1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius Plug in Towing

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by TP5858, Jul 2, 2015.

  1. TP5858

    TP5858 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    Babylon
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Has anyone towed anything with their Prius Plug In? If so, how many lbs have you tried and what wiring harness did you use?
    thx,
    TP5858
     
    #1 TP5858, Jul 2, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,050
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome! i don't think i've seen anything, but if you're going to use hv mod, you can read up on the lift back threads. i have considered getting a small trailer to tow stuff to the dump. maybe 500 lbs altogether. but i would be in ev mode only. all the best!(y)
     
    #2 bisco, Jul 2, 2015
  3. TP5858

    TP5858 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    Babylon
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Thx for the response, agreed it would only be a small trailer with a row boat or something to that effect 500 lbs max. However, it seems that there is some conflicting information about tow hitch wiring harnesses. I have already installed the Curt tow bar assembly for the Prius, but just now came to find out that the Curt wire harness I bought excludes the plug in for assembly. There is another company called Tow Ready that makes a harness as well, but even though their customer service told me it would work, their website says it will not. It could be that because we have plug in Prius's that there is no electrical harness that can make a trailer light up with our cars :(
     
    #3 TP5858, Jul 3, 2015
  4. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2012
    477
    303
    6
    Location:
    Tropical Buffalo NY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    I tow a small 4' x 8 ' tilt bed harbor freight trailer approximately once a month with my plugin Prius.
    I purchased a Curt hitch, 2"euro ball and harness off EBay for approximately $130.
    My trailer weighs approximately 300 pounds and my typical cargo is 500 pounds or less.
    I use the torque app to monitor transaxle and engine temps and have yet to observe any concerning temps.
    When I am towing I avoid carrying additional passengers/cargo in the car and arrange the trailer cargo to minimize tongue weight.
    I did change my transaxle fluid at 30,000 miles and plan to change it every 60,0000 miles in the future.
     
    #4 IMkenNY, Jul 3, 2015
    Yea Right and Lunnara like this.
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,050
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i would be surprised if the plug in wiring is any different than the lift back. i'm no expert, but isn't it just a matter of tapping the brake and running light wiring?
     
    #5 bisco, Jul 3, 2015
  6. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2012
    477
    303
    6
    Location:
    Tropical Buffalo NY
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    The Curt Ebay hitch package electrical harness/ converter was generic and required you to tap into the cars wiring .
    I enjoy soldering so I didn't mind using this harness.I did have to provide my own fuse/holder for the 12V power requirement.
     
    #6 IMkenNY, Jul 3, 2015
  7. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    22,447
    11,760
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    That is all it should take.
    The companies saying no, are likely just saying so for CYA purposes.
     
    #7 Trollbait, Jul 3, 2015
  8. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2005
    3,686
    699
    2
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Have you been at a Commack Rd., Deer Park,Home Depot during this 4th of July weekend?
    As Bisco said, the wiring is the same for all hatchbacks and PiP; may defire in the color combinations.
     
    #8 mrbigh, Jul 5, 2015
  9. TP5858

    TP5858 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    Babylon
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    No I wasn't at the Deer Park Home Depot this passed weekend.
    Thank you everyone for the great responses. I put on my tow hitch, hooked up my little trailer, weighs 440 lbs, and added a plastic pontoon boat 145 lbs and towed it around all July 4th weekend. Dropped the boat into several lakes in Patchogue NY. The car and hitch and trailer performed perfectly (went without a hitch, sorry). I have not yet hooked up the wiring harness, but the boat sits lower than my own tail lights. I am going to hook it up today or tomorrow and will report back. I have both the Curt wiring harness and the Tow Ready wiring harness. Not sure which I will use yet, but I will report back on how it works out.
     
    #9 TP5858, Jul 6, 2015
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,050
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    (y)(y)(y)(y) pics!!!! (y)(y)(y)(y)
     
    #10 bisco, Jul 6, 2015
  11. TP5858

    TP5858 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    Babylon
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Sorry Bisco didn't see your request for pics until after I finished the wiring harness install, but I will post a few pics of my prius with the hitch, and trailer with my boat on it. I promise. Happy to report that this lighting harness install was not much trouble at all. I used the Curt T-Connector lighting harness model # 56147 which is actually for the regular Prius. I am sure that the Tow Ready model would have worked as well. The manufacturer says it will not work with the Plug In, however, as others on here have stated on here, this is just to cover their own behinds because we have an electric car right. Anyway, you take apart most of the trunk area to get to the wires and battery, not the Huge Space Odessey battery that is in the middle of our trunks, but the normal battery which we have as well, which is behind the passenger side rear side panels in the trunk. This install took about 30 minutes to complete. I had to call a friend midway because I needed a third hand to hold back the rear panels while I was connected the wires. It works like its supposed to, my trailer lights are working, now I don't have to worry about the police pulling me over for this. Thanks again for all the quick support on here folks!!
     
    #11 TP5858, Jul 6, 2015
    bisco likes this.
  12. Sally Ford

    Sally Ford New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2015
    1
    1
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    You can tow up to 2,000 lbs. According to hitchweb, the only hitch listed for your vehicle is #112763. I can't post links yet but if you google hitchweb you can put the part number into the keyword search and it will come up for you that way.
    I didn't see any wiring listed for your vehicle. I'm not entirely sure that they make anything.
     
    #12 Sally Ford, Jul 7, 2015
    bisco likes this.
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,133
    50,050
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome to priuschat, that's a great website!(y)
     
    #13 bisco, Jul 7, 2015
  14. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    5,084
    1,782
    1
    Location:
    Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Anyone else ever tow anything with their PiP? Thinking about getting a hitch for a super light pop up camper.
     
    #14 markabele, Jul 30, 2020
  15. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    608
    532
    0
    Location:
    Folsom, Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    ...(crickets)...
    Of course, you know the book says not to pull any trailer. I keep an old Subaru just for that. My trailer and the boat are about 400 pounds.
     
    #15 Pluggo, Jul 30, 2020
  16. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    5,084
    1,782
    1
    Location:
    Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Very useful post. Thanks for posting!
     
    #16 markabele, Jul 31, 2020
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)