Any experience with Ford Escape 2.0L?

[jjorgensen]

I put a brake controller on my 2016 and had no issues, took me about 2 hours to run the 12v and brake controller lines to the hitch. Hardest part was getting through the firewall plug in the dash.

[jjorgensen]

I found the article on the brake controller that Frank put in, it is full of pictures, the problem he had was the plug he purchased was defective and he had to replace it, and after that everything worked fine.
7 pin RV plug installation

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by jjorgensen

I found the article on the brake controller that Frank put in, it is full of pictures, the problem he had was the plug he purchased was defective and he had to replace it, and after that everything worked fine.
7 pin RV plug installation

Oh, ok. That's good news. I didn't remember the exact resolution. Glad it doesn't reflect on the vehicle after all.

As far as power and handling, I would not have any doubts about using the Escape with 2L turbo for a 16' Scamp or Casita, or similar.

[Indiana Lynn]

I am Towing my 16 foot Casita, dry but loaded, 4 people in car, with my brand new Ford Escape SE 2.0 liter engine with Factory tow package (rated up to 3500 lbs.) I have plenty of power and I'm averaging a little more than 18 miles to the gallon.

[rdickens]

We have a 2014 Ford Escape 2.0L Ecoboost FWD with the factory tow package. We currently have a 2014 Scamp13 trailer but wanted to have sufficient power to tow a 16ft trailer if we decide that we want to move up.

On a recent trip to California, we averaged 22-23 mpg towing at 60 mph. We went up and over Donner pass with the cruise control set on 60 mph ...... No problem!

Diesel engines and turbocharged engines produce high torque at low RPMs. That torque is what moves an FGRV rig at a steady pace into a headwind and/or up a steep grade. For towing, I have come to believe that torque (at towing RPMs) is far more important than the number of cylinders or the rated horsepower of an engine. (Horsepower is used to accelerate a rig for passing another vehicle or onto an on ramp). There are internet references that talk about horsepower versus torque.

I have little doubt that the 2.0L Ecoboost will tow most FGRVs without much problem.

As always, YMMV.

Good luck with your search and decision. 😊

Ray


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[redbarron55]

I think that the Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost is a good prospect.
One very important issue is that the vehicle needs to be ordered with the factory option for towing.
The equipment can be added later, but it will still be rated 2000 lbs and not 3500 lbs.
The equipment must be setup and programmed in the factory build and as far as I know the dealers cannot accomplish this later, even if the parts are purchased and added.
So..... look for option 536 on the build sheet.
While the kit can be added to the other models the 3500 lb option is dealer installed only. 3500 lb toe limit and 350 lb hitch weight. WDH is also allowable.
This setup has the added module to activate the trailer electronic stabilization and takes care of the trailer lights hookup for the 4 pin plug.
Since this is based on the Kuga sold in Europe the stabilization is required over there.
Towing capacity over there (for the 2.0L diesel) is 4629 lbs and the 85% is 2880.
The 85% rating of the tow car weight is because extra training and experience is required over that amount.
It is comforting that the 3500 lb rating is using SAE J2807 so you can be fairly confident that it will do what they say it will.
My only point is to get the option factory installed because most dealers have no idea what they are talking about and will happily sell you the package with the stickers on the hitch and it is not the same car.
If I am incorrect then pleas let the others know!

[Ransom]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

I think that the Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost is a good prospect.
One very important issue is that the vehicle needs to be ordered with the factory option for towing.
The equipment can be added later, but it will still be rated 2000 lbs and not 3500 lbs.
The equipment must be setup and programmed in the factory build and as far as I know the dealers cannot accomplish this later, even if the parts are purchased and added.
So..... look for option 536 on the build sheet.
While the kit can be added to the other models the 3500 lb option is dealer installed only. 3500 lb toe limit and 350 lb hitch weight. WDH is also allowable.
This setup has the added module to activate the trailer electronic stabilization and takes care of the trailer lights hookup for the 4 pin plug.
Since this is based on the Kuga sold in Europe the stabilization is required over there.
Towing capacity over there (for the 2.0L diesel) is 4629 lbs and the 85% is 2880.
The 85% rating of the tow car weight is because extra training and experience is required over that amount.
It is comforting that the 3500 lb rating is using SAE J2807 so you can be fairly confident that it will do what they say it will.
My only point is to get the option factory installed because most dealers have no idea what they are talking about and will happily sell you the package with the stickers on the hitch and it is not the same car.
If I am incorrect then pleas let the others know!

if the escape is ordered with this package domyou need to specify how many wi44res need to be in the trailer hitch cable?

[rdickens]

Sadly, unless Ford has changed since the 2014 models, you only get a 4-pin flat connector.
Considering that the receiver hitch is a class 2, I thought it was strange that they didn't supply
a 7-pin round.

In the 2014, you also didn't get the pigtail connector under the dash for more easily connecting
an electric brake controller. I think that is supplied in the F-150 trucks. I used a Hopkins
Multi-tow adapter (available at Northern Tool and others) to adapt the 4-pin flat to a combo
7-pin round + 4-pin flat and then ran a separate 12v "hot wire" up to the engine compartment.

The rounded driver's cockpit limits the location(s) where you can mount most brake controllers.
There is an airbag behind the panel in front of the driver's right knee. Even if you could avoid drilling into the airbag, any controller mounted there would be propelled into your right knee/leg
upon airbag inflation. Perhaps the better spot is at the bottom of the ODB2 connector door on
the lower left? Either that or use the Prodigy RF controller that mounts on the trailer tongue and
only requires a small remote inside the car that connects to a cigarette lighter for power.

Lots of power and good MPGs with the Escape ..... just a couple of quirks to deal with.

Ray


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[GirlGone]

Does anyone take into consideration the frontal area ???
I'm being talked out of the Escape 2.0 Ecoboost due to the frontal area limits.
I only want to tow the 13' Scamp which I put at most 2100# or so.
Do you think that it would void any warranties to tow something that exceeds the recommended frontal area ? Also more over any safety issues ?

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by GirlGone

Does anyone take into consideration the frontal area ???
I'm being talked out of the Escape 2.0 Ecoboost due to the frontal area limits.
I only want to tow the 13' Scamp which I put at most 2100# or so.
Do you think that it would void any warranties to tow something that exceeds the recommended frontal area ? Also more over any safety issues ?

I've always scratched my head when it comes to frontal area. The base Escape is "limited" to 20 SF, and with the tow package is "limited" to 30 SF, yet the frontal area of the basic Escape (6' W x 5.5' H) already exceeds 30 SF.
Per the FORD website; "Frontal Area is the total area in square feet that a moving vehicle and trailer exposes
to air resistance. The chart shows the limitations that must be considered in selecting
a vehicle/trailer combination. Exceeding these limitations may significantly reduce the
performance of your towing vehicle. "

[GirlGone]

I thought that the frontal area was the actual area of what you are towing.
What does " may significantly reduce the
performance of your towing vehicle. " really mean?

Is that bad gas mileage or a blown trans ??

[jjorgensen]

our experience has been bad gas mileage, without head winds we can see anywhere from 17-19mpg, even going through mountains (7% grade), however when we hit head winds (20+) miles per hour our gas mileage drops to about 13 - 15mpg. All of this is at about 65mph so others may have seen differing results. We have power to go faster our gas mileage just suffers even more.

Hope that helps

[Jon in AZ]

That's about the same as we get with our Honda Pilot pulling a 13' Scamp. From others' postings, I'd say that's about right, regardless of what the vehicle is. Towing fuel economy depends on the weight and frontal area of the trailer, the local geography, and the towing speed, not so much on the size of the engine.

When you unhitch the advantages of a smaller vehicle and engine return.

The exception seems to be diesel. That changes the equation.

[GirlGone]

I probably should be concerned w/gas mileage~ But I'm really not..
My concern is how much should the frontal area be brought into the equation .
It seems that it's not brought up as much as the weight of the trailer.
Escape will be rated @ 3500~The 13' Scamp 2000 so I'm good there.
I'm trying to talk myself into believing that it's OK because the Scamp is more aerodynamic than others might be...

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by GirlGone

...My concern is how much should the frontal area be brought into the equation ... I'm trying to talk myself into believing that it's OK because the Scamp is more aerodynamic than others might be...

Great question! I've asked it several times before, and no real answers. Lots of poo-pooing: it doesn't matter because the trailers are rounded. You only have to tow into a stiff headwind once to know it does matter!

The new SAE towing standards also specify test trailers with a small frontal area.

My take is that frontal area in excess of the manufacturer's limit or in excess of the SAE test specification should be considered extra weight and you should allow extra margin between the actual weight of your trailer and the tow rating of the vehicle. How much is anyone's guess.

[Glenn Baglo]

What if it is raining or snowing? Does the extra weight of the precipitation hitting the trailer decrease the allowable frontal area?

[floyd]

We tow a 13D with a 2.3L 2008 Ford Escape, technically less power and a less aerodynamic design. 9 years without difficulty, great mileage and good acceleration. Hold highway speeds well.
It has not suffered in this service and makes a great daily driver.
Now I know this is a different car than the new ones but the new one is supposedly more capable in most ways, and most owners love it for a daily driver.
The frontal area of a Scamp13 has a MUCH lower drag resistance than the gross height and width would imply. I have pulled square trailers and none comes close to the ease with which the Scamp tows.

[steelypip]

2.3L Escape /= 2.0L EcoBoost Escape.

The good news is that the 2.0 makes a lot more power. The bad news is that it does it with a turbo, and that means that the engine probably can't stand to make its rated power (or torque) for more than about 30 seconds at a shot without bad things starting to happen. It's also relatively young, which means that we don't really know it will fare over the next 5-10 years. Ford has had mixed fortunes with their light truck engines recently - The staged turbo PowerStroke didn't win fans with turbo problems and high repair bills.

The 2.3 is an engine of long pedigree that appeared in a lot of Ranger pickups over the years. Thoroughly debugged, and certainly up to 100% output for as long as necessary. It was a successful competitor to the Toyota R engine in their small pickups for decades, which tells you just how good it is.

It's all about the designed maximum duty cycle. If Ford designed the engine (and transmission) to run at maximum torque for many minutes at a time, as they did with turbo V6 in the F-150 (which is a great engine by all accounts), then all's well, and you'll have nothing but the expected fuel economy hit - expect 16 MPG at best and 13 or so at worst.

If, on the other hand, the drivetrain isn't up to continuous operation at maximum torque, things could get very expensive very quickly...

[Samwise]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

What if it is raining or snowing? Does the extra weight of the precipitation hitting the trailer decrease the allowable frontal area?

I'm not too sure about snow, but assuming the rain is coming straight down, more or less, then you are having to instantly accelerate all those drops hitting both the TV and the trailer. That takes energy, so the gas mileage goes down.

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by steelypip

2.3L Escape /= 2.0L EcoBoost Escape.

The good news is that the 2.0 makes a lot more power. The bad news is that it does it with a turbo, and that means that the engine probably can't stand to make its rated power (or torque) for more than about 30 seconds at a shot without bad things starting to happen. ..

Interesting about the turbo. Last year I saw the 2.0 turbo they are using in the Kia Sorento during a factory tour, and thought it would be great for towing, since it produced a flat torque curve with 260 lb/ft at 1,450 RPM, compared to 252 lb/ft for the 3.3 V6 at 5,300 RPMs. Having all that torque available with the turbo over a large RPM range should be great for towing, I thought. Turns out the turbo is only rated at 3,500 lbs vs 5000 for the V6. Perhaps having it in turbo mode for prolonged periods (towing) is not a good thing.