How to Tow a US 4-Pole Wired Trailer with a European 7-Pin Wired Vehicle
Updated 09/13/2013 | Published 09/12/2013
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Question:
Everything Ive read so far talks about this converting from a US Auto 4-Pin connector to a Euro 7-pin connector. I need to go the other way, I have a European car with a 7-Pin wiring harness used to tow Euro trailers but Ive just purchased a US made trailer that has a 4-pin wiring harness. Can I use this box to create an adapter to ensure my lights work correctly?
asked by: Randy J
Expert Reply:
It is possible to tow your US wired trailer with your European wired vehicle, but the solution with either be to install a new, or separate, trailer connector on your vehicle, or making an adapter from a few different parts.
The main difference between European trailer wiring and US trailer wiring is that European trailers typically use a 3-wire system and US trailers use a 2-wire system. The 3-wire system means the trailer will have separate wires for the turn signals, brake lights and tail lights. The 2-wire system will have one wire for the turn signals and brake lights and one wire for the tail lights. The Roadmaster converter will convert the 3-wire system from your vehicle down to the 2-wire system for the trailer.
My first recommendation would be to install a separate 4-pole trailer wiring harness on your vehicle. Curt offers the Upgraded Taillight Converter, part # C59496. This harness has 5 blunt cut wires and a ground wire with a ring terminal. To install this harness, you would splice the green wire into the right turn signal circuit on your vehicle, the brown wire to the tail light circuit, the yellow wire to the left turn signal and the red wire to the brake light signal. The thicker gauge black wire would run directly to the vehicle battery to power the wiring harness.
Typically, this harness is spliced into the factory tail light wiring running to the tail light assemblies, but the wiring from the 7-way trailer connector already on the vehicle may be easier to access. This would give you a 4-pole connector on your vehicle to tow your trailer.
The other option would be to make an adapter with with different parts. I would not usually recommend this route, but it is another possible option. You could use the Curt # C56175, and instead of installing the harness on your vehicle, you could connect the 4 blunt cut wires to a European style 7-pin connector that is compatible with the 7-pin connector on your vehicle. Unfortunately we do not offer European style trailer connectors, so you would have to obtain one of those from the appropriate retailer. I would not really recommend this method because rain and moisture can damage the converter from the Tow Ready wiring harness. It would be very important to seal the connector well.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Curt Tail Light Converter with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector
- Custom Fit Vehicle Wiring
- Trailer Hitch Wiring
- Vehicle End Connector
- Powered Converter
- Universal Fit
- 4 Flat
- Plug and Lead
- Splice-In
- CURT
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