Trailer wiring confusion

dieselkk · #1 01-23-2007, 04:16 PM

My dealer finally received the wiring components, from another hitch package, and I have sucessfully installed the wiring on my X3. Everything went together easily. I didn't even have to remove the bumper cover. I will however be posting a complaint section about MY first impressions of this X3. Everything from the transmission to navagation.

marckissel · #2 02-25-2007, 11:43 PM

Did you have an electric brake controller installed?

I have a factory, dealer-installed hitch, but need one to tow our pop-up trailer. It does have the 6/7 pin electric hookup.

I don't want to mess with things until I get it all sorted out.

dieselkk · #3 02-26-2007, 10:43 AM

I did not need an electric brake controller in my towing application. I spent more money on the wiring harness from BMW than I did on the hardware. The factory harness installs very easily and worked perfect. If I remember correctly, there were more than 4 wires going out to the recepticle, those extra wires might have something to do with electric brakes. Judging by my past experiences with towing and trailers, this BMW (X3) might not be up to the task of towing anything that would require electric brakes.

marckissel · #4 02-26-2007, 10:57 AM

Thanks for the reply.

I'll get in there to look at the wires. Mine has the extra electrical wires/pins so it may be easy to do the brake controller piggyback setup (who knows if the dealer connected them all, but we'll find out!). I should have insisted the dealer turn over the installation instructions, as well as taken a look at it first. Live and learn, I guess.

As for the weight - the pop-up weighs about 1,900 pounds, so even with junk/stuff in it we don't exceed 2,500, so we'll be okay.

Here in New York, the electric brake is mandatory, and besides, it does lighten the brake load on the tow vehicle, so to speak.