[rothwem]

Hey, OP here.

My sister in law lives in a different state 900 miles away, but we went and visited this week. I finally got a chance to check out her hitch—it's a stealth hitch. Funny enough, it was installed by a BMW dealership in Tyler Texas and they assured her that it wouldn't hurt her warranty. She's thrilled with it, and there's a convenient cubby in the back to put the little hitch attachment box.

She's hanging onto the paperwork just in case she gets hassled though.

Also, the comfort access kick to open tailgate still works.

[SWBOS]

rothwem Would you happen to know if your sister has the electrics installed too and if so, is it the BMW OEM or the Stealth ones?

Steve @ Stealth was still having trouble getting one of the BMW OEM harness when I last exchanged emails with him, but I live in hope that he'll have a BMW setup available in the next couple of months.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by SWBOS

rothwem Would you happen to know if your sister has the electrics installed too and if so, is it the BMW OEM or the Stealth ones?

Steve @ Stealth was still having trouble getting one of the BMW OEM harness when I last exchanged emails with him, but I live in hope that he'll have a BMW setup available in the next couple of months.

No harness installed, she just wanted it for her bike rack.

[Shawzy44]

Has anyone in the USA been able to order Wiring Set 61-12-9-834-453?

BMW Toronto is saying that BMW Canada wont have this in stock until the end of the year.

[denaliman]

Originally Posted by Shawzy44

Has anyone in the USA been able to order Wiring Set 61-12-9-834-453?

BMW Toronto is saying that BMW Canada wont have this in stock until the end of the year.

This is totally unexceptable! BMW get your shit together.

[Shawzy44]

Looks like the X5 wiring harness is listed at BMW Canada.

https://shop.bmwtoronto.ca/p/bmw_201...129834453.html

I have emailed to inquire and see if I can get a discount from the $305 CDN price tag!

[SmartSaves]

Originally Posted by Shawzy44

Looks like the X5 wiring harness is listed at BMW Canada.

Nice find! Please share with us if you get and install it.

The whole setup is relatively priced high compared to getting it from the factory.

For those who carry bikes only, I wander if they could just install the hitch part?

[SWBOS]

Originally Posted by SmartSaves

Nice find! Please share with us if you get and install it.

The whole setup is relatively priced high compared to getting it from the factory.

For those who carry bikes only, I wander if they could just install the hitch part?

You most certainly can run a hitch only without the electrics. The only issue really is that "trailer mode" is not available in iDrive so the rear electronics for parking etc go a bit nuts.

On my particular setup the passenger side passing car warning light in the mirror is pretty much always on when I carry the bikes. I know I could switch that off within iDrive, but it'd be nice to have just one place to tell the car about carrying bikes.

You also need the electrics if you do intend to tow a trailer on rare occasion, although there are options other than the OEM harness / controller IF you really want to go that route.

[JJ Aviator]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Hey, OP here.

My sister in law lives in a different state 900 miles away, but we went and visited this week. I finally got a chance to check out her hitch—it's a stealth hitch. Funny enough, it was installed by a BMW dealership in Tyler Texas and they assured her that it wouldn't hurt her warranty. She's thrilled with it, and there's a convenient cubby in the back to put the little hitch attachment box.

She's hanging onto the paperwork just in case she gets hassled though.

Also, the comfort access kick to open tailgate still works.

Wow, I’m actually ordering the stealth hitch and was going to get the BMW dealership in Tyler, Texas to install it.

[Maximus2002]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Hey, OP here.

My sister in law lives in a different state 900 miles away, but we went and visited this week. I finally got a chance to check out her hitch—it's a stealth hitch. Funny enough, it was installed by a BMW dealership in Tyler Texas and they assured her that it wouldn't hurt her warranty. She's thrilled with it, and there's a convenient cubby in the back to put the little hitch attachment box.

She's hanging onto the paperwork just in case she gets hassled though.

Also, the comfort access kick to open tailgate still works.

How much did the dealership charge your sister in law to install the hitch? Would you know by the chance?

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by Maximus2002

How much did the dealership charge your sister in law to install the hitch? Would you know by the chance?

Honestly I don't know how much it cost.

[JJ Aviator]

Originally Posted by Maximus2002

How much did the dealership charge your sister in law to install the hitch? Would you know by the chance?

I was quoted $930 for labor. The hitch is about $1,000. Getting mine installed as soon as the hitch comes in.

[Sirksael]

Originally Posted by SWBOS

... but it'd be nice to have just one place to tell the car about carrying bikes.
...

Don't you have this?
In car->settings->general settings
under "car settings" I have several options which can be activated manually, like activating valet mode, parking mode, and a "driving with a trailer" mode. That does exactly what you describe.

[Maximus2002]

Originally Posted by JJ Aviator

I was quoted $930 for labor. The hitch is about $1,000. Getting mine installed as soon as the hitch comes in.

Thank you for your information. Now I have an idea how much it would cost me before talking to my service advisor.

[SWBOS]

Originally Posted by Sirksael

Don't you have this?
In car->settings->general settings
under "car settings" I have several options which can be activated manually, like activating valet mode, parking mode, and a "driving with a trailer" mode. That does exactly what you describe.

Hi Sirksael, nope no such option for me. Consensus seems to be that the Towing Module is needed (and coding) to activate that option in iDrive. Awaiting Stealth to release an OEM tow upgrade package.

[Shawzy44]

Wiring still not available to order, although its listed on the BMW Canada parts site. Will try again in a month.

Originally Posted by Shawzy44

Looks like the X5 wiring harness is listed at BMW Canada.

https://shop.bmwtoronto.ca/p/bmw_201...129834453.html

I have emailed to inquire and see if I can get a discount from the $305 CDN price tag!

[Multimodal]

BMW Monterey told me it's now showing an ETA of November 1, 2020 to the main distribution center in Germany. It will then take a few weeks to be stocked in the US distribution centers. However, this date has been pushed back several times since I first started tracking it in April. I have zero confidence the wiring will actually be available on November 1.

We should all be emailing BMW and telling them this is bullshit.

I'm actively shopping for a truck to potentially replace my X5.

[Mjbmw1]

I just got mine in last week still have not put it in.

Trying to figure out what connector type is the circle

[denaliman]

Originally Posted by Mjbmw1

I just got mine in last week still have not put it in.

Trying to figure out what connector type is the circle

So Mj...is this the BMW active harness everyone has been waiitng for? Or is this some other wiring harness for the hitch?

[Mjbmw1]

this is the harness everyone is waiting for. This allows you to hookup any hitch because it uses the factory prewired tow connection which is the rectangle 8 pin. The other 3 grouped are for the computer and then circle connects to the pollak connector ( i am missing this but that what it looks like). Which is the tow connector 7pin US. I only paid 120 euro for the harness here in germany. My vehicle is a 2020 M50i US spec not euro. As I know i am the first to have this harness and will be the first factory retrofit but using stealth hitch because factory was ugly lol

[denaliman]

This is good news Mj. I have been waiting for this part. I am also going to install the Stealth hitch. Have you ordered the hitch from stealth or spoke to them? Will the Pollack connector fit the current stealth connector bracket?

[Mjbmw1]

The Pollak connector i still have to buy but I will find out. I have the Stealth Hitch.