towbar electricals advice

[Dignity]

I bought a new Masda CX5 mainly for the wife to use and when we picked it up the wiring loom for the towbar was coiled up inside the boot under the floor. This I found annoying and when questioning the staff they said that was how their installer did all of them as water would get into them if they installed them through the floor onto the towbar bracket. I thought this was bulldust as I have never had a water problem on the Jack even after water crossings, so the question is, "Is there an Australian Standard for fitting the electrical trailer connections" I have another issue with Mazda but this one really irks me as a couple of times I have now needed to hook up a trailer at a mates place and had to remove everything from the boot just to get to the wiring harness and then when I close the boot I shudder every time wondering when the cables will fail with all the slamming that goes on.

[scottar]

That is how there installer does them because he is a lazy pr*ck or has been told to do it that way because it costs the dealership less.

[Moonlighter]

Quite a few cars now fitted with the flat strap trailer wire that sits in the boot or spare wheel well. In the last few years, I have had a Astra, a Commodore SV6 and like you, I now have a CX5 with the same wiring setup as yours.

It just takes some getting used to. Ive never had any problem with this style of towbar wiring setup.


I think in the wagon/SUV type vehicles they are more common, possibly because if they make a hole to take the cable outside, it could let carbon monoxide directly into the cabin of the car.

Not sure if your CX5 is petrol or diesel, mine is the turbo diesel and it is a great tow vehicle, hardly knows that my Surtees Workmate 5.5 is behind it. Very pleased with it all round. Did a run (not towing) to Bundaberg and back last week and averaged 6.7l/100ks. Could just about have done the round trip on one tank.

[Dignity]

Thanks Scottar,I think I agree with you.
Moonlighter, I didn't think it would be a problem but I have found it to be a pain in the proverbial since I started using it now. It is a bit of a juggle to get the strap in the right length so it doesn't dangle and scratch the paint work etc. Still think there must be a standard that applies. I would prefer Mazda fix it the way I prefer it but in the end I suspect that I will have to do it myself.
oh, almost forgot, mine is the petrol model, it knew it had a load on today towing a tonne of rock.