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Technical Anyone know anything about towbar electrics?

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Technical Anyone know anything about towbar electrics?

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500Stu

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Looking into the possibility of fitting a towbar for a trailer. Some of the fitters I've contacted are saying a dedicated loom needs to be fitted as the electrics can interfere with the stability control/ESP if not fitted correctly. Is this just a spin to get more cash out of me or is there something in it?
 
The wiring will need to be through a relay pack and then configured to the car's canbus system.

The dedicated loom does half of this job, so is pretty essential.

Its no longer a case of scothlocking into the existing wiring as the canbus uses the different resistances to work the different lights. Any change of resistance will cause problems somewhere.

As an aside, you can't even solder a damaged wire on a new car, its a new part loom.

Cheers

SPD
 
500Stu said:
Looking into the possibility of fitting a towbar for a trailer. Some of the fitters I've contacted are saying a dedicated loom needs to be fitted as the electrics can interfere with the stability control/ESP if not fitted correctly. Is this just a spin to get more cash out of me or is there something in it?
Click to expand...

oh no there is something in it......

a trailer alters the cars handling dynamics hence can upset the ESP.

my gp doesn't have ESP but i needed a bypass relay installing on my Grande punto so the bulb failure system didn't pick up any change in resistance

(that said the towbar co did scotchlock to the loom in the boot which lead to me having an intermittent brakelight problem on the trailer and i soldered them to the loom no problem)

Gulp £150 for the wiring kit :eek:


http://www.towequipe.co.uk/1/1/209038-7-pin-car-specific-towbar-wiring-fiat-500-minicar-08.html
 
Thanks. From what I can glean, it will only affect the ESP if the ESP has T-ESP (towbar ESP). Fiat don't own up to having that as part of their system. In other words the car can't sense if a trailer is attached or not nor will it compensate for one if it did.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

However, there is something in making sure the towbar electrics don't interfere with the bulb failure system. Is this not the reason for adding a relay or should I be forking out for a dedicated loom? Starting to get a bit expensive this :eek:
 
500Stu said:
Thanks. From what I can glean, it will only affect the ESP if the ESP has T-ESP (towbar ESP). Fiat don't own up to having that as part of their system. In other words the car can't sense if a trailer is attached or not nor will it compensate for one if it did.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

However, there is something in making sure the towbar electrics don't interfere with the bulb failure system. Is this not the reason for adding a relay or should I be forking out for a dedicated loom? Starting to get a bit expensive this :eek:
Click to expand...

Im not 100% sure the towbar firm fitted a Bypass relay rather than a full loom and its worked fine on mine

http://www.towsure.com/product/13145-Smart_7_Way_Can-Bus_Relay



https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-pu...ng-towbar-12-n-socket-7-way-bypass-relay.html


hope this helps
 
All you need is a bypass relay, the relay will protect the vehicle electrics. Advise all connections to be soldered, and regarding loom repairs, I do them all the time and have no problems, even on can lines, its just down to the quality of the soldered joint.
 
NumanR said:
All you need is a bypass relay, the relay will protect the vehicle electrics. Advise all connections to be soldered, and regarding loom repairs, I do them all the time and have no problems, even on can lines, its just down to the quality of the soldered joint.
Click to expand...


amen to that

soldered mine last week after i had an intermittent brake light problem f##king scotch hooks (they were used by the towbar fitter not me)
 
NumanR said:
All you need is a bypass relay, the relay will protect the vehicle electrics. Advise all connections to be soldered, and regarding loom repairs, I do them all the time and have no problems, even on can lines, its just down to the quality of the soldered joint.
Click to expand...

Vectra can lines are impossible to repair, even got an electronics guy in to try the soldering in case our boys were being a bit ham fisted, but still the system wouldn't allow it.

New part loom, jobs a good un.

Cheers

SPD
 
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