Hybrids, Ford fusion/Lincoln MKZ

two-niner wrote:
Were the lights individual or on a bar. I am aware of the blue ox electrical connector on the base plate. Do the lights have markings for the different functions? Brand and where purchased?

Lights are individual. Don't remember exactly where I bought them and the brand, but the magnetic light set I have is something very similar to THIS set from e-trailer.

The beauty of this arrangement is, it cost very little, and can easily be removed and put on the next toad when/if we ever trade vehicles. I've never liked the idea of spending $70 or more on a wiring kit, that you have to turn around and buy all over again whenever you trade vehicles.

I made the electrical umbilical cord (between coach & towed) and used #7 for a charge line to the battery. Do you have a charge line or can't be done on hybrid?

Ah, you bring up a very, very good point here, that I didn't mention before: YES, you absolutely need a charge line with these Ford Hybrids! With these new Ford hybrids, when you tow them with key in ACC position as it has to be, there is a significant drain on the battery. If you don't run a charge line, you will drain the battery down quickly, and after just a few hours of towing, will need a jump start (learned that the hard way, haha).

I don't recall the specific wire gauge I used, but yes, I have a charge line. Fortunately, even though the battery is in the back with the Fusion, there is a + battery terminal connector up front, under the hood (used for jump starting), that you can easily wire to. Thats what I did. Also, make sure you put a fuse on that charge line (I believe mine is a 15 amp fuse), close to where you connect to the + terminal on the Fusion.

The local Ford dealer must be your brother...$250.00, dirt cheap.

Hehe, yeah, we do have a good relationship with the Ford dealer here. Other thing was that we had just bought, brought home the new Fusion just a day before I brought it to them and asked them to install the base plate. The sale was so new, recent, they were still in 'sales' mode, and willing to do anything to make us happy. I think thats why they were so reasonable with it.

I too, was surprised at what the bill was for installing the base plate. I paid quite a bit more than that when I had a base plate installed a few years before on another vehicle, by an RV dealer.

Will