I have fitted tow bar electrics to my VW car. The electrics include a box which is connect to the CAN bus.
To work properly the car has to be re-programmed. A local VW garage said this would take an hour, based on recent past experience. Even a place which specialised in this work said it would take half an hour.
Why on earth does it take so long? I was thinking that it would just be a five minute job clicking a few screens.
Have an ask on vwaf.co.uk if anyone near you has a VCDS cable, of course you need to let them know exactly what model of box has been fitted to what make, model and year of car ... as an example ...
List of cars known to the software
I fitted the Vauxhaul one and it worked without reprogramming the car. It was also cheaper than the after market ones from witter and the likes.
I am beginning to think taking the car to pfjones in Manchester who sold me the Westfalia electrics might not be such a bad idea.
Not only would I need a tool to do the job I would also need to know exactly what to do. It does not appear to be obvious.
All the previous vehicles I have owned have been much easier to deal with when it comes to fitting tow bar electrics. The last VW car was the easiest. I just removed the plug from the rear light cluster and plugged it into the tow bar electrics harness, then put a plug from the harness into the light cluster socket. Same both sides, found a location for some small box and connected the socket itself.
What's the car? Is the "box" an OEM part or 3rd party?
The car is a VW Passat B8 and the box is made by Westfalia who also make diagnostic equipment.
In message , Michael Chare writes
All I know is that when looking for the s/h car I just bought, I read up about towbar electrics, felt increasingly alarmed and walked away from cars with no towbars already fitted.
It's a can (bus?) of worms. I was advised to tell my insurance company that my previous Jeep came with a towbar. The young lady looked it up, said "That's odd" and told me the premium would be reduced.
I fitted generic relays (road lights and fridge/battery charger) to my Pass at B6, expecting all sorts of complaints from the CANBUS system, or problem s with the electronic handbrake, but I seem to have got away with it, the B
6 possibly being less sophisticated than the B8. I'm certainly not going to let the local dealer charge me £50 for the privilege.
I'd be tempted to let a Westfalia dealer do the coding then, they may charge you for an hour, but I expect it's about 2 minutes work for anyone with the kit
Probably reading the manual takes the time... grin. Brian
I have arranged to take it to them. They did say half an hour £50 inc vat.
It doesn't. I've done it for someone. About 15 Min, including booting the laptop and looking up the coding.
Go to one of the VW forums, find a list of owners of VCDS
If you're anywhere near West Mids, I'll do it.
It really isn't. It's just a question of telling the CAN gateway that there's a new node connected for the towbar electrics. Compared to the messes I've seen where people bodge in traditional towbar electrics it's much, much better.
Yes, apparently so.
The coding alters things like: Parking sensors display Car Alarm - unplugging lighting board will trigger alarm if set. ESP - changes settings for towing. May change rear Foglight or Reversing light on car if one fitted to Towing Board.
dennis@home has brought this to us :
It maybe depends on the complexity. My BMW version is quite sophisticated. It constantly checks every trailer lamp and identifies on a text/graphics display, any which fail, disables the fog lights on the car and the reversing sensors and I understand modifies the road holding slightly. The reverse sensors are also supposed to allow for the extra few inches which the tow ball sticks out beyond the rear bumper.
Yep, does all that except I don't have any sensors other than the mark one eyeballs.
But outlay in specialist kit, licences and training. Needs to be recovered by the charges made.
Yes, I'd forgetten that- it recalibrates them for the extra length.
Thank you for the offer. I have booked it in now at wfjones. What kit do you have to this sort of job. I have been tempted to buy something.
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