Bobs2018ExplorerSport
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- February 4, 2019
- Messages
- 267
- Reaction score
- 105
- Location
- USA
- City, State
- Livermore, CA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2018 Explorer Sport 4WD
- Callsign
- KD6ANY
After recently reading some older forum posts, where others had successfully enabled the “Tow/Haul” feature on their earlier, non-tow-package model years, I was intrigued as to whether or not I might also be able to add it to my own 2018. I wanted to see if my own 2018 “basic” XLT also just happened to have the unused connector stored behind the headlight switch panel, as had been mentioned in those earlier posts.
After popping-open the side-panel of the LH end of the dash, a flashlight and mirror quickly revealed that there was a small, unused wiring harness, terminating in an 8-pin connector, that was plugged into a vacant storage slot that was molded into the rear of the headlight panel. It was there, unused and stored, but its location surely indicated it was solely intended for a tow/haul switch. With that discovery, I decided to go ahead and gamble a bit, so I ordered not only the tow switch, but also the required alternative headlight switch panel (that has the opening for the tow button switch).
Once the switch arrived, it was a perfect match-up for the electrical connector, so that was good, and I plugged it in. I then started-up the car, to see what would happen when I pushed the button, and when I tested it, a never-before-seen amber “Tow/Haul” light appeared in my cluster (see photo), so that was encouraging.
Now, with the 6F55 transmission, engaging this feature supposedly does a couple of things, such as preventing the tranny from going into overdrive, while also changing the shift parameters a bit. Since my non-tow-package Explorer has the alternative 6F50 transmission, I took it out for a road test, to see what, if anything, it might do in this mode. What I found was that a simple push of the button would definitely lock-out the overdrive feature, such as at freeway speeds, which is what I was really looking for. However, I have not noticed any changing of the shift parameters, possibly because of the differences in transmissions? Anyway, that’s OK, because I can always use my Sport Mode feature if I ever really needed it (a feature that DEFINITELY does change the shift points and other characteristics)! Having a simple button to just take it out of overdrive (which should prevent the transmission from “hunting” when towing up a hill, or, for controlling descent speed down a hill) still seems like a good thing to have, at least for my needs. If that’s all I get out of this little project, then I’m OK with it!
My total cost for the two parts I needed was only about $85. Here are the current part numbers (at least for the 2018 XLT), as well as the actual Ford Online descriptions, used for each part:
(1) “Instrument Panel Voltage Regulator Switch” - P/N BB5Z-13D730-EA (SW-6843) - Note that this switch only offers the single "Tow/Haul" button in the center, and no other functional buttons. (If you have the "power liftgate", and/or, the "auto-park" features, you'll need a different version of this switch that offers one or more of the other two buttons, as needed.
(1) “Instrument Panel” (For the Ebony/Black interior color) - P/N FB5Z-7804338-DA
After popping-open the side-panel of the LH end of the dash, a flashlight and mirror quickly revealed that there was a small, unused wiring harness, terminating in an 8-pin connector, that was plugged into a vacant storage slot that was molded into the rear of the headlight panel. It was there, unused and stored, but its location surely indicated it was solely intended for a tow/haul switch. With that discovery, I decided to go ahead and gamble a bit, so I ordered not only the tow switch, but also the required alternative headlight switch panel (that has the opening for the tow button switch).
Once the switch arrived, it was a perfect match-up for the electrical connector, so that was good, and I plugged it in. I then started-up the car, to see what would happen when I pushed the button, and when I tested it, a never-before-seen amber “Tow/Haul” light appeared in my cluster (see photo), so that was encouraging.
Now, with the 6F55 transmission, engaging this feature supposedly does a couple of things, such as preventing the tranny from going into overdrive, while also changing the shift parameters a bit. Since my non-tow-package Explorer has the alternative 6F50 transmission, I took it out for a road test, to see what, if anything, it might do in this mode. What I found was that a simple push of the button would definitely lock-out the overdrive feature, such as at freeway speeds, which is what I was really looking for. However, I have not noticed any changing of the shift parameters, possibly because of the differences in transmissions? Anyway, that’s OK, because I can always use my Sport Mode feature if I ever really needed it (a feature that DEFINITELY does change the shift points and other characteristics)! Having a simple button to just take it out of overdrive (which should prevent the transmission from “hunting” when towing up a hill, or, for controlling descent speed down a hill) still seems like a good thing to have, at least for my needs. If that’s all I get out of this little project, then I’m OK with it!
My total cost for the two parts I needed was only about $85. Here are the current part numbers (at least for the 2018 XLT), as well as the actual Ford Online descriptions, used for each part:
(1) “Instrument Panel Voltage Regulator Switch” - P/N BB5Z-13D730-EA (SW-6843) - Note that this switch only offers the single "Tow/Haul" button in the center, and no other functional buttons. (If you have the "power liftgate", and/or, the "auto-park" features, you'll need a different version of this switch that offers one or more of the other two buttons, as needed.
(1) “Instrument Panel” (For the Ebony/Black interior color) - P/N FB5Z-7804338-DA
