Any experience with Ford Escape 2.0L?

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by charlesjerrywalker

I bought 2016 Titanium 2.0 Eco boost rated 3500 lbs tow but have not used it. It came with installed tow pack a ge.

If you have a trailer with electric brakes, the tow package will need to be upgraded from the 4 pin they come with to 7.

Frank

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by bec

We had a serious look at -test drove , priced out etc. and asked about every possible question re: towing for the Ford Escape 2017 - Titanium 2.0 Ecoboost (specifically ). The response on tow package is - they are all tow package ready , the hitch and wire harness are added at the dealer .
( we have no knowledge on older Ford Escapes )
They only add 4pin and class 11. The vehicle has plenty of power ...is quick - but the sales guy in this case said " it would not do as well going uphill compared to our Liberty - or the Cherokee ".
We did test drive and considered the Cherokee when the new model came out in 2014 . It did not feel like a safe vehicle - response to gas was poor , transmission was rough -odd -felt like one could end up stuck in traffic with no power followed by sudden jump forward .
Ruled it out in 2014 ...... ( we had driven 9 speed trans in Germany 2012- was beautiful ) ....we have now taken another look at the Cherokee and another drive and will be taking another drive soon .
We find ourselves reconsidering . We did not encounter the same issues as 2014 ....
As Ford only adds 4 pin and class 11 hitch ( which gave us pause for thought ) plus interior space ( driver side in particular - brake controller ?) plus dealer bolted hitch , hitch height - we've decided it is not really for us . But it is a nice vehicle - especially with the two tone interior .
If we do not feel comfortable enough ......we'll just stick with our Liberty a while longer - it's been excellent and is less than 180 K and in very good condition .......

I added a 7 pin to our Escape. It was not without complications due to faulty materials, but was fairly straight forward. Took me a while to figure out something was faulty, but I did and it's been fine for 3 years now,

Frank

[redbarron55]

If the Ford does not have the tow module from the factory then it is not rated 3500 lbs.
With no trailer module I think it us rated 1500 or 2000 lbs.
The module is not added at the dealership and must be ordered from the factor.
If I remember correctly.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

If the Ford does not have the tow module from the factory then it is not rated 3500 lbs.
With no trailer module I think it us rated 1500 or 2000 lbs.
The module is not added at the dealership and must be ordered from the factor.
If I remember correctly.

I believe you are correct. Our Escape came with the factory tow package.

Frank

[Uplander]

One must ask what exactly does Ford add to the vehicle in question to create this "Tow Package" ?

Important features should include: Extra Transmission Cooler....Heavy Duty Alternator.....trailer hitch receiver...trailer wiring harness (7 pin connector ?)...
Heavy Duty Battery.

It is rare to see any electric trailer brake controller included in any factory tow package. That is something you must seek "after market".

Most of these additional items can be added after market once you know what Ford includes in the "Tow Package".

Today's vehicles almost always specify an automatic transmission for towing as they are much stronger than any manual transmission. The extra trans-cooler insures they will not overheat when towing.

Best advise I can offer is to select a tow vehicle with a tow package that exceeds the fully loaded trailer weight plus the weight of all cargo and passengers in the vehicle. Anything less is just looking for problems.

Safety first...happy camping !

[frank_a]

The package does not include a 7 pin connector. Rather it includes a 4 pin, the type used for utility trailers and many boat trailers. They have lower profiles and are easwier to tow then a high profile RV.

When we were looking for a reasonable tow vehicle, we posed the question here (many years ago). While we got a lot of answers (as you might imagine), one person, a fellow named Daniel, who worked for Ford, could not say enough about the new Escape with the tow package. Every question I asked received a glowing "no problem" sort of response. That is pretty much how we ended up buying Gail a new Escape with the factory tow package. It really tows all sorts of stuff easily, but our Parkliner requires using the automatic in more of a manual manner (see page 3 of this Ford document: http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g...scape_oct1.pdf). I believe the reason we have to use manual shift is the height of the Parkliner.

Sometime in the next year we will be buying a newer pickup for towing. My old F150 never had any problem towing the Parkliner. Unfortunately, it blew a plug a while ago, and I sold it.

Frank

[sokhapkin]

Acoording to Ford towing guide http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g...scape_oct1.pdf Trailer towing package consists of

Trailer Wiring Harness (4-Pin)
Hitch Receiver
Trailer Sway Control

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by sokhapkin

Acoording to Ford towing guide http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g...scape_oct1.pdf Trailer towing package consists of

Trailer Wiring Harness (4-Pin)
Hitch Receiver
Trailer Sway Control

Well, if that's it, then I don't think there's too many problems towing with a Ford 260 hp ecoboost engine if you add the hitch and 7 pin after market. On both my 2007 and my 2016 Escapes, my Casita has towed rock solid without a hint of sway.

[Uplander]

If you are smart you might visit a good transmission shop and invest a few dollars in a transmission cooler....very sad Ford is trying to pass off those slim Pickens as a tow package.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Uplander

If you are smart you might visit a good transmission shop and invest a few dollars in a transmission cooler....very sad Ford is trying to pass off those slim Pickens as a tow package.

I doubt it would be "a few dollars." More like a few hundred or more. Nevertheless, a capital idea.

Frank

[frank_a]

All the posts in this one thread of an Escape Forum suggest the 2 liter Escapes come with a transmission cooler, and also have "smart" transmissions that will slow down when they get too hot.

Install Transmission Cooler on 2.0L ? - 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 Ford Escape Forum

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by frank_a

All the posts in this one thread of an Escape Forum suggest the 2 liter Escapes come with a transmission cooler, and also have "smart" transmissions that will slow down when they get too hot.

Install Transmission Cooler on 2.0L ? - 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 Ford Escape Forum

My 2016 has a transmission cooler. Like with most new cars, there are temperature sensors on the engine and transmission to protect them from overheating. There's also a "lower power" mode that the engine will shift into if it's getting too hot. Pulling all that horsepower out of a small four cylinder with turbos, I would guess protection is a real necessity.

[Rpod Escape]

I recently purchased a 2018 R-pod 178. Dry weight is 2700 lbs. I took delivery in Indiana and towed it home to Virginia with my 2016 Escape Titanium 2.0 with tow package. I had a brake controller, a WDH, and sway control installed. The car handled like a champ! I put the transmission in S as opposed to D in order to lock out the overdrive and never exceeded 60 mph. Even through the mountains of West Virginia and western Virginia, I had no problems. I did allow the Escape to gradually slow to about 50 while pulling the longer grades. I averaged 16.7 mpg for the entire trip. Much better than I had anticipated.

[thewags]

I recently bought a 2017 Ford Escape 2.0 with tow package, and came to this thread to see if I am being realistic in thinking I can tow a decent trailer. I have to say, there is a lot of great info here. But after reading pages and pages of this thread, it appears that if you ask the folks who don't own a similar Escape, the answer is an emphatic NO. If you ask the folks who actually do own the car, they say YES, they tow quite nicely without a problem. I can only surmise that the newer Escape with Ecoboost has broken out of the traditional box with its newer technology and capabilities. Thanks to all your inputs, I am now more comfortable looking at a trailer in the 17-ft, 2500-lb dry wt range.