Hi all, believe this may have been discussed some time ago but wanted to see if there's any more help on the topic.

Currently shopping about for a mk3 VRS estate (petrol) for my dad as he's thinking about replacing his mk1 Octavia L&K.

He'll be using the car for towing on a semi-regular basis and from what I've concluded from previous research the trailer prep is relatively necessary because of the adjustments needed to the ESC when towing as well as something to do with the cooling system etc as well as it being much less of a pain in the arse to install the trailer light wiring.

Is there any easy way to confirm whether the car has this fitted or not, as you can appreciate I can't go to dealers pulling the glovebox out so I can get a look at the fusebox to check if the necessary fuses for the TP are there or not.

Also if anyone can give me some guidance on what coding may be needed and where to get this done as I have seen it mentioned a lot regarding installation of the tow hitch.

Many thanks in advance!

There is a paper sticker under the boot liner and should also be in the owners handbook that lists all the equipment codes for that car. One of those codes is for the electrics/harness needed for a tow bar if fitted. Im sure someone will come along with exact code shortly.

Quick search pulled up this from another thread. 

 

"There will be a PR code for towbar prep on the sticker on the boot floor.

 

I think 1D0 is no towbar prep, 1D7 is towbar prep." and from a PDF from PJ Jones trailers i found this further confirming the coding:-) 

 

My car has a Westfalia towbar (that I've never used lol) and my VCDS confirms that it's all been coded. Here is my boot sticker too. The coding can be done with VCDS or ODIS or OBD 11 i expect

 

It tells the car it has a trailer control module and also the ABS module is recoded to adjust the bias to the braking. If a DSG car then this also prevents the Eco mode from "Coasting" with the trailer hitched. (DSG coasting is where the gearbox is out of gear but not really  in neutral and a mere dab of the accelerator or brake put the autobox straight in gear again) 

 

 

 

Edited 23 June, 20223 yr by paulski

3 hours ago, paulski said:

Quick search pulled up this from another thread. 

 

"There will be a PR code for towbar prep on the sticker on the boot floor.

 

I think 1D0 is no towbar prep, 1D7 is towbar prep." and from a PDF from PJ Jones trailers i found this further confirming the coding:-) 

 

My car has a Westfalia towbar (that I've never used lol) and my VCDS confirms that it's all been coded. Here is my boot sticker too. The coding can be done with VCDS or ODIS or OBD 11 i expect

 

It tells the car it has a trailer control module and also the ABS module is recoded to adjust the bias to the braking. If a DSG car then this also prevents the Eco mode from "Coasting" with the trailer hitched. (DSG coasting is where the gearbox is out of gear but not really  in neutral and a mere dab of the accelerator or brake put the autobox straight in gear again) 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that, will make it very easy to identify unless some muppet has gone and torn the sticker out lol.

As for the vcds, is the coding something that comes from the factory regardless of whether the car actually came with a hitch or just the trailer prep or is it something I'd have to do or go to the dealer for them to code it in?

Many thanks!

27 minutes ago, Dylan11003 said:

As for the vcds, is the coding something that comes from the factory regardless of whether the car actually came with a hitch or just the trailer prep or is it something I'd have to do or go to the dealer for them to code it in?

Coding has to match the current state of the car, so it cannot be coded until after the trailer module etc is fitted - without generating fault codes, some of which may stop some systems working.

2 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Coding has to match the current state of the car, so it cannot be coded until after the trailer module etc is fitted - without generating fault codes, some of which may stop some systems working.

Gotcha, is this something easy to do if I were to get an obd2 dongle to plug into my laptop and get my hands on the VCDS software or is it worth taking it to the dealer for them to do?

Thanks!

Factory trailer prep only adds the wiring loom to the rear quarter. As @PetrolDavesays. Once the module is added that's when coding is required to tell the car system to behave differently when trailer is attached, i.e it turns off the rear parking sensors. 

 

I would suggest you look at options and costs from an independent towbar fitter with the understanding that you want it fully integrated.  You'll be unlikely to get a main dealer to fit one anyway. They just sub out towbar fitting to independents generally anyway from reading threads on here. 

 

a good independent will have the software to code it in anyway as that's how it's done on CANbus cars. You cannot just chop wires into the loom with scotch blocks like they did years back! 

Edited 23 June, 20223 yr by paulski

2 minutes ago, paulski said:

Factory trailer prep only adds the wiring loom to the rear quarter. As @PetrolDavesays. Once the module is added that's when coding is required to tell the car system to behave differently when trailer is attached, i.e it turns off the rear parking sensors. 

 

I would suggest you look at options and costs from an independent towbar fitter with the understanding that you want it fully integrated.  You'll be unlikely to get a main dealer to fit one anyway. They just sub out towbar fitting to independents generally anyway from reading threads on here. 

 

a good independent will have the software to code it in anyway as that's how it's done on CANbus cars. You cannot just chop wires into the loom with scotch blocks like they did years back! 

Installing the actual hitch is something that me and dad would probably do ourselves to save a little bit of cost as he's pretty competent mechanically. Was wanting to make sure what he buys has the factory trailer prep as I'm under the assumption if that is in place its plug and play then the coding part as mentioned. Defo not gonna go splicing into the wires read all the horror stories of what happens on CANbus cars. May just have to call around the dealer and other places to see who could code it in when / if we get to that point.

Thanks.

There is a full guide a member wrote on the forum to install a towbar with masses of pictures. Have a search I'm sure you'll find it. 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/416042-fitting-removable-towbar-comprehensive-instructions/?tab=comments#comment-5255020

 

It's in here as a PDF. 

2 hours ago, paulski said:

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/416042-fitting-removable-towbar-comprehensive-instructions/?tab=comments#comment-5255020

 

It's in here as a PDF. 

Had a flick through, is very in depth!

Silly me also forgets that I know some volkswagen techs who'd probably be able to do the coding for me anyway so that should hopefully not be an issue.

Thanks.

14 hours ago, Dylan11003 said:

Gotcha, is this something easy to do if I were to get an obd2 dongle to plug into my laptop and get my hands on the VCDS software or is it worth taking it to the dealer for them to do?

Thanks!

VCDS requires the correct cable from either Ross-Tech or one of their distributors to work.

If you don’t have trailer prep, I think the look needs to go back to behind the glovebox. 
 

your other query about cooling etc is also valid. There are some models that require upgraded oil coolers, just not sure which. Not sure if trailer prep actually includes this or just the loom. Hopefully someone else has a better idea. There’s definitely info somewhere online about it as read it before I got mine fitted. 

Just on a small point, my Scout won't let you tow in ECO, as soon as you put the towball in it switches to normal drive so you carnt coast.