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Topic: such a thing as 9 pin

Pombear

17/4/2015 at 7:17pm
Location: Bath
Outfit: Bailey Pegasus Palermo

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We've recently changed our car to vw Touran which came with a tow bar already fitted. Looks like a 7 pin single electrics. On our previous car we had a 13 pin twin electrics. Hitched up last weekend to find no lights working, we only plugged in the one lead from folding camper. Plugged camper into parents car to check it wasn't a trailer issue and everything working fine. Dealer has taken a look at car today and tested electrics and says no problems. But they have said it has 9 pin electrics. I thought there was only 7 or 13. Number of holes is 7 so we are confused!

billy

17/4/2015 at 8:02pm
Location: North Essex
Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400

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Lift flap on socket on Touran towbar, count the pins, are there 13pins in the single socket? If the 13pins are not fully wired, ie only in 7pin format then it could have only 9 of the 13 live is possibly what he meant. The dealer fit towbars on VWs have 13pin sockets as standard but may not have all 13pins live as extra loom is required for that.

7pin 12n plugs cannot be plugged into the newer type 13pin push & twist sockets. If you car does have 13pin socket then you can get both leads on your camper wired into one 13pin plug to fit car which is best idea or you can buy a 12n/12s into 13pin adaptor which is cumbersome.

For your fridge to work on 12v while towing & battery to charge all 13pins on car socket will have to be live. If the car does have 13pin socket but not fully wired to get it fully wired will probably be another £100odd. If you only want trailer lights to work the quick solution is a single adaptor 7pin 12n into 13pin. Thats ok & not a faff like double adaptor.

Post last edited on 17/04/2015 20:24:01

Pombear

17/4/2015 at 8:41pm
Location: Bath
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Thanks for your reply. We have 2 leads from the camper which when we had our previous car we used an adapter to plug into a 13 pin twin electric socket. This car only has a 7 pin socket, so we assumed we'd just plug in the one lead on the camper which fitted.
Do we need to get an adapter to plug the 2 leads into a 7 pin socket?

billy

17/4/2015 at 10:20pm
Location: North Essex
Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400

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If the car has single 7pin 12n socket then 12n black plug from your camper plugged in should work the road lights of camper. If they don't then there is a fault. If you want 12s socket from camper plugged in to work fridge & charge battery then you will have to get a 12s socket installed on car as well. Ie the older type twin socket setup to go with twin plugs on camper.

What a 9pin socket is I do not know. Its either a 7pin or 13pin.

kazo2014

18/4/2015 at 6:46am
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I didn't want to say this before, but seeing as billy has already posted I will now, the garage are talking utter b at at at at at at ks! there is no such thing as a 9 pin socket, your better off getting a proper towbar fitter to sort this out for you

The 2 Tops

18/4/2015 at 12:25pm
Location: None Entered
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If you've already plugged in your Touran, that proves it doesn't have a 9-pin socket as plugging-in would not have been possible. Also, as already stated, 9-pin does not exist. Was the tow bar fitted by the dealership? I am on my second Touran - both cars dealership-fitted with tow bar and 13-pin socket, and no problems with either.
As suggested, get it checked out.
Bertie.

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The 2 Tops

Pombear

18/4/2015 at 12:44pm
Location: Bath
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Thanks for replies. Yes it's definately a 7 pin.
We've tried it with another trailer just to check it wasn't our and it's definately the car. Unfortunately it isn't dealer fitted, although we bought the car from vw the tow bar was fitted elsewhere.
Going to try vw one last time then go elsewhere to get sorted.

Francais

18/4/2015 at 3:55pm
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If the car is fairly new, then it may be an idea to go for 13 pin with dedicated electrics, cost of that I imagine will be around £200 since the towbar is already fitted.

With it being 7 pin at the moment, I guess the electrics will be relay and scotch-lock lash up type.

morepints

18/4/2015 at 10:18pm
Location: Dartford Kent
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If nothing is working, then it's most likely the earth line, either in the socket (pin 3) or attaching to the car chassis.

It does sound like a lash-up - Francais' advice is sensible. On VW/Audi cars, it includes the trailer into the car's systems.

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