Towbar and Warranty

[mwilde]

Hi - I am new to caravans.

I have a Nissan Qashqui which is still under its 3 year warranty and is on a PCP deal. I intend handing it back once the 3 years is up.

I am looking at what style of towbar to get. I know I need 13 pin electrics.

I can see I can get universal aftermarket wiring or vehicle specific. As far as I understand universal is sliced into the current wires with a junction box, vehicle specific is wired into the car without cutting any wires.

I want to know if I do it the universal way, will it effect my warranty? Will it cause me issues when handing the car back?

Thank you

 

[otherclive]

I always go vehicle specific on aftermarket towbars, particularly given the complexity of modern car electrics and software. As such the towbars have integrated with the cars systems perfectly. Also I used a Witter approved fitter and on my last three cars he's also done any coding changes required.
RE warranty Ive never had a problem. But you must check with the vehicle supplier re their terms for warranty and hand back. I can't advise on such.

 

[mwilde]

Thank you. I have booked for the specific kit.
Cheers

 

[Martin24]

Just check with the leasing company that they're happy to have the tow bar on and for the car to be used for towing. Should in no way be an issue but belt and braces now may save issues later down the line.

 

[Damian]

Be aware that car specific kits do not all have the full wiring required for UK vans.
They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted.

 

[Raywood]

According to the towbar firm who fitted our towbar some car manufacturers will regard a non specific wiring kit as a breach of warranty and might turn down any claim on that basis. He said Ford are one but I cannot now remember who else.

 

[Icaru5]

Be aware that car specific kits do not all have the full wiring required for UK vans.
They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted.

??? - Mine Did ...

Click here for link on Westfalia Website

EDIT - Link provided in good faith to offer guidance to those who may find it useful. If it’s against forum rules, then I sincerely apologise - please remove and I will consider myself severely reprimanded. B)

 

[otherclive]

Be aware that car specific kits do not all have the full wiring required for UK vans.
They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted.

??? - Mine Did ...

Click here for link on Westfalia Website

EDIT ! - Link provided to offer guidance to those who may need it. If it’s against forum rules, please remove and I will consider myself severely reprimanded. B)

I will take your word for it. 46 pages of installation guides a good cure for insomnia.

 

[Damian]

Be aware that car specific kits do not all have the full wiring required for UK vans.
They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted.

??? - Mine Did ..B0

If you read my post correctly I said that not ALL have the full wiring.

 

[Icaru5]

Be aware that car specific kits do not all have the full wiring required for UK vans.
They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted.

??? - Mine Did ...

If you read my post correctly I said that not ALL have the full wiring.

I’m a little puzzled by your slightly offensive and somewhat aggressive response Damian. I did read your post correctly, and after that statement, you went on to say, with reference to car specific kits ...

“They do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, which needs to be added when being fitted”

Mine did, hence the reason for my post which was intended to offer what I perceived as potentially helpful information.

 

[Damian]

There is nothing offensive or aggressive about the posting.

I stated that not all car specific kits come with all the wiring for UK vans in place.

Yours came fully wired, so no problem but it is something to check for when having such kits fitted.

The ones not having full wiring need the battery charging and fridge wiring put in when being fitted if those are required.

 

[Icaru5]

There is nothing offensive or aggressive about the posting.

I stated that not all car specific kits come with all the wiring for UK vans in place.

Yours came fully wired, so no problem but it is something to check for when having such kits fitted.

The ones not having full wiring need the battery charging and fridge wiring put in when being fitted if those are required.

Damian, if you read my post correctly, I have already agreed that you made your first statement, but your second statement, with reference to “Car specific Kits” was that “They”, not “some”, but “They” do not have the fridge and battery charging facility, and as mine did, I thought that posting a link may be helpful to some.

 

[Damian]

Sorry you have lost me somewhere.
When I posted "They do not come with fridge.....etc " it was meant to refer to those which are NOT fully wired.
I don't know why you refer to the link you put in, that is not even in question.

 

[Icaru5]

Sorry you have lost me somewhere.
When I posted "They do not come with fridge.....etc " it was meant to refer to those which are NOT fully wired.
I don't know why you refer to the link you put in, that is not even in question.

No problem. Understood. I only questioned the legitimacy of my link on the off chance that it could be misconstrued as advertising B)

 

[Beehpee]

A large number of towbar companies are small/medium sized businesses that will offer mobile fitting and often have premises where you can take your car to get the towbar fitted, all above board and in the main giving good service and excellent value for money, even many of the companies who fit the well known brands of towbar are still small/medium sized, they pretty much all will offer vehicle specific and none specific options, if you choose vehicle specific including the fridge and charger wiring they will quite happily fit what you’ve asked for but if the vehicle specific loom doesn’t come wired for fridge and charger they won’t point this out to you but simply fit the vehicle specific loom as requested and add in the extra wiring needed, the fitters that then go on to explain what has been fitted will be pretty much none existent so a large proportion of people who think the vehicle specific loom is the entire wiring loom are going to be sadly mistaken, this is often the same even if at the point of buying a brand new car you specify that you want your shiny new car to have vehicle specific twin electrics fitted because the car gets delivered to the dealer and they call the local towbar company who rocks up at the dealers fits the towbar and the dealer bumps up what your paying by a huge margin to justify you having a dealer option.

BP