Thor Forums

[jlabit]

Appreciated the help with my first question on this forum. Nice to have people with experience when your a newbie like myself. I want to flat tow my 2014 Ford Focus with automatic transmission. I purchased this car specifically because it can be flat towed, which my Toyota Corolla could not. This is the instructions from the manual for towing:

Vehicles with an Automatic Transmission but No Push Button Start
System
Note: There must be battery power to properly move the transmission’s
internal components to position N in Step 3. In addition, moving the
gearshift to position N without first turning the ignition to the on (II)
position limits the towing capability to 35 mph (56 km/h) and 50 miles
(80 kilometers).
1. Release the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to the on (II) position.
3. Press the brake pedal, then move the gearshift to position N.
4. Wait for TRANSMISSION READY to appear in the multi-function
display, then turn the ignition to the off (0) position and release
the brake pedal.
5. Disconnect the negative (black) cable from the battery.
(The anti-theft system does not function until the battery cable is
reconnected.) See Changing the vehicle battery in the
Maintenance chapter when disconnecting and reconnecting the
battery cable.
• The maximum towing speed is 70 mph (113 km/h).
• There is no limitation on towing distance.
When done towing, start the engine within 15 minutes of reconnecting
the battery cable. When reconnecting that cable, tighten it until it is
snug against the terminal. Be careful not to over-tighten.

As you can see, you must tow with the battery disconnected. I am looking for an auxiliary braking system, and it looks like they will not work without battery power. Don't see how the brake lights are going to work either, without battery power. Can anyone with experience point me in the right direction? I am looking at several braking systems including "Even Brake", "Add a Brake", and "Invisibrake". I think they are all made by Roadmaster. Appreciate any assistance you may be able to give. Sorry for the long read.