Breakaway Cable
A breakaway cable links a braked trailer to the towing car and pulls on the trailer brakes if the trailer becomes uncoupled.
What is Breakaway Cable?
It is attached to a dedicated point on the tow bar, not looped over the ball unless allowed. Unbraked trailers use a secondary coupling cable instead. It must be long enough for tight turns without pulling tight. Replace the cable if it has been used in a breakaway or shows damage.
How it works
If the coupling fails, the cable tightens and pulls the trailer’s handbrake lever on.
Why it matters for your car
Check the cable for wear and correct routing before each trip. A cable that drags on the ground can wear through.
Other terms
- A/C Leak Test
- Battery Recycling
- Battery Swapping
- Brake Assist
- Brake Disc (Rotor)
- Charging Losses
- Coil Spring Compressor
- Drive-by-wire (Electronic Throttle)
- EV Tyres
- Fuse
- Head Gasket
- Kerb Weight (Curb Weight)
- LIN Bus
- Ozone Treatment (Odour Removal)
- Pedestrian And Cyclist Detection
- Seat Adjustment
- Sequential Turbocharging
- Targa Top
- Vehicle Ownership Transfer
- Wheel Offset (ET)