Ford 13 Pin Electrics

[Wolfie]

Took delivery of a new Ford Kuga last November with factory fit 13 pin connector and detachable towbar. Prior to first outing last month I checked out the electrics and there is no supply to the 'van battery charging pin or the 'fridge circuit. local dealer tells me that's how Fords come and I would have to stump up around ∂£350 to have split relay fitted and connections made! Local branch of Indespension will not touch it. Question is, are all Fords leaving the factory in this condition? If so what is the fix or am I being conned? Do other manufacturers try this on?

Help - I've got a long trip to Germany planned in the summer!

 

[swpostie]

Hi Wolfie,

We've got a 57-plate Galaxy, which we've had since new.

We ordered it with a fixed towbar and 13-pin electrics came with it.

The battery charges and the fridge works.

If I remember correctly, it's a common problem with Fords - I think, on the continent, it's normal not to wire the pin that does these.

I think I read somewhere that people should make sure that their Ford-fit towbar is wired for the UK.

So I would take it back to your dealer and demand that it's rewired!

Hope this helps.

(Incidentally, I didn't find out all this until after we'd ordered the car - but it turned out okay anyway).

 

[Lutz]

Standard towbar electrics of most car manufacturers only have provisions for basic trailer lighting and do not include wiring for a charging circuit or fridge in the caravan. They claim that the vast majority of customers tow trailers only and not caravans and therefore further wiring to pins 9,10,11 and 13 fell victim of cost-cutting exercises.

 

[Nidge1]

Hi Wolfie,

Yes you are being conned! I had the same problem with a BMW.Had a heated argument with the main dealer and reminded him how much I paid for the car and expected it to not only tow a caravan, but also charge the caravan battery and the fridge to work.

Keep on to your dealer and tell him you do not expect to pay extra.

Regards

Nidge

 

[Nidge1]

Hi Wolfie,

Yes you are being conned! I had the same problem with a BMW.Had a heated argument with the main dealer and reminded him how much I paid for the car and expected it to not only tow a caravan, but also charge the caravan battery and the fridge to work.

Keep on to your dealer and tell him you do not expect to pay extra.

Regards

Nidge

Forgot to add that I was not charged extra.However the service dept were trying to claim the cost from the sales dept.They are probably still arguing!!!

 

[Sproket]

You could point out that they can get one from here & fit it for you ...........

Kuga 13pin specific wiring just plug-n-play....

 

[Lutz]

You would have to tell the dealer at the time of purchase that you want to tow a caravan and therefore need full electrics in order to be able to claim that you have been conned.

When I took delivery of my Lexus it only had the basic (trailer) wiring), but I told the dealer when I bought the car that I needed all conections. I didn't discover that some were missing until I got home with the car. As the dealer was 200 miles away I had no wish to drive all the way back to have the necessary work done, but he accepted that he had forgotten to connect the remaining pins and suggested that I go to a local dealer and have him send the bill to the place where I bought the car. That was fine by me and I was happy to have the work done at no charge to myself.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

How weird and timely

We collect the Kuga this morning and the dealer knowing we caravan has had a local fitter fit the bolt on ball towbar

I noticed that he had used black and grey 12n/12s cables into the 13 pin socket and the lock cover on the bonnetwas turned to one side so something had been done in the engine compartment

I was thinking of taking my 13pin to 2 X 7 pin adapter and my 12N and 12S test leads so I will definitely do that and check before we leave

I can't see why connecting to the battery should be that difficult especially if a voltage sensing relay is used

We are going to Brittany on Sunday for 5 weeks and then I will have some Nissan X Trail latest shape MAD coil spring assisters for sale !!

The Kuga towball is over an inch higher than the XT with ths cars side by side so as the car is 6 months old (and a bargain!!) hopefully the suspension will have settled all its going to do and with the shorter rear overhang maybe I won't find it necessary for MADs this time(wink wink)

 

[Lutz]

If you noticed a black and a grey cable going into the 13 pin socket then the dealer has not used the original equipment Ford wiring harness which is a 13 core. This may not necessarily be a bad thing, but I just wanted to point out that an OEM part was not used.

Normally it should not be necessary to run an extra lead to the battery even when all pins are connected. The lead should be going to the fusebox instead.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Thanks

I always run direct from the battery to the fridge and charging via heavy cable and fuses and relays of course and this involves no interference with existing wiring

I removed this cabling from the XT so its there if needed but I doubt it

Still better to be prepared

It will be interesting to see what method the fitter has used

I've a feeling that its the same guy who fitted the Witter to the XT as the garages are close together and he does both

On the XT he just fitted the 12N and I did the 12S

 

[Wolfie]

Thanks

I always run direct from the battery to the fridge and charging via heavy cable and fuses and relays of course and this involves no interference with existing wiring

I removed this cabling from the XT so its there if needed but I doubt it

Still better to be prepared

It will be interesting to see what method the fitter has used

I've a feeling that its the same guy who fitted the Witter to the XT as the garages are close together and he does both

On the XT he just fitted the 12N and I did the 12S

Thanks for the info folks - looks like I'm going to have to dig in for a battle with the dealer.

Forgot to mention - the Kuga tows my Avondale Argente 550L (MTPLM 1400 kg), like a dream.

 

[Wolfie]

(Originally posted as a "comment" oops!)....

Thanks for the info folks - looks like I'm going to have to dig in for a battle with the dealer.

Forgot to mention - the Kuga tows my Avondale Argente 550L (MTPLM 1400 kg), like a dream.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Got the car and the 12V supply to the fridge and charging is connected direct to the battery with heavy cable and an in line fuse

It passed all the tests and all circuits are OK

 

[Dave_374330759]

We've got a new S-max 2009 last year to which the Ford towbar and electrics were fitted (its made by Westfalia for Ford). The wiring uses the correct Ford module to interface with the bus system and does all the clever things with the reversing lights and parking sensors, however when we got the car neither the 12v permanent or switched supply were connected. The wiring instructions were left in the car and they do not include these connections as standard. Apparently a supplementary kit is required but has to be ordered but I couldn't find out how to identify it. We did however get a 13pin to 2x7 pin adapter cable which I hadn't asked for and didn't expect. I then had a minor argument with the dealer to get it corrected. But, as he didn't know what I was talking about and he couldn't work out what was required and didn't trust his guys to sort it out anyway, he had the car taken back to their PDI centre 35 miles away to have the wiring added. It's all OK now. My brother had the same poblem with his Renault - it seems that dealers don't really know what they are doing and unless they've come across it before just fit the basic kit.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

It seems to ne the norm round here to get a local fitter to fit such as Witter towbars and they wire uo all the pins needed at a reasonable cost

The Ford wiring is not affected if the 12S supply to the fridge and charging is taken from the battery and via a voltage sensing relay and so any towbar fitter or competent DIYer could do the job

 

[Bigfoot]

It seems to ne the norm round here to get a local fitter to fit such as Witter towbars and they wire uo all the pins needed at a reasonable cost

The Ford wiring is not affected if the 12S supply to the fridge and charging is taken from the battery and via a voltage sensing relay and so any towbar fitter or competent DIYer could do the job

I agree totally with John's comment. It is the norm for car manufacturers not to wire up the fridge etc. It is a very simple job to DIY.

 

[BillD.]

Don't let them try to tell you it is normal. I have several posts here in the past about this very problem but with my Audi A4. It came with (very expensive) factory fitted towbar and 13 pin electrics but found no fridge supply connected. To be fair Audi Taunton the dealers were very understanding and helpful, Audi UK said the European market does not demand fridge supply (find that difficult to accept) but your reponse should be that this is the UK market and that is what they are selling into. All the connections and their uses are clearly stated in 13 pin connection diagrams. when I ordered the car I did not specifically state that it was for a caravan but neither did they ask nor was there any mention of this fridge supply being an extra in sales literature or the vehicle manual. The main problem is that after all these years of caravanning too many dealers (and manufacturers it seems) just do not know what is required. Persist with it, quote fit for purpose, Audi sorted mine out eventually (at no cost to me I should add)

Bill D.