Ford Explorer Quiz
Roadside Emergencies

Towing the Vehicle

In this manual: Roadside Emergencies
Introduction — 10At a Glance — 3Child Safety — 11Seat Belts — 10Personal Safety System™ — 1Supplemental Restraint System — 10Pedestrian Protection — 1911 Assist — 3Keys and Remote Controls — 10MyKey™ — 8Doors & Locks — 9Liftgate — 7Safety — 3Steering Wheel — 11Wipers and Washers — 5Lighting — 13Automatic High Beam Control — 3Windows and Mirrors — 6Instrument Cluster — 4Information Displays — 4Climate Control — 6Cabin Air Quality — 2Seats — 9Garage Door Opener — 2Auxiliary Power Points — 3Storage Compartments — 2Starting and Stopping the Engine — 5Unique Driving Characteristics — 4Fuel and Refueling — 8Engine Emission Control — 3High-Voltage Battery — 1Infection Transmission — 8All-Wheel Drive Vehicle — 1Brakes — 5Reverse Brake Assist — 4Traction Control — 1Stability Control — 3Hill Descent Control — 3Park Aid — 8Cruise Control — 4Adaptive Cruise Control — 19Driver Assistance — 12Drive Mode Control — 4Loading — 6Tow/Haul — 6Driving Tips — 5Roadside Emergencies — 8Customer Assistance — 9Fuses — 3Maintenance — 21Vehicle Care — 12Wheels and Tires — 8Capacities and Specifications — 16Connectivity — 3Wi-Fi Hotspot — 3Audio System — 6SYNC™ 3 — 14Accessories — 1Ford Protect — 1Scheduled Maintenance — 5Appendices — 4
~1min read

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

We recommend using a wheel lift and dolly or a flatbed for towing your vehicle. Do not tow with a sling-type strap. We do not approve towing with a sling-type strap procedure. If you tow your vehicle incorrectly or by any other method, damage to the vehicle may occur.

We publish a towing guide for all authorized towing operators. Have your towing operator refer to this guide for correct connection and towing of your vehicle.

Towing an all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle requires that all wheels be off the ground, for example, by using a wheel lift and dolly or a flatbed. This prevents damage to the transmission, all-wheel or four-wheel drive system and vehicle.

If your vehicle fails without access to wheel dollies, a tow truck or a flatbed, you may tow with all four wheels on the ground under limited conditions. Refer to Towing the Vehicle with All Four Wheels on the Ground.

Test yourself

A quick Ford Explorer quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.