Octavia Mk4 aftermarket towbar

[lee8810]

Its all to do with the sfd protection built into the later body control module. Mobike fitters handheld devices aren't upto date enough to cope with it.

 

[bigjohn]

On 17/04/2021 at 09:03, Coume said:

I just looked in the first brochure for MK4 (June-20) and it does say that 1.5TSi can't be retrofitted.

 

Looking at the current one, it does seem that it is not possible to retrofit a towbar to any of the petrol variants.

 

I've seen this before on some other models. The cooling system may not be sufficient as standard with some engine sizes as they will have been fitted with smaller radiators/fans etc for the smaller engines. The tow bar prep option could include changes in this specification as well as some electrical mods. 

 

Note to self - specify tow bar prep option if possible with any future car - oh and the USB C connector behind the mirror (for dashcam)

 

Edited 23 April, 2021 by bigjohn

[FlyingGecko]

re bigjohn's post above - the Kamiq is another that requires factory-fit preparation.  One of the reasons I decided not to look for an ex-demo model when I was looking to change a year ago.  That and the Karoq-level pricing for a smaller car.

 

(I need to fit a towbar for a bike rack)

[AviationNut]

9 hours ago, bigjohn said:

 

I've seen this before on some other models. The cooling system may not be sufficient as standard with some engine sizes as they will have been fitted with smaller radiators/fans etc for the smaller engines. The tow bar prep option could include changes in this specification as well as some electrical mods. 

 

Note to self - specify tow bar prep option if possible with any future car - oh and the USB C connector behind the mirror (for dashcam)

 

My dealer has said that they will specify Towbar Prep in future for all cars ordered for stock.

[SurreyJohn]

1 hour ago, AviationNut said:

My dealer has said that they will specify Towbar Prep in future for all cars ordered for stock.

Where is your dealer, I think I would prefer to have the tow bar prep on my next car.  And if my local dealer doesn’t have any cars with it, then everyone will know where there is a dealer that does

 

[lee8810]

The towbar prep is only a small issue. All this does is gives you a plug in the boot to save the fitter going to the body control module to add wires. The main issue is alot of people sometimes even the dealership doesn't understand the new coding. That is where Telford towbars were amazing because they do it daily. 

[TheUltraRunner]

13 minutes ago, lee8810 said:

The towbar prep is only a small issue. All this does is gives you a plug in the boot to save the fitter going to the body control module to add wires. The main issue is alot of people sometimes even the dealership doesn't understand the new coding. That is where Telford towbars were amazing because they do it daily. 

I don't mean to be rude, but this sounds a bit like a commercial. I'm pretty sure other fitters do the code daily since most modern cars require coding when fitting an aftermarket tow bar.

[AviationNut]

1 hour ago, lee8810 said:

The towbar prep is only a small issue. All this does is gives you a plug in the boot to save the fitter going to the body control module to add wires. The main issue is alot of people sometimes even the dealership doesn't understand the new coding. That is where Telford towbars were amazing because they do it daily. 

My fitter said there won't be a problem. He does a lot of work for the dealer at Colne. Fitting a new Kodiaq when I spoke to him.

[FlyingGecko]

An important point that's been mentioned but is now in danger of being overlooked.

 

It's not just a coding issue.  Several different models across the range (not all, and not just Skoda) require uprated radiators and/or oil coolers and/or brake system components if a car is used for towing.  The factory prep includes any model-specific uprating where necessary. Further details are in some of the "?" pop-ups on the configurator pages.

 

It doesn't matter if you're just putting on a bike rack with one or two bikes (as I do) or a caravan with the maximum permissible weight, the existence of a towbar/ball allows everything. You can't just say "I'm only putting a bike rack on".  There's a real - but in my totally unqualified view, very unlikely - risk of damage to any of these components if they don't meet the towng specifications.  In theory this could then lead to litigation and/or unjustified warranty and/or liability claims. 

 

I suspect that there are as many opinions on this as there are car salespeople and towbar fitters, and I've spoken to a number of each.

 

I'm keeping my opinions to myself, so don't read anything into my posting about this, I'm just mentioning the hypothesis.

 

 

 

 

[AviationNut]

4 hours ago, SurreyJohn said:

Where is your dealer

Morecambe Lancashire. 

[Jmagee]

On 24/04/2021 at 12:43, AviationNut said:

Morecambe Lancashire. 

That's the one I used. 😁

[FrankNicklin]

On 24/04/2021 at 10:57, FlyingGecko said:

An important point that's been mentioned but is now in danger of being overlooked.

 

It's not just a coding issue.  Several different models across the range (not all, and not just Skoda) require uprated radiators and/or oil coolers and/or brake system components if a car is used for towing.  The factory prep includes any model-specific uprating where necessary. Further details are in some of the "?" pop-ups on the configurator pages.

 

It doesn't matter if you're just putting on a bike rack with one or two bikes (as I do) or a caravan with the maximum permissible weight, the existence of a towbar/ball allows everything. You can't just say "I'm only putting a bike rack on".  There's a real - but in my totally unqualified view, very unlikely - risk of damage to any of these components if they don't meet the towng specifications.  In theory this could then lead to litigation and/or unjustified warranty and/or liability claims. 

 

I suspect that there are as many opinions on this as there are car salespeople and towbar fitters, and I've spoken to a number of each.

 

I'm keeping my opinions to myself, so don't read anything into my posting about this, I'm just mentioning the hypothesis.

 

 

 

 

 

Once the tow bar is fitted, the assumption is the vehicle is suitable for towing. So in the future if you see a MK4 for sale with a tow bar fitted, make sure its a factory fitted option and not a 3rd party unit, otherwise as @FlyingGecko mentions there may be issues after purchase of things breaking that were not designed for a vehicle fitted with a tow bar leading to all sorts of legal issues of responsibility. It appears that even some Skoda dealerships are not aware of this issue.

Edited 27 April, 2021 by FrankNicklin

[FlyingGecko]

Excellent point, FrankNicklin.

Could I just clarify, Skoda offer "tow bar preparation" for £200 in the configurator for the Mk 4.  But even Skoda's website doesn't help much.  This is from the Mk 4 towbar prep details:  Please note, in some instances it is not possible to retrospectively fit a tow bar if the car is not fitted with tow bar preparation at Factory. Please speak to your Retailer to confirm the exact towing eligibility.

 

 

[FlyingGecko]

On a slightly different note, this growing trend for manufacturers to include the need for factory fitted prep would reduce the number of cars suitable for towbar fitting and thus reduce their potential market.  Restraint of trade? 

[FrankNicklin]

5 minutes ago, FlyingGecko said:

On a slightly different note, this growing trend for manufacturers to include the need for factory fitted prep would reduce the number of cars suitable for towbar fitting and thus reduce their potential market.  Restraint of trade? 

 

Yes does seem to be an odd move by manufacturers, but I guess the mass market is for vehicles that will never tow anything and thus the parts are standard. The extra bits to make a car fit for towing are cost options and thus paid for at the time of purchase. One could argue that all SUV's should be tow bar ready U being for utility. Not sure if this affects any of the Skoda SUV range. Where it does become a problem is 2nd hand dealers not knowing the limitations of the vehicles and thus selling cars that buyers cannot easily upgrade with tow bars without first referring to forums such as this for advice. Its all about emissions and price points these days, not suitability for certain requirements.

Edited 27 April, 2021 by FrankNicklin

[Ajdude]

13 minutes ago, FlyingGecko said:

Could I just clarify, Skoda offer "tow bar preparation" for £200 in the configurator for the Mk 4.  But even Skoda's website doesn't help much.  This is from the Mk 4 towbar prep details:  Please note, in some instances it is not possible to retrospectively fit a tow bar if the car is not fitted with tow bar preparation at Factory. Please speak to your Retailer to confirm the exact towing eligibility.

I find the last statement in italics Hilarious.  The retailer has no clue about the towing issues.  My supplying dealer happily fitted an aftermarket tow bar to a car with a 0 kg GTW.  They are now in the process of taking the car back and finding a suitable replacement.  They weren't aware, or made the assumption that the restriction was based upon a time lag for parts to be become available for a new model and so wouldn't be an issue.....go figure.

[FrankNicklin]

1 minute ago, Ajdude said:

I find the last statement in italics Hilarious.  The retailer has no clue about the towing issues.  My supplying dealer happily fitted an aftermarket tow bar to a car with a 0 kg GTW.  They are now in the process of taking the car back and finding a suitable replacement.  They weren't aware, or made the assumption that the restriction was based upon a time lag for parts to be become available for a new model and so wouldn't be an issue.....go figure.

 

It is starting to sound like MG and their EV5 with roof bars that cannot carry any load. They are there but technically useless.

[FlyingGecko]

1 hour ago, FrankNicklin said:

 

It is starting to sound like MG and their EV5 with roof bars that cannot carry any load. They are there but technically useless.

 

 

An interesting point.  Are the Karoq roofbars in this category?

Edited 27 April, 2021 by FlyingGecko
Typo correction

[FrankNicklin]

22 minutes ago, FlyingGecko said:

 

 

An interesting point.  Are the Karoq roofbars in this category?

 

No they are rated for 75kg I think, may be 100kg. So good to go.

[FlyingGecko]

Thanks Frank. I was just curious, I'm of the view that if one needs a roofbox, then one needs a bigger car.

 

Unlike a dear friend who lived in Sicily for a couple of years. When she came back to the UK her apartment out there needed emptying so I flew out with a cousin (in the photo). We packed all her possessions in her Peugeot 107 (which she'd driven out there twice with the roofbox on), it was full to the roof - big flat screen TV, ironing board, Dyson, microwave, hundreds of books and DVDs, clothes - just enough space for two people crammed up to the windscreen - and drove it over 1,500 miles in three days  back to the UK.  Fortunately we got a ferry from Sicily to Genoa in Northern Italy, or that would've been another 900 miles.  With only 68 BHP, it struggled a bit going over the Alpine autoroutes and through the Mont Blanc tunnel, but was perfect thoughout and great fun.

 

Sorry, off topic!

[Aarond]

Lovely story there @FlyingGecko of adventure, but I disagree. I think most folk use roof boxes situationally, usually holidays. We use a roof bag (a cheaper version of a roof box and packs down super small!) for big family camping trips; with the rest of the time totally fine with the space available in the car. 

[FlyingGecko]

Hi Aarond, actually you're right.  I was just using the line to bring in my Palermo adventure.  If we hadn't had the roof box we'd have had to leave the Dyson and ironing board behind.

[Aarond]

Amazing amount bit of packing you must have done to get it all in, plus people. If you'd left the Dyson and/or ironing board I still think you'd have a story out of it. I like to imagine packing a car with loads of stuff is a bit like a puzzle...my partner just leaves me alone and I'll happily pack by myself...so rock n roll! 

[FlyingGecko]

Aarond, it was an amazing ten days from start to finish, in March 2011.  The flat was right in the heart of Palermo back streets, she'd been back in England for five months and the locals had made sure the car was untouched.  We didn't know how much stuff she'd accumulated or taken out there.  We had to ship home two packing cases a metre square each, jammed with clothes, bedding, kitchen equipment.  Neither I nor my cousin spoke Italian except to order beer or coffee, We met some lovely people who helped us, showed us the sights and are still good friends today.  The Palermitani are rightly very proud of their city and culture, though the hand of the Mafia is evident in half-finished building projects etc.  Many small local businesses display window signs stating "No Mafia" defying the Mafia to extort money from them.  We were shown the site of the murder of the magistrate Falconi in 1992 on the highway from the airport, we also met relatives of other victims of the bombing.  My cousin and I went back in 2015 with our wives for a holiday, to be honest we had a better time first time round!

 

Sorry, still off topic.

[Lyminton]

On 17/04/2021 at 08:50, AviationNut said:

According to my fitter its the fact that its fitted is the problem. However I have no legal confirmation.  My wife works for a motor legal company so she will enquire on Monday. 

 

Regards Chris 

 

...

Cannot be retrofitted on 1.5 TSI 110kW cars without preparation for towbar:

• Combi produced from CW 05/2020 until the end of CW 43/2020 and from CW 48/2020 applies further
• Limo produced from CW 10/2020 until the end of CW 43/2020 and from CW 48/2020 applied further...

 

TOW.pdf

Edited 17 May, 2021 by Lyminton