Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels- Page 173

If you need to have your vehicle towed,
contact a professional towing service or,
if you are a member of a roadside
assistance program, your roadside
assistance service provider.

We recommend the use of a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment to tow your
vehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford
Motor Company has not approved a
slingbelt towing procedure. Vehicle
damage may occur if towed incorrectly, or
by any other means.

Ford Motor Company produces a towing
manual for all authorized tow truck
operators. Have your tow truck operator
refer to this manual for proper hook-up
and towing procedures for your vehicle.

It is acceptable to have your two-wheel
drive vehicle towed with the front wheels
on the ground (without dollies) and the
rear wheels off the ground.

We recommend towing a four-wheel drive
vehicle with all wheels off the ground, such
as using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment. However, it is acceptable to
use a wheel lift to raise the rear of your
vehicle so long as, depending on vehicle
configuration, you perform the following
before towing.

TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS

Emergency Towing

If your vehicle is disabled and you have no
access to a tow dolly, car-hauling trailer or
a flatbed transport vehicle, it can only be
flat-towed with all wheels on the ground
under the following conditions:
•

Your vehicle is facing forward so that
it is towed in a forward direction.

•

The transmission selector lever is
placed in position 

N

. If the transmission

gear shift lever cannot be moved to
position 

N

, it may need to be

overridden.  See 

Automatic

Transmission

 (page 132).

•

Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).

•

Maximum distance is 50 miles (80
kilometers).

Drive off slowly and smoothly without
jerking the vehicle that is being towed.

Tow ropes or rigid towing bars must be
placed on the same side. For example; right
hand rear towing point to right hand front
towing point.

You must use a tow rope or rigid towing
bar that is of the correct strength for the
weight of the towing vehicle and the
vehicle that is being towed.

Note:

Using a rigid towing bar is the safest

way to tow a vehicle.

The weight of the vehicle that is being
towed must not exceed the weight of the
towing vehicle.

Recreational Vehicle Towing

Follow these guidelines to prevent damage
to your vehicle’s transmission if you have
a need for recreational vehicle towing. For
example; towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome.

170

Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 03/2014, Third Printing

Towing