Towbar VCDS

[Garnett]

Hi

 

I need some advice on VCDS and towbar fitting.

 

My local garage has offered to install a 7 way relay and electrical kit for a towbar that I will fit myself.

 

The garage has told me that I will need to deactivate the bulb sensors with VCDS or it will show a problem. I have done this for the LED number plate lights with no problem. Can anyone suggest the settings that I will need to exchange?

 

Thanks

 

Garnett

[andyvee]

NOOO DONT DO IT!

 

Get a proper electrical kit not a bodge job relay kit. If you check the major towbar manufacturers they don't list a relay kit as compatible for the O3 ..........

[flybynite]

As above. Get the proper plug in kit from Skoda it is not expensive.

 

Three part numbers: one if you have towbar prep, one if you don't, and a third is the add-on loom if you want dual electrics. Then code it as per the VCDS thread.

 

You can put any bar with it you like

[Garnett]

That is interesting. I have been around all the local places. I went for a Westphalia Swan Neck as it requires no visible cut. My car was not delivered towbar ready. I have been quoted £124 for the loom plus 5 hours labour to fit it! They say there is a major dash board dismantle. The relay is £10 plus £40 fitting. That accords with what Skoda have said as well. Are they right?

 

Garnett

Edited 21 July, 2016 by Garnett

[andyvee]

£50 and an invalidated warranty?

 

It is about £124 for a Westfalia Loom, 5hrs is a bit excessive, a few connections to the fuse box and canbus and the job is done. Glovebox has to come out to access the fusebox, not a lot more to it than that really.

 

Contact a company like PFJones who specialise in these would be my advice.

 

Remember a lot of things are altered when a trailer/caravan are connected that won't happen with a bypass relay kit - ABS, Drive Mode, Reversing sensors etc.

[andyvee]

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/towbar-wiring-kits/skoda-towbar-wiring-kits/skoda-octavia-towbar-wiring-kits.html

 

and

 

Wiring kits

Once you have chosen which electrical socket you need, you can choose which wiring kit to fit.

There are 2 types of wiring kits to choose from, dedicated and universal. Universal kits are available for all vehicles whereas dedicated are vehicle specific so may not be available for some cars (more information on whether your car has a dedicated tow bar wiring kit available can be found on the chosen tow bar product page).

Universal Wiring Kits

Universal wiring kits are needed to connect the tow bar electrics to the car electrical system. In some cases, mostly in modern cars, a bypass relay will be needed when fitting a universal kit, this is to ensure the towing electrics and vehicle electrics co-ordinate voltage/ power and wont detect the drop in voltage/ power as a fault.

Things to consider before purchasing a universal wiring kit

• Trailer Stability Control

Some modern vehicles have trailer stability control programmed as an extension to the cars regular stability control system, however, if a universal wiring kit is fitted to your vehicle, the trailer stability control function may not activate and become null.

• Vehicle Warranty

If your vehicle is still under warranty then you might want to consider the affect of fitting a universal wiring kit. Most warranties will specify that any tow bar wiring fitted must be equivalent to the wiring supplied by the vehicle manufacturer. Meaning, they prefer a dedicated wiring kit over a universal wiring kit.

Dedicated Wiring Kits

Dedicated wiring kits are made to fit a specific car make and model. Unlike universal kits, dedicated kits work in coordination with the vehicles existing electrical system allowing it to run as functional as it was intended to by the manufacturer.

The advantage of a dedicated wiring kit is that the vehicle will know when you are towing and will automatically adjust the following systems (only if the vehicle has them):

• Brake electronics
• Engine electronics
• Cruise control or A.C.C
• Parking aids
• Reversing cameras
• Lane change assisting
• Suspension system
• Engine cooling system
• S.P

 

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bar-electrics.html

[Garnett]

I am currently dealing with Hedley Towbars. I have pushed them hard on this. I will be towing my dinghy which is light. For completeness this was their response.

 

Hi

Universal electrics with a bypass relay will not invalidate any warranty you have. The dealer should not of told you this as it untrue.

We have fitted dedicated to the Skoda Octavia many times & it is a very difficult job, if you would like to contact the office on 0191 386 3972 you can speak to one of our fitters who will explain this.

Westfalia have quite a few kits for this vehicle, I would need to know if yours is the up to 2014 model or the 2014 onwards? and also does it have preliminary setup? The Westfalia electrics are in German stock so delivery would be 5-7 days.

Many thanks,

 

http://hedley-towbars.co.uk/towbartypes.asp

[themanwithnoaim]

Garnet, it's not what you are towing it's poor sod who buys the car after you and causes untold death and destruction.

Do it properly and sleep nights

Regards

T

[flybynite]

Don't know what to say really. You pays your money and takes your choice. If they are complaining about fitting dedicated electrics, they are not much of a tow bar fitter IMHO

 

If they fry the Canbus I guarantee Skoda will walk away, you only have to look at some of the threads when the fault is genuine.

 

When I got them a while ago the factory wiring looms were £83 and £36 which sounds right for what you were quoted. I don't see a reason to get anything else.

 

FWIW these days I spec tow bars from new, it is the least hassle all round. If I can't do that then I use factory electrics from the manufacturer and the ironwork of my preference (which tends to be Witter but that's a personal thing and isn't really relevant)

 

Dedicated electrics from the towbar makers are often factory electrics repacked (often the same price), sometimes not. I prefer to have the receipt for the genuine parts when I can, again its a personal thing.

 

In the past I have had a boot full of smoke through a half-crimped Scotchlok and nearly ended up in the ditch through badly coded stability so these days I don't really **** around.

[GlenAnderson]

At the end of the day, you've spent thousands on a car, why scrimp on something that has the potential to both compromise your safety and cost you way more than you've saved if something goes wrong? As to the towbar company telling you it won't invalidate your warranty vs the Skoda dealer saying it will; well, I know who I'd believe.

Supply and fit of a detachable towbar and elecrics to our new Octavia vRS was about £650 by the main dealer prior to delivery. That was to a vehicle bought from stock, so no factory prep. If we'd bought the car as a factory build it'd have been £100 or so cheaper. I don't have a breakdown of parts/labour, but at main dealer rates that's definitely less than five hours.

[Garnett]

I think I managed to find a way to do this.

 

I found this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161908093523?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It is a 305408300113 but I dont think it has the 7 or 13 pin socket and loom to connect to the control box. As long as I run the cable up to the dash Westphalia in Bristol will fit for £40 and also do the recode. They tell me it is a pig to do but the have the tools to take out the MIB unit which allows access. I have VCDS but I have lane assist and Andy's instructions don't cover this. I am happy to take a snapshot after they have done to see what extra parameters they change?

 

Has anyone got any idea what I need to order for the Socket and lead? I want 7 pin but happy to have 13 pin and a converter. Would it be the same lead as a car that already had tow bar prep?

 

Thanks

 

Garnett

[FlyingGecko]

! They say there is a major dash board dismantle.

 

Garnett

 

Really!?!

[FlyingGecko]

. I will be towing my dinghy which is light.

 

...

 

 

 

But still heavy enough with or without a trailer to do plenty of damage when sailing through the air at 50mph on the motorway.

[Garnett]

Sorry but that is a huge exaggeration. Westphalia are telling me that there is no safety issue unless I am towing a big caravan. The tow at has to pass MOT. I am fitting a dedicated system. The work according to Westphalia is the rooting of the cable. There is also the removal of the MIB for the connection which needs specialist tools. They are doing this in an hour for me with their kit. Let's keep the scaremongering in its place so people can make informed decisions. If universal telays were as dangerous as you suggest the would be banned!

[FlyingGecko]

Sorry but that is a huge exaggeration.

 

 

...

 

 

What is?

[Lew0-VRS]

Asks a question but does not like the replies. Get it done correctly or just don't ask. I bought mine with a tow bar can't remember the make. What I do know is previous owner took it back to Skoda after it was fitted as it had a lane assist error. Skoda wanted £240 to code it which he wasn't willing to pay. I've checked with the dealer that what has been installed is above board and they had told me yes. Just needed coding. Which obviously the tow bar company couldn't do. So did it myself following andy's guide. Not that I'm ever going to tow with it lol.

[Garnett]

I think you are missing something here. Westphalia are the company that supply the OEM tow bar kit to VAG. Having fitted the mechanics on Friday after removing the bumper the quality of the design was obvious. It was built for my car and fitted the for existing holes which are covered over in the chassis. There are plenty of other makes but they don't connect like this. It even provided torque specs for each bolt. The Westphalia dedicated wiring is canbus contrilled. The unit that I am installing simply brings my car to the tow bar ready situation if specified at the time of order. Re the coding I have read Andy's excellent guide. At the bottom it says it does not have the details for lane assist which I have. Westphalia have there own coding machine that is used to configure factory installations. They will do this for £40. They have also given me a 13 pin plug and lead which they have spare and will fit it in the hour that they need for the connection and coding. It is some of the best customer service I have had in years. When they have finished I was offering to snapshot the missing section for Andy's guide. I have a full factory specification tow bar with an unaffected warranty, all the stability and security features and electrics for £220. This compared with £800 - £1000 for the same thing offered by the dealer which led me to explore a bypass relay originally.

[Lew0-VRS]

So why ask when you've made your mind up ? And feel it's all good ? I'm lost.

[flybynite]

I have the factory fitted tow bar, on the car from the factory from new and it is certainly not Westfalia (or Westphalia) but if you are happy with the ironwork and have have fully coded dedicated electrics I can't see ny problem.

[themanwithnoaim]

£600 factory fit towbar on a new car.

WHERE TF do you get £800 - £1000 or is everyone trying to overcharge you as you look like a sap?

[FlyingGecko]

£600 factory fit towbar on a new car.

WHERE TF do you get £800 - £1000 or is everyone trying to overcharge you as you look like a sap?

 

 

 

And under £500 for a Westfalia removable, including coding, from an excellent independent - which is what my local dealer arranges. I'd want a bike carrier AND a bike for that price. Or a twin axle trailer.