Towing your family car on a cross-country RV trip can be a convenient way to have a smaller vehicle to ride in once your destination is reached. Flat towing can be an option with certain vehicles, but are you able to do this with a Ford Fusion? We researched this popular car from multiple professional sources so that you'll have a definitive answer.
The Ford Fusion can be flat towed, so long as certain steps and precautions are taken.
Now that you know that the Ford Fusion can be flat towed, we'll take a closer look at how to safely accomplish this without doing any damage to your vehicle. You might also be wondering what would happen if you flat tow an all-wheel-drive car, or if a car with a CVT transmission can be towed in this manner. For the answers to these questions and more, keep reading!
Steps and precautions to take when flat towing your Ford Fusion
Flat towing any vehicle requires a little more than just attaching the tow vehicle to the dinghy vehicle. For you to flat-tow a Fusion without damaging it, you'll need to take a few more steps. We've outlined what you'll need to do below.
Place the Fusion in "stay in neutral" mode
Once your Ford Fusion is attached to the tow bar, you'll need to make sure that it's in the proper setting. Placing the Fusion in the "stay in neutral" mode is the only mode to safely tow it. Any other gear will surely damage your transmission.
Mind the safe driving speed for your particular engine type
According to Four Wheel Trends, the speed limit for almost all Ford Fusions should be at no more than 70 miles per hour. However, you'll want to be certain that you know what engine you have under your Fusion's hood. One engine, in particular, shouldn't be towed above 65 miles per hour.
If you have a 2.7L EcoBoost, be sure that your RV doesn't exceed 65 miles per hour on the interstate. This engine will become too warm if run at excessive speeds for too long. Heat is damaging to the moving parts of your Fusion's engine, so take heed!
Run the engine periodically
It's recommended that you start your Ford Fusion's engine every six hours. Doing so will cause fluids within the engine to lubricate and cool parts that might have become heated while being towed. Should any of these parts get too hot, the heat can cause some pretty expensive damage.
Be sure you put the Fusion back into "stay in neutral" mode before resuming your flat tow of the car.
Can any hybrids be flat towed?
If you are considering other hybrids for flat towing, you'll find that it's a short list. Ford is the only automaker that ensures that it's safe to flat-tow their hybrids. These models include not only the Ford Fusion but also the Ford Escape.
They continue to state that there are no current model electric vehicles on the market that can be flat towed. So if you possess an all-electric car, having its trailer towed or placed upon a flatbed is your only safe option.
Is it OK to tow an automatic car in neutral?
You might be thinking that it's ok to flat-tow a car with an automatic transmission if it is placed in neutral. Doing so, however, can result in some expensive and avoidable damage to your vehicle. There is a lot more to it than just having a car in neutral. Whether or not your car is a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive are all certainly factors to consider before deciding how to tow it.
As we'll discuss ahead in this post, all-wheel-drive vehicles should never be flat towed or dolly towed. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles can safely be dolly towed, but reading the owner's manual for front-wheel-drive cars is especially important when it comes to determining whether or not a dolly tow is safe. If the manual doesn't exactly specify that it's safe to dolly or flat tow, then assume that you can only tow it by having it trailered or on a flatbed.
When it comes to flat towing, just because the vehicle is in neutral doesn't mean that the transmission won't go to work. As soon as the wheels begin to rotate, the transmission will engage. Without the engine running to help cool and lubricate the transmission, the transmission will get too hot and become damaged.
Experts agree that flat towing an automatic in neutral is only acceptable for a really short trip. If you are in dire need to get your vehicle to a mechanic that is close by, you should be fine. But if you're going more than just a few miles, it's best to trailer tow your vehicle so that you won't further damage it.
What happens if you tow an AWD car?
Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle can be done by having it trailered or placed upon a flatbed. Other methods of towing, such as flat towing or dolly towing, will make your vehicle suffer from expensive damage. This is why it's very important to know what's under your hood before you begin to tow any vehicle.
The only way to safely tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle is to make sure that all four wheels are off of the ground. If any of the wheels rotate, the transmission will go to work. Without the engine running, the transmission will not get the lubricants and cooling that it needs to keep from overheating.
Should the transmission get too hot, you will have considerable damage done to it as well as your drivetrain. Always follow the proper towing procedures laid out in your owner's manual, and never flat-tow a vehicle that isn't engineered to be towed in this way.
Can you flat tow a car with CVT transmission?
Years ago, there were a great number of vehicles that were able to be flat towed safely. But with the number of manual transmission vehicles manufactured today, finding one that can be flat towed is getting harder to come by. You might already be aware that most automatic transmissions shouldn't be flat towed, but what about a car with a CVT transmission?
Unfortunately, Edmunds tells us that flat towing a car with a CVT transmission is also a great way to damage your vehicle. The CVT transmission will begin to work the moment that it senses that the vehicle's wheels are rotating. When the CVT transmission is working, it will generate a lot of heat.
Ordinarily, this would be fine. But without the engine running, the fans, lubricants, and coolants that keep moving parts from getting too hot won't be activated. This will result in the CVT transmission and other parts overheating, thus damaging or ruining expensive components under your car's hood.
In conclusion
Flat towing is an inexpensive and easy way to tow your family car behind your RV on long trips. Before you decide to tow in this fashion, consult your owner's manual for complete instructions. If you've never attempted to connect a car to an RV before, consulting an RV dealer for additional tips and advice will make the first time go more smoothly. Drive safe!
If you found this post on the Ford Fusion to be informative, we believe you'll enjoy reading the following posts about this popular make of vehicle:
How Long Does a Ford Fusion Last? [in Mileage and Years]
How Much Does a Ford Fiesta Weigh? [Manual vs. Automatic Discussed]