fluids every six hours! How many people are going to accept those limitations? I certainly wouldn't, if other options are available.

[JerryS]

What does the Explorer weigh? Maybe, if you like pickup trucks, a F150 (aluminum body) may be weigh less, and many of then can be flat towed.