Towing the 2013 Edge SEL 4 wheels down

[my2013edge]

I will be towing our new Ford Edge behind our motor home this weekend for the first time. I am not new to dingy towing and know the towing procedures necessary for preparing to tow the Edge.

I have read various blogs concerning some folks having dead battery issues and have read folks talking about insuring that the key is in the proper position before towing.

 

I have played with the key positioning and found if I leave the car in neutral as required for towing and turn the key to its furthest position turned to the left I hear a relay in the dash turn off.

I have rolled the car with the key in this position to insure that the steering wheel did not lock and this seems to be fine.

Since everything on the car seems to be electronic, I want to insure that with the key in this position that after some electronic timeout that the wheel doesn't lock automatically.

 

Anyone out there towing the Edge with the key in this position?

 

Thanks.

[bobinhouston]

Hi NEM,

I just joined the forum and my new 2014 Edge should be delivered in a couple of weeks. I plan on towing mine with my motor home too. I assume you've already towed yours. How did it work out for you? Any advice?

[my2013edge]

Hi Bob,

 

The Edge has towed fine, actually towed it over 7,000 miles on an out west trip this past summer.

We like the car very much, its comfortable, handles very well and does great on fuel.

 

I am coming from a Ford Escape 2009, 2010 and 2011, 3 cars, 3 years, 11 transmission failures, and 3 Lemon Law battles before I ended up with the 2013 Edge, so I was very uncomfortable at first towing this car.

I found myself starting it and running it through its gears when I stop for fuel just out of fear but on those days when I didn't do that and dragged it around for a full day, at the end of the day the car would not start because the battery went dead.

On this 7,000 mile trip I did that twice and twice I ended up with a dead battery.

 

When I was purchasing my 2013, I was told by Ford that the 2014 Edge would not be Flat Towable, have you verified it is?

 

Good Luck.

[mersheil]

We just bought a 2014 Edge and the manual describes the procedure for towing. Haven't actually towed it anywhere yet as we still are working on getting the motor home hitch high enough (the hitch pins come out through the middle of the grill). So far haven't found a rock shield that will work so if anyone has any suggestions please post :-)

[my2013edge]

Hi Mersheil.

 

Just as information, because the Blue Ox base plate hitch pins came out from the middle of the front grill, I found that a 10 inch rise for the motor home receiver worked out perfect. If you read my post concerning all the failures we had with the Ford Escapes and the fact that we finally ended up in an Edge, knowing folks who had towed the Edge successfully, the wife and I were very excited to get on the road and tow our new car.

We made plans to head out west and that's what we did.

As for a rock shield, I have been towing vehicles for years and never had any issues with rock chips, so that wasn't a concern but not long after we got on the road I started to notice that our perfect Ruby Red paint job started getting small chips.

I am not sure if this is an issue with my color or our paint job but needless to say after just spending a ton of money on purchasing this new car I had to do something to protect it. I also began a frantic search for shields and remembering that my uncle tows an Edge and for years protects it with a shield that was made specifically for his car and was sold by

COASTLINE MFG. CO.

10234 4th Street

Cucamonga, CA 91730

I wasn't crazy about the fact that this cover that was going to cover the hood, fenders and windshield and also wasn't excited to spend $500 on this item but know of his success with the item I ordered one.

We were still out west so I had it shipped to me there.

I was concerned that the cover was going to be hard to install but it isn't and it sure has protected the car.

I didn't experience any additional chips and I have to tell you that there were several stops where I found small pieces of rocks or debris on the cover that I know would have caused another chip.

 

Oh by the way, we have now successfully towed our Edge for over 10,000 miles and its towing fine.

One additional item I found, when I stop for fuel, I start the car and let it idle as I fuel up, I then run it through its gears.

I have a Brake Buddy and plug it into a separate 12 volt power supply (I bought a Sears 12 volt jumper box that plugs into 110 volt to charge it and that has a 12 volt outlet) .

On a few hurried days where I plugged the Brake Buddy into the cars 12 volt outlet and forgot to start it between fuel ups, when we reached our destination at the end of the day the cars battery was dead.

 

I hope this information is helpful.

 

Lots of luck with you new car.

[dentmac]

Hi,

I've been towing my 2014 MKX or a month and twice the battery has died. Once I forgot to put it in park and turn it off immediately after stopping for the night. (3 hours). I do stop after 3 hours and start it for a few minutes, changing gears. It has a push button start that I leave in "Accessory"as advised in the manual.

Braking system is air piston type so there is no drain like a Brake Buddy.

I contacted the dealer-- told to run a wire with an inverter and charger.

Contacted FORD-- told to take it to a dealer to see where the drain is. We're on the road for 6 months-- Ford must know the problem is a design issue , not an isolated event , so taking it to a dealer is useless and inconvenient. I will happily take it to a dealer with an appointment for a fix, not to waste time.

I have now contacted FORD, asking them to escalate the complaint. We'll see.