Tow Hitch wiring harness

[Wardy]

I remember reading somewhere on the forum that all 2013 build Multivans came already fitted with the requisite wiring harness ready to fit a tow bar. I also remember it saying that some earlier models also had the wiring harness installed. I have a late 2012 TD1340 Multivan is there ant way I can check easily if my particular vehicle has the harness fitted?

[Sunny43.5]

I doubt your van has the harness unless there is some specific wiring under the rear of your van , what there will be is that if you remove the taillights there is a plug each side . Then you go to VW where they will relieve your wallet of around $600 for the VW harness this then plugs into those plugs at the tailights and then provides additional wiring for the tow bar . You will then need to get the van coded to accept the new wiring as it integrates with the onboard electrics so that all the lights including the trailer will then show on the MFD if there is a failure of any bulb plus there is auto dimming when a trailer is connected so I 've heard . Or you can cheat do what I did went to Speedy Tow bars and they have a Hayman Reece harness that utilizes the signals from each of the lights and uses relays to beat the onboard system which then saves recoding plus the VW price for original parts . The Hayman Reece kit was $120 and took me about an hour to fit . Still working perfectly 12months on , the unit has multiple diode protected relays in a small box which means it cannot affect the factory wiring or the can bus .

[The_Hawk]

Here's the electrical parts that are needed for the trailer hitch (please confirm the exact parts for your model, but I'm 99% these are right):



Ours is a factory job and I've never bothered to look at what's in there, but in the Golf there is a plug sitting in the boot waiting for the control box to be installed. Sunny is right, it's very expensive from VW and that's just the electrical stuff... you still need the hitch itself!

There are mixed thought when playing with anything on the canbus. If you do it right it can work perfectly but then I've heard horror stories caused by dodgy installs.

If you can pick up the control unit from a wreck then get an aftermarket hitch it's probably the cheapest option to get a factory like install.

[Umai Naa!!]

Pop into the dealership and have them look up the PR numbers off the VIN.

It should say 'preparation for towing'. If so, it's pre-wired to an extent.

Not sure what other parts you'll need as I've not dealt with a pre-wired T5 before. VW may have released a kit for pre-wired T5s, which will most likely be plug-and-play, with some programming with VW diagnostic software.

[The_Hawk]

Pre wiring is probably just the plug in the rear near the tailgate waiting for the control box. I can't see them putting the control box in every van for nix.

[Wardy]

Thanks for the responses. The vehicle has to go in to the local VW dealership next Friday for another issue so I will get them to check the VIN number then.

[Wardy]

Thanks for the responses. The vehicle has to go in to the local VW dealership next Friday for another issue so I will get them to check the VIN number then.

Just retrieved the vehicle from VW dealership and apparently it is prewired for a tow hitch. Have asked them to quote on the fitting of the same and will await the shock price that comes back. Presumably I shouldn't be up for the astronomical ($600) for the harness as mentioned by Sunny. Will wait and see!

[Sunny43.5]

I hate to burst your bubble but pre wired means just that there are plugs each side waiting for the factory harness to be added and yes it will be around the $600 as I earlier mentioned . Interesting thing when I went through this exercise 12 months ago we still had the old harness from our 2004 T5 even though it plugged in as I had swapped the old towbar to the new van the lights would not work correctly so that's when I found out the ridiculous price for the genuine one , now the old T5 harness was only around the $250 mark but the newer one more than double that price go figure .

[Wardy]

I have just had another thought regarding fitting of a tow hitch to my vehicle. As I have mentioned in the past the vehicle is modified for my wife's wheelchair and has a wheelchair hoist fitted. Is it even going to be possible to fit a hitch as I don't know how far out it would extend in terms of fouling the hoist on the way down. Does anybody have any experience with this?

[Umai Naa!!]

Probably comes out 6 inches at the very most.

The tongue is easy enough to remove, as it's just a pin and an R clip.

[Sunny43.5]

Umai is right if you go the VW type as we have the main part is level or slightly behind the outer most part of the bumper when the tongue is removed , Does your hoist fold out from inside or is it mounted under the floor at the back .

[Wardy]

Umai is right if you go the VW type as we have the main part is level or slightly behind the outer most part of the bumper when the tongue is removed , Does your hoist fold out from inside or is it mounted under the floor at the back .

It folds up in to the vehicle so it sounds as if provided I get the correct hitch it is not going to be a problem.

Thanks for the responses.

[Umai Naa!!]

There's only one type available from VW, the square hitch.

[Sunny43.5]

photoOur current bar was originaly fitted by the dealer back in 2004 to our first T5 now its on our new one interesting is that sold by VW as "genuine" with little plaque MADE IN NEW ZEALAND I inquired into purchasing one for a friend and the company have licensed them for sale only to VW .

[Wardy]

Has anybody out there had a tow hitch fitted to a Multivan, in the Brisbane area, by somebody other that a VW dealership. My concerns are with ensuring that everything works as it should particularly lights and that all the necessary coding has been done correctly.