Those of you who had installed Draw-Tite or Curt trailer hitch with wiring harness: the instructions for the harness recommend connecting the 12v feed wire directly to the battery. I don't want to pull the wire all the way to the front, if I can avoid it. There is a cigarette lighter in the back, which can handle 10 amp. The wiring harness draws 6 amp. I am debating to connect the harness 12v feed wire to the cigarette lighter, keeping the in-line 10 amp fuse that comes with the harness. Has anyone done that? Thanks.

 

On my 2017 NX200t, the power feed for the rear power outlet socket is the 15A P/OUTLET NO.1 fuse in the Instrument Panel Junction Block.

That power feed is switched by the P/OUTLET relay, also in the Instrument Panel Junction Block.

The P/OUTLET relay is energized (power to the outlet) from the 5A ACC fuse, so it is powered when the vehicle is in accessory and in run.

Yes, it should work to snag power from that point for the trailer light module. Note that the trailer lights WILL NOT WORK if the vehicle is turned off when wired to that point. Normal / proper trailer wiring will cause the trailer lamps to illuminate whenever the vehicle lamps are illuminated.

 

Excellent point. Thanks for quick reply. I just don't want to drag the feed wire all the way to the front and have it exposed to possible damage under the car. Pulling it through the interior would change a quick install into a lot longer adventure, hiding it under the carpet, etc.

 

This reply has the OEM Lexus instructions showing how to disassemble the interior to add the trailer wiring.

This reply shows how I'm going to wire my 7-Way round blade connector.

 

I read both of them a few days ago. I am just too lazy to do all that unless there is a convincing reason why I can't tap into the cig lighter for 12v.

 

I ended up getting the 12V power for the trailer hitch from the cigarette lighter in the back. Saved me from the whole adventure of dragging the power cable all the way to the battery.

Since then I towed a U-Haul trailer overnight from Dallas TX to Atlanta GA. The lights on the trailer were the regular type, non-LED. Everything worked fine, no issues. The only thing I had to remember that once the ignition on the car was off, the trailer lights went dark.

 

This topic shows how I obtained +12VDC continuous power for the trailer lights and for the trailer, directly from the battery, routed along the bottom.

This method does not require disassembly of the interior.