Can a European 7-Way Trailer Connector be Converted to a U.S. 4-Way

Updated 08/06/2020 | Published 05/31/2012

Question:

Does the 7 pin round mean that it fits a 12N type European trailer plug?

asked by: Bob S

Expert Reply:

No. The 7-Way end in the # 47405 adapter is made for the North American style of 7-Way round pins. A European 7-Way, see picture, has separate turn signals and brake lights and a circuit for fog lamps. The tail lights are also separate.

You would need to fabricate a special adapter to get the 2 to work together. I would need to know which end has the European 7-Way, the vehicle or the trailer. It would also require a semi-permanent change to the connector on the vehicle or possibly the trailer too.

expert reply by: Michael H

click to enlarge

Andy K.

3/24/2013

Hello, I am having the same issue. I am in Germany with the Army. My American spec car has the flat 4 and my European motorcycle trailer has the round 7 pin. Can you describe more in detail the special adapter? And does anyone make one? What permanent changes should you have to do. Splice together the tail lights for beginners? Thanks!Andy

Patrick B.

4/16/2013

You will need to separate the combined brake and turn circuits that are on the car. Per that diagram, you can split the brown wire on your 4-pole and it will run to positions 5 and 7. You will also need part 118158, this will split the brake signal out from the turn signals. Then you will wire all those connections to a European style 7-way.

Jason M.

7/29/2020

Hi, hate to bring this up again, but I’m hoping 7 years later, that someone has created an easy solution. My wife just purchased a US specification Audi Q5, but she has a European 7 pin trailer. Little difficult to find a US trailer over here...in Germany. Reading the previous treads, sounds like it is possible to rewire the car or trailer? How difficult is it convert?

Jon G.

8/6/2020

If you were located in the US then it would be a simple manner of rewiring the trailer lights to our specs, but since you're in Germany you are going to have to get the Audi Q5 wiring done professionally to make sure that it's up to European standards. I've reached out to our different wiring manufactures about this on a few different occasions and they have said that we don't have any way in the US to get something ready aside from taking the vehicle to a shop that knows what they are doing.