We had to go pick up a sofa this weekend which has a full single bed under it which won't fit inside the Yeti and I did not want to attach it to the roof bars either. So a trailer had to be rented. HSS did not have the unbraked trailer I wanted so we got this twin axle braked one. Way too big for the intended job but it did the job fine.

BUT the electrics had NOT been programmed to detect a trailer.......... I was really annoyed by this. When I selected reverse there was just a constant beeping. And when you put the car in D again this beeping did not want to stop either and you could only stop it by pressing the parking sensor button. Is this normal with a 7 pin trailer?! (my car has 13 pin electrics with a Westfalia 13 to 7 pin converter) Surely not. I was assured that with the software upgrade I'd see the trailer on my Bolero and have NO beeping... hmmm.

And with the sofa taken to bits loaded:

I have had 13 pin electrics on mine, into that I plugged a Thule 13 to 7 pin adapter, and into that my thule bike rack. I was very impressed how everything worked trailer display, fog light off ect, but what I found most amazing was that the car knew there was an indicator bulb out on my light bar, and informed me in the dash board.

I don't think that your software update has been done.

Hi Johann,

It certainly sounds like you have not had the required coding done to your car. My Octavia does not beep at all when I select reverse with the caravan hooked up and I have the twin 7 pin electrics installed. I also have the rear fog light disabled and the trailer light out warning come up on the maxidot too. If recoding was part of the deal I would take the car back and have it done properly as it does not seem to have been.

Ian

My boat trailer is detected instantly by the System and that's with a 13 pin connector and a 13 pin to 7 pin trailer adepter.

It shows as a trailer on the Bolero screen when I select reverse.

You should get back on to your installer and get them to update the system.

The only reason why this wouldn't have been done was if you opted for a tow bar without the wiring harness and software update.

Either that or the tow bar fitter didn't do the job properly.

Cheers, Fuzzy

PS. Nice pics by the way, love the registration number!

Thanks for the comments gents. I will book it in to have the software checked as soon as I can.

When I had the VCDS changes done this did show up:

69-Trailer -- Status: Not registered 0001

Address 69: Trailer (J345) Labels: 1K0-907-383-MY8.lbl

Part No SW: 1K0 907 383 F HW: 1K0 907 383 F

Component: Anhaenger H07 0100

Revision: 3A001001 Serial number: 00000134222754

Coding: 0100000100000000

Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

VCID: 3064A537DAA5

No fault code found.

But we did not think it was an issue since I had asked for the software update to be done and I had not towed anything at that point so we did not know what the correct code for this should be. And it did say at the bottom "No fault code found".

Prompted by Johann's experience I've just fitted my dealer fitted Westfalia detachable and Atera Strada bike rack. (13 pin to 7 pin)

All the lights work, the car's rear fog is disabled, but I get a constant beep from the rear parking sensor and the display on the Bolero shows I'm about to hit something!

I can turn off the beep by pressing the 'beep off' on the Bolero screen.

No indication that owt is attached - seems I may need some coding attention?

Prompted by Johann's experience I've just fitted my dealer fitted Westfalia detachable and Atera Strada bike rack. (13 pin to 7 pin)

All the lights work, the car's rear fog is disabled, but I get a constant beep from the rear parking sensor and the display on the Bolero shows I'm about to hit something!

I can turn off the beep by pressing the 'beep off' on the Bolero screen.

No indication that owt is attached - seems I may need some coding attention?

Drat. You have the same issue then. We'll both go for a revisit then. :wonder:

Drat indeed!

I got my dealer to supply/fit in the hope of avoiding just this issue!

Everything works fine, and no 'beep' when engaging forward gear - but I did not expect to have to manually silence the beeper and I was expecting some visual acknowledgment that a trailer/rack was attached?

Dealer's 'MasterTech' is away today but in the meantime I'm going to call the 'specialists' I think they used; I know full well those monkeys won't have undertaken any coding

Watch this space.

Terrier mode employed

Update!

Spoke to Towbar folks.

Confirm that tow bar is not correctly coded. They would charge £75+vat to do that - so back to the clueless dealers for me!

Off to see Ben @ Shark tomorrow to see if he can wake it all up - if not booked into dealers next Tuesday, if they can't sort it, they'll have to take it to their sub contractor and pay !

Grrr! Why can't folks just do what they're asked to do ? (and paid for)

Further update: Trip to Ben @Shark this am, suitably armed with packs of Muffins!

Towbar coding now sorted - as it should have been in the first place!

Enjoyed the subsequent call to the dealers cancelling my appointment and telling them that the issue, which they initially denied was an issue and then claimed it might not be possible to fix, had been resolved by someone who knows exactly what he's doing in a few minutes.

Big up again to Ben Wardle and Shark!

Further update: Trip to Ben @Shark this am, suitably armed with packs of Muffins!

Ah good news! Hopefully I can report the same soon.

Further update: Trip to Ben @Shark this am, suitably armed with packs of Muffins!

Towbar coding now sorted - as it should have been in the first place!

Enjoyed the subsequent call to the dealers cancelling my appointment and telling them that the issue, which they initially denied was an issue and then claimed it might not be possible to fix, had been resolved by someone who knows exactly what he's doing in a few minutes.

Big up again to Ben Wardle and Shark!

A quick trip to see Ben. Now that would be nice.......4 hours each way for me.........

If you know anyone nearby that has the VCDS cable, that will do the trick as well. I didn't get the coding done in my SM either, but it was a quick change (as I happen to have the cable) and now it works. If you happen to be in the Helsinki area I can help you with this

DISCLAIMER: I don't have the reversing radar so I'm not 100% sure, but at least I got a (totally correct) message in the maxidot that the trailer's rear turning signal was broken so apparently it works - not only a warning light for a non-functional bulb, but a message saying which bulb was broken!

I finally got to tow my trailer full of garden rubbish to the tip today. Nothing special, it just did the job.

On previous cars with towbars they always had an extra flasher warning light when towing. Nothing showed on my Yeti (Westfalia +Skoda wiring +dealer recoding).

I get the trailer picture in the Bolero when reversing. I presume I will only find out if a bulb has blown when a bulb blows (unless I take a bulb out to see what happens).

I can confirm that if you lock the car with the trailer attached the trailer electrics are covered by the alarm. I purposely unplugged the trailer and the alarm went off. Weedy sound however!!

tom

If you know anyone nearby that has the VCDS cable, that will do the trick as well. I didn't get the coding done in my SM either, but it was a quick change (as I happen to have the cable) and now it works. If you happen to be in the Helsinki area I can help you with this

DISCLAIMER: I don't have the reversing radar so I'm not 100% sure, but at least I got a (totally correct) message in the maxidot that the trailer's rear turning signal was broken so apparently it works - not only a warning light for a non-functional bulb, but a message saying which bulb was broken!

That was my experience too. Dealer installed Westfalia hook on a non-towprep supplied car from Skoda. They even added a little stainless eyebolt to connect the trailer brake safetywire to - something often mmissing from most installations, but required by law.

They even added a little stainless eyebolt to connect the trailer brake safetywire to - something often mmissing from most installations, but required by law.

Not in the UK.

Only required to have a breakaway cable on the trailer, but no sepearte connection point on the vehicle.

Edited 4 April, 201115 yr by Llanigraham

Not in the UK.

Only required to have a breakaway cable on the trailer, but no sepearte connection point on the vehicle.

Agreed - I loop mine round the tow ball, as the CC recomend - MOST IMPORTANT - the cable should be passed round/through the securing point and then CLIPPED BACK ON ITSELF !! Not clipped to the securing point, if so it usually drags on the ground!!

It's designed to pull the brakes on if the trailer/caravan becomes detached from the towing vehicle - and then SNAP - to allow you to get out of the way !!