Recreational Towing (behind a motor home)

[Craig]

Up date, installed the blue base plate, used the kit from blue ox to install LED In taillight housing ( plenty of room) installed Air Force

One air brake system ( it required connecting a charge wire from the Air Force One black box to the cmax 12 volt jump connection

So the brake away system will work if you lose the car, also we installed a charge wire from the motor home to the same place to

Take care of the battery going dead) still not sure if the car keeps the vacum pumped up while being towed? The Cmax pulls

Very well, nice not having to install the brake buddy every Time you tow and locking up the brakes or no brakes.

Tried using a tow dolly, but the car is to low in the front to pull it up the on the ramps.

[jmckinley]

I'm pretty sure the vacuum pump is always powered.  It comes on and off as needed to make vacuum after leakdown or when your system applies the brakes.  I think that is the major reason why the battery runs down when towing.

[CCC-Max]

Hi everyone, new member here. I just purchased the C-Max Energi and I need clarification regarding the brake lights. I noticed many folks are adding on light kits to the C-Max for when they are being towed by an RV. My question is:

 

1. If I have a dedicated 12v line from the RV to C-Max battery AND

2. I have a dedicated 12v from C-max battery to the supplemental braking system (i.e. like a BrakeBuddy) THEN

 

can I just use the regular lights that come with the car and not install more light bulbs into the tail light fixtures?

I'm "assuming" that when the RV sends a braking signal to the supplemental braking system, the brake pedal is depressed and then the normal brake lights should come on. Please let me know if I'm missing something in my logic and that might explain why others are adding light kits.

[fbov]

Welcome to the forum!

 

I was about to tell you your idea was all wet when I realized that towing brakes have come a long way since I was pulling a trailer! I didn't worry about brakes when flat towing a car, thus I have remote lights.

 

It seems obvious to me that a supplemental brake that activates the pedal will also activate brake lights. The only question is what happens in towing configuration (car in accessory mode, tranny in N) when you hit the brakes in a car with regen braking? I suspect nothing bad...

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[wab]

Hi everyone, new member here. I just purchased the C-Max Energi and I need clarification regarding the brake lights. I noticed many folks are adding on light kits to the C-Max for when they are being towed by an RV. My question is:

 

1. If I have a dedicated 12v line from the RV to C-Max battery AND

2. I have a dedicated 12v from C-max battery to the supplemental braking system (i.e. like a BrakeBuddy) THEN

 

can I just use the regular lights that come with the car and not install more light bulbs into the tail light fixtures?

I'm "assuming" that when the RV sends a braking signal to the supplemental braking system, the brake pedal is depressed and then the normal brake lights should come on. Please let me know if I'm missing something in my logic and that might explain why others are adding light kits.

 

Greeting and Welcome

 

I just tested the brake lights  and they DO NOT work with the c-max in "ready to tow" condition.

 

I followed the instructions/video from etrailer to install the lights, easy DIY.

http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Draw-Tite/118137.html

All the etrailer C-Max videos are gone.

 

I used sockets and bulbs from a local auto supply.

 

wab

Edited January 13, 2015 by wab

[Craig]

We have the air force one braking system and ran the wire from it to the cmax 12 volt connection.

The brake, tail, and signal lights are run off the motorhome power ( installed separate LED lights from blue ox in the tail

Light housings) we towed a number of times with no trouble (did start the car ever couple hours to keep the battery up)

We then installed a charge line from the motorhome( 2003 Country Coach) to the cmax 12volt connection . ( no diode)

 

We towed the car for about 250 miles, stopped at a rest area, turned the key off in the motorhome and it kept running

I turned the key back on and kept on going. We stopped at a Flying J to get fuel I checked to see if the cmax would

Start, it was dead, I removed the charge wire from the cmax and the motorhome stopped running. It would crank, but

Not start. Called road service ( $245) he could not find a blown fuse or relay. So we took the charge wire and ran

It to the motorhome battery and the engine started. He suggested I run two wires ( one charge and one ground)

From the motorhome battery to the cmax. Any ideas?

[wab]

We have a ground from the 7 way to the ground post under the hood, no problems.

PIN #1 (should be the white wire) is the ground.

 

We also have a diode.

[jmckinley]

Your charge line is incorrectly wired.  Probably wired to hot side of ignition circuit so car powers up mh ignition 

[jmckinley]

I just looked at the third printing of the Owner's Manual.  

 

Lord Motor Company finally changed the towing procedure to make more sense.  No more cycling through reverse to lubricate the reverse gearset that isn't there (this car doesn't have reverse gears, it just runs the electric motor backwards to reverse).  And finally recognizing that you can't make this thing idle for five minutes. It also doesn't mention running the engine midday to re-lubricate the transmission either but that is probably still a good idea.

 

Here's the new procedure.

 

• Tow only in the forward direction.

• Release the parking brake.

• Place the transmission in position N.

• Place the ignition in the accessory mode. See the Starting and Stopping the Engine chapter.

• Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).

• Place the transmission in position P, start the engine and allow it to run for one minute at the beginning of each day (you may need to

press the accelerator pedal in order to start the engine). After allowing the engine to run, place the transmission back into position

N and the ignition in the accessory position.

Edited March 23, 2014 by jmckinley

[jurzbill]

Has this new towing procedure corrected the life of the battery while towing or does the battery still die after 150 miles? 

[wab]

Has this new towing procedure corrected the life of the battery while towing or does the battery still die after 150 miles? 

 

 

Greeting and welcome

 

Sorry for the slow response, we’ve been out of town.

We now have 4243 towed miles on our cmax with zero towing problems.

 

The “new” towing instructions WILL NOT keep the battery from going dead.

You will need a charge wire (and ground) from your motor home to the cmax.

 

Take a look at the these posts, a charge wire is really an easy DIY if you have a 7way on the back of your mh.

85

86 (I didn’t install fuses, the charge circuit is fused on our MH, I DID install a diode protecting the MH from the cmax)

92

 

[jurzbill]

Looks like Ford engineers mis-calculated milage. Good will rebate coming to owners of certain hybrids. 

[jmckinley]

Has this new towing procedure corrected the life of the battery while towing or does the battery still die after 150 miles? 

I agree, new procedure has nothing to do with the battery life.  They just corrected the stupid cut and paste from the Focus Owner's Manual to eliminate cycling the lever through reverse which didn't do anything.  Also recognized the car won't idle for five minutes.

[Craig]

Update on installed charge wire from motorhome to Cmax. Installed diode in charge wire and that solved the problem

Of the battery going dead, also installed a separate ground wire from frame of motorhome to blueox base plate.

 

New problem, it's seems towing the Cmax is changing the front end aligment and changing the wear pattern on

The front tires. It does not track as well as it did. You have to correct the steering more and the tires make

More noise. The car has about 14000 miles on it. Anybody else noticed this problem?

[wab]

Is your tow bar level?

 

We need a drop receiver with more drop.

We rotate the tires after each long trip, all 4 tires show more than normal inside wear.

 

I had a 4 wheel alignment a few weeks ago, the back was worse than the front.

The shop had pictures in their data base showing one side of the rear suspension adjustment already maxed out, just like ours.

 

Check post # 44 by ptjones.

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1700-cmax-oem-tires-are-very-efficient/page-3?hl=alignment&

 

[marcia]

We bought a 2014 CMAX Hybrid we got all the towing stuff Roadmaster installed on it and our Motor home. We towed it behind our MH approx 50 miles. I have a push button start and put it in neutral and off when we got home and I disconnected I saw a warning to service advance trac............................is it safe to drive? I have contacted 2 Ford dealers can't get in till end of next week, one says should be okay to drive, the other one started to say that but then changed his tune and said we probably should have it towed? The car has only 1200 miles on it and now what? Help and suggestions anyone else have this problem? What happened?

[wab]

Greetings and Welcome

 

Did you push the Start/Stop button again before your got out for the 50  mile trip?

Did the screens turn black except for a "Shift to Park" warning?

 

Hopefully you just made one of the ABS sensors mad and the trouble light will clear after a few start/run/stop cycles.

 

Do you have a OBDII scan tool?

A lot of auto supply stores will read and clear your codes.

 

Good Luck and let us know

 

[air463]

I see that post by Craig telling us about his Cmax tires wearing from being towed.  I noticed a different sound coming from  our tires  so I took it to my Ford dealer to have it checked out.  They told me my tires were cupping a little and were out of balance.  I have about 14K towed miles on the Cmax and two tire rotations in that time.  All four of my tires are cupping and the dealer told me he was 90% sure it was caused by towing the car.  My tow bar is level so it can't be that.  I have noticed the car wants to pull slightly to the right all the time. I setting up a front end alignment appointment. I know for sure  the tires will need replacing sooner.

[VirginiaRick]

I was having the same dead battery issue with my 2013 SEL last year whenever I towed it for more than a couple hundred miles.  I had a jumper box to get it going again each time, but was concerned that I was wearing out the battery.  After about 5-6 instances of that I had my local dealer check the battery, and they said it was still in good shape.

 

After Christmas I towed it from Virginia to California, never charging/running the C-max at the end of each day.  When I got to the West Coast the jumper box still got it going again, but I took it into the local Ford dealer.  They said that the battery wasn't 'up to snuff' and they replaced it (under warranty).  Since then, I bought and attached the BrakeBuddy 39332 Towed Vehicle Battery Maintainer <http://tinyurl.com/njwrljt>, as recommended by 'wab' over in another thread.  It relies on the towbar connection for the ground circuit, and it has worked fine ever since (I towed it back to Virginia in April with no problems, and a number of times this summer here on the East Coast).

[Craig]

Thanks for the info on the tire wear, our hitch is level also, had a drop hitch made for the motorhome to make sure.

I did rotate the tires once, I will have a four wheel aligment done to see how bad it is, the tire noise is getting worst.

We have over 15000 miles on the Cmax.

[jurzbill]

Just curious, why would towing the vehicle be any different than actually driving it. 

All four tires down, same weight on them, etc. Could it be a prob with vehicle itself?

[wab]

Just curious, why would towing the vehicle be any different than actually driving it. 

All four tires down, same weight on them, etc. Could it be a prob with vehicle itself?

 

The bar that attaches the car to the motor home puts all kinds of stresses on the suspension that the engineers don't consider.

Our bar isn't level which takes some weight off of the front.

You would think this would cause the outside of the tires to wear but that's not what's happening.

Going around a curve is even worse.

 

[mikemullin6]

Towed my 2014 C-Max Energi behind the motorhome and the odometer registered the miles towed!  auxiliary taillights installed in C-Max and connected to motorhome via 6-wire connector with 12 v wire included.

 

Any suggestions on what to look for to eliminate this problem?  This time was short trip but next trip will be long and I don't want to use my lease miles this way.

 

Also, do you leave your key fob in the car or take it with you when towing?  I assume take it with you but the instructions do not mention it.

Edited August 13, 2014 by mikemullin6

[wab]

Greeting and Welcome

 

I keep the fob in the MH for our hybrid.

 

When you open the door to get out of your Energi to get in your MR do all three screens go dark except for a yellow warning in the left that says "Shift to Park" and the transmission in neutral?

 

We leave on a 400+ miles 1 way trip in the morning I'll post our setup procedure and an this weekend.

 

wab

[mikemullin6]

wab,

 

detailed procedure that you follow (successfully) will be a big help as we're heading out again next week.