The 2017 Ford Escape actually had a decent towing capacity, as well as a tow package that was offered for these vehicles and many people out there wonder what's actually included in one of these packages.
In this article, I go over what was included in the 536 package that was offered by Ford and go over some of the specifics on what each of the components does.
What the 2017 Escape Trailer Tow Package Includes:
The 2017 Ford Escape had a trailer tow package but only consisted of three different items, which were a 4 pin wiring harness, a Class 2 hitch receiver and a trailer sway control feature that was used by the vehicle. The 2017 model years also shared their tow package chart with the Lincoln MKC and an extra feature that was listed in the chart was the 110-volt outlet that was only available for the MKC and not for the Ford Escape.
It was a pretty minimal package when you look at the three items that were included, but this is all these vehicles needed in order to achieve their maximum trailer weight ratings that were specified by Ford.
(1) Available with 2.0L/2.3L EcoBoost® I4 only. Available as dealer accessory with 2.5L I4 engine and 1.5L EcoBoost® I4 engine. (5) MKC only.
Wiring Harness for Trailers (4 pin): A 4 pin wiring harness is basically an electrical connector that is located on or around your hitch of your vehicle and is a connection point between your vehicle's electrical, primarily the lights which hooks up to your trailers electrical system.
This essentially synchronizes both your vehicle and your trailer to have the same functions when it comes to search turn signals, brake lights, running lights and even hazard lights.
A Trailer Hitch Receiver: The hitch receiver is the main component in the tow package and is what allows you to tow something behind your vehicle in the first place. It gets mounted underneath your vehicle and bolted to the frame, usually using around 6 or 8 bolts, and provides a very strong connection between the vehicle and the hitch itself. This allows you to add additional accessories into your hitch and haul whatever you would like with your vehicle, as long as it is within its capabilities.
Your Hitch's Class: The 2017 Ford Escape used a Class 2 hitch receiver, which is a lighter weight hitch, along with a Class 1 hitch receiver.
A Class 2 hitch receiver has a maximum gross trailer weight rating of around 3,500 lb, which is perfect for these vehicles because the 2017 Ford Escape had a towing capacity of around 3,500 lbs., which lines up with what the Class 2 hitch receiver's maximum rating was.
Your Hitch Receiver Dimensions: I do want to mention that it is important to measure the interior dimensions of your hitch receiver because there are different dimensions out there, which would make a difference when using different accessories with your hitch.
Most hitch receivers will use a 2" opening, but if you have a Class 1 or Class 2 hitch, like we see used in this case, then you will likely have a smaller interior dimension, so be sure you measure that so that you can know what size accessories will work.
Sway Control Function for Trailers: The trailer sway control feature was actually a feature of the vehicle itself and basically was a preventative measure that was built in that reduces the amount of trailer sway that might occur by applying the brakes to specific wheels on the vehicle and by reducing the engine's torque output at the same time.
In other words, it is slowing down the vehicle to try to reduce the amount of trailer sway that is occurring, which is what the driver should be doing in the first place, if they are experiencing any sort of trailer swaying on the road.
It is important to note that this feature will not completely stop trailer swaying from occurring, it will just help to try to reduce it.
The 110 Volt Outlet: There was also a 110-volt outlet that was listed in the image that I have shown at the top of this article, but that was not a feature that was available for the Ford Escapes. It was actually a feature that was just for the Lincoln MKC.
Resources I Used to Write This Article:
This article was fairly simple to write because there was not much information to talk about as far as the components that were included in the towing package that was offered for these SUVs.
I gathered all of my information from only two different resources, that I went ahead and listed below for those of you out there that may want to check those out in more detail, which I highly recommend.