Hi all, 

 

Had a towbar fitted by the dealer on Monday and since then I've noticed that when I put the car into reverse the rear traffic alert and blind spot monitor says there's a fault and it turns them off. It let's me turn them back on but turns them off again when I put it back in reverse. 

 

Any ideas why it would do that? It doesn't do it every time tho maybe once in 4 times of putting it into reverse. 

 

Thanks 

James

It only should turn off rear reversing sensors (maybe blindspot dect as well, not sure) when the trailer is attached and the electric socket is connected to car.

Some shortcut or wrong wiring I guess.

It would never show a fault though.  Have you had anything connected to the electrics of the towbar yet to see if it works as expected once something is connected? (My superb MK2 shows a trailer on the Infotainment screen when somethings connected and you go into reverse)

 

Suspect faulty wiring or a duff wiring harness/connector (or maybe they haven't connected it up properly!)

I've not had a chance to hook up the trailer to test it yet but I'll have a go tomorrow.

 

The parking sensors work fine it's just the blind spot and traffic alert so I'm assuming it's something to do with the radar(??) Sensors in the bumper. 

 

It's off to the dealer again next week to get it sorted. I've not actually had it to drive for a whole week yet! Fingers crossed this is the last visit for a while 

 

Cheers for the replies 

James 

You want the blind spot detection to turn off when in reverse and a trailer is fitted, otherwise the sensors behind the rear bumper would think your turning trailer is an approaching vehicle and constantly illuminate / distract.

 

However, I'd expect them to silently deactivate when you select reverse, if the car is flagging up a 'Fault' then as above, the tow bar hasn't been wired / coded correctly.

 

Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for the fitting and what style / brand is the tow bar? I baulked at the £860 price for factory fitted but it seems it may resolve a few potential headaches.

 

What engine do you have? Skoda have claimed that on some engines (1.4 TSI) the cooling system should also be upgraded if a tow bar is fitted. It's absolute rubbish but I'm curious to see if you were told any of this, especially having had it fitted via a dealer.

22 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

You want the blind spot detection to turn off when in reverse and a trailer is fitted, otherwise the sensors behind the rear bumper would think your turning trailer is an approaching vehicle and constantly illuminate / distract.

 

However, I'd expect them to silently deactivate when you select reverse, if the car is flagging up a 'Fault' then as above, the tow bar hasn't been wired / coded correctly.

 

Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for the fitting and what style / brand is the tow bar? I baulked at the £860 price for factory fitted but it seems it may resolve a few potential headaches.

 

What engine do you have? Skoda have claimed that on some engines (1.4 TSI) the cooling system should also be upgraded if a tow bar is fitted. It's absolute rubbish but I'm curious to see if you were told any of this, especially having had it fitted via a dealer.

Hi there, 

 

Not sure on the price if the tow bar to be fair as it was a freebie from the dealer (if I signed today). It was fitted at an independent towbar place though. It's a removable one. I'll have a look over the paperwork to see if they have a price anywhere. I'll get the details of the towbar too! 

 

Yeah I was thinking the same about it turning it all off. Its strange as it doesn't actually say its a fault but just says it's unavailable but it turns them both off so I have to activate them again from the menu. I get no other issues until I engage reverse again. 

 

I've got the tdi 150 DSG so wasn't told about anything to do with the cooling system. But as you said that seems a bit odd to have to upgrade it. 

Edited 14 March, 20188 yr by jamesdevon

If you have dedicated electrics on your tow bar then the PDC and blind spot sensors should remain operational until you connect a trailer/caravan electrics to it. If it’s not doing this then take it back for sorting out. 

Once you connect a trailer up then you should get a little picture up on the car display to show the car is connected to a trailer. 

 

50 minutes ago, jamesdevon said:

I've got the tdi 150 DSG so wasn't told about anything to do with the cooling system. But as you said that seems a bit odd to have to upgrade it. 

 

You'll be fine with the diesel, I'm pretty sure the cooling system upgrade was more for the petrol engines.

 

I hadn't twigged earlier that the systems are deactivating when you select reverse even without the trailer electrics connected.

 

There is definitely something wrong. Time to get it back to the dealer.

4 hours ago, silver1011 said:

You'll be fine with the diesel, I'm pretty sure the cooling system upgrade was more for the petrol engines.

 

Yes - and I also think the member who posted about it had the 1.4 Tsi 125ps manual. Might not be an issue with the 150ps....

Edited 14 March, 20188 yr by TheRobinK
typo

Hi there,

Did you ever get a resolution to this problem? I have a superb mk 3 l and K and after having a towbar fitted the blind spot detect and rear assist turn off (correctly) when towbar electrics are connected, but then when they are turned back on after disconnecting the towbar electrics they turn off whenever the parking sensors are activated (eg when putting in reverse).

 

Any information would be very much appreciated!

I have heard that the radars should be re-calibrated if the bumper has been off. Maybe they disturbed one?

 

That would make sense.

 

Non of the aftermarket tow bar fitters will have the sensor calibration rig and equipment so I guess they simply hope it isn't an issue.

8 hours ago, AWD said:

Hi there,

Did you ever get a resolution to this problem? I have a superb mk 3 l and K and after having a towbar fitted the blind spot detect and rear assist turn off (correctly) when towbar electrics are connected, but then when they are turned back on after disconnecting the towbar electrics they turn off whenever the parking sensors are activated (eg when putting in reverse).

 

Any information would be very much appreciated!

Hi 

 

I did get it sorted in the end. Apperantly there's a very strict procedure to follow when unhooking the electrics. I'll try my best to list the steps. 

 

Firstly u have to turn off the blind spot and traffic alert before hooking up the electrics. 

 

After unhooking the electrics (with ignition off):

 

1) Start car as normal

2) Manually activate parking sensors using the button on dash

3) Go into the menu on the instrument panel computer to activate the blind spot and traffic alert 

4) Deactivate the parking sensors. 

 

That's it. And believe it or not it actually works. 

 

I must mention that mine actually needed reprogramming first so I'm not 100% sure this will fix the issue without reprogramming but it's worth a try. 

 

Let me know how u get on. 

 

James

6 hours ago, lowedb said:

I have heard that the radars should be re-calibrated if the bumper has been off. Maybe they disturbed one?

 

The towbar place took mine to skoda to sort the sensors out. 

3 minutes ago, jamesdevon said:

Hi 

 

I did get it sorted in the end. Apperantly there's a very strict procedure to follow when unhooking the electrics. I'll try my best to list the steps. 

 

Firstly u have to turn off the blind spot and traffic alert before hooking up the electrics. 

 

After unhooking the electrics (with ignition off):

 

1) Start car as normal

2) Manually activate parking sensors using the button on dash

3) Go into the menu on the instrument panel computer to activate the blind spot and traffic alert 

4) Deactivate the parking sensors. 

 

That's it. And believe it or not it actually works. 

 

I must mention that mine actually needed reprogramming first so I'm not 100% sure this will fix the issue without reprogramming but it's worth a try. 

 

Let me know how u get on. 

 

James

 

But you shouldn't have to do that... if you have the proper electrics.  they should know if something is plugged into the electrics, and then disable themselves.  You should always plug electrics in with the ignition switched off though!

Apparently not if you have the radar sensors. 

 

According to Skoda customer service you even have to follow this process if you have a factory fitted towbar on a MY18 vehicle. 

 

I'm not going to get involved in whether it should or shouldn't have to be done like that. I'm just happy they're working again. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, jamesdevon said:

Apparently not if you have the radar sensors. 

 

According to Skoda customer service you even have to follow this process if you have a factory fitted towbar on a MY18 vehicle. 

 

I'm not going to get involved in whether it should or shouldn't have to be done like that. I'm just happy they're working again. 

 

 

 

Radar Specific to the Blind Spot monitoring?  I don't have that so that may be why

Yeah... There's 2 radar sensors in the rear bumper just below the lights which is what both of those things use. 

 

I agree with what your saying regarding not having to do that but it seems like this is more of a work around to the issue as apposed to a fix. 

 

 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for replies. Had the car into Skoda today, and the master technician fixed it.

 

To remind: had a towbar fitted to my 17 Superb L&K; ever since, whenever the rear assist and blind spot detection were turned on they would both deactivate if the parking sensors activated (eg when reversing).

 

I tried James's fix but that didn't work for me.

 

There was one digit wrong in the coding for the parking sensors, which the master tech changed. Now RA and BSD turn off when towed electrics plugged in (as do rear parking sensors), as they should. When finished towing, you have to manually reactivate RA and BSD (parking sensors reactivate automatically) but once they are turned on they remain on.

 

I've lost the towing picture when the electrics are connected, but I can live with that!

 

Cars are complicated!

 

Really appreciate the help; great forum.

 

 

Glad you’re all sorted now

Glad you got it sorted. I had to have mine recoded before it worked for me too. 

 

I found out the other day that even if a bulb fails on the trailer the car actually tells u it's on the trailer and even know which one. Very clever! 

 

Complicated.... But clever