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Topic: Towbar/ligths problem urgent

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freeatlast

31/7/2013 at 9:37pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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Quote: Originally posted by AL53HX on 31/7/2013
I had the same problem with my Vectra,the car computer was incompatible with the caravan road wiring system,although the tow bar was factory fitted,my local towbar fitter fixed it with a different control box

How come a local tow bar fitter fitted a factory fit towbar?

To my knowledge there is no such thing as a "factory fitted" towbar. Indeed most garages don't fit towbars themselves but send the car out to a specialist towbar fitter.

Basically it sounds like your fitter did not use the Vectra specific towbar loom but a third party cheaper job, hence the problem with the car computer.

mrshorsy

31/7/2013 at 9:41pm
Location: Nottinghamshire
Outfit: Swift Challenger 490 5 SEL

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He said the towbar was factory fitted but fixed locally, at least thats the way I read it

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freeatlast

31/7/2013 at 9:48pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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I think what you are confusing is "factory fitted" and the approved Vauxhall towbar which they sell as an accessory.

Just have a look at car transporters delivering new unregistered cars. You will never see a towbar fitted to any, no matter what the make.

The Folding Man

01/8/2013 at 10:50pm
Location: Derbyshire
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Freeatlast sorry but I must correct you. The Audi A3 Sportback is available with factory fitted towbar you can add it when you configure the car. Its not cheap though at £625.00

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AL53HX

02/8/2013 at 11:07am
Location: BLACK((gods)) COUNTRY
Outfit: Pi;ote Reference 740

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WE have drifted from the original thread but,to reiterate,I bought the Vectra second hand from a Vauxhall dealer with the towbar already fitted,it was the dealer that said the towbar was factory fitted so I took his word for it.
As stated in my original post,I had problems with my road lights that were cured by fitting a control box by Towcraft,a firm that has an exemplary record in towbar fitting

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checkley1973

02/8/2013 at 11:47am
Location: Sheffield
Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport 636

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Audi don't factory fit any tow bars. If you order it with the car as an option it is installed at the dealer, before the PDI is carried out. They will fit Westfalia as this is the 'approved' bar. They do factory fit wiring now so the bar wiring plugs into a connection in the boot, then just enable software.

I watched them install my 'factory fitted' towbar on Audi A4, in Solihull ;-)

freeatlast

02/8/2013 at 6:20pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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Quote: Originally posted by The Folding Man on 01/8/2013Freeatlast sorry but I must correct you. The Audi A3 Sportback is available with factory fitted towbar you can add it when you configure the car. Its not cheap though at £625.00

I certainly could not find anything to say on the Audi website that it was actually fitted in the factory. It just says there are a number of towbar options available, as almost all car websites do. I'm pretty sure you will find that a towbar would be fitted to your car by a specialist towbar fitter after it has arrived with the dealer.

Sorry, did not read above post.

DrivenMad

02/8/2013 at 8:19pm
Location: Wakefield
Outfit: HiGear

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If anyone is having any electrical problems then look at the condition of electrics such as, security and cleanliness of contact areas
check all connections are secure
check bulbs
check fuses
7 pin pin plugs can be wired in 2 different ways (which obviously causes problems)
Most new vehicles have CAMBUS wiring which is not a job for the DIYer and so makes it more expensive.

mrshorsy

02/8/2013 at 10:27pm
Location: Nottinghamshire
Outfit: Swift Challenger 490 5 SEL

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Well this topic has drifted slightly but I'm pleased to report that the problem is now solved and we'll be Norfolk bound MOnday morning

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~Frank Sinatra

AL53HX

03/8/2013 at 12:29pm
Location: BLACK((gods)) COUNTRY
Outfit: Pi;ote Reference 740

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Put me out of my misery and tell me what the problem was please

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mrshorsy

03/8/2013 at 12:40pm
Location: Nottinghamshire
Outfit: Swift Challenger 490 5 SEL

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Right it was something to do with a relay (whatever that is ) that couldnt handle the extra power of the car lights and the caravan lights. Maybe it was something they should have done originally and thats why their quote was cheaper than others we'd had. But whatever it was its sorted everything works and its happy days in the Horsy household once again......now just off to sort a leak I found under the kitchen (not caravan) sink a womans work is never done!!

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'I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they
wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're
going to feel all day. '
~Frank Sinatra

freeatlast

05/8/2013 at 11:04pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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Quote: Originally posted by DrivenMad on 02/8/2013
Most new vehicles have CAMBUS wiring which is not a job for the DIYer and so makes it more expensive.

No problem wiring mine using the manufacturers loom, it simply plugged in and did not affect the warranty.

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