Towbar socket connecting

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » 19 Dec 2002, 19:59

I’m about to wire up the electrics for a towbar, Xantia 98 1.9td, it’s just single a socket. Before I start taking out all of the carpet in the boot, could someone tell me where the wires are located that I need to connect too. Are they on the same side for all the wires or do I have to split the cable connected to the socket and run them behind each rear light?
Robbie.

Post by **Jon** » 19 Dec 2002, 20:59

its usually easiest to run the 7 core cable to the LH rear lamp unit,(this is where the cars wiring loom runs to first) and take feeds for tail lights, brakelights, rear fog, earth, and LH indicator. You can then run a single wire to the RH lamp to get a feed from the indicator and join this up to the appropriate cable in the 7 core.
Jon Wood
forum@andyspares.com

Post by **RichardW** » 19 Dec 2002, 22:15

Xantia tow bar. Ugh....
I helped my dad fit one of these - you have to take the rear bumper right off which is a bit of a fag. The wiring is OK - EXCEPT the fog lights. We had to go right back to the C pillar trim (we went drivers side) to get a wire for these. You also need to pick out left and right indicators and left and right tail lights. Make sure you put a good earth in, as all the trailer lights will earth through the one point. I can't remember if the wires are coloured - on the BX they were just a flat grey cable - NIGHTMARE!!!
I have a dim memory of reading somewhere that later cars are fitted with a plug in socket - but I may be wrong!
Have fun!
Richard

Post by **Jon** » 19 Dec 2002, 22:43

Meant to say, that Citroen do a towbar wiring kit that just plugs straight into the loom! None of that identifying wires and nasty scotchlocking.
I was going to give part number/price, but only CURRENT modela are listed in the latest "accessorie" catalogue.
No doubt its still available though.
Jon Wood
forum@andyspares.com

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 19 Dec 2002, 23:35

It isn't necessary to remove the rear bumper on all the makes of towbar. I used Towsure and that didn't need the bumper off. You will need to get to both of the rear light clusters in the boot, so have a good length of 7 core available. Wire the 7 colours to the socket and pass it through a grommet into the boot. Separate the wires and direct them either to the left side or the right, according to the diagram. By law you need to know when the trafficators are working. It can be by light or buzzer. The buzzer is easier and you can get one with the five wires connected. It fits in the boot. Connect each wire to the respective light with blue piggy-back connectors.

Neil T · Post by **Neil T** » 25 Aug 2003, 21:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jon in Dec 2002

Meant to say, that Citroen do a towbar wiring kit that just plugs straight into the loom! None of that identifying wires and nasty scotchlocking.
I was going to give part number/price, but only CURRENT modela are listed in the latest "accessorie" catalogue.
No doubt its still available though.
Jon Wood
forum@andyspares.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Jon, or anyone, where is the location of the attachment point for this kit, and can it be used as a convenient point of access for wiring in the 12N and 12S sockets without buying the kit?

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 26 Aug 2003, 00:01

Bad news I'm afraid Neil, there is no seperate wiring connector for the towing electrics.
With the citroen wiring kit you simply unplug the connectors from the light clusters and plug them into the wiring kit, the kit then plugs into the light clusters, so no seperate socket for this purpose, people must have looked high and low for this elusive socket not knowing it doesn't exist.
The part number is CIT1304 and you get the whole shebang including the 12S gubbins, fuses, cable, sockets etc.
I bought it when I fitted my towbar, couldn't bear the thought of hacking the cables up, if you get the kit or any other socket with the fog light cut out, my advice is ignore it and wire straight through as its a pain in the arse.
Dave

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 26 Aug 2003, 05:13

I agree with Dave about the foglight - My BX has what lppks like the correct socket and plugs in as Dave describes. however when fitted the foglights would not work properly on the car let alone the trailer. I had to run a wire directly to get it to work - used a couple of scotchlocks to save cutting everything up.
Jeremy

Neil T · Post by **Neil T** » 26 Aug 2003, 16:07

Thanks for that information, and the warning about the fog light arrangement not working.
Not very inspiring, but I'll ask the local Citroen dealer for a price - gulp!

kafkaian · Post by **kafkaian** » 16 Sep 2003, 02:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Burns

Bad news I'm afraid Neil, there is no seperate wiring connector for the towing electrics.
With the citroen wiring kit you simply unplug the connectors from the light clusters and plug them into the wiring kit, the kit then plugs into the light clusters, so no seperate socket for this purpose, people must have looked high and low for this elusive socket not knowing it doesn't exist.
The part number is CIT1304 and you get the whole shebang including the 12S gubbins, fuses, cable, sockets etc.
Is this available through GSF? I tried looking but no positive search. Any ideas on cost?
I bought it when I fitted my towbar, couldn't bear the thought of hacking the cables up, if you get the kit or any other socket with the fog light cut out, my advice is ignore it and wire straight through as its a pain in the arse.
Dave
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 16 Sep 2003, 03:23

Five or six years ago it was forty od quid, don't know what it will be now if its still available, you will only get it from a main dealer, or if you are lucky and trawl a few scrappies you might happen upon one for next to nothing.
Dave

David W · Post by **David W** » 11 Oct 2003, 23:48

Hello all, been away again for a while.
Used the Xantia to tow a trailer with a foglamp for the first time this week, checking out why it didn't work I found no power to the towbar socket foglamp pin.
I haven't looked at it yet but I bet whoever fitted my car's towbar years ago didn't bother to take the wire back for the foglamp feed if it is difficult.
So please save me some time, where exactly is the best place to find the foglamp wire and what do you have to remove to get there.
Also my trailer lights still look a little skimped on the earth from the way the light behave, is there a decent earth wire already in the car or is a fresh drilling into the body the best?
Thanks,
David

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 12 Oct 2003, 00:28

Hiya DJ, if the socket doesn't check out (fog cut out) the fog feed is behind the trim against the offside C pillar, white and blue wire colours spring to mind, one of them (think its the white one) is a link wire which has to be cut if the fog cut out in the towing socket is going to be used.
Don't know where the earth is but shouldn't be difficult to find, or while you are behind there sort another one out.
Dave

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 12 Oct 2003, 01:12

There is a good earth point on the back end of the car next too both rear lights - you cant miss it. Its about 5 or 6mm bolt.
Neil