Witter Towbars

EC Type Approval

Questions & Answers as applied in the UK

Click on the question to reveal the answer:

• Why was European Type Approval for towbars introduced?
  • Directive 94/20/EC was introduced as part of European Whole Vehicle Type Approval to provide a common standard throughout the European Community, thus creating an open market. Irrespective of where a towbar has been manufactured, providing it has been Type Approved, a customer will know that it has been manufactured to a known technical and quality standard.
• What may happen if I don't fit a Type Approved towbar?
  • If your car is first registered on or after the 1st August 1998, you could be prosecuted for an infringement of Construction & Use Regulations or your Insurers may decline to pay out in the event of an accident claim. If you are unsure which towbar to fit contact your local Witter specialist, who can be found under National Stockists.
• I only tow a small trailer on rare occasions, do I need a type approved towbar?
  • YES. The towbar must be certified even if not used for towing! Otherwise it does not comply with the Road Traffic Act.
• Can I transfer a non approved towbar from my 1996 Vauxhall Vectra to the new Vectra I am getting, which is registered after August 1998, if I fit it myself?
  • NO. Only Type Approved towbars can be fitted to vehicles that are registered on or after the 1st August 1998.
• Does 94/20/EC mean that I can only have a swan neck towbar fitted as supplied by the vehicle manufacturers?
  • NO. A towbar with the popular two - hole flange ball faceplate and towball made by an Independent towbar manufacturer can be EC Type Approved. Witter already have a range of over 250 covering the vast majority of vehicle applications.
• I have a Ford KA and want to tow my small trailer but nobody lists a towbar. Can I have one specially manufactured?
  • NO. When EC Type Approving the vehicle, the manufacturer did not declare that it was suitable for towing. It therefore has no specified towing capacity and no specified mounting points. Towing with, or even the fitment of a towbar to any such vehicle registered on or after the 1st August 1998 would make you liable to prosecution.
• How can I find out if my new car or model variant, is EC Type Approved for towing?
  • For a new car or model variant a definitive answer could be obtained by examining the vehicle VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) plate, which should have four figures stamped into the lower edge denoting its carrying capacity.
    
    VIN No. (known as chassis number)
    XXXX kg -(Max vehicle weight)
    XXXX kg -(Max train weight i.e. vehicle and trailer)
    1. XXXX kg -(Max front axle load)
    2. XXXX kg -(Max rear axle load)
    
    If no train weight is specified then the vehicle is not approved for towing, and therefore cannot legally do so. If a train weight is specified then the towing weight is this figure less the maximum vehicle weight The VIN plate is usually located under the bonnet. However it can sometimes be elsewhere.
• Can I fit a Type Approved towbar myself or do I have to go to an authorised fitter?
  • YES. You can fit the towbar yourself provided that it is installed in accordance with the instructions provided, but you may prefer a Witter specialist to carry out the complete installation to include the often awkward towing electrics.
• How can I tell if a towbar is EC Type Approved?
  • It will have a label, data plate or stamping showing an E No. (e.g. E11*0001*00). This figure denotes that it is EC Approved in the UK (E11), has approval number (0001), of EC Document revision 0. In fact this is a Witter type approval for the Ssangyong Musso the first EC Approved UK towbar!
• I am going to buy a used 'S' registered Mondeo. The towbar fitted is not Type Approved. What do I do?
  • Insist that the towbar is immediately removed and replaced with one that is Type Approved. If you meet any resistance report the matter to your local Trading Standards Office.
• I have a non EC Type Approved towbar on my 'P' registered BMW 320 (an EC Type Approved vehicle, registered in the UK in January 1997). Can I legally use the car to tow my caravan to Germany?
  • YES. Although the EC Regulations are applied differently and introduced at different times in different countries, it is the country of registration that defines how and when you comply with the relevant EC Regulations.
• If I have an accident whilst towing on the Continent using a non EC Approved Towbar will I be liable to prosecution for not having an EC Approved towbar?
  • NO. Provided the vehicle is registered in the UK before the 1st August 1998. However, if the towbar is considered to have contributed to causing the accident for reasons of inadequacy e.g. a poor quality 'home made' unit, or obviously incorrectly installed, then naturally prosecution may be a possibility. Always fit a good quality product.
• My local motor dealer says that my warranty will be invalidated unless I fit the manufacturer's towbar?
  • 94/20/EC was designed to create free trade. If you fit a Witter Type Approved towbar it will not invalidate the vehicle warranty. Under EC Block Exemption Rules a motor vehicle manufacturer cannot prevent a franchised outlet from supplying or fitting components deemed to be of equal quality to that supplied by the vehicle manufacture - such as a Type Approved towbar.
• Can I fit a 'drop plate' to an EC Type Approved towbar?
  • Only if the towbar has been submitted and tested for EC Type Approval using a 'drop plate'. Some Witter towbars for 4WD off road vehicles have been tested in this way, e.g. Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery and Defender, the new Mitsubishi Shogun and Mercedes M Class. Your local Witter specialist will be pleased to advise you.
• Can I fit a cycle carrier or stabiliser between the towbar faceplate and the towball, when the towbar is EC Type Approved?
  • YES. Witter towbars are tested with a minimum spacer of 25mm between the towball and the towbar.
• Must the towball have a separate EC Type Approval and have a Type Approval number?
  • No. All Witter towbars have a specified towball part number which has been tested and approved as a component of the towbar. These have their own identification Z11. The identification is clearly stamped on the top flat section of the towball, set inside an outline of the Witter logo.