vw passat estate towbars

[LeFrog]

Paul
please re-read my reply above, You will not be able to code the car for trailer functions UNLESS the VW wiring loom and trailer control unit are fitted. This is currently priced at £250.00 in the Passat accessories brochure so I don't think this is what your guy is going to fit. He will almost certainly be fitting an after market accessory which will do the job but will not and cannot be coded into the car to enable all of the trailer functions ( TSP, Trailer indicator bulb failure on the dash-rather than annoying buzzer in boot, some bulb checking on trailer, car alarm extended to trailer. )

[thebambers]

Thanks LeFrog and that certainly gives me some food for thought. Looking at the options I will be without (the ones you referred to) I suppose I have to work out whether its worth £250 for the dash to tell me a trailer bulb is not working though I check these prior to every journey anyway. I know they could blow during the journey.
I will certainly have a chat with the guy sorting my trailer as he is very knowledgeable and put your thoughts across to him. Who thought that putting a bloomin towbar onto a car would be so technical!!

Thanks for your help,

Paul

[Rightconnection]

Hello to all members,

I have just become a new member of the VW forums really in an attempt to inform VW owners much more about car technology in their relation to towing. I have read with great interest your experiences in obtaining and installing a towbar to your vehicle. In most cases, without much fun . Car technology has changed dramatically over the last few years which has meant greater implications to the accessories which are to be fitted into or onto the vehicle. In the case of VW, an operating system called CANbus (Controlled Area Network) has become highly developed and now commonplace. CANbus, in simple terms, is a system which transfers information around the car in a digital format. So, where one time your car operated on 12v DC with earth, operating functions with switches and relays, this has now been replaced by a network using control modules which process signals at very high speeds. It is very difficult to explain this in simple terms, but this technology has allowed manufacturers to produce more and more innovative safety and passive systems within a single vehicle. You will see now a greater use of the braking system for example as again, at one time ABS was a breakthrough in safety technology, this has been enhanced somewhat now to include TC (Traction Control) EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and the important, almost standard fitted system known as ESP (Electronic Stability Program).
ESP has gathered huge momentum over the last few years with organisations such as Thatcham campaining in Europe to have every car produced in and imported into EC countries to have ESP fitted as standard. How does this affect towing? Well, with virtually every brake control units in vehicles being driven by software, VW as one manufacturer have realized that a high percentage of their vehicles will be equipped with a towbar. With this knowledge, they spent thousands of Euro's in creating a system which aids the car's stability and corrects the affects of a 'snaking' trailer. This system is known in VW terminology as T-Esp or Trailer Stability Program. The system uses the existing ESP system but when the car 'detects' a trailer (more on this later), the vehicle's sensors start looking for any 'snaking' action in the trailer and correct accordingly. Should this occur, the VW system will activate the ESP system for a period of around 30 seconds or until the car has stabilized the trailer. During this time, the ESP lamp will flash on the dash and in some cases, a 'pinging' sound will be heard. T-Esp systems will correct the snaking by automatically changing the brake and accelerator sequence in turn. This is where the trailer detection is vital. This will mean that a vehicle specific towbar wiring kit must be fitted. This is either ordered at the factory when buying a new car, purchased from VW dealer parts department or purchased from an independent towbar installer. The wiring kit absolutely needs to be vehicle specific and NOT a by-pass kit. Be very careful when seeking to have a towbar fitted as most independent towbar fitters will fit a by-pass option unless you state otherwise. Having a specific installation will have a kit which takes it's signals over the databus of the car and not from the lighting harness as with a by-pass system! I know one member has asked his local dealer about TSP and they gave a blank look! This is not so unusual because their information is also rather limited. However, as with a number of car manufacturers, the inclusion of a specific towing module does need the car to be 'coded' by a diagnostic tool. The 'coding' is really an adaption of a particular system to inform the car that a towing module is present. this then will activate or de-activate a system when a trailer is attached and recognized. for example, on the Passat, a simple code is added to the dashboard module which will now give a text information as well as a bulb failure symbol to highlight a fault should a trailer flasher fail. Also, if factory fitted parking sensors are installed, they will de-activate automatically when a trailer is attached. Also importantly, the brake control module has a re-code to allow the TSP to function. NOTE: This is not necessary now for late 2007 vehicles on as this is preset at factory.
I hope this information has helped any member who is contemplating towing with his VW. I look forward to hearing your comments and happy to reply to any specific information you may need.. certainly in relation to towing as this is an area I specialize in.

[Geoff Oldfield]

Hello to all members,

I hope this information has helped any member who is contemplating towing with his VW. I look forward to hearing your comments and happy to reply to any specific information you may need.. certainly in relation to towing as this is an area I specialize in.

Thanks for your information rightconnection. I am taking delivery of my new 140 passat in September and need a basic tow bar and electrics to tow a medium sized RIB (boat). I don't need all the whistles and bells that would be needed for a caravan, so I am looking to fit myself. I've fitted towing brackets and electrics before but the electronic side is starting to worry me, with the advent of CANbus, TSP and ESP in modern cars. Had a bracket fitted on my last Passat by the dealer I bought it from new, but it didn't have any buzzers, dash lights or anything fancy like that. I'm not particularly bothered about TSP either. what would you recommend?

Geoff

[Rightconnection]

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the inquiry.. The main essential aspect of any wiring for towbars is for them to be specific for the vehicle. The real issue is that VWAudi have put a huge amount of investment in vehicle safety systems which are also specific to towing. In other words, it is very sensible to choose a specific kit that communicates on the data-bus of the vehicle rather than a 'by-pass' system which can be detrimental to the functioning of the vehicle. You mention that you are not concerned about TSP. I think you have to look at the potential of what you will tow and not what you are towing. in other words, it could be that you decide to tow something bigger than a boat trailer or maybe a friend asks if you will tow his caravan for him/her. With towbar electrical systems you should always look to what is the best solution for the vehicle rather than limit the towing capability. i am often told things like 'oh, I only need a cheap installation as I use my trailer to go to the tip once a month'. I understand this thinking but the it is the vehicle that is the crucial element and not what is being towed. What is happening much more now on the modern vehicle are many related features when towing. On the latest Passat coupe', there is an option to have a parallel park system. This is the self-steering system which will park into a space between parked cars. here is a fascinating feature is what happens when towing? Well, the system is de-activated for obvious reasons and a text message is displayed that says 'System not active - Trailer connected' This will only display if the correct electrical installation is fitted. This is just one of a few options which the driver has now when ordering the car. I have to say in conclusion, have the towbar fitted by a specialist rather than DIY. If you give me the town you are located in, I will try to recommend a towbar specialist. Sorry the answer is a bit long winded! regards,
Jon, Right Connection

[adamss24]

" On the latest Passat coupe', there is an option to have a parallel park system" I think that people who dont know/not able to do a parallel park should not have a driving licence !

[Ben]

" On the latest Passat coupe', there is an option to have a parallel park system" I think that people who dont know/not able to do a parallel park should not have a driving licence !

good point.

and if you forget you are towing a trailer and then at the same time go for a space that is too small......

[Geoff Oldfield]

Yes, I'm based in Merseyside, on the Wirral (other side of the river Mersey to Liverpool)

Thanks

Geoff

[dunkley201]

I have a 07 Passat SE estate TDI DSG. I read all the posts in this thread and checked out my local VW dealer (Heron, Newark). LeFrog and Rightconnection are exactly right.
I eventually went for a full VW fit (Westfalia detachable) plus rear PDC at the same time. Haggled on prices. Ended up with £621 for parts, £250 labour plus VAT.
At first the trailer lghts only worked with ignition on! Took it back, apparently the wiring instructions were wrong. Now sorted. Noted there is no visible indication (or buzzer) of trailer lights working - as this car has bulb failure warning, not required as it is coded for trailer. PDC did not isolate with trailer fitted - allegedly you only get this with factory fit kit. They offered to fit an isolate switch, quoted £93!! I refused, they then did it FOC!
One unresolved problem: On the Westfalia there is no lug for brake pull off cable - any ideas? (does not seem sensible to loop it round the (detachable) tow hook!)
Car pulls the caravan great BTW. DSG no problem

[Rightconnection]

Hi Dunkley, Glad you got sorted out. The Westfalia towbar is a good one and I am wondering... did the dealer fit this themselves or did they outsource the work? In respect of the breakaway loop... there is no hard and fast law in respect of breakaway cable preperation on towbars. If a position is provided, then it is to be used with the cable hook fastened to itself through the prep. this is often rather difficult as a number of towbar producers only give a small hole or welded ring, so how is the hook supposed to be passed through this and snapped back onto itself!! If this prep is not provided, then it is acceptable to loop it around the ball. if you check out bailey caravan website, www.bailey-caravans.co.uk you can download an operators handbook which gives the requirements for breakaway fixings. All the leading caravan producers say the same so bailey is not biased.

In answer to adamss 24 & golfmk5gttdi on parallel park system for the Passat Coupe'.. the great thing about having the right electrics when towing, is that the PP system de-activates when towing and a message appears to say this in the message centre. Just in case owners are towing and forget the trailer is hooked... it does happen.

best regards...