Hi, does anyone know if the dedicated wiring kit for a towbar is just plug and play or involves any cutting/splicing of the wiring loom? I fitted my own towbar on my old Volvo XC90 and the car wiring loom had a ready made plug near the back of the car so when you routed the towbar electric wires in through the readymade hole and bung in the boot floor you just plugged the two plugs together and hey presto. I know there is a recoding option (not required for bike rack which is all Im using it for) but Im asking just about the physical wiring connection itself. Is there a manual anywhere online yet that anyone can link to?

Thanks

Probably not much help, but I have a Passat and I was told by VW there is no wiring if you didn't spec it on build, hence the cost. Also needs some software updates too.

The car has to have 'towbar prep' from the factory before it is plug and play. If it does not have that you have to route wires to the front of the car and connect them to the BCM and the fuse box yourself. And then the car needs coding afterwards.

Edited 8 April, 201610 yr by GaSelle

PF jones now do a towbar for the Superb 3 -  which was not avaialble a few months ago.

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars/tow-bars-for-skoda/skoda-superb-towbars/skoda-superb-estate-towbars/skoda-superb-estate-tow-bars-2015-onwards.html

 

You have the option of a Universal Electrics Kits With Bypass which will tap into the wires at the back of the car i would expect... £20 for a 7pin or £44 for a 13 pin.   (I would maybe go this route if its just for your bike rack.)

 

Other the OEM electrics is £105 / £111.

 

I would also recommend you go for the 13pin option and get an adapter for a few quid to future proof the car. as new bike racks and trailers in the UK are now coming with the 13 pin set up.  (I beleive the real EU have been using this set up a long time on their trailers and bike racks.

 

PF Jones... prie is around £300 for a 13pin dedicated set up plus fitting... which i expect at a garage would come in at around £500 all in.

Edited 8 April, 201610 yr by RickTT

Yes I have been talking to PFJones about it, I think I will go with them fitting as the wiring installation looks more involved than on my old Volvo, and prefer to pay for the dedicated kit to not affect warranty, also future proofing as you rightly say. Thanks for the advice.

So my next question is whether a fixed swan neck will affect the rear parking sensors when nothing is attached to it? Has anyone got one fitted and can confirm this? Otherwise rear parking sensors are abit pointless if they always go off.....!

My quote from PF Jones is for detachable swan neck, dedicated electrics, 13 pin, fitting etc and comes to £530.

This is the Bosal kit.

So my next question is whether a fixed swan neck will affect the rear parking sensors when nothing is attached to it? Has anyone got one fitted and can confirm this? Otherwise rear parking sensors are abit pointless if they always go off.....!

 

Theres no sensor in that area to trigger the parking sensors... otherwise they would trigger with the factory fit option

My quote from PF Jones is for detachable swan neck, dedicated electrics, 13 pin, fitting etc and comes to £530.

This is the Bosal kit.

 

Around £200 cheaper than the factory fit then.... (not as cool though )

 

im still not convinced they provided a bigger battery, alternator and cooling system like it was detailed.. (but thats another thread!)

When i bought my old Octavia vrs i had a non detachable towbar fitted as part of the purchase.

On collection the dealer informed me they couldn't guarantee that the sensors wouldn't pick it up and sometimes when reversing the sensors would do the occasional beep even though there was nothing behind me ( and by nothing one time to a distance of at least 30m ).

I did remove the tow ball and never had a false reading but it was a pain to keep taking off so put up with it.

 

Whilst not a problem in itself you do think what the hell when it does go off.

The Superb is pre-wired already, its just a case of wiring the electrics to that loon. The problem is you will invalidate your warranty because there have been a few cases of cars going on fire because of in - correct fitting by some fitters. They have been cases where they wired the electrics up to the tail light electrics instead!! I saw first hand Skoda mechanics fitting the OEM hitch to an L&K model. The biggest problem they had was the sub woofers in the boot from the Canton system has to be removed & put back in & re-coded afterwards. On a standard model, they cut a hole underneath, wire it up to the pre wired loon & code it. About 3-4 hours work. I just couldn't justify the €900 when all I mainly need a hitch for was a bike rack.

One of the reasons i went for a factory fit was due to warrenty.

 

I have have battery drains in the past due to the after market towbar kit on my BMW E60. Also, as the documentation detailed the additional optimized set up for towing, i didn't want to be in a position where a dealer could blame a 3rd party as mine is a company car. It felt better to go OEM to save any hassle

After market fitting seem a bit risky after reading this thread.

Glad I paid the extra and went factory-fitted.

It's down to dodgy fitters looking for shortcuts rather than doing the job properly.

I've used PF Jones dedicated kits in cars, including BMWs and never had any trouble. I have always used the same 'type' as OEM as near as possible, and dedicated kits. Oh and I have always followed the instructions to the letter.

It's not prewired - unless you pay for it. Can be depending on the market. Cars sold in DK will come prewired for MY17.

Depends on which country so & presumably Spec

Edited 11 April, 201610 yr by Rebelred