I am wanting to tow our belongings from San Diego to Upstate New York using our 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited V6 4WD. Has about 20k miles on it.

I have included a picture from the owners manual on the towing capacity.

I am looking at a 6x12 trailer that weighs 980 lbs. dry - its the largest and lightest enclosed trailer I have been able to find - since the manual says the trailer must be under 1000 lbs.

I estimate we have less then 1500 lbs of furniture to cram into it and we plan on avoiding the rockies and mountains if at all possible - still trying to determine the best route.

I'm wondering if anyone has ran a setup similar to this with this make model before/? Any suggestions or tips?

Thank you!

In case the image doesn't show up - the manual says this is rated to tow the following

Max GCWR 5040 lb
Max Trailer weight 1000 lbs
Max frontal area 24 ft

Lose 2% per 1000 ft off the GCW

Electric trailer brakes aren't an option and I understand reverse may be tricky

 

GPSman1 did towing with a "heavy" load.

This included some "hills" in Colorado. Do a search back in 2010 or so for further details. FEH uni-frame is the same as the V6 models but the engine is somewhat "limited". Your FEH has a 4 banger ICE.

Good luck.

 

That means the total weight of the trailer and load is 1000 lbs maximum, not the empty trailer. Having said that, there are reports on this site that much more has been hauled. Do a search. The biggest issue to me is the brakes - they are not designed for heavier loads, and the FEH braking system is linked to the regenerator to store energy - it is not a normal braking system. But it is just my estimate as to why they limited the towing weight, not an offical source!

Your post says "V6", obviously not true!

 

Towing weights are so low in this country because people think they can drive 75 towing. Keep it right around 55 and keep it under 4000 rpm up hills and you should be fine. Plan the route to avoid steep grades. Accelerate slowly try to keep it under 3000.

 

Good advice. Rent a trailer with surge brakes. Long steep grades are the problem - once the battery is flat, you are pulling with a 4 banger.

 

Only problem is that the Escape doesn't have a brake controller, so it wouldn't help.

 

You don't need a controller with surge brakes - that is why they are used in rental applications. Controllers are used for electric brakes.

 

I towed a U-Haul 5x8 trailer a few years ago. Went from east coast to western Wyoming no sweat. Including a climb up West Virginia's 7X7 hill on I-64. This one was 7% for 7 Miles. You won't go up it at 70 mph but you'll go up it faster than the trucks in the righthand lane. Probably around 55 in climbs works well The advice to keep RPMs under 4000 is good, just tap down the speed control when it goes above 4,000.

Had no controlability problems. Just don't make the engine work too hard on climbs.

The module for trailer lights does need a separate power supply for trailer lighting direct from the battery. If you use one that taps off the FEHs lights they'll shutdown after a few cycles, since the on board computer senses too much current to the lights, turn signals...

You'll also notice that in rolling terrain you get better mileage than on flat. The momentum effect with the extra load means your fuel cutoff comes on and stays on longer than without a trailer. For example eastern Kentucky on I-64.