Tow bar wiring loom

When I bought my last car which is a 2013 Octavia 3, I was strongly encouraged to fit the modern 13 pin type since it is used on all new caravans (and may have been retrofitted to older ones), so I did. There are adapters that plug in and give you a pair of receptacles for old-style plugs. So I would say definitely fit the new 13 pin type. I'd also recommend getting the fitting done professionally - in my case they had to change the rear chassis member to one reinforced and adapted for towing, the wiring is quite complex, and you have to change the onboard system config to tell it there is a towbar so it changes things like braking characteristics when you are towing. I believe that this is a legal requirement and if not done it may invalidate insurance in the event of a claim.

I would recommend using a manufactures wiring kit rather than a universal one. I have just fitted a Volvo one and as John says when it detects a trailer it alters the engine characteristics, suspension settings, mine is an auto and it alters when it changes gear. If an indicator fails it flashes the marker lamp instead. Gone are the days of just splicing into the loom. As to twin 7 or 13, a deciding factor might be whats on the caravan, personally, I would fit a 13 as you can always use an adapter to 7 pin.

Cost £950 for my Volvo

I've just been quoted £750 for fitting on a Skoda Superb estate, 5 hours labour so not a quick job. As others have said the on board electronics have to be dealt with as well and having checked with my insurers it is regarded as a notifiable modification. Not really worth the hassle of diy with everything taken into account. I would agree with the others as well about the plugs 13 pin and use an adaptor if you need 7 pin - or rewire the trailer to use 13 pin.

Mine cost similar (bit less 'cos 3 years ago). Not worth the hassle of DIY on a nearly new car, especially if you need a new chassis member (which has been the case on at least 2 of my cars).

I've fitted towbars on all our cars. Usually the hard bit is getting at the fitting points, removing splash guards etc. Most towbars replace the rear impact bar. Saves a lot of money DIY. I would pay to get the wiring done on a modern car tho'. unless you really know what you are doing.

I have been Caravaning for the last 14 years and have always had the tow bar and electrics done professionally. It isn't worth the risk doing it yourself especially since insurance companies find any excuse not to pay out

Mick

Sean, a bit late with this, only just seen your posting.

I have had several cars during my caravan years, the main problem I found is that most car dealers do not understand caravans. Always had problems with the fridge supply not working whilst towing.

I am talking about fairly recent vans (last 10 years or so) when 13 pin electrics replaced the old twin 7 pin plugs, the 'S' and 'N' if I remember correctly

So, a bit late with advice but the problem is not with the tow bar (which all have to be type approved) but the electrics, modern cars are so complex that I would not attempt to fit my own.

Long gone are the days when you could knock up a tow bar from angle iron and drill holes through the boot floor, scotch lock some wiring and away you go.

Bill D.

PS. £700-£900 is fairly typical price these days.

Bill D.

It is only in the past couple of years I have owned an "electronic" car, up until then my cars had carburettor, no cat and NO electronics apart from the clock. I am now talking about a 2003 vauxhall combo , I could not believe how complex it is, the car electrics are basically a 6 computer local area network. You complain they want £600 for a towbar well my temperature guage stopped working they want €650 for a new instrument control module !!! So my advice is to get someone very qualified to do it .

It's all well and good selling starship but the pricing structure on parts needs to be corrected.

my temperature guage stopped working they want €650 for a new instrument control module !!!

And the most likely cause of failure is the transducer! Has that been ruled out, or are they just trying to shaft you? It would not be the first time!

One other thing you have to consider is that Hyundai give a 7 year warrantee with their cars. This could well be invalidated if a DIY system is fitted. Make sure that the installer gives you a guarantee as some have a get out clause if the car stops and Hyundai don't accept the wiring.

On one car I had there was a pre installed plug that one connected the wiring loom to rather than all the individual gubbins. I was telling a friend of mine who was in charge of coordinating the manufacture of the Ford Transit van many years ago He said that they had considered this on the van. I asked why they had not done it & he said because at the time it cost about £ 1-00. I said it seemed silly not to do it. He said he cancelled it because on a million vans it saved Ford £1million

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 05/09/2017 07:33:21

Hyundai give a 7 year warrantee with their cars

In the UK, Hyundai have a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty - Kia have a 7 year 100,000 mile arrangement (got both a Kia & a Hyundai on the drive).

The new Mk8 Transit does have a plug-in point to accept a towbar wiring loom. The towbar for my motorhome cost £700 installed earlier this year - a large part of the increase from £350 for my last one was the requirement for the towbar braketry to be Type Approved now, so instead fo a bespoke bracket made to suit the van a modular "kit" towbar that has been Type Approved in all it's various configurations has to be used. The wiring loom used on mine was aftermarket, designed to plug in to the Ford main loom (and just to make life more interesting, there are two different types of electrics used on the new Transit) & came with a 7 pin socket. My towbar mounted cycle carrier has 13 pin electrics, but was supplied with a 13-7 pin adapter.

Nigel B

I fitted a tow bar on a Jag - made life easier by buying the vehicle specific wiring kit, not the cheaper generic kit.

Vehicle specific kits have connectors which allow you to simply plug in to existing wiring (at back of rear lamps, at parking sensor control box). No need to cut/splice anything.

Stripping off rear bumper (and the amount of other things I had to remove to get at that) makes it clear why this can be an expensive job.

Until my latest vehicle I've fitted and wired in all of my towbars and that included a 61 and 65 plate Vauxhall Vivaro, the instructions were very good and had only one issue on the last vehicle which was resolved very easily, my latest vehicle, I'm now retired, a Subaru Forester had its towbar fitted professionally for no other reason than I don't do bodywork and couldn't see how to remove the very large bumper panel, I only had a single socket fitted as I only tow a trailer these days, the car also had its crash bar removed to fit the towbar, the fitter joked that the towbar was far stronger than the bit he took off. The only down side was that my son in law broke down so I took my rigid towbar to tow him to a garage but couldn't fit my eye bolt as its thread was in the part removed so I used the tow hitch.

Martin P

p.s. It only cost me £317

Edited By martin perman on 05/09/2017 09:38:37