Transmission trashed during flat towing.

[syrranger]

One reason I really don't trust electronic shift transfer cases. If there was a lever, you could verify the transfer case was in neutral before taking off.

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[Pvsaint]

So an obvious question for those with the blown transmission and all of us wondering about the need for a charge wire, did the truck start when you disconnected and tried to shift the transmission out of tow mode? Or, was the battery dead?

I would also appreciate it if someone would answer this question. Scary ruining a tranny doing something the truck was bought for. Thanks much.

 

[TomD]

I would also appreciate it if someone would answer this question. Scary ruining a tranny doing something the truck was bought for. Thanks much.

I would also appreciate it if someone would answer this question. Scary ruining a tranny doing something the truck was bought for. Thanks much.

My System was not discharged. It started Just fine but when I shifted the vehicle jerked and made strange moaning sounds but would not go forward or reverse.

 

[Pvsaint]

My System was not discharged. It started Just fine but when I shifted the vehicle jerked and made strange moaning sounds but would not go forward or reverse.

Thanks for your reply. Has Ford resolved this for you? What was the outcome? Hope you were taken care of.

 

[Michel Jeanneau]

One more reason to bring back those pesky "old fashion" transfer case shift levers and manual transmissions...

 

[TomD]

Thanks for your reply. Has Ford resolved this for you? What was the outcome? Hope you were taken care of.

ford was great. I contacted their National customer service and they worked the problem and covered everything. The dealed gave me the usual response that they would not pay, but they did give me the number for the national customer service. I am very pleased and so far, the trans is working great. I am now using the technique reported in an earlier response to place the trans in park and make sure it is free wheeling and then placing it back in neutral.

 

[TomD]

We also flat tow a 2019 Ford Ranger and we just loved it until the exact same thing happen to us. Lots of metal in the pan and the tranny is history. We also use the owners manual as a checklist to tow and untow, we know that we followed step by step instruction exactly as the manual instructs. Wehave towed for years and know the importance of following directions. We had towed this pickup several hundred miles with NO issues but thus far they are NOT satisfied that we were towing correctly. At this time we are having to pay for a new transmission and we are also very concerned about repairing and having this happen again!! This truck only has 3,152 miles but what caused this is still a mystery. VERY CONCERNED

Did you contact the national customer service? They worked with me and the replacement cost me nothing.

 

[UltralightPilot]

Every 4x4 with a transfer case and an automatic transmission that I have towed required you to place the transmission in park once the transfer case was in neutral. The stated reason for this procedure was to prevent the transmission internals from turning due to the viscosity of the transfer case fluid passing some of the torque to the transmission. If that happens there will be no lubrication without the engine running causing slow friction damage to the transmission. I always made sure all wheels are freewheeling with the transmission in park by towing it slowly while I or my wife observed and listened. I wonder if someone at Ford got the instructions wrong and it was never caught by proofreaders? As if anyone proofreads now days!

 

[VAMike]

Every 4x4 with a transfer case and an automatic transmission that I have towed required you to place the transmission in park once the transfer case was in neutral. The stated reason for this procedure was to prevent the transmission internals from turning due to the viscosity of the transfer case fluid passing some of the torque to the transmission. If that happens there will be no lubrication without the engine running causing slow friction damage to the transmission. I always made sure all wheels are freewheeling with the transmission in park by towing it slowly while I or my wife observed and listened. I wonder if someone at Ford got the instructions wrong and it was never caught by proofreaders? As if anyone proofreads now days!

It's all electronic, so there's no technical reason that couldn't be done at the same time the transfer case is changed, regardless of the shifter position.

 

[RoadtripsOfUnusualSize]

Following.

 

[oldwirelessranger]

Every 4x4 with a transfer case and an automatic transmission that I have towed required you to place the transmission in park once the transfer case was in neutral. The stated reason for this procedure was to prevent the transmission internals from turning due to the viscosity of the transfer case fluid passing some of the torque to the transmission. If that happens there will be no lubrication without the engine running causing slow friction damage to the transmission. I always made sure all wheels are freewheeling with the transmission in park by towing it slowly while I or my wife observed and listened. I wonder if someone at Ford got the instructions wrong and it was never caught by proofreaders? As if anyone proofreads now days!

What are you listening for?
Is there a specific sound?
I plan to buy a 2020 Ranger to tow behind a Class C.
But this really worries me!
What am i supposed to listen for?
If i don't follow the instructions, will i hear it?
Is there a point in the process where i can listen & say, this is what it sounds like if it is NOT CORRECT?

I understand that if i move it from neutral to park & tires start to skid, something is wrong.
But that is not what these people are complaining about.
What sound does transmission make of not fully disengaged?

 

[t4thfavor]

What are you listening for?
Is there a specific sound?
I plan to buy a 2020 Ranger to tow behind a Class C.
But this really worries me!
What am i supposed to listen for?
If i don't follow the instructions, will i hear it?
Is there a point in the process where i can listen & say, this is what it sounds like if it is NOT CORRECT?

I understand that if i move it from neutral to park & tires start to skid, something is wrong.
But that is not what these people are complaining about.
What sound does transmission make of not fully disengaged?

You won't hear it at all. I've always heard putting the trans in park, and removing the key entirely. I know that's not what is in the manual for this truck, but my guess is it could definitely be related to ATF viscosity turning the transmission and messing stuff up.

Putting it in park is how all of the automatic trans flat tow Jeeps work.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi Folks,

All I can say is that Ford publishes the configuration for the Ford Ranger as a tow behind...Do not care what Jeep does. I have followed the procedure in the owner's manual for 2000 miles of towing without a problem. I do not try to second guess. Maunal says leave in neutral, I leave it in neutral.

Why is this so hard? I guess every one who deviates from the step by step in the owner's manual knows better than Ford?

My advice is follow the process step by step. Every time I hook up the Ranger to our Alfa, I read and follow the owner's manual...I do not try to remember the steps...I just read and follow. So far, so good.

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

 

[t4thfavor]

Hi Folks,

All I can say is that Ford publishes the configuration for the Ford Ranger as a tow behind...Do not care what Jeep does. I have followed the procedure in the owner's manual for 2000 miles of towing without a problem. I do not try to second guess. Maunal says leave in neutral, I leave it in neutral.

Why is this so hard? I guess every one who deviates from the step by step in the owner's manual knows better than Ford?

My advice is follow the process step by step. Every time I hook up the Ranger to our Alfa, I read and follow the owner's manual...I do not try to remember the steps...I just read and follow. So far, so good.

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

Just to clarify, I didn't suggest deviate from the process, just that the process has always been a little different for other vehicles I've used, and that the manual isn't always 100% correct.

Several people having this issue is indicative of a problem either with the process or something mechanical/electrical, and I see the same issues with F150's on the web...

I googled "10R80 flat tow failure" it comes back with lots about battery getting low causes this, so I predict another addendum to the owners manual coming pretty soon...

 

[Rmblaster]

I have over 5000mi towed on my 2019 no issues I follow the procedure in the manual only thing extra I do is take a pic of the screen showing neutral flat tow has been enabled just in case

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