Good Sam Club Open Roads Forum: 2015 Ford Focus flat tow damage


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j wackerly

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Posted: 09/12/21 11:55am

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I had a 2015 Ford Focus that Ford said it could be flat tow behind a RV . My Ford Focus came lose from my RV . The unibody broke from the weld . The whole front of car came off . The car was still under warranty and Ford would not fix it . I baseplate was installed per instructions . It was still attached to the front of the car when it came off . This car should not be flat towed . It could happen to any Ford Focus with the same unibody.

phil-t

Ogdensburg, NY

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Posted: 09/12/21 12:14pm

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More info please. Tow setup, speeds towed, brake system. What reason is Ford giving for denying warranty? Your Focus was a 2015, when did this happen? How many total miles had you towed the Focus?

2010 Winnebago Vista 32k on a 2009 Ford F53 22k chassis

gbopp

The Keystone State

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Posted: 09/12/21 12:43pm

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You said the Focus came loose from your RV. Was it involved in a crash after it came loose or, did the safety chains hold it?
Did it come loose because the weld broke or did the weld break after it came loose?
Sorry, I'm little confused.

dodge guy

Bartlett IL

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Posted: 09/12/21 04:11pm

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Yes, what came loose? The whole front of the car does not explain it. To me the whole front of the car is the base of the windshield forward!

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Lwiddis

Cambria, California area

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Posted: 09/12/21 04:15pm

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Please post some pictures.

Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

rdhetrick

Texas

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Posted: 09/12/21 05:14pm

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I used to have a 2015 Focus that I flat towed. I installed the base plate myself so I'm pretty familiar with the front of the car.

I don't know exactly what happened to the OP, but I surmise from his description that the frame broke rearwards of the base frame attachment point.

Like many base plates, it is attached with 6 bolts - 3 on each side. Additionally, the base plate is connected to the frame via two cables - not the safety cables between the car and coach. On the focus, those "internal" cables also attach to the frame, so if the frame gave way, the cables would go with it.

Hopefully there was an aux brake system that stopped the car after it came loose.

Having said all of that, I can't imagine Ford, or any other manufacturer for that matter, repairing something like that, warranty or not - even a frame that is just bent, results in a total write off.

Rob - Solo Full Timer
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j wackerly

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Posted: 09/13/21 07:58am

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Is there any way I can show you the photos of my Ford Focus damage ? A picture is worth a 1,000 words

rdhetrick

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Posted: 09/13/21 08:02am

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https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/15775751.cfm

j wackerly

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Posted: 09/13/21 08:12am

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phil-t wrote:

More info please. Tow setup, speeds towed, brake system. What reason is Ford giving for denying warranty? Your Focus was a 2015, when did this happen? How many total miles had you towed the Focus?

I used roadmaster base plate . I was at a stop sign making lefthand turn when the car came off less then 5 mph . My insurance totaled the car . The car had 50,000 miles on it . I tow it for more then that .