Have 5 month old with factory pre-wire on tow bar. Specialist(will post the horror story at a later date and probably name but he has no shame) fitted bar and dealer has done coding for 2nd time.Socket is 13 pin with 7 pin adapter. On reverse with trailer, the sensors detect "brick wall" and go ballistic. I assume that is wrong,so before I go ballistic with dealer what is the correct and official warning on display.

Mike, I assume it does not matter if the adapter is fitted. Some of the coding must be done as the system picked up a duff lamp in the trailer. The parts are all Skoda and were supplied as part of compensation package. Now it's another trip to the dealer. I will post the name and fitting pictures later of the mobile tow bar fitter.

The sensors should remain silent when you are in reverse with a trailer on and the lights plugged in. With a Bolero radio you should may also have a pictogram of the car wih a trailer attached.

The rear fog light/s should also be deactivated when you have a trailer board plugged in too (to prevent reflection off a white caravan / glazed trailer etc.).

Most dealers do not understand to bars and wiring. I used a mobile fitter for our other car - Never again.

My Octy was do on site at a specialist with all the diagnostic gear on hand.

Did your fitter use a bespoke wiring kit to plug into the large socket that is hidden in the boot?

Edited 15 July, 201213 yr by Web Ferret

Web Ferret,

The story is as follows: I paid for the factory fit wiring box to be fitted to make it easier for me to fit the bar. I have been fitting them on every car I have owned and it was an option ticked when placing the order. I was trying to make it easy.. for me to do the fitting. Turned out, the dealer offered a detachable bar as part of compensation package, so they organised a professional mobile fitter. The only word not contravening the trades’ description act is mobile. The first attempt let the socket unusable as it was fitted reversed and the door would not open to accept the plug. He butchered the socket cover and also the rubber seal on the socket, this was discovered after driving a fair distance to collect a trailer at night - no lights = points and fine. Sent pics to dealer, spoke to dealer principle and had words with service manager. On second attempt, the master butcher cut the official wiring at the socket and installed a standard rear entry socket leaving the wiring open to the elements and removing the ability to swing the socket up to make it invisible. All was sorted when the dealer looked at what was involved and replaced the wiring from box in boot to bar. That left the coding, which looks like they have screwed it up for the third time( they were supposed to do it after the master butcher did his work).

Mike, thanks for the offer, but if you look towards the Isle of Man, and keep looking 'till you see the next big bit of land, past the Isle, then thats me. On the VCDs, every one in the family now has a Vw variant and I was wondering if it was worth the money.

Edited 16 July, 201213 yr by the rooster

Not sure about the factory pre-wire. I didn't spec this but had the socket waiting in the boot.

My instaler did say that VAG were a sod to set up properly.

Anyway if you are ever in Yorkshire I would highly recommend the Barnsley Towbar Centre. Did a 1st class job on my Octy and fixed the amateur installation by a mobile fitter on our other less complex car.

I can't edit the above post but following a recent problem I no longer recommend Barnsley Towbar Centre.