Towbar re-coding?

[Llanigraham]

I'm normally the one to answer questions on this, but..............

 

Had a tow bar and electrics fitted yesterday by a mobile fitter from PF Jones. The tow bar (Bosal fixed swan neck) went on easily, but I was amazed by the amount of trim that had to be removed to get the electrics through the car. It took him over 6 hours!!

 

When he had finally finished the fitter did not use a laptop to reprogramme the car but a plug-in fault reader. Haven't taken the car down to the van yet but I have a feeling that he wouldn't have been able to properly reprogramme everything with this equipment. He said that the car needs to reset itself and then everything will work, but my feeling is that he is bull pooing me. I shall have to go through my check list of what I can check on Monday.

 

TBH I'm not altogether happy with the situation or with  PF Jones at the moment. Their original fitter said he had double booked for the day he was supposed to come down, and they had to find someone else closer at short notice, and the replacement admitted he hated doing Yeti's because of the work involved. (arrived 0900, left 1630).

[Coops]

Seems strange - I have PF Jones booked to do the S3. (Also a Bosal detachable).

 

Hopefully you can get it sorted - you would think a laptop would be required to programme?

Edited 21 May, 2016 by Coops

[Gizmo]

I have (re) coded numerous Yeti’s where the dealers / fitters have failed to code the car correctly.

 

Lets just hope he has fitted the genuine loom etc and it talks to the car properly rather than using a generic kit fitted with relays.

[weasley]

...or an aftermarket module that doesn't talk to VAG nicely.

When I had mine fitted the guy brought a plug-in module made by the towbar people. It was also for a non-towbar-prepped car when I had specifically stated I had towbar prep. He was ready to chop the loom up to splice this module into my car. I declined, ordered a genuine VAG module and fitted it myself, getting the local dealer to code it for me.

[33q]

I would have expected them to test the work by using a test electrics kit. A bit like a stand alone trailer board.

 

MTS fitted mine and the coding was done at a further visit by laptop and then tested

[Llanigraham]

I have (re) coded numerous Yeti’s where the dealers / fitters have failed to code the car correctly.

 

Lets just hope he has fitted the genuine loom etc and it talks to the car properly rather than using a generic kit fitted with relays.

 

The wiring kit was a genuine one, as I still have the paperwork from it, and I presume he has followed the printed instructions included.

 

...or an aftermarket module that doesn't talk to VAG nicely.

When I had mine fitted the guy brought a plug-in module made by the towbar people. It was also for a non-towbar-prepped car when I had specifically stated I had towbar prep. He was ready to chop the loom up to splice this module into my car. I declined, ordered a genuine VAG module and fitted it myself, getting the local dealer to code it for me.

 

As above.

 

I would have expected them to test the work by using a test electrics kit. A bit like a stand alone trailer board.

 

MTS fitted mine and the coding was done at a further visit by laptop and then tested

 

The only test kit he had checked the lights worked and the battery/fridge side worked correctly.

 

Thinking about it, I cannot see that a "fault reader" could reprogramme the car correctly. SWMBO has the car today and I'm out on the Baja/Welsh Hill rally tomorrow so can't check it all until I can get down to the 'van on Monday.

 

I have a not nice feeling about this!!

[g6zru]

Graham

From my experience with my first Yeti I suspect that the recoding has NOT been done! My first towbar was fitted on the dealers premises by a subcontractor but still had to go back for recoding.

 

Fred 

[Llanigraham]

Fred, I suspect you are correct. 

As said I shall be very carefully going through my list on Monday and checking what has been missed. I suspect all he has done is removed the fault codes caused by removing the rear lights and reverse sensors, and disconnecting the battery.

I do know that the chap who was originally booked to do the job did it properly on Frenchtone's car.

[Urrell]

I suspect it will only be VCDS that is able to check that trailer stability control has been enabled on the car.

I take it if you set the alarm on the car and then disconnect the caravan lead it will see if the security aspect has been enabled.

Rear high intensity light, brake lights and rear parking sensors disabled on the car will be easy to check when the van is coupled up.

Sad as we usually hear good things about PF Jones but it boils down to whoever they get to do it.

Edited 21 May, 2016 by Urrell

[Llanigraham]

Probably right about the stability parameters, but if none/any of the other things don't work I will be complaining.

 

Tick list to check:

Dash display modified

Reversing sensors off

Rear fog off

Bulb failure extended

Alarm extended

 

Agreed PF Jones have always had a good reputation here, and I have no complaint about their own service, but the problem seems to be with their sub-contractors. 

[Urrell]

Ah yes, if the reversing display shows a trailer the trailer stability should be OK.
Brake lights on the car are disabled as well when the trailer is hooked up aren't they?

[Llanigraham]

No brake lights are still required by Law on the towing vehicle. The only lights that get turned off are the rear fog lights.

[Urrell]

I would have thought it would have been a distraction when braking having the brake lights reflecting off a light coloured caravan or trailer.

[Llanigraham]

Not really, and it proves at least the car brake lights are working.

And don't forget that some trailers are much lower.

Plus you don't use the rear view mirror very much with the 'van behind; just use the extended door mirrors.

Edited 21 May, 2016 by Llanigraham

[RickT]

My brake lights operate as normal, it's just the sensors and fog lamp that get disabled.

 

Bulb fail warning is normal, except for the indicators I was told that you would only see it as the lights on the dash flash quicker. I don't know how true this is so I might run a test on it later. 

[weasley]

There is a legal need for positive trailer bulb failure warning... in the olden days this was taken care of by an incessant beeping in the car if the indicators were working, which stopped if it failed. In a properly coded Yeti the bulb failure warning message also covers the trailer lights.

A properly coded trailer set-up should:

Disable the parking sensors

Disable the car's foglight

Enable the trailer stability programme

Enable trailer bulb failure warning

Enable trailer theft alarm activation

Show a picture of a connected trailer on the radio screen when reversing.

Edited 22 May, 2016 by weasley

[RickT]

Have run a test on mine and it does all that 'Weasley' has listed above.

The orange bulb warning light comes on and warning message in the maxi dot display will come up for each trailer lamp, the indicators do flash quicker as well the warning message,

Though I can't test the ESP.

[Llanigraham]

Quite.

I shall have a trip over to our caravan storage tomorrow and check it all out; I think I know what will happen!!

[Frenchtone]

As Graham said earlier, I had a Westfalia fixed bar , bought and fitted by Jones and their tame fitter, took him less than 2 hours from start to finish, he coded my car, an Adventure, with a westfalia box, he plugged it in to the under dash socket, initiated it, drank a cup of tea whilst it worked through its procedures, then it was checked with my transporter trailer, and yes it all worked, and still is, flawlessly!

I highly recommend the fitter, details can be supplied!

[Coops]

As Graham said earlier, I had a Westfalia fixed bar , bought and fitted by Jones and their tame fitter, took him less than 2 hours from start to finish, he coded my car, an Adventure, with a westfalia box, he plugged it in to the under dash socket, initiated it, drank a cup of tea whilst it worked through its procedures, then it was checked with my transporter trailer, and yes it all worked, and still is, flawlessly!

I highly recommend the fitter, details can be supplied!

 

No consolation to Graham, but the kit I've had delivered ready for installation includes a full wiring loom and this has a "Westfalia" box with it. I presume this is used for the coding.

[Llanigraham]

As Tony knows I contacted his fitter independently of PF Jones. He promised to give me a quote but never did. I then went through PF Jones directly and it was the same fitter who was due to come out to me, but was suddenly double booked the day before he was due to come............................

 

Anyway, been to the 'van this afternoon:

No trailer display on the dash.

No alarm extension to the towing socket.

No parking sensors turned off.

No bulb warning activation from 'van.

Rear fog on car does not appear to be on when trailer plugged in.

 

And having taken the internal fuse cover off, there is a strange fuse like unit added to the one side of it (??)

 

Skoda Technical say that there is no way to recode the car with a handheld fault reader, it has to be done with either a laptop or a specialist Westphalia unit.

 

The invoice from PF Jones shows I have paid £70 for recoding!!

Me-thinks a phone call will be made.

 

ADD

Just spoken to the fitter, who tells me I know "bulls***" about reprogramming the Yeti, and then he put the phone down on me. Apparently it was the Westphalia handheld unit he used.

Now escalated upwards to PF Jones.

Edited 23 May, 2016 by Llanigraham

[ernieb]

I would not want to be on the other end of that call! In reality how did they think they would get away with not doing the job correctly in the first place. Hope you manage to get it sorted PDQ.

[Llanigraham]

I was perfectly polite but firm to the fitter, and tried to explain how and why I knew about the system, but to no avail. I know that if the re-coding is done correctly it initiates immediately, and not after the car "re-boots".

 

PF Jones were very apologetic, so we shall see what they say when they come back to me. I will be asking for at least the re-coding fee to be refunded.

[Merlinman]

After 7 years, this saga continues - unbelievable!

 

When I took delivery of my new 2011 Yeti with factory towbar prep, dealer was supposed to supply, fit and code a Skoda (Westfalia) detachable towbar. When I got the car home - no coding. Rang dealer - "we sub them out" (Never told me that on ordering) Told to ring fitter, who said there'd be an extra charge to code. Walked away and got Ben @ Shark to do it for me.

 

This was after the dealers had cocked up fitting my MDI and had actually broken a lead on the £50 interface cable, which I replaced myself.

 

I've never been back to that dealership since.

 

Graham, I hope PF Jones sorts this for you - There have been very positive reports  about their service in the past

[Llanigraham]

So far PF Jones have been excellent, and I suspect quite embarrassed about the whole thing.

I have no complaints about them at all.