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  • Current Camping Trip...

    From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to All on Fri Apr 10 20:51:10 2026
    Yesterday, we started a new journey. The campground was less than 10 miles from
    home. It's a great park that we never new about, but discovered it because the person
    in charge of our rally's picked it.

    They have a nice banquet room and 2 pickleball courts, although we really haven't used
    either.

    This is my first chance to tow my new vehicle. Our other one was totaled last February
    14th, 2025 and we waited until just recently to install a front hitch on the vehicle. The
    vehicle is a 2025 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid.

    It has a new feature called 'neutral tow'. The old one was simple. You only had to put
    the vehicle in neutral, shut the engine off and you are ready to go.

    For this one, you have to start it in accessory mode (no engine), and use the menu on
    the steering wheel to locate the neutral tow option.

    We will be leaving this park tomorrow morning and head to Naples, FL for the US Open
    Pickleball tournament. I think I am ready to give it a go since it wouldn't make sense
    with fuel prices today to drive the car separately when it can be towed for free.

    I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

    Mike Dippel


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  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE DIPPEL on Sun Apr 12 07:52:28 2026
    we waited until just recently to install a front hitch on the
    >vehicle. The vehicle is a 2025 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid.

    It has a new feature called 'neutral tow'. The old one was simple.
    >You only had to put the vehicle in neutral, shut the engine off and
    >you are ready to go.

    For this one, you have to start it in accessory mode (no engine),
    >and use the menu on the steering wheel to locate the neutral
    >tow option.

    Is your Escape electric? (Start in accessory mode?) 4WD?

    I was just looking in the manual for my 2017 Escape and it says
    that they don't recommend towing a 4WD Escape unless all 4 wheels
    are off the ground (on a trailer). Mine is just Front Wheel Drive
    so I'm sure it could be towed with the front wheels off the road.

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  • From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to Rob Mccart on Sun Apr 12 21:05:12 2026
    On 4/12/2026 7:57 AM, Rob Mccart wrote to Mike Dippel:

    we waited until just recently to install a front hitch on the
    >vehicle. The vehicle is a 2025 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid.

    It has a new feature called 'neutral tow'. The old one was simple.
    >You only had to put the vehicle in neutral, shut the engine off and
    >you are ready to go.

    For this one, you have to start it in accessory mode (no engine),
    >and use the menu on the steering wheel to locate the neutral
    >tow option.

    Is your Escape electric? (Start in accessory mode?) 4WD?

    I was just looking in the manual for my 2017 Escape and it says
    that they don't recommend towing a 4WD Escape unless all 4 wheels
    are off the ground (on a trailer). Mine is just Front Wheel Drive
    so I'm sure it could be towed with the front wheels off the road.

    It is a hybrid with the addition of electric plugin. It acts like a hybrid so is capable of
    being towed, 4 wheels on the ground. I checked and double-checked before we purchased the vehicle to make sure it can be flat towed.

    It doesn't come with an owners manual though. I had to drive to a Ford dealer specializing in RV's and towables to have them demonstrate the procedure.

    We drove the car today to go to the Pickleball tourney and all is well!

    Mike Dippel

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