Software issues after Towbar fitting!!

[Maverick61]

Hi everyone.

Hoping someone can assist in answering my questions to an issue I've now
encountered following fitment of a Westfalia detachable towbar to my new Q7.
I took delivery of the car 2 weeks ago, but didn't have the dealer fit the bar as they wanted £2500 for the job!!

Anyway, the genuine westfalia detachable bar & wiring kit was ordered through Towequipe at a fraction of the cost. I had it fitted by a local company yesterday, but on collecting the car, the Windows won't work (driver's window is in the down position incase the car locked when they connected the battery following the fitment). The lines of the projected path of the vehicle whilst reversing are no longer present on the reversing camera, the folding mirrors won't fold and the central locking won't operate.. infact the boot won't even open! I also have a flashing yellow coil symbol on the instrument cluster when the engine is running? :mad:

I have the car booked into my local Audi dealership for Tuesday, hoping it will be software updates which need resetting.

has anyone else encountered this following towbar fitment?

The company which fitted the bar disconnected the battery, which they stated was necessary.

Thanks

[Guest 2]

I think you might have to tell the car it now has a towbar. See what Audi says when it goes in.

[Maverick61]

Thanks Chris. I suspect that will be the case. I was aware the car would require re-coding for the towbar, so the car could recognise when something was connected to the towbar, but I really didn't expect the central locking, windows and other things to be inoperative. It's just as well I can fit the car into my garage rather then having to leave it in the street or on the driveway!

Hope it's all sorted on Tuesday and will post an update.

Thanks
Ian

[andynpz]

Ian, I wish you nothing but joy when you visit the dealer tomorrow. However, I had a retrofit towbar on my Touareg which introduced irritating intermittent electrical issues that were never completely resolved. made me determined to have a factory fit on the Q7

Hope a reboot will sort it for you, and make all the towing parameters function.

Cheers, Andy

[Maverick61]

Hi Andy.

Thanks for your message. I sincerely hope the software updates will put all the gremilns to bed. Once I've had the reboot, I'll provide an update on here. Yes, know what you mean about having factory fit towbar! The cost of £700 was reasonable and that's what I really wanted, but unfortunately I would have lost out on the deal on offer by Audi (They were contributing £6500 and finance was at 5.4%, making my payments very reasonable indeed).

Of course the dealer was happy to fit a bar for £2500, but that was silly money, hence the reason I've taken this option. Well, only time will tell whether it was the right choice?

I'll let you all know tomorrow!

Thanks
Ian

[a8 tech]

Hi everyone.

Hoping someone can assist in answering my questions to an issue I've now
encountered following fitment of a Westfalia detachable towbar to my new Q7.
I took delivery of the car 2 weeks ago, but didn't have the dealer fit the bar as they wanted £2500 for the job!!

Anyway, the genuine westfalia detachable bar & wiring kit was ordered through Towequipe at a fraction of the cost. I had it fitted by a local company yesterday, but on collecting the car, the Windows won't work (driver's window is in the down position incase the car locked when they connected the battery following the fitment). The lines of the projected path of the vehicle whilst reversing are no longer present on the reversing camera, the folding mirrors won't fold and the central locking won't operate.. infact the boot won't even open! I also have a flashing yellow coil symbol on the instrument cluster when the engine is running? :mad:

I have the car booked into my local Audi dealership for Tuesday, hoping it will be software updates which need resetting.

has anyone else encountered this following towbar fitment?

The company which fitted the bar disconnected the battery, which they stated was necessary.

Thanks

Nothing to do with software updates more like poor installation and incorrect coding also reset the reverse camera and it's going to cost you as the dealer will not cover any warranty work affected by 3rd party retro fit


Sent from my iPhone using
My fat fingers

[Maverick61]

Well car went into dealership for diagonstics and turns out the car has gone into some emergency mode, shutting everything down other than the essentials? Only problem being, even the dealership couldn't re-set the software back to factory settings, so the car is now at the dealership for a few days while they try and sort out the faults!!

If this poor installation, I'll be seeking compensation from the company which undertook the work, as they are supposed to be professional installers??

[andynpz]

Ian, Sorry to hear that, some anxious days ahead. Such things do take the gloss off the ownership experience. Hope it gets properly fixed.

Cheers, Andy

[Maverick61]

Thanks Andy.

Yes, it has taken the gloss of the new ownership experience somewhat!! Nevertheless, the car is in the hands of the right people now and a lesson has been learnt. I have asked for a detailed report of the software issues, which if necessary I can present to the company which fitted the towbar. Fair enough having to pay for upgrading the software to recognise a trailer attached to the towbar.. this I was prepared to pay for, but the remainder is over and above. I'll update on here once I have more information.

Thanks again
Ian

[a8 tech]

There is no software update

There are two methods

1 manual coding

2 svm coding

your problem will be compatibility of the after market can bus control unit and coding how the vehicle electrics have been spliced into

see it all the time from 3rd party tow bar fitters

next you will tell us the refrigeration charge circuit doesn't work and the battery goes flat

sorry to be blunt but expensive cars don't go well with inexperienced fitters and why pay top dollar for a car then skimp on the repair work and cheap parts

no sense and will cost you

[baylissboy]

There is no software update

There are two methods

1 manual coding

2 svm coding

your problem will be compatibility of the after market can bus control unit and coding how the vehicle electrics have been spliced into

see it all the time from 3rd party tow bar fitters

next you will tell us the refrigeration charge circuit doesn't work and the battery goes flat

sorry to be blunt but expensive cars don't go well with inexperienced fitters and why pay top dollar for a car then skimp on the repair work and cheap parts

no sense and will cost youDitto!

[Maverick61]

Thanks for the information. I have suggested to the dealership that it might be prudent to initially disconnect the wiring loom supplied with the towbar, then see if this has any effect on the faults?

I did originally want factory fitted towbar, but was informed the car wouldn't arrive until Sept!! Hence the reason for retro-fit of the westfalia detachable bar. If the dealer would have fitted for the same price as factory option fit, then I'd have taken that option, but to be quoted £2500 for a towbar inc of fitting really wasn't economic sense.

okay, so I'll now need to pay to have the system sorted. I'm sure it'll be done and all will work again as it should. If everything is wired correctly too, the fridge in the caravan should work too when the 13 pin socket is connected at the towbar, and there shouldn't be any flat battery!

The 3rd party installer should really have informed me if they couldn't handle the work and I'd have taken it elsewhere to be done.

[Maverick61]

Well, I've had the update of the fault to the problem. Turns out it wasn't software or poor installation of the towbar and associated wiring!!
The fault lies squarely with the ECU supplied with the dedicated wiring kit supplied by Westfalia. As a consequence, it has conflicted with other electrical components on the car. I have spoken with Towequipe who supplied the wiring kit and towbar, who then contacted Westfalia. After a number of questions they asked regarding the faults, they also agreed it was a manufacturing fault with the ECU, however I was happy to accept a replacement ECU from them. Afterall, there maybe a fault with the wiring kit too? I have now instructed the dealership to remove the wiring kit and fit a genuine one instead which should also include the ECU. Westfalia have asked for the supplied wiring kit to be returned together with the ECU, so they can conduct tests. I will of course be seeking associated costs from Westfalia, plus the loss of my caravanning holiday over Easter.

Thanks for the replies from everyone.
Ian

[Maverick61]

Well, I have eventually had the car back! Audi dealer changed the dedicated wiring kit and ECU resulting in all the software returning back to factory settings... but it has cost me £1025.77, not too mention the inconvenience of not having the car for 3 weeks, plus the loss of a caravanning holiday over the Easter period, so someone has to be held to account and I'm now seeking to recover the costs incurred from Westfalia, as the part shouldn't have passed QC standards.
I have also sent the old wiring kit and ECU back to westfalia along with about 60 pages of the diagnostic results, which clearly explains to them all the software issues which conflicted due to their malfunctioning ECU.

Thanks A8 Tech and everyone else for the responses.
Ian

[Maverick61]

Well, following the return and testing of the wiring kit and ECU by Westfalia, it transpired the kit was working fine, however the ECU did have some faults logged into it, caused by the original installer. Luckily, Westfalia supplied me with a report squarely indictaing this, which I provided to the installer. The result was a refund of all my costs incurred having the faults repaired by my Audi garage. No quibbles from the installer at all, which I was quite surprised with!! A good result in the end.

[philsayer]

I was thinking of having a towbar fitted to my Q7, to mount a bike carrier. (Because of the tailgate design, I'm told a strap-on carrier is impossible.) Having read this, I'd probably be better off trading the car in for one that's already fitted with a tow bar. What a nightmare story!

[qui_gon_jim]

Interesting topic. Thanks for posting your story. I don't own a Q7 (although i would like to!), however I have just purchased a new Audi A4 Avant which was delivered yesterday, which I am looking to get a tow bar fitted. The dealer said the tow bar would cost £2000 for installation (how they can justify that price I don't know) and that they can recommend a garage locally who would fit one for £690 including VAT. This is the standard Westfalia detachable hidden job which is apparently Audi approved (wont affect 3 year warranty?). However Audi have just contacted me to say they will do the whole lot for £1097 including VAT. From reading this post, I wonder if the extra £400 is worth it!