BMW factory fitted towbar

I got caught out by this a few years ago when I ordered a 502d with tow bar and electrics. This was my first tow car so with no experience I didn’t think to ask it all 13 pins would be wired up. It was only when the car was delivered that myself and the salesman realised the fridge and charger pins were not wired.

He quoted me a silly number, can’t remember the amount, to fit the additional loom. The cost was so big because he said they had to remove the rear bumper and other items to fit it. Had it been ordered with the car the additional cost was less than £100.

 In reality not having the fridge and charger on whilst towing didn’t cause me any problems, and when I ordered my next tow car, an Audi, I didn’t bother with it.

This is a common issue with BMW and one I experienced many years ago. I remember getting a removable tow bar fitted to a 5 series and having extreme difficulty in making them understand the wiring needed for fridge etc. They were emailing Stuttgart and were reluctant to talk to my caravan dealer who knew exactly what was needed. 

Generally a reputable towing electrics Company will know more than BMW and be far cheaper but be careful with warranty. BMW claimed that it was possible to deactivate the car alarm via the DIN plug unless the wiring was done correctly.

Just don’t buy an M5 because I don’t think you can tow at all with it!

There are no provisions for having the car fully wired ex works. It will always be a retrofit at the dealer.

This is not unique to BMW and is connected-no pun intended-to the way that our continetal cousins use their vans. 

I have had two new Audi Q5s and with both have had similar issues, I was thankfully forwarned by a fellow member who had the same issue,and as said it was a waste of time trying to get information from dealers.

I have no expectation that a salesman will know anything about caravanning but when they cannot even explian what a comment in the Audi brochure, referring to 'supplementary wiring', means then it is very frustrating.

The reason, at least in my case, is that in Germany it is not the norm to power the fridge/charger while travelling so it is not provided. The socket looked like a 13 pin but the relevant pins were missing, hence the need for 'supplementary wiring.

I took this up with Audi UK in 2012 when oredering my first car and the picked up the cost of providing and fitting the kit but sadly, but not surprisingly, in 2016 faced exacltly the same problem!

Mercedes provide a fully wired plug for UK caravans and in their info they state this to be the case.I have a Bosal retractable towbar which is fully wired. VW used to exclude fridge wiring but I believe now include it.

BMW for some reason have always excluded the fridge wiring even for the UK which is bit of a cheek considering the price of them.

I'm not sure if it's the same nationally, but my local BMW dealer and other main dealers use a local independent company to fit their so called 'factory fitted' towbars. From what I was told all new cars arrive from with no provision for a towbar and are then passed over to have the towbars fitted. It seems that often due to the sales people's lack of knowledge on the subject that the correct information as to the type of electrics required is not passed on. It may also have something to do with the fact that single 7pin electrics are cheaper than 13pin to fit and the dealer can make more money. 

all the German cars are the same. what I can not work out is we changed our 7 pin plugs to go in line with Europe's 13 pin plug. and they only use ten of the thirteen pins ? why   

by the way I have just brought a touareg with the same problem which will be put right I hope next week. its a 2012 model.

My 2017 VW Tiguan factory fit swiveling towbar came fully wired to Uk standards for fridge and charging. When hitched, car alarm sounds if caravan is detached from hitch, Sat Nav (when towing) shows both speed limits n screen for normal and towing.

how does that work with the car alarm. does the car alarm have to be activated  like on a motorway services when using facilities. I think thats a brilliant idea and all towbars fitted should have that. there are spare contacts on the 13 pin sockets so would be usefull to find out how this can be done. Google for me next. haha.