C5 tourer tow bar

[pete-c5]

we its time to retire the 2000 C5 estate she has been a good one, but have just bought a 2008 C5 tourer with 41000 miles on the clock, but have a small problem , it has a Citroen fitted tow bar with a fold away hitch which is not secure when out, i can still lift it away, so wouldn't be much good with my caravan on the back.
can any one tell me does the swan neck have a spring loaded locking tooth operated by a black plastic handle on the side of it, its the only way i can see it working, if this is correct how do i get the swan neck off ?

[Paul-R]

I'm not quite sure what the problem is. You say "fold away hitch which is not secure when out" which suggests that the swan-neck disconnects all too easily and then "how do i get the swan neck off" which implies that it doesn't.

Generally speaking, the plastic handle has to be rotated to release the swan-neck. Usually, with some models, the handle has to be pushed in sharply before it will rotate; with others you have to insert a key.

[pete-c5]

sorry Paul it was not to clear after i read it
The swan neck is tucked under the car, you pull a handles down and it then swings down and round into the towing position, but if you lift it (negative weight) it will fold up (obviously no good with any thing on it) the best i can describe it is its on a pivot that rotates round and also a pin though a fork in the pivot so it can swing up and down, as i see it if i remove the pin it will come away so i can find out if there is a claw that is supposed to hold it, the only thing is the pin doesn't want to move so was going to ask if any one knew if it just punched out or screwed out, i Will try and get a photo tomorrow. the plastic knob/handle would seem to be to pull the claw out to disengage it I would think

[Paul-R]

Ah, that sounds like a foldaway type. I've not had any experience of that unfortunately.

[pete-c5]

Just been back to the garage who I bought the car from and they took it to Citroën who said replace it but as we can't get the Swanwick of the whole drawback is being replaced. All the the sake of a bit of grease when fitted or during its lifetime

[Paul-R]

"Swanwick" "drawback"

Autocorrect?

[pete-c5]

~The problem has been sort of solved, the garage have fitted a brand new Whitter detachable tow bar complete, but obviously didnt check the wiring as the stop lights don't work, every thing else seems to be ok except the stop lights ???...... and yes Paul autocorrect

[Paul-R]

If the stoplights don't work then the garage needs to fix that surely? I would presume that the same electrics have been used so they must have failed to join something back together again.

[pete-c5]

Paul its a comedy of errors and am fed up with running to the garage so decided to fix it myself and maybe get it right, and also, if i do it and some thing goes wrong in a couple of years time at least i will know where all the wiring is and fuses and such, the garage obviously dont know any thing about towbars or electrics as the original tow bar had a black socket and i told them i needed it to be able to charge van battery and run fridge when towing they fitted the new aux (white socket). It wasnt until i got home to find the black socket was a 13 pin.
Due to the fact that my caravan is on twin electrics and the 2 trailers i have are 7 pin, i decided to keep to the 7 pin twin so have rewired every thing with all soldered wire ends and sealed, so at least i now know its all ok and will stand the weather, as i said just need to sort out the break lights, sure its some thing simple im missing

[Paul-R]

If they fitted a 13 pin socket then it sounds like they may have fitted new electrics as well. They've probably done this as this is the modern system but this includes the functionality of the white socket so I don't understand that. Anyway, you've got past that point now.

Are all three brake lights not working or is it just the two in the light clusters? If you connect up a trailer board I don't suppose that the brake lights work on that do they?

[pete-c5]

The 13pin socket has3pins missing???????, but to go on from there the lights on the car are fine it's just there is no power a the socket, have checked the plug, cable and lights on the trailer and there all fine just no power at the socket when breaks applied as it's a dedicated tow system from Citroën that was fitted with the original towbar I'm thinking the fault is with the box on that (I a relay has failed. My idea was to put a relay on the wires in the light cluster

[Paul-R]

Ah, so the brake lights on the car are working, it's the trailer board brake lights that aren't working?

If so, first of all check with a 12v test lamp whether the socket is working properly. You'll need an assistant to press the brake pedal up and down and switch the ignition on.