Factory fitted towbar

RichardT

RichardT

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A little while ago someone asked for a pic of the factory fitted towbar. I just popped out and took a few shots.
  • The whole thing is covered by a flap. You really can't see anything normally
  • Two turn buttons and the flap drops off
  • Electrics swing down
  • Towball just pushes up into the car
  • Job done

I am really pleased and glad that I didn't wait and have an after market one fitted.

Towbar sequence
 
Yes I agree it is a great option and did you also realise that when connected:
  • the rear parking sensors are automatically disconnected
  • there is a trailer stabilisation system which, if the ESC detects that the trailer is swaying, it will automatically brake the vehicle in order to stabilise the trailer. The indicator lamp will flash in the instrument cluster, and in order to warn traffic behind, the brake lights come on also.
Pretty clever stuff!

The only thing I think I read was that not all the connections are activated in the 13-pin socket and, for a caravan for example, you may need to get them done at the Audi dealer.
 
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I did know about the rear sensors, but not the features relating to snaking. Really clever!
I just have a little trailer for garden waste, so doubt if I will ever get the benefit of that!!

We were initially going to have a SB and get rid of the trailer. But we had a saloon for a test drive and thought it looked so good we changed our minds.
So then we had to keep the trailer and shell out for the towbar!!
 
I was in a somewhat similar situation - we previously had a Santa Fe which was a utilitarian tow car for our caravan. Then we got rid of the caravan so the Santa Fe went so now we also have a small trailer for garden rubbish etc.
 
glospete said:
Yes I agree it is a great option and did you also realise that when connected:
  • the rear parking sensors are automatically disconnected
  • there is a trailer stabilisation system which, if the ESC detects that the trailer is swaying, it will automatically brake the vehicle in order to stabilise the trailer. The indicator lamp will flash in the instrument cluster, and in order to warn traffic behind, the brake lights come on also.
Pretty clever stuff!

The only thing I think I read was that not all the connections are activated in the 13-pin socket and, for a caravan for example, you may need to get them done at the Audi dealer.
Click to expand...

This is pretty standard on any car these days.

I had to get my 13 pin socket modified as they don't connect all of them (unfortunately this seems to be standard as well). Luckily I had asked before I got the car whether the socket was wired to international standards and they said yes, so they had to modify it for free. Pretty bad that they can claim that it's a 13 pin standard wiring when it clearly isn't.

The flap doesn't look perfectly fitted in the first of the photos in the first post though, and this is one of my biggest grips with it - the flap is just a pain to put back into place afterwards, and the plastic turn things are useless, they bend very easily if you misalign them.
 
cemerson said:
The flap doesn't look perfectly fitted in the first of the photos in the first post though, and this is one of my biggest grips with it - the flap is just a pain to put back into place afterwards, and the plastic turn things are useless, they bend very easily if you misalign them.
Click to expand...

Well spotted. I took the flap off, then decided to take the first pic and put it on rather quickly. It does actually fit fine. But I agree that the turn screws are a bit of a fiddle sometimes.
I would be a bit concerned if I was taking it on and off a lot.
 
I've been contemplating trying to make some metal versions of the turn screws to be more robust, but it might end up breaking the wires on the other side if they put too much wear on them
 
cemerson said:
I've been contemplating trying to make some metal versions of the turn screws to be more robust, but it might end up breaking the wires on the other side if they put too much wear on them
Click to expand...

You definately have too much time on your hands :) Just buy some spares.
 
So the feature which prevents snaking where can I find this to have a read. Another one how can I check if all my pins are working.
 
The factory fitted towbar doesn't have an anti-snaking device, as far as I am aware. Why did you think it did?
If you doubt some of the pins are working, just get a meter and check them, or connect up a trailer that requires them.
I only use a simple small trailer, and the basic connections seem to work fine.
 
what about for the 2015 s3 with the dual twin pipe and I need to pull a small bike trailer for a motorcross bike
Image
Image
Image
 
RichardT said:
The factory fitted towbar doesn't have an anti-snaking device, as far as I am aware. Why did you think it did?
If you doubt some of the pins are working, just get a meter and check them, or connect up a trailer that requires them.
I only use a simple small trailer, and the basic connections seem to work fine.
Click to expand...


As stated in previous posts
 
RichardT said:
I did know about the rear sensors, but not the features relating to snaking. Really clever!
I just have a little trailer for garden waste, so doubt if I will ever get the benefit of that!!

We were initially going to have a SB and get rid of the trailer. But we had a saloon for a test drive and thought it looked so good we changed our minds.
So then we had to keep the trailer and shell out for the towbar!!
Click to expand...


Where did you get this info on snaking
 
I would imagine it means raising it from the dead?
 
No idea if it was European exclusive... was just an option on mine that I ticked. Not available on the S3 though. I imagine an Audi dealer will be able to fit one for you, but it won't be cheap - it was an £850 factory option for the facelift car.
 
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I think it would be a big job to fit one line the factory fitted. There is a removeable flap in the body work and the whole assembly is fitted behind the rear bumper.
 
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RichardT said:
I think it would be a big job to fit one line the factory fitted. There is a removeable flap in the body work and the whole assembly is fitted behind the rear bumper.
Click to expand...

That's for the pre-FL. The FL version has no removable flap. Even so though, fitting a removable flap is not difficult - it's not hard to retrofit that style of towbar.
 
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