Flat Towing A 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

[Doug Patton]

With the installation of the neutral tow "light" completed I have a new concern. While going through the steps to put the transfer case in the neutral tow position the LED blinks several times and then stays on for about 90 seconds then goes off. Is this the way it is supposed to respond or should the light stay lit all the time the transfer case is in the neutral tow position? I was of the opinion that the LED should stay lit all the time the transfer case is in neutral tow position (disengaged). Can anyone who has towed the Sport Trac or Explorer advise as to how theirs worked?

[Ray,IN]

Doug I have no experience with what you're working on; however my Chevy Silverado 4WD has a electronic transfer case. The switch is a twist knob, with an indicator light for each selection_anyway; when the transfer case has not actually switched to neutral and I let go of the knob, the light blinks-goes off, that means it did not actually switch to neutral.When neutral switch is successful the light stays on.
My shift procedure is, shift tranny to neutral, foot off brake, turn knob to N, sometimes it take a full minute to shift to N and the light stay on, if i release the knob too soon the light blinks, goes out.
If the pickup is on a grade, that means I must attach the tow-bar, THEN do the neutral shift or PU rolls away.

That may be meaningless, but I thought I'd say it.

[Doug Patton]

I have installed the LED and had the transfer case control module programed by my local Ford dealer. However, I am concerned that the LED does not stay on while the transfer case is in the neutral tow position. Is it supposed to stay on? When going through the steps to place the transfer case in the neutral tow position my LED blinks 4 or 5 times then lights solid for about 90 seconds then goes out. Is that the way it is supposed to work?

[Doug Patton]

I still can not get the recently installed neutral tow light to stay on which I have to believe is telling me that the transfer case in NOT remaining in the neutral tow position. Has anyone on this forum had any experience with towing an older Explorer Sport Trac? The instructions provided on the decal supplied by Ford with the neutral tow light kit indicates that the light stays on to indicate that the transfer case is in the neutral tow position. I'm headed back to my Ford dealer tomorrow 5/2/24 to try reprograming the control module for the transfer case but I'm not optimistic that that will solve the problem. As I go through the set up procedure provided by Ford the light blinks as it is suppose to and will then stay on for about 90 seconds. However, after 90 seconds the light goes off. Any help would be appreciated.