Hey guys. I have Yeti in bits and I'm having trouble with my trailer wiring.

I have tow prep and I've found the red, square plug under the inner, rear, left quarter panel.

My problem is I have bought the 7 pin wiring kit from PF Jones but it has its own trailer control unit and scotch locks to connect to the cam-bus.

Has any one else used this wiring kit and know what to do with it. It also has 4 wires which are bound together to run to the front of the vehicle under the steering wheel. I didn't think I'd have to run any wires to the front of the vehicle because I already have tow prep.

Thanks in advance.

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Hey guys. I have Yeti in bits and I'm having trouble with my trailer wiring.

I have tow prep and I've found the red, square plug under the inner, rear, left quarter panel.

My problem is I have bought the 7 pin wiring kit from PF Jones but it has its own trailer control unit and scotch locks to connect to the cam-bus.

Has any one else used this wiring kit and know what to do with it. It also has 4 wires which are bound together to run to the front of the vehicle under the steering wheel. I didn't think I'd have to run any wires to the front of the vehicle because I already have tow prep.

Thanks in advance.

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Hi Joel

I am confused with what you are saying !

First you say you have bought a kit from PF Jones (I assume you mean in the UK) if so why did you not get one locally ?

If I am reading your post correctly you say you have "tow Prep" on your car surley its just a matter of connecting the wires

directly to the socket, in other words you don't need a separate kit.

You have not said which kit you got from them, but if it is the the one with the 7 way bypass relay, you do usually need

to run one wire back to the front as a direct feed from the battery for the power, but its just a matter of taking the wires

from the unit to each wire on the car, then from the unit connect the 7 core wire to the socket.

But one last point please don't use "scotchloc" connectors you need to solder the connections

Radiotwo

I had tow prep with my vehicle as well

First of all do you need split charge wiring--what I mean by that are you a caravanner who needs a feed in your van to supply a fridge or charge a battery?

If you do not need that facility all you need is the plug in cable which you can get from Skoda or can be supplied by some trailer companies, which plugs into the socket behind the rear left boot panel

It sound like you have bought a full trailer kit to wire into the fuse box at the front of the car, which has got a bypass relay for the rest of the lights to fool the canbus system so you don't get bulb failure lights etc.

The towbar prep only gives you what is termed single electrics, but to finish it off you do need a cable with a control box to plug in that is capable of being recognised by the canbus system

Hope this is some help---there will be instructions with the cable supplied to you but I fear you will not be able to use the towbar prep you have already installed by the factory

Edited 22 January, 201313 yr by yetiscot

Joel,

Can you give us a link to the wiring kit you have bought, please?

I suspect that you have got the wrong kit, but the above will help with confirmation.

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/superb-yeti-7-pin-dedicated-wiring-kit-2009-19220508rc.html#.UP7NyL8ayc1

I hope that like works guys. I'm at my parents place and they don't have a computer so in doing the best I can with my iPhone. I'm about 3hr from home.

I bought the tow bar and wiring kit together from the UK because Skoda Australia wanted $1700 for the tow bar and the whole lot cost me $844 landed from the UK.

Also we don't have a removable tow bar available here.

I'm usually reasonably handy with this stuff. Getting the covers off was a breeze and yes I will definitely solder all the connections, no scotch locks.

I was told that the plug in the rear panel would connect to a control module and then a simple harness would run to a trailer plug but this wiring kit I have is a complicated bit of gear with connections (scotch locks) all over the place. I'm pretty sure I have the wrong thing.

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I had tow prep with my vehicle as well

First of all do you need split charge wiring--what I mean by that are you a caravanner who needs a feed in your van to supply a fridge or charge a battery?

If you do not need that facility all you need is the plug in cable which you can get from Skoda or can be supplied by some trailer companies, which plugs into the socket behind the rear left boot panel

It sound like you have bought a full trailer kit to wire into the fuse box at the front of the car, which has got a bypass relay for the rest of the lights to fool the canbus system so you don't get bulb failure lights etc.

The towbar prep only gives you what is termed single electrics, but to finish it off you do need a cable with a control box to plug in that is capable of being recognised by the canbus system

Hope this is some help---there will be instructions with the cable supplied to you but I fear you will not be able to use the towbar prep you have already installed by the factory

I think you've hit the nail in the head here mate.

I only need single electrics, no split charge. It's 4:55 am here as I'm typing this. I'll try the closest Skoda dealer in the morning but I'm doubting they'll have the wiring kit in stock. Skoda is not so popular here and most of our dealers are VW and don't care much for Skoda.

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I wish PF Jones was clearer that this kit is for vehicles without "tow prep" as this is what this appears to be for.

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Hi Joel,

Presume its pretty hot down under at the Mo!

Am I right in thinking that you only use 7 pin electrics in Australia so have no need for split charging?

I understand that split charging is peculiar to the UK!

Joel,

I think your comment at #7 is correct, and that is not the right kit.

FB,

Correct it appears to be only the UK that want the split charge. Our European neighbours don't bother with it.

Just connect wires direct from the socket in the boot to the 7 pin socket and go to dealer to have system switched on or via Vagcom if you have access to it

Radiotwo

Just connect wires direct from the socket in the boot to the 7 pin socket and go to dealer to have system switched on or via Vagcom if you have access to it

Radiotwo

Sorry that wont work--you need the dedicated cable with a control box to plug into the cabling installed at the factory--Give me a minute and I'll get the part number for you--

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/206879-diy-towbar-install/page__p__2446725

Joel:

Have a look at this old post--- thanks to Lowen--it should help--A lot!

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/206879-diy-towbar-install/page__p__2446725

Joel:

Have a look at this old post--- thanks to Lowen--it should help--A lot!

Thanks mate. I'll call the dealer later. It's still only 6:00am here.

Looks like I'll have a wiring kit for someone without tow prep for sale.

Happy days.

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So why do you need a control box when it has been factory prep'd ?

Surely this is just a con for you to spend more money, what has the control unit got in it ?

so the other way of looking at why then have it prepared at the factory, just fit the control

unit and save money when you buy it !

Radiotwo

Because of the CanBus system.

The "control unit" reads the pulses down the wires to "fire" the relevant circuits. It isn't like the old days where each bulb had it's own seperate wire.

Thanks mate. I'll call the dealer later. It's still only 6:00am here.

Looks like I'll have a wiring kit for someone without tow prep for sale.

Happy days.

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Yes I had a look at PF Jones kits--both look like they are for use with no towbar factory prep---you never know they might give a refund with some off for restocking! The cost of the Skoda cable for me anyway was about £150 and don't forget when you get it all installed it won't work at all until you get the canbus system recoded by a dealership or someone with a VCDS cable who knows their way round the system---at least with the towbar prep you don't have to cut the bumper bar and you get an uprated cooling system, which I'm guessing might come in handy in OZ

good luck again!

Edited 22 January, 201313 yr by yetiscot

Yes I had a look at PF Jones kits--both look like they are for use with no towbar factory prep---you never know they might give a refund with some off for restocking! The cost of the Skoda cable for me anyway was about £150 and don't forget when you get it all installed it won't work at all until you get the canbus system recoded by a dealership or someone with a VCDS cable who knows their way round the system---at least with the towbar prep you don't have to cut the bumper bar and you get an uprated cooling system, which I'm guessing might come in handy in OZ

good luck again!

Thanks mate. £150 is bloody expensive to me. I'm kicking myself so bad right now with this PF Jones kit.

All Australian delivered Yeti come with Tow Prep standard.

Happy days.

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"Because of the CanBus system.

The "control unit" reads the pulses down the wires to "fire" the relevant circuits. It isn't like the old days where each bulb had it's own seperate wire. "

Yes I know how canbus works, but as I said (if you want to read it) if the car was prep'd at the factory then the CPU

would bring the wiring to the socket in the boot so it can just be connect to.

So again why would you need a additional unit in the boot.

Just to explain, I had another vehicle (not a vag group car) but with canbus, and this was prep'd at the factory, and

all you had to do was to connect to the socket at the back, and have the coding switched on, so all I did was using a piece of wire connect the 7 pin (although it was a 13 pin socket in this case) to the connector and it worked with no extra control unit !

Radiotwo

"Because of the CanBus system.

The "control unit" reads the pulses down the wires to "fire" the relevant circuits. It isn't like the old days where each bulb had it's own seperate wire. "

Yes I know how canbus works, but as I said (if you want to read it) if the car was prep'd at the factory then the CPU

would bring the wiring to the socket in the boot so it can just be connect to.

So again why would you need a additional unit in the boot.

Just to explain, I had another vehicle (not a vag group car) but with canbus, and this was prep'd at the factory, and

all you had to do was to connect to the socket at the back, and have the coding switched on, so all I did was using a piece of wire connect the 7 pin (although it was a 13 pin socket in this case) to the connector and it worked with no extra control unit !

Radiotwo

I'm hearing you mate.

If only it was like the old days when I could just tap into the wires that already feed the rear lights of the vehicle. If they want to create smarts like changes to stability and turn of rear park sensors, they just make it an option in the MDF.

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"Because of the CanBus system.

The "control unit" reads the pulses down the wires to "fire" the relevant circuits. It isn't like the old days where each bulb had it's own separate wire. "

Yes I know how canbus works, but as I said (if you want to read it) if the car was prep'd at the factory then the CPU

would bring the wiring to the socket in the boot so it can just be connect to.

So again why would you need a additional unit in the boot.

Just to explain, I had another vehicle (not a vag group car) but with canbus, and this was prep'd at the factory, and

all you had to do was to connect to the socket at the back, and have the coding switched on, so all I did was using a piece of wire connect the 7 pin (although it was a 13 pin socket in this case) to the connector and it worked with no extra control unit !

Radiotwo

You might have a point and the logic of how Skoda have done it may not be too obvious

They did not at that time do a factory fit towbar for theUK and if the vehicle was coded before the towbar was fitted and if subsequently none was fitted the coding would be superfluous. Look at the present posters SM-- all OZ vehicles come with towbar prep but that may be because it also uprates the cooling system which is useful in their climate

I don't think Skoda are going to worry too much about owners forking out for a cable complete with a control box---in their eyes that sort of money will be peanuts

It's not that long since I had to jump through all these hoops myself and I can guarantee to use the towbar prep you have to buy the cable and control box from Skoda or else it will not work. The other horrible option is to scotchlock the thing through a bypass relay

Thank god now you can get the whole shebang installed as a factory fit on a new car for £400

Edited 22 January, 201313 yr by yetiscot

You might have a point and the logic of how Skoda have done it may not be too obvious

They did not at that time do a factory fit towbar for theUK and if the vehicle was coded before the towbar was fitted and if subsequently none was fitted the coding would be superfluous. Look at the present posters SM-- all OZ vehicles come with towbar prep but that may be because it also uprates the cooling system which is useful in their climate

I don't think Skoda are going to worry too much about owners forking out for a cable complete with a control box---in their eyes that sort of money will be peanuts

It's not that long since I had to jump through all these hoops myself and I can guarantee to use the towbar prep you have to buy the cable and control box from Skoda or else it will not work. The other horrible option is to scotchlock the thing through a bypass relay

Thank god now you can get the whole shebang installed as a factory fit on a new car for £400

Well if that is the case that you have to get this so called unit for the boot, then why not just get a towbar (admitting you might want a detachable one) for about £100 then get a 7 way by-pass relay for I thing about £25 and wire that in (not using scotch-locs) but soldering and that gets round the canbus problem.The only thing you cannot do is the parking sensor etc but thats not the end of the world, and the main thing is its poss about £500 cheaper than the factory optionRadiotwo

So again why would you need a additional unit in the boot.

Just to explain, I had another vehicle (not a vag group car) but with canbus, and this was prep'd at the factory, and

all you had to do was to connect to the socket at the back, and have the coding switched on, so all I did was using a piece of wire connect the 7 pin (although it was a 13 pin socket in this case) to the connector and it worked with no extra control unit !

Radiotwo

Because the wiring to the boot is only programmed for the car's rear lights, and not the additional load that the trailer brings with it, namely:

trailer rear lights, trailer brake lights, additional trailer flashers, all of which have to be sensed for bulb failure.

switching off the rear parking sensors

switching off the car rear fog light

extension to the alarm system

extension to the car stability system

Other maqnufacturers "might" programme their cars differently, but I know from the caravanning forums that VAG, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and probably others all now need an additional rear control box. I suspect it has a lot to do with all the additional info that the main controller has to deal with, so to "ease the load" they now require a rear control box.

Re the "by-pass" units, try looking at some of the problems these are so said to be causing. I'm sure I have heard here of people with Octavias needing complete new ECU's because of faults that have developed with them. The only SAFE way of doing it is to do it properly; it might be expensive but it could be even more so if you don't

"Re the "by-pass" units, try looking at some of the problems these are so said to be causing. I'm sure I have heard here of people with Octavias needing complete new ECU's because of faults that have developed with them. The only SAFE way of doing it is to do it properly; it might be expensive but it could be even more so if you don't"

Sorry I don't agree, I have fitted loads of these units and never had a problem, I guess the problem are down to how

they are wired !

And I bet they have sold thousands of these units with no problems at all

Radiotwo

So far this morning. One dealer has it in stock $730. Another has no stock but $550. WTF Australia, its a Skoda not a VW or Audi.

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"Re the "by-pass" units, try looking at some of the problems these are so said to be causing. I'm sure I have heard here of people with Octavias needing complete new ECU's because of faults that have developed with them. The only SAFE way of doing it is to do it properly; it might be expensive but it could be even more so if you don't"

Sorry I don't agree, I have fitted loads of these units and never had a problem, I guess the problem are down to how

they are wired !

And I bet they have sold thousands of these units with no problems at all

Radiotwo

I have no doubt that a bypass relay will do the trick and save some money

My feeling on that though, is if I have spent 20k on a car and I am going to keep it for a few years am I interested in saving £120 and have someone either fix scotchlocks to the wiring system or nearly as bad strip the insulation off and solder the connections---no thanks

Plus as Graham says you gain some very useful changes to the braking and stability controls when you are towing--the saving I think just isn't worth it.

The argument in any event has now become less relevant as you can now order the towbar fitted on a new car for £400

Joel---have you considered ordering a cable from the uk---can't be too bad for postage I wouldn't have thought--the prices they want over there are extortionate!