Hi All,

I've been reading the various threads about tow bar wiring including the one in the one in the knowledge base here https://www.bigcarclub.com/ford-galaxy-common-faults-and-problems/galaxy-towing-weights-towbar-wiring-trailers-and-couplings/


The bus is a MkII Ford Galaxy Ghia, 56 plate.

I 've looked in both side panels in the luggage area and can't see an obvious empty connector for a ford specific trailer socket loom, so I assume I need to splice into the lighting circuits. If there is a dedicated connector on this model can someone describe where I should be looking?

Second things is I'm a little confused now on is, if a bypass relay is needed or just the recoding? If I put a simple bypass relay in, won't that negate any features enabled by the recoding? Or have I missed the point entirely

Many thanks,
Dave

Can't help with a plug for dedicated wiring but if you fit a bypass relay type then no coding will be required. Only problem you will have is reverse sensors will still be active when you are towing so will have to switch them off when reversing.

Thanks Johnny,

Not worried about having to turn the parking sensors off manually when reversing (after I fix the faulty sensor.... Right now they don't even come.)

Cheers.

The connection is in the drivers side cubby hole, under the wiring for the rear light if it's there.

It's good practice to have a bypass kit so dodgy trailer wiring doesn't take out the car. The other reason is that the wiring can take the extra load but the galaxy is OK there so you can splice directly if you wanted. The only coding on the mk2 is to turn the tell-tale on when indicating which isn't required if you have the bleeper when indicating.

Hi Mark,

Thanks, I'll go and have a root around and see if I can find a connector in there.

Mine didn't have a spare connector I just used a bypass relay kit using red scotch locks to tap off.
Mounted the relay in the left hand side panel, you can pick up the 12 volt feed that powers the relay from the back of the adjacent 12 volt accessory socket.
Depending on the kit you will need to at least run a cable from the right hand indicator to the relay.

Hi,

I had a look around and could not find any dedicated sockets for adding the tow bar wiring.  I chicken'd out on rooting around in the loom to find the right wires and splicing to them so I just brought a prewired kit from ebay. Just unplug the connectors to the lights and insert the kit in between. Only one splice to do.

Progress so far: Tow bar wire brushed to get rid of the rust and painted with Corroless, bumper off and fitted last night. That all went pretty smoothly. Tonight it's do the electrics.

Thanks all for your help.

Dave

Are you sure its a MK2 not a MK3 you have? I'm sure my MK2 has a socket in the passenger side rear cubby hole?

MK2 would have seats that can be (fairly!) easily removed from the rear leaving a flat floor upto the front seats. MK3 the rear most set of seats I think will fold down into the boot floor instead.

@Mirez the linked article above wants a bit of an update if you could please? the following bits being changes since it was written

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a-trailer-or-caravan-with-a-car-from-autumn-2021

What changed on 16 December 2021

If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997, you're now allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM.

Check your car's handbook to find out its gross train weight (GTW). This is the total allowable weight of the car plus the trailer plus the load.

DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you're allowed to tow trailers. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically. You'll get category BE added to your driving licence when you next apply to get a new driving licence.

If you passed your car driving test before 1 January 1997, you are not affected by the change.

From https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

Category BE

You can drive a vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg with a trailer.

The size of the trailer depends on the BE 'valid from' date shown on your licence. If the date is:

    before 19 January 2013, you can tow any size trailer within the towing limits of the vehicle
    on or after 19 January 2013, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of up to 3,500kg within the towing limits of the vehicle

Hi Brian,

Definitely a MK2.  Seats all come out and don't fold into the floor. Probably one of the last being registered as a 56 plate.

Progress tonight all going well until I tried to find the one cable that needs splicing in the kit. It's the fog light wire I'm looking for. Kit instructions say Grey/Blue.

Here's the instructions and it's step 8 that I can't find the cable for.

https://www.ecs-electronicsuk.co.uk/ecsdata/manuals/VW011BLU.pdf

At the fog light end in the tail gate the wire is Grey/White, but I cant find that in the drivers side cubby hole either.

Right now I'm trying to do everything through the cubby hole, should I be removing the whole panel to find what I am looking for?

Cheers,
D

it will come down to the drivers side, as thats where all the cables that goto the tailgate come down into the car (passenger side is just the washer tube).

Its possible the wire has been replaced (as you may be aware, tailgate wiring on the galaxy is problematic)

I can't get into mine to check where its connected to before the weekend, if I get chance then I will confirm though the wiring on mine is into a bypass relay on the passenger side. I think theres a couple of wires that run across under the plate at the edge of the carpet.

Sun was in a different position today  and I found the grey/white wire!
Pin 4 on the 3rd of the 3 plugs mounted together. Really thin white line and in the bright sun yesterday just could not see it.

Buzzed it out with the multimeter and it goes to the fog light. Will take a photo tomorrow.

What a muppet!  I just realised there was a giant great big hint on  where to look in Mirez's post I'd read and linked to above.