ISO 11446 (13-Pin)
Towing & Hitches · 7 specs
Direct Answer
The ISO 11446 Connector (also known as the Jaeger 13-Pin European standard) is the modern mandatory trailer electrical interface across Europe, the UK, and Australia. Featuring an IP-sealed, waterproof bayonet twist-locking circular housing with 13 gold-plated pin contacts supporting individual left/right lighting circuits, rear fog lamps, reverse lights, and continuous/switched caravan power.
Source: ISO 11446-1:2012 (Road vehicles — Connectors for the electrical connection of towing and towed vehicles — 13-pole connector) · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Standardization | ISO 11446-1 / DIN ISO 11446 (Jaeger 13-Pole System) |
| Mechanical Bayonet Lock | 90-degree twist-to-lock bayonet collar with double silicone perimeter gasket (fully waterproof IP67) |
| Pin 1 & 4 (Indicators) | Pin 1: Left Indicator (Yellow) | Pin 4: Right Indicator (Green) |
| Pin 2 & 8 (Fog & Reverse) | Pin 2: Rear Fog Lamp (Blue) | Pin 8: Reversing Lights (Pink) |
| Pin 3, 11, 13 (Independent Grounds) | Pin 3: Ground for Pins 1-8 | Pin 11: Ground for Pin 10 | Pin 13: Ground for Pin 9 (isolated 2.5 mm² ground returns) |
| Pin 5 & 7 (Isolated Left/Right Tail) | Pin 5: Right Side Marker/Tail (Brown) | Pin 7: Left Side Marker/Tail (Black — separate fuses prevent total blackout if one side fails) |
| Pin 9 & 10 (Caravan Power) | Pin 9: Permanent +12V unswitched battery feed (Orange) | Pin 10: Switched ignition +12V for caravan 3-way absorption refrigerator (Grey) |
Independent Side Marker Fusing and Caravan Power
Under European UNECE safety regulations, trailer left and right marker lights must be wired to completely independent fuses and pins (Pin 5 and Pin 7): a blown fuse on the left side of the trailer will never extinguish the right side lights, ensuring the trailer remains visible to traffic in complete darkness.