Ford Mondeo Electrics for Towbar

[Graham_374374066]

Hi,

am in the process of wiring up the towbar on my new towcar (Mondeo). Had to wait for the Haynes manual for the car first.

On the Zafira I found a dedicated plug for the towing electrics and simply spliced in to the back of it. On the Mondeo however I cannot find a plug. I have identified all the wires for the lights etc on the nearside rear behind the trim. I have a 'Haynes' so can identify , stoplights, indicators etc but cannot find a wire for the 'always positive' I need for the fridge charge pin on the euro skt. Now the book tells me that there is a fuse (max 20A) for towing electrics on the engine bay fuse box so I assume there must be a lead running to the back of the car from that fuse - no. I can't belive that Ford would make you run a wire when you put a towbar on - after all they do a factory fitted towbar option.

Q is does anybody know where I can find it? The towbar electrics supplier sent me a long length of wire (plus the isolation relay) so I could rune one from the front but can't believe I should have to.

Your help(as usual) would be greatly appreciated

 

[WilliamLX]

I can't help you with regards to were if anywhere this connection would be. However as you do not mention it, it is important that you do not simply wire the black socket to the wiring for the rear light clusters on a Mondeo. You need a relay box to protect the cars electronics. All said an done this is not an expensive job to get done by a professional.

 

[Jaydug]

You need to use a heavy wire for running the fridge and battery charging. If you don't you'll get disappointing results in your fridge. Some fitters just pick up power from the boot light. When I fitted mine, I ran a cable from the battery with a fuse near the battery, down the back of the engine, through the conduit that contains the fuel lines and eventually into the boot. Also if your car is multiplexed, it's best to use a Smart 7 relay. Also relays for the fridge.

 

[Graham_374374066]

Thanks for that. They did supply a relay( to stop the fridge running down the car battery; cuts out when engine not running. What is a smart7 relay?

Regards

Graham

 

[WilliamLX]

The Smart 7 Relay is a electronic switch box. Rather than the wires that carry power to your tails lights also having to power additional lights on the caravan, the power from them only activates a switch to tell the box to turn on the caravan lights. The box gets a direct power connection from the car battery to actually power the caravan lights. Many modern cars need this, and the Mondeo is one of them. They are not expensive.

 

[Glenn_5132962]

Its also called a 7 way bypass relay.

 

[xtrailman]

My last three cars tow bar electrics i have had professionally fitted.

In all cases two heavy wires have been run from the battery via fuses adjacent the battery terminal, in my opinion it is the correct way to do it.

 

[audiorob]

Just had my Focus toebar fited, the lighting on all the new Ford series need protecting with a relay and mine is additionally protected by a fuse to blow rather than the main fuse protecting the car lights. If fitting yourself bury the thing behind the trim as the extra clicking noise is otherwsie an irritation.

 

[Graham_374374066]

The Smart 7 Relay is a electronic switch box. Rather than the wires that carry power to your tails lights also having to power additional lights on the caravan, the power from them only activates a switch to tell the box to turn on the caravan lights. The box gets a direct power connection from the car battery to actually power the caravan lights. Many modern cars need this, and the Mondeo is one of them. They are not expensive.

only mondeo post 2006 need this relay. Have run feed for fridge from battery thru car behind trim for a bypass relay. Did find the trailer fuse on the fuse panel but couldn't work out how to connect to it so ran it from the battery(with 20A fuse) instead with the wire provided by kit supplier (2.5mm2).

Graham

 

[Graham_374374066]

That is the way I have done it now.

Thanks for all your help.

Graham