Mine also still not sorted. Four times its been to Škoda (who installed the towbar in the first place!) and still no trailer pictogram when you select reverse and the beeping goes bananas. A real pain. I'm also waiting for them to figure it out before I do the 120mile round trip yet again.

I will reiterate. Go to a local independent auto electrician. Ideally one who has one of these...

I was charged £45 (I note someone else was charged £78 by a dealer in this thread)

Admittedly I had to go back, but they got it sorted quickly, and Autologic distibutes the data nationwide so if one of their techs has already cracked a Yeti then all the independents can sort it with a screen tap!

Niall

i went to a towbar fitter who had exactly that machine and he told me he had downloaded new software that morning after a hour he admited defeat?

Right.....mine was done by my dealer and I have the Bolero screen.

It doesn't matter whether you get 2 x 7 pin sockets or the Euro 13 pin.

When plugged in I get:

a trailer on the screen.

rear sensors deacivated.

theft alarm includes trailer.

car rear fogs deactivated.

stability control modified to take trailer into account.

I'm not sure the Autologic machine will do the full job as you need to go into the VCDS system.

Hi Guys. My input for what its worth. Traded up? down? sideways? from audi Q5 to Yeti 170 elegance. Sold Q5 back in March and running around in Skoda loan car until 3 weeks ago when Yeti arrived. Audi had factory fit tow bar fitted for about £490. Open boot, open inside trim, pull lever and "voila" fully functioning tow bar with electrics. (Used primarily for cycle rack). When deciding on Yeti options (kept it simple and went for all less electric seat and 3 spoke wheel) specced tow bar prep plus an extra £680 for bar fitting through Farmers Skoda recommended fitter. Oh and I almost forgot, had to be returned to dealer for corrective action on the coding!!!!!!!!. Anyhow all seems sorted, trailer symbol and sensors e.t.c. Strange that Audi provide a good system for £490 and yet the Skoda equivalent the best part of £830 spent over two sites?. All that said wonderful car and should have bought it in the first place instead of the Q5.

Until I sort out the photo technology any chance of "borrowing" someones email so I can post a pic or two?

Right.....mine was done by my dealer and I have the Bolero screen.

It doesn't matter whether you get 2 x 7 pin sockets or the Euro 13 pin.

When plugged in I get:

a trailer on the screen.

rear sensors deacivated.

theft alarm includes trailer.

car rear fogs deactivated.

stability control modified to take trailer into account.

I'm not sure the Autologic machine will do the full job as you need to go into the VCDS system.

Had mine done with the Autologic Machine, does everything as above EXCEPT when you first plug the trailer in it doesn't show a trailer on the screen. (Though easily checked by selecting reverse)

I spoke to the people who distribute them and they said as soon as Autologic get a bit more info they will be able to do that as well.

Interesting couple of points, with the lights on 'Auto' the caravan lights are on with the DLRs. I also have a small trailer that has all LED lights/flashers etc, and of course it doesn't recognise them! The lights work fine and the flashers work at normal speed, but a bulb fail warning comes up on the maxidot and the dash indicators flash at double speed! - I will have to put a couple of resistors in the circuit.

I converted my caravan to 13pin especially (fed up with earth pin problems on 2 x 7) and another bonus is that the caravan alarm now arms properly without having to re-set it everytime I unplug the car.

Edited 5 July, 201114 yr by Millstone

You go and have towbars fitted by so called towbar specialists who cant code them and complete the job to save money. Then you take the car to the main dealers and moan when the wiring/software what has been fitted does not show up or code using their equipment. How do they know if the parts/wirng that has been fitted is correct or is compatable with the car. Techs can spend a long time trying to establish this and yes it would effect their bonus. I dont think its unreasonable to ask for the fitting instructions if they tell you how to fit it they should be able to advise how to code it. Oh and buy the way barnold you say you were waiting 45 mins with no joy how much exactly did Robinsons charge you? Let me answer that NOTHING

You go and have towbars fitted by so called towbar specialists who cant code them and complete the job to save money. Then you take the car to the main dealers and moan when the wiring/software what has been fitted does not show up or code using their equipment. How do they know if the parts/wirng that has been fitted is correct or is compatable with the car. Techs can spend a long time trying to establish this and yes it would effect their bonus. I dont think its unreasonable to ask for the fitting instructions if they tell you how to fit it they should be able to advise how to code it. Oh and buy the way barnold you say you were waiting 45 mins with no joy how much exactly did Robinsons charge you? Let me answer that NOTHING

Bit aggressive !

You will also see in the posts that a few have had there tow bar fitted through the dealer and still they have not sorted it. It's a general feeling that Skoda themselves just don't know the correct standardised process?

Bit aggressive !

You will also see in the posts that a few have had there tow bar fitted through the dealer and still they have not sorted it. It's a general feeling that Skoda themselves just don't know the correct standardised process?

The experience of many posting on this thread appears to be that neither speicialist towbar agencies nor Skoda service centres have a thorough understanding of the correct procedure for fitting equipment to a Yeti (and probably other models and marques too) but are happy to charge customers for a botched job. Towbar preparation or not, a significant number here have reported problems with coding and with the actual fitting of towing equipment. If, for example, the Electronic Stability Program does not recognise that there is a heavy caravan or trailer being towed (at legal speeds up to 130 kph or 81 mph) and an emergency occurs, who is responsible for the disaster that may follow? What would be the attitude of insurance companies or accident investigators. In short, whose responsibility is it to ensure that your vehicle is safe and secure when towing after you have paid so-called experts to fit the equipment?

I have seen enough accidents involving caravans to know that the results can be disastrous since control is so quickly lost and the towed vehicle virtually disintegrates on impact shedding its contents across the carriageway.

I have asked Skoda UK, my local Skoda dealer and the company that fitted my Westfalia car-specific towing equipment what the definitive requirements are. I am still waiting for a satisfactory response as, it appears, are a number of fellow posters on this topic. How when and where can we get satisfaction?

I think it all depends on the people you use. Mike and Johann, perhaps you could try Phil Taylor towbars who are based at Horndean, just down the A3. I took my Octavia to them and they fitted a swan neck towbar and twin 7 pin electrics with coding in less than 2 hours.

They used the autologic machine to do the coding and everything seems to be working fine. I don't have the pictogram as I have a Columbus fitted without the necessary controller.

Maybe the Yeti is too new but I would recommend them to have a go, if like people have said that info is shared between fitters and the necessary software updates have been sent through, then perhaps they may be successful.

Ian.

The experience of many posting on this thread appears to be that neither speicialist towbar agencies nor Skoda service centres have a thorough understanding of the correct procedure for fitting equipment to a Yeti (and probably other models and marques too) but are happy to charge customers for a botched job. Towbar preparation or not, a significant number here have reported problems with coding and with the actual fitting of towing equipment. If, for example, the Electronic Stability Program does not recognise that there is a heavy caravan or trailer being towed (at legal speeds up to 130 kph or 81 mph) and an emergency occurs, who is responsible for the disaster that may follow? What would be the attitude of insurance companies or accident investigators. In short, whose responsibility is it to ensure that your vehicle is safe and secure when towing after you have paid so-called experts to fit the equipment?

I have seen enough accidents involving caravans to know that the results can be disastrous since control is so quickly lost and the towed vehicle virtually disintegrates on impact shedding its contents across the carriageway.

I have asked Skoda UK, my local Skoda dealer and the company that fitted my Westfalia car-specific towing equipment what the definitive requirements are. I am still waiting for a satisfactory response as, it appears, are a number of fellow posters on this topic. How when and where can we get satisfaction?

Don't understand why you are quoting me on this?

Don't understand why you are quoting me on this?

Quite simple really. If , as you say, Skoda, (as part of VAG) do not understand the process involved in safely fitting and coding towing equipment to their own vehicles, it represents a lamentable lack of technical expertise and should be quickly resolved; surely not beyond the wit of a world-leading manufacturer.

Quite simple really. If , as you say, Skoda, (as part of VAG) do not understand the process involved in safely fitting and coding towing equipment to their own vehicles, it represents a lamentable lack of technical expertise and should be quickly resolved; surely not beyond the wit of a world-leading manufacturer.

I think you may of miss-understood my post as I was replying to the post by Vokey.

I think you may of miss-understood my post as I was replying to the post by Vokey.

Apologies RSMarco, I guess I am just a confused old bu@@er.

Apologies RSMarco, I guess I am just a confused old bu@@er.

Cheers bud!

Well I'm happy to report that mine has now been correctly coded by Martin (Gizmo68). Many, many ticks were not ticked when we checked my car with his VCDS machine. There was a drop down menu with three options:

1. No towbar

2. Detachable towbar

3. Fixed towbar

Guess which one was ticked on my car? Yes number 1!!!! Furthermore none of the reversing sensor trailer options were ticked (deactivation on selecting reverse, mute sound on reverse and pictogram active on selecting reverse).

But Martin did explain that a dealer's "VCDS" is not as user friendly as his to see all these ticks. But to not even have ticked the most basic basic one that a towbar is present?!

But thank you again Martin for sorting!

Well I'm happy to report that mine has now been correctly coded .....

But thank you again Martin for sorting!

Glad to hear it all works as it should do Johann

Good result J!

Hi,

As currently my dealer (Skoda BG) is fitting Westfallia removable towbar and electrics (without factory towbar preparation), can I ask some of you with Swing radio and towbar if it's showing on the Swing display if something is connected to the plug? As I understood, that's what the Bolero display shows, just wondering for the Swing. Also as viewing how many of you had problems (especially with the correct coding), is there a way (checklist?) to see if everything is OK from start?

Nice one J. And good work Gizmo!

Well I'm happy to report that mine has now been correctly coded by Martin (Gizmo68). Many, many ticks were not ticked when we checked my car with his VCDS machine. There was a drop down menu with three options:

1. No towbar

2. Detachable towbar

3. Fixed towbar

Guess which one was ticked on my car? Yes number 1!!!! Furthermore none of the reversing sensor trailer options were ticked (deactivation on selecting reverse, mute sound on reverse and pictogram active on selecting reverse).

But Martin did explain that a dealer's "VCDS" is not as user friendly as his to see all these ticks. But to not even have ticked the most basic basic one that a towbar is present?!

But thank you again Martin for sorting!

Johann,

What made you suspect that your SM was not coded as it should be? Back in Feb. you seemed to indicate that you had had the job done properly.

"This is the reason I spent £834 on my detachable Westfalia (of which SUK paid £550 thankfuly for their incompetencies elsewhere! - but that is a another story). Not just to stop the sensors from a constant beep when I reverse but to have the anti-snaking software for the ESP. My life is worth more than £834 I say so I would rather be safe than sorry! "

I only ask because I am about to get mine coded and I would like to know what to look out for. I assume that you did initially think that it was done properly.

Roger

Johann,

What made you suspect that your SM was not coded as it should be? Back in Feb. you seemed to indicate that you had had the job done properly.

"This is the reason I spent £834 on my detachable Westfalia (of which SUK paid £550 thankfuly for their incompetencies elsewhere! - but that is a another story). Not just to stop the sensors from a constant beep when I reverse but to have the anti-snaking software for the ESP. My life is worth more than £834 I say so I would rather be safe than sorry! "

I only ask because I am about to get mine coded and I would like to know what to look out for. I assume that you did initially think that it was done properly.

Roger

I wrote that statement before it was done. And I had expected a Skoda dealer to have been able to do all the software upgrading but alas it seems a bit of a problem due to the way their machines work in making it tres difficult for the technicians to easily tick all the boxes. And it seems SUK does not give them a complete check list of what to tick either.

So what made me suspect it was wrong? Well first time I had had no idea since I did not own a trailer by then so could not test it. When I got the trailer though I realised that the reversing sensors did not switch off nor did the car's fog lamp switch off (leaving only the trailer's on) or the alarm go off when you plugged the trailer out with the car locked. So back again. This time it came back with the latter two working but the sensors still beeping when I selected reverse and no trailer pictogram on the Bolero. But as luck would have it I passed Martin's place on a day we were both off so he kindly agreed to look at this and voila, all the above things now fixed. Though in saying that is there any way to check that the trailer ESP is working?! I think not so I just trust that has been ticked, though I won't ever tow a caravan so I'm not too concerned about that.

Glad to hear it all works as it should do Johann

Mine goes in to Allams for final (re)coding (I hope) on Monday and a service. Lets see if they have sorted it......

If not I may have to have an emergency visit to see you.......as towing 'van next friday night......

Mike