My new Yeti is having a Witter fixed flange towbar fitted tomorrow (a removable towhitch will not work with my Witter cycle holder plate). The car is an SE with parking sensors at the rear. Will the towbar/ball interfere with the sensors; if so what can be done about it?

Edited 19 October, 201015 yr by survey

My new Yeti is having a Witter fixed flange towbar fitted tomorrow (a removable towhitch will not work with my Witter cycle holder plate). The car is an SE with parking sensors at the rear. Will the towbar/ball interfere with the sensors; if so what can be done about it?

My removable one doesn't interfere with them, the sensors tend to be either side of the ball. However once you put the rack on then if you have the full wiring loom fitted then it will sense there is a trailer there when the light board is plugged in and shut them off.

Reading the forum the general consensus appears to be that my fixed flange towbar will not interfere with the rear parking sensors. If it does, then I shall just have to remove the fuse as there is no switch apparently to temporarily disconnect the sensors on my SE.

However, I am trying without success to find out if when going into reverse with a trailer hitched on whether the rear sensors will cut off automatically. My independant tow bar dealer (Indespension, who have always been very good in the past for me) is fitting a generic wiring kit. My car is in for fitting early tomorrow morning. Any advice please or experience to relate?

Reading the forum the general consensus appears to be that my fixed flange towbar will not interfere with the rear parking sensors. If it does, then I shall just have to remove the fuse as there is no switch apparently to temporarily disconnect the sensors on my SE.

However, I am trying without success to find out if when going into reverse with a trailer hitched on whether the rear sensors will cut off automatically. My independant tow bar dealer (Indespension, who have always been very good in the past for me) is fitting a generic wiring kit. My car is in for fitting early tomorrow morning. Any advice please or experience to relate?

As far as I'm aware only the full wiring kit will auto disconnect the sensors. I have the generic VW group kit on mine; costs about £150 for the kit and takes around 4-5 hours to fit. I also had the towbar prep on mine but I don't think that is the part that does the sensing. This works by showing a picture of a trailer on the screen of the stereo when in reverse. There is a link on the site to the instructions for fitting the correct kit, OEM by JAEGER. Your fitter will also have to re-programme the computer - heres the instructions with the fitting kit:

"After the electrical insert kit has been built-in, the functional addition must be programmed to trailer

operation according to the diagnosis instruction of the vehicle manufacturer. If necessary further

vehicle systems (e.g. parking aids) must be separately code to the equipment variant “trailer operationâ€.

The trailer steering device is not diagnosis capable, which can lead to entries in the diagnosis protocol

in conjunction with the steering device of the trailer."

I have a pdf of the fitting kit if you can't find it on the web - PM me for a copy if you want.

There are people who have gone down the route of a simple "wiring into the wiring loom" approach - someone else will have to comment on how this affects the car's electronics. I went for the expensive option as having just got rid of a MINI with endless electronic gremlins I didn't want to take chances. Hope this helps!

I suspect you will be Ok

the only issue with reversing sensors vis-a-vis towbar fitment is the attatched trailer or caravan moving reletive to the car, & such movement being picked up by the sensors.

No "reletive" movement ..........no trigger for the sensors...............no worries.

However if you plug in a light board it may/should disconnect your reversing lights, assuming a properly skoda "approved" wired kit

I suspect you will be Ok

the only issue with reversing sensors vis-a-vis towbar fitment is the attatched trailer or caravan moving reletive to the car, & such movement being picked up by the sensors.

No "reletive" movement ..........no trigger for the sensors...............no worries.

However if you plug in a light board it may/should disconnect your reversing lights, assuming a properly skoda "approved" wired kit

Thanks for this and providing some comfort to me. I think what I shall do is allow the fitting of the towbar and take it from there. My options will be:

1.If the towbar interferes with the sensors then remove the fuse to disable the sensors competely.

2. If it is just the auto disconnect when towing a trailer then I shall put up with the bleeping when in reverse. OR will the sensors bleep even when not in reverse and something is close to them? If this is so then I think it will be either a Skoda specific wiring kit or again disable the sensors completely with the fuse out! My Mercedes allows the sensors to be temporarily disabled via a switch on the dash but I understand this is not availbale on the Yeti for some reason.

Sigh, as a Steyr Daimler Puch driver you have my sympathies#

iffen only Mercedes made the Yeti

It ud be twice as expensive ( at least)

Edited 19 October, 201015 yr by dieseldogg

My new Yeti is having a Witter fixed flange towbar fitted tomorrow (a removable towhitch will not work with my Witter cycle holder plate). The car is an SE with parking sensors at the rear. Will the towbar/ball interfere with the sensors; if so what can be done about it?

I have a swan neck detachable if I leave the tow bar in place the reverse sensors operate as normal and dont see the tow bar.

The witter is a flange type so slightly bigger but cant imagine this would have any effect.

let's know how you get on.

I have a swan neck detachable if I leave the tow bar in place the reverse sensors operate as normal and dont see the tow bar.

The witter is a flange type so slightly bigger but cant imagine this would have any effect.

let's know how you get on.

Indeed, just picked up our car today from the dealership. The Witter bar does not interfere with the sensors at all. So thanks everyone for your comments.

Thanks to all of you for these comments on this thread. About to buy a second hand Yeti 2.0 L TDI outdoor SE. Don’t want to spend a fortune on removable Towbar and Wiring Kit. These comments have helped.

 

Cheers 

karl

Wow! Hehe...

On 19/10/2010 at 21:00, survey said:

2. If it is just the auto disconnect when towing a trailer then I shall put up with the bleeping when in reverse. OR will the sensors bleep even when not in reverse and something is close to them?

 

Reversing sensors are only activated when reverse gear is selected, they are ultrasonic and dont require movement of the vehicle relative to an obstruction as has been suggested.

 

The towbar alone will not set them off, a coupled trailer will when reversing at an angle and probably even in a straight line.

 

You are probably used to ignoring them when reversing in certain circumstances anyway.

Hi JR,  yes that's right. Currently have a 2010 Skoda Octavia Estate with flange Tow Bar fitted. Irritating when reversing to have the reversing alarm blaring, but have gotten accustomed over the years. Going for a sawn neck on the Yeti for that extra bit of distance from the bumper. Have had a few instances where the trailer hitch, or even the bumper plate, have been pushed into the bumper and bent it. Hoping the Swan Neck might avoid some of these issues. 

The mounting bracket on my Yeti is so close to the bumper that I have to use a wedge to push the plastic lower panel back to even get the towball mounting nuts in place and I had to drill clearance holes for the projecting threads of the bolts.

 

It is however very neat when installed, not invisible like a retractable one but far better than a swan neck and I am unlikely to bark my shin against it.

 

I will however have to be very carefull while coupling as I left off the protection plate, it looks naff on such a close fitting set up.

 

I have a reversing camera which I will use for coupling, I also use a bungee cord between the tailgate lock loop and the dogbone pull which holds the tailgate open at just the right angle to help me reversing the trailer, the overhang is so short on the Yeti that by the time I see my good trailer drifting out in either door mirror its already too late to correct, the Octavias had no such problem but once towing forwards the short overhang is a real benefit.

Yes Um'd and Ah'd over Swan or Flange, opting for Swan to get that extra clearance, especially for the electrics. Have had a number of occasions, particularly if jack-nifed ( if you saw where I lived you'd see why this is a regular occurance) where the electrics get kinked and damaged. 

Not sure if I get a camera on my Yeti ( haven't picked it up yet) . Exciting if I do. Usually I just eye the trailer up in the rear view  reverse to as close as I feel, then get out and check. 

Thanks for your tips, will try these when I get our Yeti. (Excited, have always wanted one 😆)