Fitting a towbar - electrics

[pauldelaf]

Hi All,

I'm about to get a towbar fitted to my B6 Avant (2003). I don't really want to spend a fortune on a removable one but I'm not really a fan of the traditonal type where the hitch bolts to a visible plate, so I've been looking at a swan neck one. I've been quoted £214 supplied and fitted, but the only thing holding me back is the connection to the car's electrics.

The company who quoted £214 use the blue plastic fork type connectors to tap into the car's electrics. I had a similar installation on my Mercedes C Class and it meant that I had a permanent error message saying there was a bulb gone. I was subsequently advised that the blue fork connectors can cause this. The people who quoted me said that the connectors are only to draw a signal from the electrics, and that the main electrical supply is wired separately.

Does anyone have any experience of this please? I believe there's an OEM connector for towbar electrics but I've been quoted over £100 for this.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

[nevo]

The problem you describe is not the connectors,as you say the extra lights cause the cars monitoring system to go haywire.A reputable installer will fit a electronic devive to counteract that,incidentally if you've got rear parking sensors the fixed bar will set them off.

[Boy]

I agree with Nevo. If it is done properly there will be no problem. In fact, you should buy a removable bar and fit it yourself. I did my Avant and it was not difficult. Works perfectly and looks better than any fixed bar.;)

[GeorgeE]

Having fitted both the bar and the genuine electronics kit, I can offer the following advice. Don't do it!

The bar itself is easy, but to fit the genuine electrical kit you have to remove all the seats to run the cables to the front of the car, solder into the CAN bus wires, then get the Ecu on the vehicle reprogrammed to control the new computer you have to fit in the rear (you can do this with Vagcom). Bear in mind you will need three items, a loom, towing ECU and a bracket (the dealer originally only quoted for the loom, I had to go back for the rest at nearly another £100!). I am reasonably competant but it is not a job for the feint hearted and I wouldn't entertain doing it again.

It is the only time I have ever fitted a "proper" kit, on all other vehicles I fit the standard 7 way bypass relay, which indeed takes a signal from the lights and uses it to switch a totally seperate power source to drive the trailer. Quick, simple and (provided it is not a Transit van which leaks water down the inside of the rear quarter panel - they all do that sir) very reliable.

[elite0777]

Hi All,

I'm about to get a towbar fitted to my B6 Avant (2003). I don't really want to spend a fortune on a removable one but I'm not really a fan of the traditonal type where the hitch bolts to a visible plate, so I've been looking at a swan neck one. I've been quoted £214 supplied and fitted, but the only thing holding me back is the connection to the car's electrics.

The company who quoted £214 use the blue plastic fork type connectors to tap into the car's electrics. I had a similar installation on my Mercedes C Class and it meant that I had a permanent error message saying there was a bulb gone. I was subsequently advised that the blue fork connectors can cause this. The people who quoted me said that the connectors are only to draw a signal from the electrics, and that the main electrical supply is wired separately.

Does anyone have any experience of this please? I believe there's an OEM connector for towbar electrics but I've been quoted over £100 for this.

Thanks in advance.

Paul


Below is a site I used for a towbar for my previous BM they were the cheapest at the time. They were really good with advice at the time. On the BM I Tapped into the tail lights so I can't really see why you wouldn't be able to on yours.
http://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars/audi-towbars/audi-a4-towbars/tow-bars-for-audi-a4-avant-estate/audi-a4-b6-avant-estate-2001-2004.html

[BMurr]

Hi George

I am in situation where I already have the vehicle specific kit on hand, although there is an"equipment rack" which is sometimes fitted from new in factory to the car and which I have yet to search for to see if it is fitted. aside from that I have the ECU , the loom and a bracket to mount the tow socket. I also have fully functional VAG-COM so shouild be able to program the ECU to accept the new computer.I also happen to have a bypass relay supposedly suitable for fitting the bog standard single electrics kit so can choose between which to fit. Is there any advantage to fitting the vehicle specific kit? If you were in my situation what would you do?
Having fitted both the bar and the genuine electronics kit, I can offer the following advice. Don't do it!

The bar itself is easy, but to fit the genuine electrical kit you have to remove all the seats to run the cables to the front of the car, solder into the CAN bus wires, then get the Ecu on the vehicle reprogrammed to control the new computer you have to fit in the rear (you can do this with Vagcom). Bear in mind you will need three items, a loom, towing ECU and a bracket (the dealer originally only quoted for the loom, I had to go back for the rest at nearly another £100!). I am reasonably competant but it is not a job for the feint hearted and I wouldn't entertain doing it again.

[dan2134]

By fitting the OEM kit you will have trailer stability and indicator warning lights on your dash. its upto you I fitted the OEM kit there is a lot of striping out in the car to do so make sure you have got enough time .

[BMurr]

Just after doing a bit of foraging around behind the panels in boot to see if I have the "equipment rack" or bracket as it seems to be referred to onto which the new computer board is fitted. I don't have the rack and will have to see how much it costs( part No. 8EO 907 297 B). From what I can see in the instructions the rack just holds the computer in place and doesn't actually plug into it in any way.

[dan2134]

I bought the bracket and the two nuts to mount it im sure it was less then £10.

[wmccann]

depending on what you have in the back of the car, as far as I remember (installed one in my A4 Cab) you can attach to the canbus at the back and take the power from there as well.

Walter.

[GeorgeE]

As already posted, the bracket and two nuts is cheap as chips. On mine (and most if not all B6's - slightly puzzled by the post from wmccann above but that may be specific to the cab version - could need canbus at the back for the hood control?) there is no canbus at the back. To fit the genuine kit you need to remove both front seats (take airbag precautions) and pretty much all the side trim in order to get the control and power cables to the front of the vehicle. The advantage of the proper kit is that you get a nice trailer repeater symbol on the dash instead of a buzzer in the boot and it will interface with the reversing sesors (i.e. turn them off) if you have genuine ones fitted. Up to you whether you think the hassle is worth it!

[wmccann]

Probably is the cab, it is the reversing sensor module that is under the rear seat, - I took the canbus from there.

Apologies for any confusion.

W.


As already posted, the bracket and two nuts is cheap as chips. On mine (and most if not all B6's - slightly puzzled by the post from wmccann above but that may be specific to the cab version - could need canbus at the back for the hood control?) there is no canbus at the back. To fit the genuine kit you need to remove both front seats (take airbag precautions) and pretty much all the side trim in order to get the control and power cables to the front of the vehicle. The advantage of the proper kit is that you get a nice trailer repeater symbol on the dash instead of a buzzer in the boot and it will interface with the reversing sesors (i.e. turn them off) if you have genuine ones fitted. Up to you whether you think the hassle is worth it!