wkosmann

Were the hitch, the 7 to 4 connector adaptor, and the DIM relay the only three items you had to add to your GX 470 to enable it to tow?

I have a price quote of $851 from my local Lexus dealer to install the hitch. I'm not sure if that price quote includes the DIM relay or not.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

What are you planning to tow? If's a heavy trailer equipped with brakes I suspect you'll also need to install a brake controller.

wkosmann

I currently don't have plans to tow anything, I don't own a boat or a trailer. With my 2001 Landcruiser, with built in towing capability, the heaviest thing I ever towed was a U-Haul trailer twice, partially filled with furniture once, and partially filled with a zero turn tractor another time. I just want to complete the towing capability on my new 2009 Lexus GX 470, in case I need to tow something in the future.

mrblister

run away from your dealer fast way to much money

wkosmann

Yes, I know that.

And that's why we are having this discussion.......................

burny

Find a body shop nearby that you trust and have them slap it on for a couple hunnerd

470reasons

Just for kicks, I tried plugging the air suspension relay into the empty DIM relay socket on my 2004 GX470. The relay 'fell' into the DIM socket. There are NO electrical contacts in the plastic socket for the DIM relay. Nuthin- just the plastic socket housing. WTF? Yes, I have a trans cooler and factory hitch light socket under the rear bumper.



The air suspension relay part number has been revised to; 90987-02025 which I believe is the same part as your DIM relay. This relay is available from several sources.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40

mrblister

That is very odd. If the truck came with the tow package, trans cooler, electric tow connector . Then it should have provision for that relay in the dim socket. I would ask the selling dealer if you know them to look up the window sticker or else ask lexus corp for the information. They should be able to tell if the truck had these items factory installed by th VIN #.That relay is what is needed to activate the towing electircal circuit

470reasons

Tomorrow, I'll check and see if there is an extra connector or some wiring hanging loose near the relay box. The GX may have been in an accident and had the relay box replaced with a no-tow option box. (Carfax did not show any accidents.)

mrblister

That makes sense The harness should be there if what you think may have happened

470reasons

This is interesting. On the Sewell site they show the Pintle hitch option. Never noticed 'till now, but if you highlight the middle picture below the hitch, there's some sort of relay setup there. The box and relay(s) don't come with the hitch. No explanation of what they are for.

http://lexus.sewellparts.com/accesso...2004/4229.html

mrblister

The green relay installs in the rear left behind the rear left brake light assemble My 2004 did not have the relay but there was a harness connector in that area. I had quite a long conversation with sewell when I was buying my parts. I believe that the green relay was used in 2003 but was changed and some 2004 need them and some do not. .I had bought the green relay along with the relay that was to go into the dim socket. Since I could not use the green relay I just plugged in the relay in the dim socket and then my trailer electrical was active . I guess you will have to investigate underneath your dim relay box and look for some wire harness. if you dont find it then you will have to look into the area around where the jack is stored and pull the panel and see if you have a green relay installed there and if not see if you have a connector and count how many contacts then look at the green relay on sewel site and see if it matches your harness contacts. The green relay I bought did not match up to the harness connector in my jack storage area so I just figured I would try the dim relay and as I said to my surprise that activated my trailer circuit.

Good luck


Buddy

470reasons

Hello again MrB:

LOL! New theory on what's going on. Could it be that the relay box plastic covers got switched on your GX? If that happened, then when you thought you were installing the DIM relay it was the tow relay that was actually being plugged in. My wiring looks O.K.

In the photo below, is that the spot where you plugged in the new towing relay????


(((This is not my GX. Mine is not this rusty!)))

mrblister

I will look at mine tonight when I get home and will post a picture of both small relay boxes.

Hear is a picture of the green relay [ THis is not my truck but this is the place this relay would go ] I did not need this one. I will post pics of my relay boxes later

470reasons

Thanks. The picture of the green relay helps. Will check.

Found what looks like about a 24-pin unused connector back there. The connector has a grey protective cap on it. This is not a relay type connector, so I guess I don't need the green relay either.