Instructions on Installing a Hitch and Tow Package for 2002 Rx300

When my dealer wanted to charge me $600 for a hitch and "tow package", I about laughed in his face. Later, they were far from helpful (and perhaps even dishonest) when I tried to get an after-market hitch installed, but I figured it out without them. Here's how you can do it. This applies to a 2002 RX300. Cost: roughly $150 and 2 hrs of my time.

1) Go to U-Haul and have them install a hitch compatible for the RX300. They have a model that is an exact fit -- it bolts into the holes already provided in the Lexus auto frame. Cost: about $130. Time: 40 min.

2) Go to the web site

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and find the closest Draw-Tite dealer. Ask them for "wiring harness" #18245. It costs $16.34 /inc. tax. (Do not have U-Haul install a 3rd party, non-OEM product that requires them to cut into your battery power and run a wire from the engine to the rear bumper. Thats totally unnecessary.) Time: 1hr

3) Remove the spare tire. If your vehicle included the "tow package", it should have a bright blue plastic box in the spare tire compartment labeled "Tow Assem. Converter". This must be there, else you'll have to buy it. If you must buy it, its quite expensive. If you have it, proceed to step #4. Reinstall spare tire. Time: 5 min

4) Under the vehicle, directly below the spare tire, you'll find a black plastic cover with three nuts holding it to the underside of the car. Remove the 3 nuts. This will expose a gray cable connector that the Draw-Tite #18245 connects to. Reattach the plastic cover and run the wiring harness/cable to the trailer hitch and secure it with zip-ties. Time: 20min

5) In the engine compartment, remove the fuse box cover. Look at the cover to determine where the 20-Amp fuse must be placed for the "TOW" option. Insert the 20A fuse (included in #18245). Time: 5 min.

Viola! Done!

I hope this helps someone through the Lexus Dealership hassle I endured.

Thanks. dkar

Reply to
dkar
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You, sir, are a true gentleman for posting this.

Reply to
GRL

Wow, What a great post! I was so pleased when I saw the bright blue box in the spare compartment. I received the same runaround from my lexus dealer also. They wanted $500+ to install the wiring on my 2001 rx300. I have been trying to find out how to do this for 2 years. The only info I could find was that you had to tear apart your car to install the wiring that would take hours. The part would cost over $300 also. What puzzled me was that the sticker says my vehicle was prewired for towing. Nobody at the dealership had a clue. I have searched the whole area for the drawtite harness but nobody has it so I had to special order it. I sure hope this works. One question- what is the big black box that is under the cover for the wiring?

Reply to
ram

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