Electrical cables appearing from rear of Xsara Picasso

[SteveH1908]

Hi, recently a couple of electrical cables dropped from the rear of my 2007 Xsara Picasso. I've tried to attach pictures. I have no idea what these could be. They don't appear to serve any immediate purpose (but I guess they must have one). All the lighting on the vehicle still works. They may have been attached underneath and simply dropped. My first thought was that they could be something connected to the electrics for a tow bar, but there's never been a tow bar fitted to the vehicle. If anyone knows what these are I and whether I need to do anything with them I would be really grateful to know. At the moment, I've simply re-secured them underneath. Many thanks.

Xsara Picasso Leads 2

Xsara Picasso Leads 1

[mickthemaverick]

My first thought would also be redundant tow bar wiring but on closer inspection I wondered if they may have been for a reversing camera and sound box? Just a thought!!

[SteveH1908]

Thanks for your reply. Historically, perhaps a reversing camera had been fitted and removed, I really just don't know. I was initially concerned having stopped for some diesel and finding them exposed and dragging along the floor that they were something 'essential'. Fingers crossed that doesn't initially at least seem to be the case.

[mickthemaverick]

For me the clues are that the wires are in choc block connectors which would never have been factory wired and the colours yellow and white often associated with video while blue and brown audio channels then red and black as 12V supply with a green sensor wire or similar!! Purely hypothetical of course! May be worth just checking if you have voltage anywhere as they could cause a problem if still connected to the cars electrics. Then make sure they cannot short out and tie them up to the chassis out of the way!

[SteveH1908]

Good advice thank you. I will try to check the voltage point. They've never caused an issue thus far, but worth double-checking. I've now secured them with several cable ties to the chassis as best I can.

[GiveMeABreak]

I'd have to say those look more like cooker ring mains wiring than wires for a reversing camera!

They don't look factory fitted so my guess is that if there has been a previous owner, they would likely have been from the electrics from a towbar, which has been removed. Generally people remove the towbars given the cost, but leave the electrics in place as it's too much hassle to unpick and remove.

[wheeler]

as its 7 core cable I would also say it looks like (really badly fitted) towbar wiring. If you pop out the rear light clusters you will likely find the same wiring tapped into the lighting wiring. I’d guess either with scotch-locks or more block connectors.

[RichardW]

Definitely towbar wiring. It wants removing properly otherwise it might short and wreck something, especially the grey 12S wire which has a couple of heftily fused power supplies in it...

[SteveH1908]

Thanks Marc/wheeler/RichardW for your additional guidance. It's in for an MOT next week, I'll get it further investigated then with a view to remove.