New Skoda Not Approved To Tow - Buyer Beware

Eurolandy replied on 20/04/2021 17:02

Eurolandy

Posted on 20/04/2021 17:02

Hi all,

Don't often post on here but this is worth noting.

I've been towing our two berth Elddis with a Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI DSG for nearly three years with no problems. For a small petrol it really tows our small van well.

Back in February I was sent a few mail shots from Skoda showing the latest deals. I ended up changing for a new (from Stock) Mk4 Octavia Estate 1.5 TSI 6 Speed. I shopped around for prices of towbars and settled for a fitter in Clitheroe East Lancashire (actually recommended by Simpsons Skoda). Booked the car in and drove over from home to have it fitted. The fitter had a look round it (first Mk 4 he had done) and turned round to me and said "Sorry Chris I cannot fit the Towbar". Apparently Skoda have not put a Gross Train Weight (GTW) on the VIN Plate on the B Pillar (well they have but it reads 0Kg). So I cannot tow anything or have the bar fitted. At least the fitter was honest!

Raised a post on the Skoda Internet Forums and surprisingly this is not an isolated incident and not just with Mk4 Octavia's. The fitter mentioned he had seen this once before with a Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 7 Seater. Seems like some towbar fitters have either not spotted this issue or just fitted the towbar regardless. One forum member had a towbar fitted by a reputable fitter and mentioned he had no GTW on the VIM plate. Others have said they had 'Issues' too on more than just Octavia's

Spoken to my Skoda Dealer and they know nothing about this and the same for another dealer that's been contacted by my towbar fitter. This issue seems to affect mostly petrol models but also the odd diesel when no 'TowBar Preparation' is specified at the point of manufacture. My dealer has been very proactive and is taking this up with Skoda as they confirmed that when I purchased the car I stated it had to tow a small caravan. I wait to see what happens.

As far as I can grasp from the dealer, Towbar Prep for the UK is the addition of wiring from the front to the rear, the same wiring supplied in the 'Dedicated' kits that the fitters use. On some export markets they uprate the Cooling fan and Radiator.

I will report back with any further news but for now please beware. Not sure if this is the same for other VAG makes.

Anyone had any issues along these lines? Looks like my trip in May could be off!

All the best,

Chris

3 people like this

36 replies

EmilysDad replied on 27/10/2021 18:17

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 18:10 by eribaMotters

I'm a bit confused by your last line. I previously owned a 2014 Skoda Yeti 2L diesel from new I requested a factory fit tow bar when I ordered it, but this would have meant no feed to caravan battery or fridge power. It all got very complicated.

If you get a vehicle with factory fit bar and electrics then they are covered by the vehicles 3 yr warranty. If the bar and electrics are dealer or third party fitted then you only have a 12 months warranty.

Incidentally, the 150bhp 1.5 petrol you are sourcing is the same as I have in my 2019 Audi A3. I have posted on this engine before as I am surprised to find how good a towing engine it is for lighter vans. It is better than the diesel I moved on from. It also won tow car of the year in a Seat.

Colin

Posted on 27/10/2021 18:17

VAG must surely make a loom to add the fridge & charging electrics. Years back I bought an OE trailer loom for my Vauxhall. The loom was plug & play for the lighting side of it but even though the fridge & charging side of it was not, the plug itself was wired up such that it reached the inside of the boot. Fridge & charging wiring is a straight forward addition. If I was to order a new car (very unlikely) it would be ordered with factory bar .... I'd worry about the fridge & charging later.

'Europe' isn't going to go to the effort of introducing the 13 pin plug if nobody was going to use all (most) pins

eribaMotters replied on 27/10/2021 20:29

Member

eribaMotters

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 20:29

VAG are not renowned for towing electrics. My 2004 factory order VW Touran could not be supplied with fully functioning 13 pin electrics. For my 2014 factory order Skoda Yeti it was the same story. Guess what, my 2019 factory order Audi A3 was supposed to have fully functioning 13 pin electrics, but they did not do the job and it spent two nights in the local Audi main dealer for things to be sorted out.

Colin

captainslogg replied on 27/10/2021 21:03

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captainslogg

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 21:03

Everything works as it should on my 2017 190 diesel Kodiaq with factory fit towbar

eribaMotters replied on 27/10/2021 21:32

Member

eribaMotters

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 21:32

How was it with your Yeti previous to this?

Colin

captainslogg replied on 28/10/2021 07:14

Member

captainslogg

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 21:32 by eribaMotters

How was it with your Yeti previous to this?

Colin

Posted on 28/10/2021 07:14

I had an aftermarket towbar fitted on the 170 Yeti done with bypass electrics. The car would beep when reversing with the caravan attached. Fridge and charging worked OK.

Superb all round car. Very stable with the van on the back. It was one of those cars I would have liked to have kept forever.

David

NutsyH replied on 28/10/2021 09:08

Member

NutsyH

Caravanner from Oxfordshire

Posted on 27/10/2021 20:29 by eribaMotters

VAG are not renowned for towing electrics. My 2004 factory order VW Touran could not be supplied with fully functioning 13 pin electrics. For my 2014 factory order Skoda Yeti it was the same story. Guess what, my 2019 factory order Audi A3 was supposed to have fully functioning 13 pin electrics, but they did not do the job and it spent two nights in the local Audi main dealer for things to be sorted out.

Colin

Posted on 28/10/2021 09:08

True

Same problem with my Porsche Cayenne.

GTrimmer replied on 28/10/2021 10:13

Member

GTrimmer

Caravanner

Posted on 27/10/2021 20:29 by eribaMotters

VAG are not renowned for towing electrics. My 2004 factory order VW Touran could not be supplied with fully functioning 13 pin electrics. For my 2014 factory order Skoda Yeti it was the same story. Guess what, my 2019 factory order Audi A3 was supposed to have fully functioning 13 pin electrics, but they did not do the job and it spent two nights in the local Audi main dealer for things to be sorted out.

Colin

Posted on 28/10/2021 10:13

Ironic , since as I understand it was Germany that wanted the 13 pin ISO design in the first place !

eribaMotters replied on 28/10/2021 11:59

Member

eribaMotters

Caravanner

Posted on 28/10/2021 11:59

The 13 pin design is great, especially when it plugs into the side of your swan neck hitch, but only if those pins are all wired up.

Colin

ocsid replied on 28/10/2021 16:38

Member

ocsid

Caravanner from Hampshire

Posted on 27/10/2021 20:29 by eribaMotters

VAG are not renowned for towing electrics. My 2004 factory order VW Touran could not be supplied with fully functioning 13 pin electrics. For my 2014 factory order Skoda Yeti it was the same story. Guess what, my 2019 factory order Audi A3 was supposed to have fully functioning 13 pin electrics, but they did not do the job and it spent two nights in the local Audi main dealer for things to be sorted out.

Colin

Posted on 28/10/2021 16:38

Is it not more a case of using dozy VAG dealers who agreed to sell you a factory fit option that VAG don't do? Most probably because the salesman does not know what the factory towing option actually comprises.

1 person likes this

eribaMotters replied on 28/10/2021 20:47

Member

eribaMotters

Caravanner

Posted on 28/10/2021 20:47

Fair point ocsid, but you'd have thought that with 3 dealers of different makes [admittedly same parent company] over a 15 year period VAG would have managed to sort the issue out.

Colin

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