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[Mike94]

Hi everybody! Yesterday I fitted the towbar on my facelift 2.5 DTI Caravan.
I had to cut the OEM tow electric socket in the rear because in Italy his 12pin trailer connector is impossible to find.
I soldered all the wires to the towbar socket following the scheme on this forum, but after this the brake lights fuse keeps blowing every time i touch the pedal!
It happens also if i disconnect the towbar wire from the soldering and that's a bit strange!

Time ago happened a similar thing, I blown 2 brake fuses in one month, then kept working nice as it never was.

Was there a inner connection between the black/yellow wire and some other in the OEM socket that I cut?
I noticed a similar thing on the black/blue rear fog wire, and I kept the twin wires together... but on the break like I didn't notice anything.

Or simply now that's all connected I need the famous brake blow sensor relay for the towbar?

thanks for replies

[Doctor Gollum]

There isn't a guide for retrofitting a towbar.

That the fuse blows suggests you've screwed something up cutting and soldering.

[Mike94]

There isn't a guide for retrofitting a towbar.

That the fuse blows suggests you've screwed something up cutting and soldering.

This is a thing I already know, but I wanted a more specific reponse from someone that knows something more about towbar electrics.
I simply cut and soldered, like any other car I fitted with towbar, nothing strange

[Doctor Gollum]

At risk of being cynical, the way your question was phrased along with reference to something that doesn't exist made me question the genuine nature of your post. Apologies if that cynicism was misplaced.

Without knowing ANYTHING about what was previously fitted or the towbar you have fitted, let alone any of the connections, boxes etc that may or may not have been fitted, what you're asking for is impossible to determine exactly what you cut or soldered.

The basic dealer fitted GM tow bar lighting connected directly to the tail lights. The 12V charging used a different 7 pin plug and ran straight to the engine bay. 13 pin plugs hadn't been invented when the Omega was last built.

If the car has a bulb warning system fitted then there's another box to fit.

Having fitted the basic dealer supplied GM kit, it's an easy hours work.

An afternoon to fit it from scratch. All I can suggest is that you undo everything you have done and start from scratch using the wiring diagram.

Haynes covers the wiring diagram side of things for the factory, and you'll need to follow the 'later models" diagrams.

For more specific help, you're going to have to show pictures for everything you've removed/cut/soldered.

[Mike94]

At risk of being cynical, the way your question was phrased along with reference to something that doesn't exist made me question the genuine nature of your post. Apologies if that cynicism was misplaced.

Without knowing ANYTHING about what was previously fitted or the towbar you have fitted, let alone any of the connections, boxes etc that may or may not have been fitted, what you're asking for is impossible to determine exactly what you cut or soldered.

The basic dealer fitted GM tow bar lighting connected directly to the tail lights. The 12V charging used a different 7 pin plug and ran straight to the engine bay. 13 pin plugs hadn't been invented when the Omega was last built.

If the car has a bulb warning system fitted then there's another box to fit.

Having fitted the basic dealer supplied GM kit, it's an easy hours work.

An afternoon to fit it from scratch. All I can suggest is that you undo everything you have done and start from scratch using the wiring diagram.

Haynes covers the wiring diagram side of things for the factory, and you'll need to follow the 'later models" diagrams.

For more specific help, you're going to have to show pictures for everything you've removed/cut/soldered.

I know 13-pin connectors didn't exist in 2001, but my Omega also has +12V for the caravan's services, so I connected what I had to the new 13-pin connector on the towbar, leaving isolated what wasn't needed.
I'll try disconnecting the rear lights to see if the fuse problem is there because, I repeat, it played this trick on me even before installing the towbar.

This evening I'll post some pics

[YZ250]

Hi everybody! Yesterday I fitted the towbar on my facelift 2.5 DTI Caravan.
I had to cut the OEM tow electric socket in the rear because in Italy his 12pin trailer connector is impossible to find.
……….

Firstly, regarding the fuse issue, I would remove both of the rear light bulb clusters and make sure that all bulbs and mating faces are clean connections. The bulb prongs have a habit of furring up and can cause a weak connection. A bit of scratching up of both the brake bulbs and the cluster frame with light wet and dry may help. Also check that the earths are clean.

Just to clarify as we are trying to help, so bear with us.  Please correct me where my assumption is wrong. 

You mention that you have a new 13 pin socket on the car (13 pin being a single socket to group the old dual 12S and 12N sockets), or is this different in Italy. 

I assume you are hooking up to a caravan as you mention caravan services, so have you got a 13 pin on the van, or is this what you’re struggling to find?

Do all of the other caravan/trailer bulbs work as intended?

As already mentioned, and as you already know, most connections came off the rear tail lamp, with a trailing lead for the opposite lamp turn signal. They even did a piggy back connector for the multi-plug to make life easy.
In the 13 pin socket, brake lights are paired up, Fog lights are paired up but turn signals and rear lights are individual. The remainder are fused permanent live, ignition live for split charge relay and fridge etc., reverse lamp and earth.

Anyway, we’ll wait until you’ve cleaned the connections and clarified what’s what and go from there. 

[YZ250]

…….
As already mentioned, and as you already know, most connections came off the rear tail lamp, **with an additional lead from the opposite lamp turn signal and tail light going to the socket**. They even did a piggy back connector for the multi-plug to make life easy.
In the 13 pin socket, brake lights are paired up, Fog lights are paired up but turn signals and rear lights are individual. The remainder are fused permanent live, ignition live for split charge relay and fridge etc., reverse lamp and earth.
……….

** Amended above for clarity, although I appreciate that the brake lights are your issue, not the actual wiring.
Sorry, I worded that wrong. That should say brake lights require one feed to the socket, as do the fog lights. The turn signals require individual feed per side to the socket obviously, as do the tail lights, to keep the left hand side/right hand side fuse pattern happy through to the caravan. Obviously you know this having done the job previously.