Towing a 2017 ford Focus 2.0 Automatic

[Ron N]

Can anyone please provide feedback. Thinking of buying a 2017 Ford Focus (not ST model) to be flat towed behind my 2022 Navion. Motorhome magazine states it can be flat towed if auto. transmission is in neutral and negative battery cable is dis-connected but my RV dealer Staes only a manual transmission will work. Does anyone have a Focus as a TOAD? Kindly advise

Many thanks
Ron Nobler
[email protected]

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Ron N

Can anyone please provide feedback. Thinking of buying a 2017 Ford Focus (not ST model) to be flat towed behind my 2022 Navion. Motorhome magazine states it can be flat towed if auto. transmission is in neutral and negative battery cable is dis-connected but my RV dealer Staes only a manual transmission will work. Does anyone have a Focus as a TOAD? Kindly advise

Many thanks
Ron Nobler
[email protected]

According to the owner's manual, it can be done. You have to turn the key on and put the car in neutral, wait for the display to tell you it is in neutral. Then switch the key off and remove the negative battery cable. I know they make a disconnect kit to make this easier.

Aaron

[Morich]

Check carefully as our 2015 Focus with electronic automatic was a total disaster! Part of the electronics had to be alive to keep the transmission happy while the rest of the ignition , etc. had to be disconnected!
We were a long term Ford family with several Ford mechanics but this one broke us!
We started having no crank/no start at random times after a year or so. Computer diagnostics said the battery was low but changing the battery would not fix it.
After three dealers and numerous tries, none of the three came up with the correct item that would make it start if we let it set for 12-48 hours! The battery was never dead but it would not crank! I once stalled on picking it up, just to make sure and they could not start it to bring it up to the front!

We finally stopped and just moved on. There were bigger issues to consider than whether the car would start! Legal is not a real option as they have the time and money to simply outlast you!

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by Ron N

Can anyone please provide feedback. Thinking of buying a 2017 Ford Focus (not ST model) to be flat towed behind my 2022 Navion. Motorhome magazine states it can be flat towed if auto. transmission is in neutral and negative battery cable is dis-connected but my RV dealer Staes only a manual transmission will work. Does anyone have a Focus as a TOAD? Kindly advise

We have a 2016 Focus Titanium automatic and have been towing it behind our Sunstar 29VE for the past 3 years. It’s great. No significant issues. The Focus is a great toad. It has very little impact when driving the RV and it’s fun to drive with plenty of room for the two of us.

We had the base plate installed professionally. We used Blue Ox. Hooking up takes about 15-20 minutes. There is a step in the car to get the transmission ready. Then we disconnect the battery under the hood.

I was apprehensive about towing at first. I read some horror stories online. Some people destroyed their transmission. But it has worked out well for us.

I’d be happy to answer specific questions. You are welcome to dm me.

[Ron N]

Many thanks for your reply. Ended up buying a 2014 Focus automatic and am having a battery disconnect installed. The ford specs state I can put the transmission in neutral by pressing the start button with foot OFF brake pedal. Curious if you have a rock shield for the focus that is mounted to the front of TOAD? Good day

[Ron N]

not sure what DM means to get in touch with you.

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by Ron N

Many thanks for your reply. Ended up buying a 2014 Focus automatic and am having a battery disconnect installed. The ford specs state I can put the transmission in neutral by pressing the start button with foot OFF brake pedal. Curious if you have a rock shield for the focus that is mounted to the front of TOAD? Good day

Here are the steps we perform in the car:

1. (Optional) Lock all the doors with the electric lock.
2. Release parking brake.
3. Push start button with foot OFF brake.
4. Press the brake pedal and shift to neutral.
5. Wait for a message in the display, ‘Transmission is Ready’.
6. (Optional) Turn the air to recirculating.
7. Push start button to turn power off.

On the battery, I just disconnect the positive cable from the battery. I use a wrench. The manual says to disconnect the negative end but that’s underneath the battery. Having a battery disconnect switch would make it easier.

We don’t use a rock shield. We’ve been lucky so far.

I recommend you write down all the steps, in detail. Go over it to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Then type it up, put it in a plastic sleeve and keep it with the towing equipment. Follow the steps religiously when hooking up. One step we added at the end was for me to move the RV forward a few feet while my wife watched the toad wheels turn, to make sure we didn’t leave the brake on.

BTW, DM means direct message. Happy to answer any other questions.

[Ron N]

Many thanks !!! safe travels

[Americanrascal]

We had a Focus from that year and decided to use our dolly to run it as a toad. Worked great, easy and quick loading and set up. Never knew it was behind us and didn't need to worry about the 4 down proceedure.

[edmagner]

We flat tow a 2015 Focus Titanium with that engine & transmission and it works great...others have described the procedure from owners manual to make sure the trans is in neutral. I installed a race car battery cutoff switch on the ground cable underhood to make the required disconnect easier..Good luck

Ed

[Ron N]

Thanks so much Ed. Having a cutoff switch installed as well. Hopefully some trouble free towing...Regards