Ford Focus towing question

RURBAN1185 wrote:
I am planning on getting a used 2015 Ford Focus automatic, has anybody had problems towing an automatic? Do you have to disconnect the battery when you tow it and if so is there another way of dealing with that instead of always disconnecting it?

We installed a battery disconnect switch. Simple. You will lose any presets and have to reset the clock.

Go to the irv2.com forum's dinghy section and find the long thread on the 2014 Focus battery disconnect. There are wrong and right, and easy and hard, ways to do it. It's worth buying a little bit of hardware to do it right and easy IMO.

I agree with the auto transmission problem the Focus has, and depreciation is bad. However, I bought a 2012 manual, 5-speed tranny Focus S hold over in 2013 for a good price. I have had no problems whatsoever with this car in the over 3 & 3/4 years I have owned it and drove it 40000 miles and towed it an additional 15000 miles without a problem other than one tire blow out while it was towed ( no damage to the car at all). All I have done to date is normal every 5k maintenance and replaced a tire. Guess what I am saying is the manual transmission version of the Focus seems to be trouble free.

Snowman9000 wrote:
Go to the irv2.com forum's dinghy section and find the long thread on the 2014 Focus battery disconnect. There are wrong and right, and easy and hard, ways to do it. It's worth buying a little bit of hardware to do it right and easy IMO.

Be sure to use diodes to prevent any back feeding of current.

We have a 2012 Focus automatic and have towed it over 30,000 miles. Everything you read about the transmission has been true for us. We have had it in the shop twice to repair the clutches. On our year, you do need to disconnect the battery. Roadmaster installed a solenoid connect/disconnect button. Flip it one way to tow, the other way to drive. On our model the key will not come out when placed in the proper position. I lock the doors before disconnecting the battery, shut the door and then use the extra key to lock/unlock the driver's door. Of course all other doors will be locked, so store the stuff you need in the front seats.