2014 Ford Explorer XLT - 4wd 3.5 L  

Question:

Expert Reply:

I'm going to try to present a lot of information here about your vehicle, but to give you the short answer- in this case, your 4wd is actually an AWD system, so you will be able to dinghy tow your 2014 Ford Explorer XLT 3.5L Eco-Boost.

Typically, the difference between an AWD and 4wd vehicle is that the AWD vehicle is constantly providing power to all 4 wheels (both axles are continuously engaged), whereas a 4wd vehicle has a transfer case that can be switched between powering a single axle and both axles with variable ratios. The other way it is used is that cars are usually referred to as AWD, where trucks/SUVs are called 4wd. I've read some information that says that Ford still called it 4wd early on, so as not to confuse people, but that it was in fact an AWD vehicle.

From what I'm able to determine from my research, the 2014 Ford Explorer has an intelligent AWD system that allows you to use different settings to determine how much power is distributed to each axle (a mud/sand or snow setting) depending on the conditions. It also looks like the 3.5L engine was only available in an eco-boost; and according to my research the 3.5L eco-boost was only available in AWD configurations.

The other thing that you should look for to give further confirmation is if you've got a settings knob that is geared more towards specific driving conditions (sand/mud/snow) than the standard 4wd settings of 4H, 4L, N, 2H. If that is the case, you've got the AWD system as opposed to a traditional 4wd. It should also be noted that the 2014 Ford Explorer only came in an AWD or FWD configuration.

If you can let me know whether or not you have the adaptive cruise control on your 2014 Explorer XLT 3.5L Eco-boost, I can let you know what towing base plates will work on your vehicle as well as the other parts you'll need to complete your flat towing setup.

expert reply by: Erik B

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