Ford F-150 PowerBoost Owner Says His Towing Battery Drain Mystery Wasn’t Ford’s Fault at All, Claiming “It Was the Key Fob Waking the Truck Up” Until He Locked the Doors and Put It in a Faraday Bag

There is a certain romance to the long highway that still belongs to the RV crowd. They haul their homes across deserts and mountain passes with the poise of seasoned captains, and more often than not, the towed companion behind them is a Ford F-150. Generations of RV owners have trusted the truck for its durability, adaptability, and the sense of calm it brings when the nearest service station may be hours away. 

That confidence was tested recently when a 2025 F-150 PowerBoost owner reported a baffling battery drain while flat towing. The symptoms pointed at modern electronics, a patchwork of modules and logic circuits, yet the solution came from something far simpler.

“I think my neighbor has figured out why the truck battery is draining when towed. It’s delivering 13-14 volts from the charge line to the truck battery. He tested the Amp, and it was charging 4-5 Amps. However, the Amp draw from the truck was 5-6, hence a net deficit. So he started to shut things off to remove some of the modules while in tow mode. Here is what worked to get the amp draw down.

Shut the auto locks off

Lock the door when being towed.

Remove the key fob from the truck and put it in a Faraday bag or keep it over 40’ from the truck.

Turns out the issue all along might have been the key fob. When it’s near the truck, it wakes up several modules and creates a big draw in the battery.

So it will be a bit before I can tow and test it, but while running, and under these conditions, the battery charged to 13v for the first time.

I will update after I test two.”

The discovery that the key fob was repeatedly waking the truck surprised many in the owner community. The PowerBoost hybrid system is engineered to manage energy carefully, whether it is powering tools at a jobsite or being pulled through Wyoming behind a motorhome. Yet the proximity of a key fob can stir several modules into an idle state that consumes more current than the RV’s charge line can supply. A Ford technician who chimed in on the discussion noted that with many modules in play, the safest approach for anyone experiencing similar symptoms is to contact a dealer to open a technical case and ensure the truck’s tow protocols are functioning as intended. He also suggested exploring a direct power and ground connection between the RV battery system and the truck for a steadier charge supply.

Other owners added their experiences to the discussion. One man described towing his 2022 PowerBoost from Arizona to Alaska and back without a single voltage issue, monitoring battery health in real time throughout the journey. He kept his key fob inside the motorhome and allowed the truck to ride quietly behind him, untouched. His charge line ran straight to the battery, and the coach was grounded to the truck, a configuration that delivered consistent results. His story, contrasted with the battery drain reports, illustrated how varied real-world setups can be and how small differences in wiring or storage habits can affect the overall system.

Ford F-150: Ford's Ultimate Plan

• Ford keeps widening the F-150 playbook: gas, hybrid, electric, performance… whatever kind of truck someone wants, there’s a version already waiting on the lot.
• The cabin has a down-to-earth practicality to it, but Ford added smart extras like the fold-out work surface and the almost-flat reclining seats, both of which make long days a lot more manageable.
• Pro Power Onboard remains one of the coolest real-world features in any modern truck; it turns the bed into a portable power station that’s equally handy on a job site or a camping trip.
• Ford’s constant software updates quietly improve the truck over time, so owners get new features without waiting for the next model year.

The conversation broadened as another owner described long-term battery concerns even when the truck was parked. Leaving the key fob inside the cab for extended periods resulted in persistent electrical draw, enough that he resorted to a 3.5 amp battery maintainer just to keep the truck ready for daily use. He eventually replaced both the main and auxiliary batteries and saw improvement, yet his experience echoed the same theme. Modern trucks, especially hybrids with layered electrical architectures, require careful battery management not because they are unreliable but because they are constantly listening, preparing, and communicating with their own systems.

What emerged from all these accounts was a clearer understanding of how much activity occurs beneath the surface of a modern pickup. The features that make the PowerBoost convenient during everyday use can become unintended liabilities in towing scenarios where absolute electrical stillness is required. A key fob that quietly stands by for daily errands can pose challenges when the truck is supposed to be electrically dormant over hundreds of miles. Locking the doors, disabling the auto lock, and isolating the key fob in a Faraday bag or storing it deep inside the motorhome are simple steps that neutralize this issue.

For RV owners, this type of grassroots problem-solving has become part of the lifestyle. They manage solar panels, inverters, complex battery banks, and now the electrical behavior of the vehicles they tow behind them. The F-150 PowerBoost remains a favorite because it brings capability and technology in equal measure, and when an issue does arise, the community often uncovers practical solutions before formal documentation catches up.

This situation demonstrates once again that ownership of a technologically advanced truck carries with it a certain learning curve. Yet it also shows the strength of the community surrounding these vehicles and the way owners share knowledge generously to keep each other on the road. The fix in this case required no software update and no specialized equipment, only thoughtful troubleshooting and an understanding of how the truck interprets the presence of its key. For many RV drivers preparing for another cross-country journey, that knowledge is worth its weight in fuel.

Image Sources: Ford Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.