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Flat towing the 2011 Edge behind your RV


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If you have experienced towing your new Edge behind your RV and found the Edge battery dead at the end of the first day you are NOT alone.

 

No one at Ford can explain why the battery goes dead when flat towed even when you follow the instructions in the owner's manual (page 234) to the letter. The manual is obviously in error and needs to be re-written. Running the Edge for 5 minutes at the start and periodically throughout the day does NOT keep it up! The manual also shows and mentions only 1 Accessory posiition (page 235). If there are 2 accessory positions on the ignition as some have stated then Ford needs to admit that and correct the manual. According to some, the first accessory position can only be located if you first turn the ignition on and then put the transmission in NEUTRAL. Then you turn the key counter-clockwise back until it stops. You are now in the first accessory position and according to some, in this position you will NOT experience any battery drain. If you do as the manual states and put the key in Ford accessory (Second) position you will experience as some have reported up to 12 amps of battery drain. I have tried to replicate this with a VOM and have had no luck. In the 1st. accessory position you will not be able to remove the key from the ignition. To do that, you must put your foot on the brake, move the shift lever to PARK and then you can turn the ignition to OFF and remove the key.

 

For over 3 months now I have asked Ford three questions: 1. Why is it necessary to have the key in accessory when flat towing? 2. What is the phantom 1st. accessory position and how does it differ from the one on page 235? 3. If battery is so important to the flat towing of the Edge, what happens to it when it is towed with a dead battery? My service advisor is working on the answers but nothing has come back from Ford. One Ford service advisor told me to disconnect the negative battery terminal. This did save the battery but it also killed the backup (Roadmaster/BrakeMaster 9100) breaking system. Without battery the red light in the MH which monitors the braking system and the Break Away system will NOT function. So, I must have battery. Another issue has to do with installing a battery charger system (Toad Charger) in the Edge. If Ford says this is THE solution to the problem are they also saying that they approve it and that installing it will not void the Edge warranty? It would be nice if Ford put this in writing to cover the owners.

 

My local Service Manager recently told me that the only sure way to fix this problem is to install the aftermarket trickle (Toad) charger. He says that doing so will NOT affect the warranty in any way. But he won't put it in writing. Since the problem appears to be inherent with the Edge why can't Ford find a fix? Why is it necessary for the owner to come up with the fix? It's called SERVICE people.

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Sorry about your problem, looks like a “Toad Charger” would be the answer.

 

We did a LOT of research when we switched from a 5th wheel to our MH.

Which is why we tow a Mini Cooper S automatic on a tow dolly.

 

So far we haven’t ruined the transmission or run the battery down.

Some of our research indicated that either could happen to our MKX.

 

The price wasn’t an issue, +/- $1500, 4 down, dolly or trailer.

Takes me a little less than: 30 minutes (1st time took 2 hours, I had help :finger: ) to get everything attached.

 

Just go ahead and get a “Toad Charger”, if anything happens (it wont) just take the charger off.

 

I just checked on rv.net for “2011 ford edge” and found several dead batteries, but no dead transmissions.

 

 

My wife is a legal secretary :rant2: .

I DON’T EVER LET HER TOUCH the owners manual or warranty book :hysterical: .

 

ab

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  • 2 months later...

Good news (finally) from FORD.

 

After months of complaining about the Edge Flat Towing problem, FORD has come up with a solution. This is NOT the Ford solution to the problem of batteries going dead after being flat towed only 8 hours or less, this is the trickle charger solution to this problem. Ford has yet come up with a fix to the problem but they are now at least acknowledging that the problem does exist and the best part is they will reimburse you for the purchase of the commercial trickle charger known as the TOAD CHARGER. Two weeks ago I received a check from FORD for the cost of the charger ($110.00). In addition, my local dealer was willing to install the TOAD CHARGER for free. I chose to install it myself and it took only about 2 hours.

 

Two weeks ago I towed my Edge to central Florida and back and had no DEAD BATTERIES. This may be the end of my EDGE problem, but it still is a problem for FORD. Only when they re-write the owner's manual and instruct their mechanics and sales people about it will they be on the road to fixing the DEAD BATTERY problem.

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  • 4 months later...

I have a new ford edge and have experienced the battery going dead after 6-7 hours towing just as you have. I have also had my tailgate come open on three different occasions while shopping and not connected to the RV. My Edge has been in the shop for a week now with no solution in sight. Seems that Ford should put out a bulletin for those that tow the Edge. I am so disgusted that I'm ready to ask for a refund. So far it is always "the wiring" for the tow vehicle, or the computer needed to be reprogrammed, or the FOB's needed reprogramming, etc. Thanks to your article, I can at least see a temporary cure and can tell the dealer "IT IS A FORD PROBLEM. That does not excuse Ford for not letting the Service department know of this "temporary" cure. My Edge has been in the shop almost as long as I have owned it.

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  • 9 months later...

2013 and this problem is still ongoing. I am on the road far from my local dealer. I have had three jump starts and am now stopping every 2-3 hours to run the engine 20-30 minutes. It seems BrakeBuddy has an auxillary charger that feeds from the MH. Problem is there are not enough wires in the cable between the MH and Edge to supply the 12v. Do you think any dealer would step up to the Toad charger.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We just purchased a 2013 Edge to tow behind our RV and anticipate the same dead battery problem.

There are several after market solutions but I asked our local Ford dealer some questions:

1. What linkage locks and unlocks the steering and front wheels or are they ever locked?

2. What is the power draw with the key in the accessory position?

3. Is there are fuse I can remove to eliminate the battery draw? If so will all the electronics be erased? Which fuse?

Will let this forum know the results (if I get one)

Bob

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