Yeti towbars

[guyb]

Hello, I am new member, but I've read the threads on towbars a couple of times, today, and some months ago in fact (i've been putting of the installation for a while).

I'd welcome some advice on the fitting of a towbar for my Yeti (2.0D SE).

I've had various quotes from various reputable (I think) places.

I spoke to the dealer about getting the Yeti wiring loom, and my local dealer hasn't had anyone ask for it to be fitted, although they have had towbars fitted for customers at c£550.

I've also got quotes from a couple of local well known places (I live in Rotherham) including one which has quoted me £400 inc VAT for a Witter Towbar - electric kit - tow ball - fitting - VAT

The description is:

7-pin Universal Single Electrics

This universal kit is a high quality universal 12N 7 pin electric kit and contains all the components necessary to provide all legal light functions required for towing in the UK. The kit communicates with the vehicle's CAN data network to activate any towing related safety features. In some cases it may be required to activate the vehicle's towing features through a diagnostic interface, an additional charge may be made for this service. Turn signal failure is indicated by the failure of the audible warning device.

They have also quoted me £220 for a bypass relay version - which I suspect is the Scotchlok version?

Said installer has suggested that as the car is still in warranty then the former £400 version is the way to go if I want to retain my warranty, which has a year left to run.

I was wondering if:

a. As it is "universal" I am assuming that this is not the Skoda specific wiring loom, but an aftermarket kit that is dedicated to the vehicle - I am just wary of making mistakes;

b. Would this ensure I don't invalidate the warranty - having read some of the stories on here I am understandably nervous;

c. would the bypass relay version be equally as good, or should I just steer clear?

I will be pulling a trailer in France this year on the family holiday, so I just want a hassle free and safe installation.

Any advice gratefully received.

I do have a call out with the Skoda dealer to see if it will invalidate the warranty or not.

Cheers in advance, guyb

[RickT]

I paid 325 for a fixed Witter and dedicated wiring kit (7 pin socket). the warranty is for as long as I own the vehicle. The skoda dealer sent me to a towbar company they use in Stockport.

All fitted, wired and programed everything worked first time.

[countryboy]

You can get many quotes, but what I would go for and did was a vehicle specific wiring kit. This doesn't have to be a Skoda branded kit and probably won't be if you go to an independant specialist, mine wasn't a Skoda kit but it works perfectly. An independant will be the best way to go as they have the specialist knowledge for fitting the towbar and wiring. If you do go for the vehicle specific kit then I would find a fitter who provides a coding service included. Firms like Towbar Express advertise that they provide the full service. Do your research first and you will come up with the best solution.

Ian

[phil_taylor_towbars]

I think the description about the universal wiring kit is misleading - the universal kit is the bypass relay option which just splices into the rear lights. The vehicle specific kit is the equivalent to the kit Skoda would fit. This is the one that activates any towing related features in the vehicle such as Trailer Stability Program and PDC cut-off when the vehicle is in reverse with the trailer connected. The installation of this kit will need the vehicle to be reprogrammed to activate these features.

If you are concerned about warranty this would be the only way to go as by fitting the universal kit you are damaging the vehicle's wiring loom, which has the potential to cause warranty issues.

The bypass relay will still provide the same functionality of the road lights but that is where the similarity ends. The car cannot detect that it is towing as it would with the vehicle specific option.

I hope this information helps.

Edit: one other thing, the last sentence relates back to the universal wiring kit which has an audible warning when indicating, the vehicle specific kit would display a bulb fail light and the indicators would flash at double rate if an indicator bulb on the trailer failed, same as if a bulb had failed on the car. This feature is also activated by reprogramming

Edited 3 May, 2012 by phil_taylor_towbars

[Llanigraham]

Thank you Phil.

Good explanation.

Personally I would not use a universal kit.

[threeshoes]

Thank you Phil.

Good explanation.

Personally I would not use a universal kit.

A very useful bit if advice, I think. I'm starting to feel a little better about how to choose a fitter.

Chris

[summers]

I am having a tow bar fitted to my Yeti in 10 days time. It will be a detachable (Witter) tow bar with a vehicle specific wiring loom etc.

I am undecided whether to go for 7 or 13 pin electrics.

Currently, I will only be using the tow bar for a Thule bike carrier which is fitted with a 7 pin plug though if I did go for the 13 pin I presume using an adaptor I would be covered for both options.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Peter

[rajapruk]

I bought an original detachable towbar including controlbox and wiring at a scrapyard for about 100E.

I will install it myself, there is a thread on this forum with installation details. My local garage can do it for 200E.

I have ordered the factory fitted towbar-preparation kit (my yeti will be delivered in july).

This is a way to get towbar pretty cheap. I do not care about the coding.

[g6zru]

The 13 pin connectors are a far better design than the 7 pin ones. 13 pin has been used for years on the continent and has also proved to be reliable.

The towbar prep wiring on the Yeti does not include a feed for split charging so if you ever get a caravan the extra feed will have to be installed from the engine bay.

Fred

[GaSelle]

I bought an original detachable towbar including controlbox and wiring at a scrapyard for about 100E.

I will install it myself, there is a thread on this forum with installation details. My local garage can do it for 200E.

I have ordered the factory fitted towbar-preparation kit (my yeti will be delivered in july).

This is a way to get towbar pretty cheap. I do not care about the coding.

Then you will experience some funny **** in the future - promise!

[Brijo]

Here we go again!

My car order included the specific instruction ' Full caravan electrics' on a 13 pin plug. So the order did include, at enormous expense, factory prep and detachable towbar. Several repeated gentle hints to the dealer at various times that several bits of special coding would be involved. Confident reassurance that their specialist fitter deals with all the group's cars (inc Merc, Mazda and several etc's).

Today I introduced Annie to the caravan - not to tow it, she's much too young (just a week), but just to check the electrics. Sidelights, brakes, indicators, hazards, fog, all OK. Can't immediately check the 'split' bit that charges the 'van battery. However....

1. Reversing sensors not cancelled.

2. No enhanced indicator 'beep'.

3. No trailer icon that I could find (conflicting threads here say that this icon is on the Maxidot, or on the Bolero (which latter seems a bit odd?).

4. No idea, of course, about engine mapping.

We hooked up my daughter's family Volvo (we share the caravan) to cross-check. It has a sensor fault and doesn't boast a trailer icon, unfortunately, but the indicator 'beep' suggested that it knew the 'van was there.

Before I start raising serious questions with the dealer on Monday, could someone with a caravan kindly confirm that points 1, 2 and 3 above suggest errors in the installation, and say whether the dashboard icon should appear on the Multidot or somewhere else? Is there something that I myself have forgotten to do?

(What would we do without the forum?!)

[g6zru]

It hasn't been recoded! Mine had to go back for it. Be aware that some dealers don't know how to do it.

Confirm that the trailer Pictogram appears on the MFD/Maxidot. Take a look here at 90000's post and picture. Mine is slightly different, it's vertical not horizontal!

Fred

[Llanigraham]

Well on my car, Fred, the trailer pictogram is on the Bolero!!

Nothing appears on the Maxidot.

Other than that, agree that they have done NO recoding.

[rarrar]

I get no trailer icon unless the parking sensor display is on, when a trailer attached to the car appears on the Colombo display

Reversing sensor is cancelled.

Alarm covers the trailer connection.

No change to turn indicator that I can see.

[Llanigraham]

That is correct. The pictogram only appears when you select reverse.

And no there is no change in the turn indicator. If they don't work the bulb failure icon will appear.

[Brijo]

...Take a look here at 90000's post and picture....

Where, Fred, please?

[danbarnes]

I had a removable witter tow bar fitted at Rotherham tow bars around 2 years ago. I don't remember how much it cost but all the electrics have worked flawlessly including the bolero display and the bulb out warning ever since.

Edited 8 September, 2012 by danbarnes

[summers]

I think it also de-activates the rear fog light when connected - to avoid glare from the front of a caravan presumably.

Peter

[Llanigraham]

I think it also de-activates the rear fog light when connected - to avoid glare from the front of a caravan presumably.

Peter

Correct.

[Brijo]

I think it also de-activates the rear fog light when connected - to avoid glare from the front of a caravan presumably.

Correct.

Thanks for that, both. The X-Trail did that, I'd forgotten (haven't towed since Easter). More ammunition...

[rarrar]

Maybe we need an authoritative pinned on towbars and correct programming it is and will be a recurring theme

[domhnall]

There's plenty info on here about it, and in the vcds and the superb sections mainly - I looked it up so I could re programme arkaig's car the other week. I can't recall but I think k it might already have a sticky covering it.

Sent from my MZ601 using Tapatalk 2

[roscoe]

swan neck, inc electrics, fitting, vat 260, indespension, thule I think.

don't often reverse with towbar in use so can cope with a few beeps then.

[domhnall]

swan neck, inc electrics, fitting, vat 260, indespension, thule I think.

don't often reverse with towbar in use so can cope with a few beeps then.

if you need it coded to stop them, gimme a yell

[Arkaig]

swan neck, inc electrics, fitting, vat 260, indespension, thule I think.

don't often reverse with towbar in use so can cope with a few beeps then.

Roscoe, I recommend you contact Domhnall. He sorted out the coding to mine.