Help: Ford Explorer 2014 XLT 4WD got towed from the front in the parking gear!

[khumar]

I have a Ford Explorer 2014 XLT. Yesterday I travelled to a town 50 miles from my home where I stayed for a few hours. When I returned to the car park I found out that my car had been towed to a yard. At that point, I found out that I didn’t park my car properly and hence it was towed.

My concern is that my car was in the parking gear (with the parking brakes on as well). I am sure that they towed my car on a tow truck to the yard with was around 10 miles away from where I parked my car. I am assuming that they lifted the front of the car and towed it. Can the experts let me know if that would have caused any damage to the transmission of the car since it was in the parking gear with the parking brakes on?

When I got my car back, I drove it all the way back home. It seems fine to me but still I am concerned. I checked the user manual and it says that this model uses front wheels most of the time and engages the rear wheels when needed. Do you guys think if such a car is towed from the front (front wheels lifted) with the parking gear and brakes on? Does that effect the transmission in any way or am I just being over conscious?

Secondly, what would be your opinion if they guys towed the car from the rear and not the front?

Thanks and regards,

Khumar

 

[colintrax]

No need to start multiple threads.


The tow truck driver should've been able to put it in N.
If the parking brake was set and the transmission was in gear there's no way he could've towed it down the street without lots of smoke and tire squeal. Besides you'd have flat spots on the tires.


The tow truck driver that picked up my mom's escape when the alternator died didn't know the trick to getting into N (how'd he even get his job.....) so he put it on dollys to get it up the flat bed.

Anyways you could always call and ask. But I'm sure they have some kind of way to tow it and not cause any damage.

 

[khumar]

First of all thanks for your reply!

Secondly, apologies for the double posts. I am new here and was learning to use the forums.

There are no spots on the tires plus the ride still feels smooth. I am sure they haven’t dragged it with all the wheels jammed for 10 miles; otherwise I would have felt a significant difference while driving. However, when I checked my car in the yard, it was still in the parking gear and the parking brakes were still on. Can they put the car in neutral and release the brakes without entering the car and put them back once in yard? Is it possible to do all this externally?

Thanks and regards,

Khurram

 

[Mark2003]

Tow drivers have many tricks to get a vehicle rolling. I don't know if they're tested and licensed beyond normal CDL rules here in PA but they do have associations and training programs to keep up with what the auto manufacturers throw at them every year.

We had a truck get stuck in mud across from our old house. Needed a pretty big wrecker to pull him out. I pointed out that the wrecker driver had a wheel on a man (sigh person) hole cover. He quoted me the weight limits of the cover without batting an eye and that he was 10K lbs under.

As much as the city/town would like to try to say they are not responsible for towing damages, they are.

 

[colintrax]

First of all thanks for your reply!

Secondly, apologies for the double posts. I am new here and was learning to use the forums.

There are no spots on the tires plus the ride still feels smooth. I am sure they haven’t dragged it with all the wheels jammed for 10 miles; otherwise I would have felt a significant difference while driving. However, when I checked my car in the yard, it was still in the parking gear and the parking brakes were still on. Can they put the car in neutral and release the brakes without entering the car and put them back once in yard? Is it possible to do all this externally?

Thanks and regards,

Khurram

Only way I know how to put it in N and release the parking brake is inside the car. But I'm not a tow truck driver, just a weekend mechanic.