Factory fitted tow bar

[moggyboy]

Is the tow bar the retractable one? i.e. press the button in the boot and out is swivels?
If so be very very careful of altering or modifying the electrics.
I am not a techy so haven't a clue about what wire does what but I am an experienced cheesed off consumer in the black hole between the westfalia retractable tow bar and bmw.
After extensive research communicating with westfalia uk at several levels and bmw likewise there is a massive void when repairs or alterations are needed to the factory fit retractable westaflia.
When the tow bar is factory fit it is fully integrated into the cars safety warning systems CAS and so on.
Within the tow bar socket is a micro-switch that activates a signal to say whether a trailer is or isn't plugged in.
If you replace the socket with another you will cause the system to constantly deem that the car is in an unsafe position and at best the system will just give annoying warnings but at worst not allow the tow bar to stay locked in the out position.
Westfalia are not permitted to supply parts for the retractable tow bar to the after market under the terms of their agreement with BMW and BMW will not/do not sell any individual components for the tow bar to the after market.
BMW will only sell you a new tow bar complete or the cars trailer control module.
After my retractable tow bar was incapacitated by water damage to the communications wires which I had to have completely replaced my tow bar needs to be re-initialised which neither Westafalia or BMW will do. I know the tow bar works mechanically because we can get it to move by applying power directly to it BUT if I do that as a fix I have a constant audio and dashboard warning of failure.
In summary I am just saying if yours is a westfalia RETRACTABLE then proceed with caution.
I have no functioning towbar and very annoying warnings.