Does Hopkins Tow Bar Wiring have to be Unplugged for 2014 Honda CR-V Tail Lights to Work

Question:

This wiring harness indicates that it plugs directly into my cars lighting system. Does the harness have to be un-plugged and my cars lights plugged in basically reverse the process to use my car when not being towed ? Also, my wiring harness from the RV has a round 4 pin connector. Can this wiring harness be ordered with a round plug vs. a flat plug ? Im using a surge brake system which activates my brake pedal. Is this still the best wiring harness for my application ? What about the brake relay thats mentioned ? Toad is a 2014 Honda CRV

asked by: Chuck H

Expert Reply:

You would not have to reverse the installation of Hopkins tow bar wiring harness # HM56304 for the vehicle lights to work on your 2014 Honda CR-V when it is not being flat towed. The harness plugs in line with the tail light wiring so when you are not connected to the RV the lights will function like normal. And when you are connected to the RV the lights will get power to function from the RV.

The wiring harness isn't available with a 4-Way round connector but you could use adapter # 47465 to go from the 4-Way round to a 4-Way flat.

The brake light relay is not required on a 2014 Honda CR-V so you would not have to worry about it. If you are looking for the easiest harness to install then # HM56304 would be it. Is it the best? Well, personally I would use bulb and socket kit # RM-155 for 2 reasons. First it bypasses the vehicle wiring so you would not run into any issues that could crop up when using a system that taps into the vehicle wiring. And second it is still relatively easy to install. I have linked a video showing an example installation for you.

expert reply by: Michael H