Berlingo Tow-bar Question

[Doo]

Went to price a tow bar and leccy today.

THREE HUNDRED AND WHAAAAAT???

Apparently, the programming is as expensive as the heavy metal

Then there is the bay.... All good until you see the legend, Doesn't Deliver to Scottish Highlands

It's all a con by so called courier companies who treat the Highlands like somewhere on Mars, yet Inverness is at the end of a reasonable road (the A9) with road, rail and airport links. Royal Mail can deliver stuff next day, so why oh why do people insist on using rip off monkeys being paid peanuts to end up throwing parcels over a wall or keeping the parcel for themselves

Did I mention the NC500? It's up past Inverness, and a hauntingly beautiful area of the north I digress...

Anyway, seeing as how I am finding it difficult to locate a tow bar, does anyone know of, or have a used item to sell to me ??

Also, the wiring for the 2012 Lingo apparently needs to be programmed and that costs £60 "JUST" to plug it in

Funny, I made a tow bar for wife's 2007 C4 and wired it via a towing relay and another one for keeping the cars electrics happy. So why can't I do that for the Lingo

I am adept at the mechanical side of things as I've been mechanic-ing since I was knee high to a beetle (see what I did there ) and I am also fairly decent with electrics. But seeing that French cars like to throw up a challenge I figure I'd ask you chaps 1st.

Cheers

[GiveMeABreak]

Most PSA vehicles are designed so that you can plug in a PSA trailer relay unit (vehicle and model dependent) that comes in the full electrics kit. These are more important for later vehicles because of the multiplexed electrical architecture and newer ESP systems fitted, so can provide a specific programme for vehicle handling when it knows a trainer or caravan is hooked up and can adapt the stability programme to compensate for this - especially in an emergency.

It can also deactivate reversing sensors in reverse and prevent bulb out warnings that can occur with non-multiplexed towbar electric kits.

The relay unit is connected up to the BSI usually via a connection already in the rear of the vehicle, so saves any further wiring up front. So really it's all the interconnectivity and compatibility your are paying for.

If you want the compatible part number for the electrical kits for your Blingo, pop up the VIN for this vehicle. You never know, you might be able to get one a lot cheaper from a dealer having a clear out.

[Doo]

Most PSA vehicles are designed so that you can plug in a PSA trailer relay unit (vehicle and model dependent) that comes in the full electrics kit. These are more important for later vehicles because of the multiplexed electrical architecture and newer ESP systems fitted, so can provide a specific programme for vehicle handling when it knows a trainer or caravan is hooked up and can adapt the stability programme to compensate for this - especially in an emergency.

It can also deactivate reversing sensors in reverse and prevent bulb out warnings that can occur with non-multiplexed towbar electric kits.

The relay unit is connected up to the BSI usually via a connection already in the rear of the vehicle, so saves any further wiring up front. So really it's all the interconnectivity and compatibility your are paying for.

If you want the compatible part number for the electrical kits for your Blingo, pop up the VIN for this vehicle. You never know, you might be able to get one a lot cheaper from a dealer having a clear out.

Hi Marc, I went to get the VIN from the V5, then remembered I taxed the car the other day the the Post Office and left the wallet in the car which is 39 steps (3 flights) and a 40mtr path away... so if you wouldn't mind waiting

Lingo has ESP, but no sensors (although it is sooo easy to park...for me, but I fear 'er indoors will require some fitted ) so I wonder if I could get away without the s'pensive plug n' play loom

[GiveMeABreak]

It's the clever stuff with the ESP and the CAN bus wiring compatibility that you're paying for really and the compatibility with the car's electrical systems. There may be several versions available - I'll know once you retrieve your V5 (that's if nobody's nicked it and the car)! They offer additional looms for things like powering fridges - useful unless you've got one of those 200 foot hotel on wheels Winnebago things of course...

[Doo]

It's the clever stuff with the ESP and the CAN bus wiring compatibility that you're paying for really and the compatibility with the car's electrical systems. There may be several versions available - I'll know once you retrieve your V5 (that's if nobody's nicked it and the car)! They offer additional looms for things like powering fridges - useful unless you've got one of those 200 foot hotel on wheels Winnebago things of course...

I have it parked between the C4 and the Range Rover, not to mention the two cctv camera's watching it, so quite apart from the lack of filth up our way, I rather feel the car will still be in place tomorrow

[Doo]

Hi Marc, the VIN:

VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

Variant: 7J9HP

Cheers, Doo.

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, I’ve been out, so will pop some details up later, but there is a kit with the relay unit for about £174. Obviously you will have to fit it, but instructions are supplied. I’ll pop some info up later for you.

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so part number for the kit is: 1613715880, which is for the electric kit and doesn't include the towbar itself of course.

Description

• 13-way towbar harness, for connecting ball tow hitches.
• This harness takes account of the features of the vehicle, thus ensuring safety, reliability and simplicity of fitting.
• Simple connection using the interface connectors identical to those for the vehicle.

Technical Characteristics

Main harness delivered with:

• Cross-over harness for fitting on a vehicle not pre-equipped back to the BSI
• One BSR EV
• One 13-way socket and its fixings;
• Fitting instructions

Notes:

• Incompatible on vehicles in Floor Cab version.
• Can be fitted on vehicles from start of production.
• Incompatible with electric vehicles.
• Not compatible with vehicles with LED lighting (won't detect blown bulbs)

There is a 13 page colour fitting guide supplied. If you want the fitting instructions to look at, let me know and I'll email it to you as a PDF so you can see what's involved.

[Doo]

Crumbs £174 seems a lot of loot for some wires.... I take it that I'd need to swap out the BSR for a version that will operate the trailer lights.

How did I manage to wire up my wife's car for around £15 and everything works beautifully?

[GiveMeABreak]

The BSR is the trailer unit included in the kit as you can see (the black box), so you won't necessarily even have this to start with.

[BX]

The standard bypass relay kit will operate the trailer lights without any problems once its wired in accordance with the kit's instructions.
The current drawn off the light circuits by the relays is so small as to be imperceptible to the monitoring circuits.
However this will not inform and modify the operation of the esp system when a trailer is attached.
I'm not convinced that this is significant anyway. There is no information fed back with the "genuine" citroen kit to let the system know whither you are using a lighting board with a cycle carrier or if you have a braked trailer at the maximum towing capacity or even a 750Kg unbraked trailer.

[Doo]

The standard bypass relay kit will operate the trailer lights without any problems once its wired in accordance with the kit's instructions.
The current drawn off the light circuits by the relays is so small as to be imperceptible to the monitoring circuits.
However this will not inform and modify the operation of the esp system when a trailer is attached.
I'm not convinced that this is significant anyway. There is no information fed back with the "genuine" citroen kit to let the system know whither you are using a lighting board with a cycle carrier or if you have a braked trailer at the maximum towing capacity or even a 750Kg unbraked trailer.

I did wonder seeing as how I wired my wife's C4 with two different bypass relays (one for lights and one for the fridge, etc, on the grey plug) and it has been perfect.

At the end of the day, if I go down the cheap route, all I would need to do is push the switch to deactivate the ESP and thus prevent any issues

Thank you.

[Doo]

Evenin all, is there factory mounting points on these cars or will I have to employ the Makita??

Thanks

Doo

[GiveMeABreak]

The official tow bar kits come with detailed illustrated fitting instructions - I don't know what you have purchased of course, but if you think it will be of use I can email it to you - as at least it shows the mounting of the towbar which may help you.

On second thoughts it may be too large for email - so here's a link to the PDF for you - let me know when you have downloaded it so I can remove it:

https://mega.nz/file/atN1HaRB#Q80uzXSR1 ... sEPocBUQuo

[Doo]

The official tow bar kits come with detailed illustrated fitting instructions - I don't know what you have purchased of course, but if you think it will be of use I can email it to you - as at least it shows the mounting of the towbar which may help you.

On second thoughts it may be too large for email - so here's a link to the PDF for you - let me know when you have downloaded it so I can remove it:

https://mega.nz/file/atN1HaRB#Q80uzXSR1 ... sEPocBUQuo

Hi Mark, thank you for the offer. I would like to take you up on it. I have fitted dozens of tow bars in my time, some even home made (like the one adorning my wife's C4) so it's always easier to know if they pre-drilled the holes in the factory and where they may have sneaky placed covers and such.

Speaking of covers, went to change the oil and we found every bolt had rusted solid on the under tray Mini grinder saw to that, but it did draw out the oil and filter change! Also fitted front & rear parking sensors. In order to feed the front wires through the bulkhead, I had to remove the wipers and plastics & the cloth cover. Two bolts holding the plastic windscreen wiper shield were solid More grinding.... Suffice to say, we will be replacing the rotten cage nut affair with riv-nuts and lots of grease

All the fun of the un fair