Explorer Neutral Tow Kit

[A Wise Guy]

I would use the charging connection in the 7 pin towing harness which is designed and fused for maintaining a battery.

 

[jckby7]

I'm going to also put a DIODE inline with the inline fuse and quick disconnect, just in case I have been putting the ignition in the wrong position, which WAS position #2, (accesories). I guess it should be in position #1 (off). The FORD garage assures me that it will not go into steering lock when the transfer case is in nuetral, with the shifter in the nuetral position and the nuetral light is on. WE SHALL SEE.
Seems as though this could have been explained a little better to me when taking ownership. When one reads the instructions on how to do it, their contradicting to what is said.

 

[gijoecam]

The steering wheel WILL lock with the t-case in neutral, unless the ignition is in the UNLOCK position. If OFF is the position you can remove the key, ACCESSORY is one click forward. The column will unlock, but the electronics will not come on (with the exception of the stereo in your case). ON/RUN is the next position forward where all the electronics come on, IP lights up, fuel pump runs, ignition, ABS, SRS, etc all come active. That's one click too far. START is, of course, the final position.

FYI all that is thoroughly explained on page 270 of your owner's manual.

 

[jckby7]

jackby7 here, I left Texas tody with my new 2010 4x4 Explorer. After driving five hundred miles, I stopped and checked the battery. It was fully CHARGED with no loss of volts.

I guess the MORAL of the story is... be sure you ignition switch is in the proper position when towing. (POSITION 1, or OFF) BOTH ARE THE SAME.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
Respectfully, Jack Calabrase, a.k.a. jckby7

 

[jckby7]

JCKBY7 is BACK

Well, here is a report on the subject of my 2010 EXPLORER Limited, 4 x 4.
REASON FOR BATTERY RUNNING DOWN. The ignition was NOT in the right position. I have towed it now from Texas to Portland, Oregon, (present location) and there have been no problems, once I turned the ignition all the way back to OFF. (Position #1, there was NO ISSUE)
Soooooooo, problem solved. My fault I guess.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, and I hope this information will be helpful in the future.

 

[shutch62]

1998 Explorer I deed to know the wiring connection NEUTRAL TOW SWITCH

 

[JohnQ-FWB]

My story of the Stealership and the neutral tow kit ($1.95 LED light and a set of programming instructions). Yes, the kits are available for $249 & $299 at Ford Accessories website. The spendier one is for Floor shifter models (a microswitch). Well I ordered it and had to wait two weeks for it to get out here in the hinterlands. Came in and I set up an appointment to have it installed (another $60). The local Stealership installed it, and Like A Dummy (ME!!!!) I assumed they tested it (wrong wrong wrong). Couple of weeks go by and I have had the tow assembly baseplates (Roadmaster) installed and wire up, i.e., ready to tow. So I thought I better practise putting it into tow mode via the Neutral Tow Kit. Long story short, it did NOT work even after 4 trys. Call up the nicompoops at the Stealership and that idiot asks if I had it hooked up to the motorhome, Nope I say, does need to be to exercise the NTK, he said it had to be. I wound up going into the stealership, argue argue argue re: the has to be hooked up. They fianlly agreed to take it in and hookup to the Diagnostic Computer. About 20 minutes later the nicompoop waves my keys at me so I go over to the desk and ask the Magic Question, What Was Up????? He says, it was NOT ENABLED!!!! The jerk installed the kit hardware, typed in all the instructions, and then FAILED to ENABLE what he typed in Tried giving me a BS excuse and that's when I 'Splained to him that I was one of the original computer programmers from the late 1950's all through the milleium giving him lessons in flash and EPROM programming Lessons Learned = Always Test Their Lack Of Workmanship Prior to Paying and Leaving.

 

[SwissKar]

well guys found it! here you find all the info needed for the ntk.

http://ddwt.us/ourarticles-how_to_make_a_ford_explorer_dinghy_ready.htm

 

[gijoecam]

well guys found it! here you find all the info needed for the ntk.

http://ddwt.us/ourarticles-how_to_make_a_ford_explorer_dinghy_ready.htm

For starters, he's wrong:

thus my vehicle is an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) since it does not have 4x2 as a selectable option.

His is NOT an AWD Explorer. It is an electronically-controlled on-demand 4WD system. AWD is a completely different setup.

But beyond that, his installation information is correct. The hard part will be finding a shop (or dealership) willing to go in blind and enable the function in the PCM.