A couple of feedback on installing the hitch

[ZetaTre]

I would like to thank the whole community here and X3eme in particular for the article regarding the hitch installation (http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x3/...h-2006-x3.html)

I would like to give a couple of feedback that might be useful to add to the original article. Our car is a 2004 X3 3.0i:

1) Our car is the 1st generation body style with black plastic bumpers. They are precut for the hitch installation making it easier and in a way cleaner. Please notice however that the removal of the bumper is slightly different. You do not need to remove the equivalent of this lip



You only need to remove the two side covers and undo the 2 screws you'll find behind them. The "lip" doesn't need to come off to remove the bumper

2) BMW, as well as many other European cars, don't like it when a trailer with LED lights is connected. They act wired possibly because the low current used by the LED lights doesn't allow the car's electronic to acknowledge the presence of the trailer. Symptoms range from parking sensor don't getting disconnected, hyper-flash turn signals or light bulb monitoring signal lighting up in the dash. The solution is to buy a "special" adapter that incorporate a resistor simulating regular incandescent lights. The adapters can be found at U-Haul (U-Haul: Moving supplies: LED Light Trailer Module) or etrailers.com (7-Way to 5-Way and 4-Way Trailer Adapter for VW, Audi and Porsche Towing Trailers with LED Lights Valley Wiring V39008)

Enjoy and happy trailing!!!!

[ZetaTre]

I've been looking around for adapter to solve the hyperflash issue with trailers equipped with LED. Apparently is back ordered everywhere.

I did find an alternative that requires going over to the competition: VW has it in stock because their Touareg has the same problem... At least they are nice enough to acknowledge the issue, put out a TSB and stock an adapter (which is nothing more than what Valley offers, rebranded).

Here's the TSB from VW with the part numbers: VW TB 94 06 15

So worst come to worst, put your pride aside () call up the VW dealer and ask them for that part...

[philfallout]

Thanks for this extra info. Does your 2004 X3 have the reverse parking sensors? If so was it still easy to remove the bumper?

Thanks in advance.

[ZetaTre]

No, mine doesn't have it. Knowing BMW there's likely a single connector behind the bumper that you need to disconnect.

[philfallout]

Thanks for the quick reply! Do you also know do I basically need to buy 3 things: one - the tow bar/hitch, two - the 12N electrical kit (for trailer lights) and three - the white box in photos 32 and 33.

Or does the white box come with the electrical kit? I was planning to get the proper westfalia hitch, but then buy electrics separately from a cheaper retailer. I can post a link to the item here if that's not breaking forum rules?

Thanks again!

[ZetaTre]

I got the hitch kit from the BMW dealer: on this side of the pond it came with everything: the tow bar, the wiring, the white box. It did not include the ball and the ball mount

[JCL]

Originally Posted by philfallout

Thanks for this extra info. Does your 2004 X3 have the reverse parking sensors? If so was it still easy to remove the bumper?

Thanks in advance.

PDC sensors don't make it much more complicated, both hitches I did had them. Just be aware of having to disconnect the harness when you pull the bumper back.

[philfallout]

Thanks again for the excellent info. Do you know what the proper name of the white box is? That way I can look if it's included in the kit I'm looking at. Thanks.

Thanks also, JLC.

[ZetaTre]

It's a "Lighting Control Module" p/n 61 35 6 908 767. The complete content list of the kit can be found on page 2 of the first PDF file that X3eme has here: http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x3/...h-2006-x3.html

[JCL]

The trailer wiring kit (available either bundled with the hitch, or separately) includes the trailer wiring module (white box), the wiring harness, and the plug receptacle that mounts next to the hitch ball.

When I looked at pricing for the wiring kit and the OE hitch, it was significantly cheaper to buy both together than separately (in North America). There were aftermarket suppliers of the OE wiring kit that were cheaper than the BMW wiring kit price, but not cheaper than the BMW bundle price.