It’s that time of year again when around ten per cent of our phone calls are related to tow bar faults, where the tow bar has been fitted by themselves or a tow bar fitter unassociated with Ultimate Towbars.
What are the issues and what should you do?
The calls are mainly related to tow bar electrics but we do get a few that are mechanical tow bar problems.
Firstly, we need to reiterate that if you’re getting a tow bar fitted, please ensure you have it fitted by an approved registered and insured company and that it’s being fitted exactly to type-approval regulations.
The tow bar type approval covers the use of the tow bar and the fitting. It must be fitted exactly to the manufacturer’s instructions, otherwise, it is not type-approved for use.
An example of this is a tow bar we recently removed for a customer where the bolts had not been torqued to the manufacturer-required settings. Some of the bolts were over-tightened and some were so loose we could undo them with our hands, a recipe for disaster.
Towing electric problem phone calls are becoming too regular.
The problems that people are getting are down to one thing in particular… not having the correct tow bar wiring fitted to their vehicle.
If you have a vehicle with a CanBus data system (Most modern cars) then you need to have type-approved dedicated wiring fitted, in fact, some modern cars still use analogue wiring for the lighting system, but the same advice still counts.
Having universal bypass wiring fitted might be a cheap option, but in all cases, we have found the wiring faults are all on universal bypass wiring.
If you have a fault with universal electrics then we suggest contacting the company that fitted the wiring. At Ultimate Towbars we do not repair vehicles with towing electric problems due to the damage the universal wiring can do to the vehicle’s electrical system. If the wiring has damaged the vehicle the costs of repair can be extremely expensive.
What faults are people getting?
To give you an idea of the calls we get, here are a few of last week’s tow bar issue calls and some possible reasons for the faults…
- The tow bar neck detached whilst towing. (This could have been down to poor maintenance by the vehicle owner or possibly the incorrect neck being used.)
- Towing electrics brings up faults on the vehicle’s dash. (Universal electrics or dedicated wiring that requires a vehicle software update.)
- The lights on the caravan are not working. (Fuse in universal wiring loom blown, socket issue, or dedicated wiring that requires a software update.)
- The tow bar makes creaking noises. (User failed to remove the protective coating on the tow ball or badly fitted tow bar.)
- The brake lights are not working on the trailer. (Towbar or trailer wiring, blown bulbs or towing plug/socket issue)
- Garage fitted tow bar and now reverse sensors don’t work. (Fault with reverse sensor system, take back to garage)
- The caller had a tow bar fitted and, after plugging in caravan, no lights are working on the vehicle. (Blown fuse or body controller. Take back to the person who fitted the tow bar .)
- The caravan plug won’t fit into the tow socket on the car. (Wrong plug and socket combination, or bent pins if 13-pin system.)
- The caller had universal electrics fitted a few days ago and now want dedicated electrics due to faults. (Universal electrics may have damaged the vehicle wiring.)
Whenever a fault appears due to towbar hardware or towing electrics, it’s important you get the issues resolved before towing. Never take a chance, even if it’s a failed bulb it can still end up becoming a major incident.
What to Do?
If your tow bar was fitted within a year of the problem then you must go back to the tow bar fitter and ask them to sort the issue out. (Under the ‘Sale of Goods Act’ you must give the seller the chance to resolve the problem.)
Communications are best made by email rather, than telephone calls. That way you have written confirmation of what has been said and agreed.
If they refuse to do anything you should contact them again and tell them you are making a complaint and will take up the issue with local Trading Standards.
Contact Trading Standards with your complaint and get their advice on the best way to proceed.
Whatever you do, do NOT take your vehicle for repair with a third-party unless you are prepared to pay. If you expect the tow bar fitter to pay then you must get their written confirmation they will pay for any rectification work.
If you’re willing to pay for rectification work then,
You need to find an approved tow bar company that’s willing to look at the fault, this might be a struggle. as most tow bar company insurance will not cover work completed by a third party.
Alternatively, try giving a local auto electrician a call, they are usually willing to help determine where the fault is and if it can be corrected.
Failing that it’s an expensive trip to the dealers for them to diagnose the issue.
Our Advice
We cannot emphasise enough the importance of having the correct parts fitted and getting them installed and tested by a professional.
Don’t be the one who can’t go away because of a tow bar problem, or the one waiting for recovery on the motorway because the tow bar electrics have shorted and blown the vehicle’s fuses.)
At Ultimate Towbars we only fit type-approved tow bars and electrics. We provide every customer with a written two-year guarantee on parts and fitting, plus we will assist if any of our customers need advice or help after the guarantee runs out. We’ve been fitting tow bars for years and up to now, have not had a single one of our customers call with a fault that’s been related to parts or fittings that we have completed.
Our technicians are trained to work on the latest vehicles. Our senior technician is a specialist in the design and manufacture of tow bar systems and electronics and is a fellow of the Institute of the Motoring Industry (one of the highest achievements within the motoring industry.)
Keep safe and enjoy your towing.
Team Ultimate
Get a tow bar fitting price today at https://www.ultimatetowbars.co.uk/online-towbar-fitting-quote/
