The 2006 Ford Escape was not much different from other similar model years and in fact had a lot of the same capabilities , even when it came to their towing capacity. These smaller SUVs were able to achieve a surprising 3,500 pound maximum trailer weight rating if they had the right engine equipped with the optional trailer package that was available.
Let's take a look at the data to see what these vehicles were capable of and what was required in order to achieve the highest rating possible.
Remember to read through your owner's manual, as it is the most valuable asset that you have for your vehicle and that you adhere to all of Ford's recommendations and requirements.
2006 Escape Overview
Overall Capacity: The overall towing capacity for the 2006 Ford Escape range from 1,000-3,500 lbs. and was dependent mainly upon the engine that you had equipped.
Capacity By Trim Levels: I wanted to also look at the different trim levels for these vehicles and get a trailer weight rating range for each trim level. I was able to gather this information based on the engine and transmission options that were available for each trim level and if we look at the data below, we can see that the XLS trim level was capable of up to 1,500 lb, While the x l t, XLT Sport and limited trim levels were able to achieve a 3,500 lb rating.
- XLS (Manual Transmission): 1,500 lbs.
- XLS:1,500 lbs.
- XLT: 1,500-3,500 lbs.
- XLT Sport: 3,500 lbs.
- Limited: 3,500 lbs.
By Engine Options: We can look at the three different engine options and if we compare the data, we can see that the 3.0 liter engine was definitely the most powerful engine and gave us the highest maximum trailer weight rating. The 2.3 liter engine was a smaller engine and we had two different specifications for this engine.
- 2.3L (Hybrid): 1,000 lbs.
- 2.3L: 1,500 lbs.
- 3.0L: 3,500 lbs.
The Tow Chart:
The towing chart for the 2006 Ford Escape was pretty simple, having the maximum trailer weight ratings listed on the right-hand side of the chart and then on the left-hand side of the chart, there are four pieces of information.
On the far left side of the table, we can see the three different engine options that are available for these vehicles and right next to that is the axle ratios, which are not specified. We also get the gross combined weight ratings for both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models as well. There are also some additional notes below the table section that are worth checking out.
I do want to point out that the chart is also divided into automatic transmission models , which take up the top portion of the chart, and then manual transmission models that are found on the lower end of the table.
06 Escape Trailer Tow Packages...
I was also able to find the standard tow equipment and trailer packages table in the guide and I went ahead and outlined the Escape's information , seeing as how that is the only vehicle we are concerned with in this article.
This was the optional trailer package for these vehicles and was labeled as the 536 package and includes: a 4 pin wiring connector , a hitch receiver and an automatic transmission cooler.
Hitch Receiver Weight Limits: I was also able to find another table that lists the hitch receiver capacity limits, but it did not apply to these SUVs , as the maximum trailer weight rating was specified in the weight carrying column. Sometimes, the higher maximum trailer weight ratings that are listed in the chart will require a weight distributing hitch in order to achieve those specifications, but this was not the case for the in this particular circumstance.
Trailer Brakes: There was a small note about using trailer brakes with your vehicle and they must conform to Federal and local laws , which you will have to check to see what your local vehicle codes require as far as trailer weight and trailer brakes.
If they do require trailer brakes, keep in mind that these vehicles were not equipped to accommodate electric trailer brakes, which would mean you would need a brake controller and a 7 pin connector, instead of the four pin connebtor that comes with the trailer package. You would probably have to have somebody set those items up for you or set them up yourself.
On To The Certification Label...
GVWR & GAWRs: The gross vehicle weight ratings and the gross axle weight ratings were not listed anywhere in any of the literature online, but instead is found on the safety certification label that is located on the vehicle itself.
If you open your driver side door and look on the pillar, you will see a label that looks like the one pictured above and on this label towards the top is where you'll find both the gross vehicle weight rating figures and the gross weight rating figures.
GCWR: The gross combined weight rating metrics were specified in the chart, making those figures easy to find and very convenient. The gross combined weight rating is the maximum amount that the vehicle and trailer can handle combined and is the heaviest weight rating that your vehicle and trailer will have.
Axle Code: I did want to point out that the axle code can be found at the bottom of the safety certification label, which I have highlighted in the image above, along with the gross vehicle weight rating and gross axle weight rating specifications and will be a two-digit code (in most cases) that will tell you what the rear axle ratio for your vehicle uses.
For these SUVs, it is not necessary to know your axle code because no axle ratios were specified and you did not need this information in order to get your maximum trailer weight rating from the chart.
Helpful Links I Used For My Research:
I didn't have to use many resources to gather the information for this article, in fact I only used three separate resources for all of my research and I went ahead and listed these three resources below.
Most of the information in this article came from the guide, including most of the images and it had most of the information I was looking for. The owner's manual and the brochure were also helpful resources because they had different data that I needed and all three combined made for the ultimate resource guide.
Last updated on May 5th, 2022 at 06:08 pm