PowerBoost and Tow/Haul Mode - Lower trailer weights

[turbopilot]

Since updating my 2021 with all module upgrades to full BlueCruise, I am now doing some towing. It appears in Tow/Haul mode there are no "Electric Miles", the motor stays on. Also it appears Blue Cruise and lane centering is disabled.

For lighter towing loads has anyone operated in "Normal Mode" while hauling lighter trailer loads? Giving up the self driving features and reducing fuel economy for lighter trailer loads does not seem like a good trade. Thoughts? When required manual shifting in "Normal" mode should get the job done versus "Tow/Haul" mode.

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[tbinmd]

Truck will still know a trailer is connected even if not in tow/haul mode for the transmission. Don't know if it would still disable blue cruise or not. Just picked up mine and haven't towed with it yet.

 

[daemonic3]

I haven't towed since my Bluecruise update, but I do tow in Normal mode all the time. I don't like the engine running at lights in town, and I can accomplish the same upper gear lockouts manually after using Tow mode and learning the behavior over the past few years. Normal will let me get some electric miles when appropriate in town or on minor rolling hills.

I haven't noticed a significant difference in shifting strategies between Tow and Normal either, though others say it is significant. I'm wondering if that mostly applies to Ecoboosts though. In the Powerboost it will use any stored battery (above 42% charge) to provide instant torque to keep you out of boost, possibly it is doing this to keep you out of lower gears accelerating.

Lastly, I tested my descent from Donner (7200ft) to sea level using both Tow and Normal back and forth, and the engine braking seemed to get used in both modes as needed. The truck won't simply stay on electric in Normal, it will kick on the ICE and put it in a low gear for engine braking, to my pleasant surprise.

So my experience is this (and use at your own caution): Tow/Haul is great for inexperienced towers or if you are experienced but want to "set it and forget it". Towing in Normal takes more work and advanced knowledge of how to manage your gear lockouts but can get you better MPG. Both ways feel comfortable and safe in my experience but Normal is WAY more fun and keeps me from getting bored.

As far as Bluecruise, I also would guess it is disabled based on trailer *detected* and not drive mode selector. I'm going to test it using Tow/Haul without a trailer next time I'm on the freeway. Another option if it is strictly drive mode based, is use the lane centering button to turn off lane centering (a good idea when towing anyway) and that should disabled Bluecruise while still allowing adaptive cruise.

 

[turbopilot]

As far as Bluecruise, I also would guess it is disabled based on trailer *detected* and not drive mode selector. I'm going to test it using Tow/Haul without a trailer next time I'm on the freeway. Another option if it is strictly drive mode based, is use the lane centering button to turn off lane centering (a good idea when towing anyway) and that should disabled Bluecruise while still allowing adaptive cruise.

Made 400 mile trip today towing a 4,000 lb Jeep Rubicon. Blue Cruise does not work if it detects something connected to the 7 pin plug. I made most of the trip in "Normal" mode but I did try "Tow/Haul" at times. No major difference except the motor always stayed on in the "Tow/Haul" mode. The trip was from Palm Springs, CA to Flagstaff, AZ. This trip involved a 7,000' gain in elevation and most of the trip was made against a 15 to 20 mph wind. PowerBoost averaged 12 mpg for the trip.

With adaptive cruise control on steering control was normal for "hands on the wheel" adaptive cruise control with one exception. With the 4,000 lb Jeep in tow there was a constant side to side small oscillation. The oscillation would dampen out but seemed to be excited on curves. Eventually I just turned off adaptive cruise control and manually drove the truck. I did not like the oscillation.

 

[daemonic3]

Made 400 mile trip today towing a 4,000 lb Jeep Rubicon. Blue Cruise does not work if it detects something connected to the 7 pin plug. I made most of the trip in "Normal" mode but I did try "Tow/Haul" at times. No major difference except the motor always stayed on in the "Tow/Haul" mode. The trip was from Palm Springs, CA to Flagstaff, AZ. This trip involved a 7,000' gain in elevation and most of the trip was made against a 15 to 20 mph wind. PowerBoost averaged 12 mpg for the trip.

With adaptive cruise control on steering control was normal for "hands on the wheel" adaptive cruise control with one exception. With the 4,000 lb Jeep in tow there was a constant side to side small oscillation. The oscillation would dampen out but seemed to be excited on curves. Eventually I just turned off adaptive cruise control and manually drove the truck. I did not like the oscillation.

Excellent data! Similar to my experience between Tow/haul and Normal. Was that a flat-tow of the Jeep? 12mpg is pretty good towing into headwind!

The oscillation is not adaptive cruise, but rather the lane centering. I love to still use adaptive cruise while towing, but I turn off lane centering because it tends to under/overcorrect and oscillate. The lane centering button is on the steering wheel near the cruise controls.

 

[turbopilot]

Excellent data! Similar to my experience between Tow/haul and Normal. Was that a flat-tow of the Jeep? 12mpg is pretty good towing into headwind!

Flat tow. I think the 7,000' change in elevation was more of a factor on the fuel economy.

 

[Atlee]

Since updating my 2021 with all module upgrades to full BlueCruise, I am now doing some towing. It appears in Tow/Haul mode there are no "Electric Miles", the motor stays on. Also it appears Blue Cruise and lane centering is disabled.

For lighter towing loads has anyone operated in "Normal Mode" while hauling lighter trailer loads? Giving up the self driving features and reducing fuel economy for lighter trailer loads does not seem like a good trade. Thoughts? When required manual shifting in "Normal" mode should get the job done versus "Tow/Haul" mode.

When towing on flat or rolling hills, I use normal mode. I'm pulling a 6,000# GVWR trailer. I do lock out 10,9,& 8 gears.

If I were in mountainous driving with steep climbs and declines, I'd switch over to hills.Tow Haul in order to get the transmission to downshift when going down

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