Audi A4 Avant B6 Wiring Programming

[womble69]

I've just ordered a vehicle specific wiring harness to fit a towbar to my 2004 A4 Avant. The supplier (Towequipe) said I need to get 'something' programmed by the main dealer.

What I wanted to know if anyone has had this done and how much it cost?

Can it be done with VAGCOM?

Does the electrics work without having it programmed?

Any info would be appreciated.

[southamptonadi]

hi there

i have just ordered a tow bar for my 2003 avant, i have all the bypass relays to wire it up that way but am thinking of doing it properly with a dedicated kit. but have the same questions as you.


how are you getting on with yours

adi

[womble69]

Well the kit arrived yesterday and it was a bit different to the fitting instructions on the towequipe website, so spoke to the Towequipe technical people who were very helpful and told me that the kit had been updated.

Instead of plugging into the rear lights you have to clip into the Cambus wires in the front of the car and run the wires to the rear where you have to clip into another couple of wires. (Not what I was expecting from a 'plug in' kit).

However, this appears to be the only kit available for the Audi A4 range at present. Its made by a company called Right Connections UK Ltd. Part No. 19010505RC.

I haven't yet fitted the kit but it looks like its going to be a nightmare!

The major advantage of the kit is that you can use the Trailer Stability Function (TSP) which is fitted to the vehicle. It works like the ESP, but TSP is only activated when the trailer is attached.

Some good info here http://www.towbarexpress.co.uk/dedicated_wiring.html

With regard to activating the kit - it 'should' work with out being plugged into the dealer computer. However, I'm yet to test this. The computer is require to activate 'J345 retrofit control for towing detection'.

I'm going to have a chat with my local Audi specialist to see if he can activate it with VAGCOM.

My recommendation would be if you are not worried about the TSP function I would just go with a Cambus compliant bypass relay (c.£35) as opposed to the dedicated kit (c£110). Mainly because the dedictated kit is no longer 'plug and play' and requires clipping into the wiring loam. With the bypass relay kit you can do all the work in the boot with no need to run wires into the front cabin.

I'll post more info once fitted.

[teerak2uk]

i have fitted bypass (7way) to these before without any probs did`nt need to go to can wires at the front and only unusual thing was the one i did was the side light and brake light was on one wire basically meaning different voltage was activating different bulb

[southamptonadi]

good stuff, will hang on for your report when you have fitted yours as i am willing to pay for kit but not 100s for the dealer to activate it

[southamptonadi]

fitted my towbar this morning was simple yet have a big headadche, the actual towbar is a really bad fit (towsure) it took at lot of pushing and pulling and hammering to get it all to line up, but otherwise now its all back together really pleased.

just got to make a decision on the wiring

adi

[teerak2uk]

Unfortunately Towsure is a bad choice unless wanting a cheepy to put on a transit and now they are`nt really that mucher than brink/witter now but to be honest i would choose brink any day as you would prob find at the dealers their bars are brink too but hey atleast you got there in the end and the wiring should`nt be very hard

Regards

[martin1810]

You never connect to can-bus wires on any car. It is very important never to touch these wires. You only connected to the wires that come out of a can-bus control module. That's why a bypass relay is so handy but as said above, If you use one you can't enable any manufacturer built in systems such as stability ontrol.

[southamptonadi]

made my decision using the bypass relay nicked it of my passat when it got scrapped so just have to wire it in. doing it nice and slowly to make sure its a neat job.

really wanted the proper kit but got clamped on monday cost me 115 quid so cant afford it now