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Looking back through the thread, I think I see one of my problems with my attempt at an install. Here's a photo from earlier:
At the top are two bolts holding the hanger onto the car. The instructions that came with the hitch said to remove those, but I couldn't budge them. But here, instead of taking those off, someone disconnected the rubber part from the pins to drop the muffler. How do you do that?
Looking back through the thread, I think I see one of my problems with my attempt at an install. Here's a photo from earlier:
At the top are two bolts holding the hanger onto the car. The instructions that came with the hitch said to remove those, but I couldn't budge them. But here, instead of taking those off, someone disconnected the rubber part from the pins to drop the muffler. How do you do that?
Spray WD-40 (or some type of lubricant) on the rubber hanger and use a big bar to pry the rubber hanger off the metal bracket.
Just coming back to confirm that Draw-Tite 76634 (etrailer DT82QR) DOES fit the 2024 NX350h. Like everyone else, the box from etrailer will be mostly destroyed when your hitch arrives - I emailed them about this (see photo).
It was not a one-man install (at least not for me and my back) because you do need to drop the muffler to maneuver it into place, and to lift both sides and install the bolts at the same time. I ended up bringing it to a local body shop that did it in 40' for $150. At one point there was one guy lifting it and two guys under the car putting in the bolts. Maybe someone more talented than me could do it themselves, but I considered it worth it once I saw them struggling. Better their backs than mine!
I'm glad I got the Draw Tite and not the Curt since the crossbar is practically invisible!
The kick sensor does still work! I need to kick about 6" to the right of the center of the car, but once I found the spot I did it multiple times on the first try. There must be a sensor there that is not midline with the car. Obviously, I'll turn that off when I put my bike rack on.
I have a Thule bike rack, and with it in the proper place there is plenty of clearance from the back of the car.
Just coming back to confirm that Draw-Tite 76634 (etrailer DT82QR) DOES fit the 2024 NX350h. Like everyone else, the box from etrailer will be mostly destroyed when your hitch arrives - I emailed them about this (see photo).
It was not a one-man install (at least not for me and my back) because you do need to drop the muffler to maneuver it into place, and to lift both sides and install the bolts at the same time. I ended up bringing it to a local body shop that did it in 40' for $150. At one point there was one guy lifting it and two guys under the car putting in the bolts. Maybe someone more talented than me could do it themselves, but I considered it worth it once I saw them struggling. Better their backs than mine!
I'm glad I got the Draw Tite and not the Curt since the crossbar is practically invisible!
The kick sensor does still work! I need to kick about 6" to the right of the center of the car, but once I found the spot I did it multiple times on the first try. There must be a sensor there that is not midline with the car. Obviously, I'll turn that off when I put my bike rack on.
I have a Thule bike rack, and with it in the proper place there is plenty of clearance from the back of the car.
Can you post a few more pictures so I can see how far it sticks out from the car? Maybe a side view of the car or open the liftgate and take a picture looking down on it? I think it looks great and I like that the kick sensor still works. I have a 2023 regular NX-350 and would think the hitch should fit it the same as it fits on your car. ( I hope )
Can you post a few more pictures so I can see how far it sticks out from the car? Maybe a side view of the car or open the liftgate and take a picture looking down on it? I think it looks great and I like that the kick sensor still works. I have a 2023 regular NX-350 and would think the hitch should fit it the same as it fits on your car. ( I hope )
John
It actually sticks out less far than the bumper itself!
I looked underneath to try to find the kick sensor(s). I didn't see anything obvious, except this little black rectangle that's right above where I've been kicking, 6" to the passenger side of the middle. I do not see another one of these in the middle or towards the driver's side of the car. So maybe this is the sensor? But I don't see or feel any obvious wires running to it, so who knows? I do have the towing package, and someone had a theory that with that the number or location of the sensor(s) might be in different places. All that said, I do not guarantee that YOUR kick sensor(s) will work! Trying to get info directly from Lexus is a pipe dream.
p.s. Even though the hitch does not stick out far, the place for the hitch pin is close to the back end of the hitch, so that is what gave me plenty of clearance when I put in my bike rack and lined up that hole. If they had put the hole where the white stickers are, there might have been a problem, so maybe Draw Tite thought about this and was smart!
@tbartman67 It looks awesome. Great job. Thanks for the photos.
I didn't do anything except pay etrailer and my local body shop! I'm glad it's done. Just over $500 total for part and labor, but now I am set for a while!
At some point I hope to get a plug and play wiring harness. Although I'm in the US, the Canadian dealers list an easy to install harness for the 2023. When I called a dealer in Windsor, ON, she suggested I wait until it's verified for the 2024, probably next spring.
When I called a dealer in Windsor, ON, she suggested I wait until it's verified for the 2024, probably next spring.
NEXT Spring? What's their hurry? Couldn't they just wait until winter of 2024? There are some crazy dealers out there. I guess they don't understand market timing. Think of all the dollars they lose as a result of procrastination? I find it baffling sometimes.
NEXT Spring? What's their hurry? Couldn't they just wait until winter of 2024? There are some crazy dealers out there. I guess they don't understand market timing. Think of all the dollars they lose as a result of procrastination? I find it baffling sometimes.
Yeah, when I had her put my VIN into the system to find compatible parts, it didn't even show up! Fortunately I'm not in a rush to tow, it's mostly for the bike rack.
It's odd that you can go to a US dealer website and not see a real hitch or wiring harness at all, but on the Canadian ones the parts show (at least up to 2023).
I've been to other Lexus parts websites where you select your vehicle from a drop down list, and it stops at 2021!
Yeah, when I had her put my VIN into the system to find compatible parts, it didn't even show up! Fortunately I'm not in a rush to tow, it's mostly for the bike rack.
It's odd that you can go to a US dealer website and not see a real hitch or wiring harness at all, but on the Canadian ones the parts show (at least up to 2023).
I've been to other Lexus parts websites where you select your vehicle from a drop down list, and it stops at 2021!
AGREE, the whole Lexus Part search is screwed up in my opinion. I have a 23 450H+ Base and they don't show the NX, don't show the 2023 and practically none of them show you the 450H+ Base or F-Sport. I was looking for an oil filter and can't find it on the Lexus Part Store. So I put Oil Filter and there are a million of them. Like if I knew which one to buy I would just put the PN in the system. Other filters are even worse. So Lexus has a lot of work to do in their Parts Stores in my opinion.
Yeah, when I had her put my VIN into the system to find compatible parts, it didn't even show up! Fortunately I'm not in a rush to tow, it's mostly for the bike rack.
It's odd that you can go to a US dealer website and not see a real hitch or wiring harness at all, but on the Canadian ones the parts show (at least up to 2023).
I've been to other Lexus parts websites where you select your vehicle from a drop down list, and it stops at 2021!
When I called the dealer in Canada she said the hitch shown there comes with the wiring harness. When I asked if I could buy just the harness because I already have the hitch, that's when she put my VIN in and said to wait a little until it updated in her system. I was calling this one FYI since it's the closest to me in Ohio
More on the neverending saga of not being able to get straight information from Lexus...
I'm pretty peeved that we're all on here trying to help each other out, while Lexus has its head up its a$$ and can't provide reliable information, so I went to their website and sent the following message:
A number of us with the 2nd generation NX are concerned about false advertising regarding towing with these vehicles. I specifically have a 2024 NX350h and paid $160 to have the "towing package" installed. 1) No one, nowhere, can tell me what this package actually is. 2) My dealer only offered to install an "activity mount" which is neither the right size nor rated for towing a trailer, and said that there is no towing hitch available and that I am not allowed to tow with my car. 3) There is no wiring present to connect to a trailer's lights, and no one can provide me either the part number or the instructions for installing this wiring.There is no information on any US Lexus website with these part numbers or information about installing a proper towing hitch and wiring. The Canadian website does show an installed hitch with the wiring present. A UK website lists a wiring part, with FIFTY-THREE pages of instructions for installing the wiring, which includes disassembling most of the back of the car.
We want you to answer these questions:
1) Can every 2nd generation NX with the "towing package" installed tow a trailer?
2) What exactly are we paying for when we get a car with the towing package?
3) What is the Lexus part number for a trailer hitch rated to 2000 lb with a 2" receiver, and where are the installation instructions?
4) What is the Lexus part number for the wiring for a trailer, and where are the installation instructions?
Two days later I got a call from Lexus Customer Service, and they said that they can't answer any questions, and I have to talk to my local service manager. I explained that we're all on here getting different information from different service people, and we wanted someone at the national level to give us the truth. Over the next 15 minutes he refused to do this, and only said "if your service manager doesn't have the info, HE can go up the chain of command to get the info for you." I was simply getting nowhere. But he offered to keep me on the line and transfer my call to my local service manager.
When I got this guy, he did say that the "towing package" is a transmission cooler, and pre-wiring for the trailer. I told him I wanted the part numbers and cost, separately, for installing a real (2" receiver, 2000 lb capacity) hitch and for the wiring harness and hookup. He said he'd get back to me in 10 minutes.
An hour later he calls, but I was busy. I called him back and he said the info was in his car, but that they could install a real hitch, which would involve changing the kick sensor to one with a wider sensing area, and do the wiring, and with parts and labor it was about $1300. (I did not divulge that I already did a hitch myselfm, and that my kick sensor works). I pressed him for the prices separately (thinking maybe I'll have them do the wiring) by saying maybe I wanted the hitch now for my bike and would consider the wiring for a trailer later.
He said "it's all one deal, because there is no part for the wiring, it's already inside the car on your model and just needs to be run down to under the body of the car - there's only labor for that and we do it when we do the hitch." I do know that I cannot find ANY wiring under the car, but I have not torn apart to the bottom of the trunk to see if there is something just laying there that looks like the trailer harness.
I asked for the part numbers and prices, and he said he'd text me when he was done with his next meeting, but this was 2 hours ago. I'll call him later if I still don't have an answer.
As I've said before, at least with the Draw Tite hitch I put on, I do not need any change to the kick sensor. It works almost perfectly (today I did have to kick twice to find the right spot, but usually I get it on the first try).
I'm thinking maybe I'll try to get the info from him, but then cool my jets and when I go in for my first free service (and they see the hitch on there) I ask them for a quote on the spot to "run the wiring" from inside the trunk to under the body, and see what their response is. (note to self - you were speaking with Rocky)
The Canadian part comes with the wiring as one kit with the wiring kit.
The Tow package on NX does NOT include trailer pre-wiring. They need to remove the entire trunk trims (Side and back) to connect the wiring kit that comes with the hitch to the lights as T connectors, a converter box and the Hybrid 12v battery in trunk. Its is a lengthy job.
tbartman67, I share your pain. I have been down the road and gave up. I did however install the factory hitch and like it better for it is stronger (clamps on both sides of the frame), replaces the aluminum bumper with a much stronger steel cross member, easier for 1 person to install for nothing other than the plastic bumper cover needs to be removed, with the help of my wife. The exhaust can stay in place. But mostly because it does not hang down so far and stick out the back. Part number PW960-78005 and can be purchased with free shipping for under $300. If you want to change the kick sensor, it is part number 8910A-78010. I only use it for a bike rack. If removing a bumper makes you cringe, perhaps the other hitch options or pay some one to do it are better.
I can't seem to attach the installation instructions, but if you call a different dealer service department, they will send or give you a temporary link.
As for wiring, it looks like the gas wire kit is PT725-78220 and the Hybrid is PT725-78221, and they both look like an absolute pain to install. Instructions are attached. I'm uncertain if these are for the model with the tow package or not. Verify with the dealer first. There are other 3rd party wire kits that may need some mods to work, and they look simpler to install. Far cheaper too. My guess is the factory wiring is more robust. I did not do the wiring for it is not needed for my bike rack.
Unrelated, I've come to realize and accept that Lexus is just a better looking Toyota, not better made. That is not necessarily a bad thing for Toyota makes one of the best most reliable cars out there. I wrongly believed that Lexus was superior in more ways than just cosmetics... before owning and working on one.
08-25-23, 10:18 AM
