rich422

richo422 · 06-01-2013, 11:49 AM

hi,this is a first post for me after trolling for along time , good info ,
my question is , i own a 7month 2012 built ambient lw mk. 2 hatch and need to fit a tow bar to pull a box trailer . do i need to fit a towing module. got a quote from ford dealer $1070 , $270 of that was for the module (not the harness). what dose the module do , mine has no reversing sensors or any thing fancy,

Yellow_Festiva · 06-01-2013, 01:43 PM

Module??? I would ask a few more questions to be honest. Also, that price sounds like a package, I remember seeing a similar package in the waiting room of my dealership that included boot mat, roof racks etc ie 'load carrying package'. $1070 for the bar alone is a crock.

I got an aftermarket bar fitted to my LV, was around the $450 mark and I have reverse sensors. The beeping does get a little annoying but then again I don't do all that much reversing with a trailer - perhaps at the boat ramp. If I could be botherd, I could find the line that powers the reverse sensors and install a simple switch in line to turn them off when towing.

marg99 · 06-01-2013, 03:22 PM

Most modern cars need this now they use current draw and voltage to tell the body computer various things and adding the trailer lamps to this can blow the body computer. Very expensive so most manufacturers sell wiring harness that goes between the trailer and the cars wiring to protect the Body computer.DO not think the earlier model focus required this.

wombat66 · 06-01-2013, 07:26 PM

We got an aftermarket one fitted for just over $500. The reversing sensors beeping aren't really an issue for us either. (Doesn't happen very often) The price Ford quoted us was a bit more but not THAT much more.

EVL BOS · 06-01-2013, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Module??? I would ask a few more questions to be honest. Also, that price sounds like a package, I remember seeing a similar package in the waiting room of my dealership that included boot mat, roof racks etc ie 'load carrying package'. $1070 for the bar alone is a crock.

I got an aftermarket bar fitted to my LV, was around the $450 mark and I have reverse sensors. The beeping does get a little annoying but then again I don't do all that much reversing with a trailer - perhaps at the boat ramp. If I could be botherd, I could find the line that powers the reverse sensors and install a simple switch in line to turn them off when towing..

Little off topic sorry op,

Is yours fitted with a 12 pin trailer plug on car??

Yellow_Festiva · 06-01-2013, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EVL BOS

Little off topic sorry op,

Is yours fitted with a 12 pin trailer plug on car??

7 pin straight plug mate. Didn't know a 12 pin plug existed?

Franco Cozzo · 07-01-2013, 09:36 AM

I reckon you could use the factory wiring to trigger relays for your trailer plug, then the factory wiring is only pulling a contact shut which is only milliamps rather than trying to power the load of the trailer lights.

Body control module would be none the wiser

For the brake lights you would have a wire spliced into the factory brake light wiring going to pin 86, pin 85 would be earth, pin 87 would be going to the trailer plug, pin 30 is battery power coming from the battery.

Tail and indicators would be the same, except for indicators you would need to pick up your left/right indicator from the other side of the car depending on where you put your relays.

That would trigger the relay off every time you pressed the brake pedal, turned on indicators or parkers etc sending power to the pins on the trailer plug, and the factory wire is only pulling in the contact in the relay, rather than actually powering the brake lights on the trailer.

You could also fuse each individual relay to be safe, so you pop the relay battery power fuse rather than screwing up something on the car when your short tries to pull a ******** of current from the factory wiring at the back of the lights and popping the fuses for the ones on the car.

With the relay fuses blown, the car indicators/brake lights/parkers etc will still work fine, just not the trailer ones.

See if you can source an after market trailer hitch, have it installed and then take it to an auto electrician instead of Ford and they can wire it up, and it will be cheaper.

richo422 · 07-01-2013, 05:01 PM

thanks for the reply's , gives me something to think about . just got a quote for a after market one installed for $570 and as the car is built before 8 month 2012 the module is n/a . just had a look at the car tail lights bulbs and they are not led,s so might do some more goggling and see what i can come up with

EVL BOS · 07-01-2013, 07:35 PM

[QUOTE=Yellow_Festiva;4578140]7 pin straight plug mate. Didn't know a 12 pin plug existed?

Yep that's why your reversing sensors keep flatlining, get yourself a 12 pin socket for your car, they have an inbuilt Reed switch which cuts out the sensors, it should of been fitted to your car when the towbar went on in the first place.