Transmission trashed during flat towing.

[islandboy1220]

I wonder if anyone had this problem. We were flat towing our 2019 Ranger 4x4 Lariat with 3600 miles on the odometer. We purchased this so we could flat tow behind our motorhome. We had traveled about 4000 miles in the RV from our residence near Ft. Myers, Fl. We performed the prescribed computer entries to engage the flat tow and out of tow mode many times without any problems. BUT in Clayton, GA when we were uncoupling the Ranger it would not engage into drive mode. Luckily there was a Ford dealer about a mile away and they sent a wrecker.

They determined that there was lots of metal in the transmission pan. They queried us as to our towing procedures and they were satisfied we were towing correctly as we used a copy of the owners manual as a checklist to tow and untow. The service manager said the tranny was history an he would have to find a new one somewhere. We could not stay there longer than five days and departed for home w/o the Ranger. The service mgr said he found one in Utah but the dealer had promised it to a customer. His only choice was to get one shipped from the factory. He kept me up on his progress and about two weeks later he installed a new tranny. Ford area service said they would ship the car to the nearby dealer from which I purchased it. All in all it was about a month until we got the Ranger back. Everyone with Ford were very accommodating. The only hitch neither the service mgr and the area Ford agent could tell us what went wrong with the tranny. The service mgr suggested it was a screw-up in the computer. We really like our Ranger but worry about what went wrong. My buddy who was a new car mgr told me the tranny would be shipped back to the factory to determine what went wrong for such a new model.

I have only read in this forum about one transmission problem but nothing like mine.

Well, you can add mine to the list. It is at the dealer now. For at least months and maybe a year, I had noticed it shifted firmer than when it was new, but really did not think we had a problem.
We completed a trip flat towing it, the transfer case came out of neutral according to the screen, but it would not move when shifted from neutral to D or R.
Almost 5 weeks later, we know the tranny pan has metal in it, but nothing on what parts shed metal/why it happened.
We are meticulous when we set it for flat tow. We have laminated instructions from the owners manual and we follow them each time.
Ford has provided the towing and a F150 4x4 for me to drive while they work through it and have been very nice to work with. That being said, I am about as apprehensive as I can be about flat towing it again, even though we really do not know flat towing caused the problem. It is possible the tranny simply failed and decided to do it while I was towing it. They tell me the transfer case is fine, so it seems logical it was in neutral (the screen also said it was and said it disabled it at the end of the tow).

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[gmadams]

Well, you can add mine to the list. It is at the dealer now. For at least months and maybe a year, I had noticed it shifted firmer than when it was new, but really did not think we had a problem.
We completed a trip flat towing it, the transfer case came out of neutral according to the screen, but it would not move when shifted from neutral to D or R.
Almost 5 weeks later, we know the tranny pan has metal in it, but nothing on what parts shed metal/why it happened.
We are meticulous when we set it for flat tow. We have laminated instructions from the owners manual and we follow them each time.
Ford has provided the towing and a F150 4x4 for me to drive while they work through it and have been very nice to work with. That being said, I am about as apprehensive as I can be about flat towing it again, even though we really do not know flat towing caused the problem. It is possible the tranny simply failed and decided to do it while I was towing it. They tell me the transfer case is fine, so it seems logical it was in neutral (the screen also said it was and said it disabled it at the end of the tow).

I feel your pain. That is why I traded my Ranger for a Gladiator. I didn't feel comfortable flat towing the Ranger and have the same issue again. Ford could not offer any reason for the failure and that didn't help my level of confidence either. They did replace the tranny at no cost and it was working fine driving it. One side note I got almost what I paid for the Ranger wheni traded it.

 

[islandboy1220]

I feel your pain. That is why I traded my Ranger for a Gladiator. I didn't feel comfortable flat towing the Ranger and have the same issue again. Ford could not offer any reason for the failure and that didn't help my level of confidence either. They did replace the tranny at no cost and it was working fine driving it. One side note I got almost what I paid for the Ranger wheni traded it.

How do you like the Gladiator and which model did you get? Thinking a Rubicon is a good answer for us, but interested in your input.

 

[gmadams]

How do you like the Gladiator and which model did you get? Thinking a Rubicon is a good answer for us, but interested in your input.

I bought the Gladiator last Saturday and just drove it home today so I don't have a lot of experience with it yet. I got the Overland model. I had the XLT in the Ranger so I got a few more bells and whistles with the Overland than what I had. I looked at Rubicon models but none that I saw had just the options and color that I was interested in getting.

What I really like is that there is a lever for the transfer case and it has a neutral position unlike the Ranger.

 

[Zaph]

Nothing to add here except this seems like a super huge vehicle to be pulling behind a motorhome. I mean, wow, Rangers aren't small or light anymore.

 

[t4thfavor]

Nothing to add here except this seems like a super huge vehicle to be pulling behind a motorhome. I mean, wow, Rangers aren't small or light anymore.

Motorhomes have 500+HP and 1200+ FT/Lbs nowdays, they don't even notice. Hence the reason you can drag it until the trans welds its self together and not notice.

 

[D Fresh]

This is not the first time Ford has had issues flat towing.

We had a 2010 Escape. While we never pulled it I remember issues/recalls regarding flat towing.

 

[RapidRedTremor]

I bought my Ranger for two things, one to tow behind my motorhome, and secondly to tow my Jeep that we used to tow. (Wife no longer likes driving the Jeep when we're on vacation.)
After reading through all of this it seems some have had issues some not. I didn't see anyone have an issue with the transfer case coming out of neutral if they ran a charge wire. Also people reported that the pickup started fine but the transmission was toast.

My theory: These vehicles are equipped with a battery control system that will shut off stuff if the battery gets to low. So if the computer in it's infinite wisdom deems saving the battery is more important than keeping the transfer case in neutral it will shut that off.
I don't have access to any info to back that up it is just a guess, and I ran a wire off the motor home to keep the Rangers battery charged when towing. We have 3,000 mile or so trip this summer so I'll find out.

And my motor home doesn't have 500 HP, but noticing the difference when the transfer case comes out of neutral and starts spinning a transmission that is also in neutral probably is not possible.

Edit: someone did have an issue and also had a charge wire: so??? YMMV

 

[gmadams]

I had a charge wire going to the trucks battery from the motorhome..

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I bought my Ranger for two things, one to tow behind my motorhome, and secondly to tow my Jeep that we used to tow. (Wife no longer likes driving the Jeep when we're on vacation.)
After reading through all of this it seems some have had issues some not. I didn't see anyone have an issue with the transfer case coming out of neutral if they ran a charge wire. Also people reported that the pickup started fine but the transmission was toast.

My theory: These vehicles are equipped with a battery control system that will shut off stuff if the battery gets to low. So if the computer in it's infinite wisdom deems saving the battery is more important than keeping the transfer case in neutral it will shut that off.
I don't have access to any info to back that up it is just a guess, and I ran a wire off the motor home to keep the Rangers battery charged when towing. We have 3,000 mile or so trip this summer so I'll find out.

And my motor home doesn't have 500 HP, but noticing the difference when the transfer case comes out of neutral and starts spinning a transmission that is also in neutral probably is not possible.

Edit: someone did have an issue and also had a charge wire: so??? YMMV

Hi RRT,

I think when the T/C shifts into neutral...it stays there until the shift motor actuates to make a change. The battery does not "hold" the T/C in neutral. I have towed about 2000 miles with the Ranger and it has been just fine...also no drained battery and I do not have a charge line from the motorhome.

It is my opinion that the T/C was not in neutral at the begining of the tow for those that had the trashed transmission. I check this by putting the transmission in park and rolling the Ranger to ensure T/C in neutral. I then put the trans back in neutral as the manual requires. Comments?

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[pete]

I've now towed my 2019 Ranger 4800 miles with no problems. I don't shift into park to check as Phil does but I do roll the Ranger to make sure it is ready to tow. I also take a picture of the display showing that the truck is ready to tow. Now I'm going to knock on wood.

 

[RoadtripsOfUnusualSize]

I also take a picture of the display showing that the truck is ready to tow.

Not a bad idea.

 

[RapidRedTremor]

Phil,
Thanks for the info.
If what you think is actually true, that the battery doesn't hold it in neutral and once it's in neutral it stays there until the shift motor changes it, that makes me feel better about towing.
Putting the transmission in park to test sounds like a good idea.
Ford replacing the transmission under warranty is one thing, me paying for one after the warranty is up is another. Not to mention possibly messing up a vacation

I have an RVI brake that needs to be plugged in and sometimes run a 12v refrigerator so I ran a charge wire to keep the battery up. I towed my Jeep for years this way without issue so hopefully the Ranger will play nice also.

 

[Rocketeer61]

Elephant in the room: why in the name of all that's holy does Ford even build things like this? It's supposed to be a truck, not a Windows Me laptop...

 

[islandboy1220]

We did get an additional update. The transmission got damaged enough that they are replacing the transmission and cooling system. From what I was told, it means both metal and melted plastic were found in the system. We should get it back toward the end of next week, so that is good to have an end date in mind. It will also mean it took just about 7 full weeks. The timing was complicated by the dealer I purchased from not having full transmission capability. It waited in line to be looked at there and then at another dealer that is actually fixing it. I doubt we will ever know exactly what happened, but they confirmed the rotational forces that caused the transmission to heat up and self-distruct should have come from the TC engaging (or being engaged) when it was being towed. We know the screen said it (TC) was in the right place and that it also came back out and the transmission was in neutral. We also know the battery was fully charged, so I have to think something happened to drop electrical current from the TC, but no way to be sure.
Lots of people are towing these and systems like it and not having problems. We simply were unlucky. That being said, we are going ‘old school’ and switching to a Gladiator because they have a manual TC and are a favorite to tow behind a coach.
I truly appreciate the input and support received here! Thanks!!

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