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View Full Version : Hitch/wiring question for new tow vehicle.....



WaterBullDawg1980
06-26-2011, 05:28 PM
Bought a Volkswagen Touareg V8. It did not have a hitch and I was not under the impression that it would be a simple install for my local trailer and hitch shop. From reading on the Touareg forums, I am definitely wrong. :(

Apparently I am going to have to add an Electric Brake Controller, a $250 wiring kit blah blah blah. I am going to go the aftermarket route on the hitch itself bc it is a night and day price difference from the OEM. The towing weight will drop from 7,700 to 6,000 which I can live with as I hardly tow the boat as it is and will not tow anything else that weighs that much.

Anyone have any experience with a hitch on a Touareg? After finding this vid on the install of just the hitch, I am confident I can do this myself. Looks to be 1-2 hour job. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvB2oOr5U2s

Here are a few links that I am finding, if you guys are interested in the problem I am facing....
http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f66/at-what-point-is-a-brake-controller-needed-46735.html

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f66/electric-brake-controller-wiring-loom-52920.html

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f66/brake-controller-basics-prodigy-solution-47687.html

http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/f66/trailer-hitch-towing-capacity-19885.html

rdlangston13
06-26-2011, 07:52 PM
buy a truck. problem solved

11 Outback V
06-26-2011, 08:18 PM
Why do you need a brake controller? Typically a brake controller is for electric brakes.

lsvboombox
06-26-2011, 08:41 PM
i didnt think it was a brake controller(like a normal truck would use) I thought it was more of a little computer board that sends signals to the trailer plug.. i think audi and volkswagen are a pita for this reason...

04OUTBACK
06-26-2011, 08:46 PM
it's off the reverse light.. its a reverse lockout solenoid that prevents the brakes from engaging when pushing the trailer backwards

you need a 5 wire harness not 7.. unless you get the 7-5 converter plug..

technically, you could use a 4 wire and tap into your reverse lights in a pinch.. but i shouldnt think you'll need an electronic brake controller..
sounds like a nice rig.

look up ZEGM on here. he has touareg i believe.. he may can shed insight.

Ian Brantford
06-26-2011, 09:43 PM
My experience with aftermarket hitches is that they have little or no resistance to rust. OEM hitches may (or may not) have some protection. Most people driving trucks have no problem with cosmetic rust showing, but maybe you would with this vehicle. It's just something to consider when evaluating the price difference.

You should not need an electric brake controller for towing your boat. If you install a 7-pin wiring harness, you'll be able to use an inexpensive adapter to downconvert to any lesser type of connecter for trailers that do not require a brake controller.

mmandley
06-26-2011, 09:56 PM
All I can really add for yur hitch is use a scotch bright pad to scuff it all up then get a couple cans of bed liner and spray that on it to make it rust proof make sure you don't paint over the hitch rating or you might have issues later in life renting trailers

WaterBullDawg1980
06-26-2011, 11:00 PM
[QUOTE=lsvboombox;145993]i didnt think it was a brake controller(like a normal truck would use) I thought it was more of a little computer board that sends signals to the trailer plug.. i think audi and volkswagen are a pita for this reason...[/QUOTE

Exactly. Apparently these little computers will work with the alarm system as well. So if the alarm is set and the trailer is taken off it will go off.

It's getting to be way too much of a problem.

maxpower220
06-27-2011, 07:03 AM
I'm sure that your clubtoureg forum will have much better info that we can offer. I looked through some of the posts on there. If it were me, I would bite the bullet and have the dealer install the factory one at a high cost. Other "work arounds" seem to be hit or miss for owners.

I hope you like the Toureg enough to get the issue resolved and that you find the answer easily and soon.

moombadaze
06-27-2011, 07:09 AM
After seeing some botched jobs of people probing the wiring and shorting the computers out and having a $800 repair job, best recomendation I have is bite the bullet and have the dealer install it properly.

Modern vehicles are not at all like they used to be.

sandm
06-27-2011, 07:40 AM
man... give me a big plain truck with a simple hitch and a wiring plug :)

sounds like a lot of work. sure the veedub is a nice ride, but what a pita...

mmandley
06-27-2011, 09:20 AM
I can say the Toureg is a sweet SUV man I'd be a fat chested proud owner of one in my driveway lol

We looked and drove a couple of them 06 and an 08 but both had issues, all cosmetic but stuff like paint scathes and chips, interior buttons had plastic coatings comming off from some chics finger nails and such. VW didn't want to fix anything on it for the 40k they wanted on both cars. So we left and got Claudia the Equinox Sport 09 flavor.

I told her maybe her next new car can be one. They are super nice and I was looking forward to having one incase I needed to tow the boat in a pinch. Ohh well lol

rdlangston13
06-27-2011, 09:33 AM
my sister has one of the new vw beetles and after that fiasco i vow to never own a vw product. ever

mmandley
06-27-2011, 09:52 AM
my sister has one of the new vw beetles and after that fiasco i vow to never own a vw product. ever

VW Beetle... That's all I'm going to say on that

sailing217
06-27-2011, 10:04 AM
offtopic: we've had very good luck with VW. A few window regulators is about it and replaced under warranty. Now over 100k miles and I'd agree the electrical gremlins come out on family members cars.

ontopic: The guys at Uhaul have done all my suvs. I just had the wiring all redone after 2 years cause of winter salt corrosion/buildup and cost me like $68 for labor and new wiring. I agree the aftermarket hitches seem to rust Way faster. Mine looks like crap but no effect yet. I think the hitch, wiring, and install was about $150. I have a Mitsu Montero with 5-flat (have a 7-5 adapter for GM truck when towing long and mountains). My mechanic looked at it and commented Uhaul did great work on my suv and he couldn't beat their prices.

WaterBullDawg1980
06-27-2011, 10:55 AM
My experience with aftermarket hitches is that they have little or no resistance to rust. OEM hitches may (or may not) have some protection. Most people driving trucks have no problem with cosmetic rust showing, but maybe you would with this vehicle. It's just something to consider when evaluating the price difference.

You should not need an electric brake controller for towing your boat. If you install a 7-pin wiring harness, you'll be able to use an inexpensive adapter to downconvert to any lesser type of connecter for trailers that do not require a brake controller.

I heard the same thing. Really worried about the rust factor. Wouldn't be worth the money saved if I have to end up replacing it in 2 years.

So assuming that it has the 7 pin wired already (haven't had a chance to look this morning) the converter would be all I would need right?

That seems simple enough.

WaterBullDawg1980
06-27-2011, 11:10 AM
Yeah, I'll be honest and didn't factor this issue into the equation before buying it. It wouldn't have changed anything really, but I would have asked for them to put it on for me at a better cost.

My wife actually has been driving a 2004 Jetta with right under 100K miles on it and it has had very few issues besides Heather running into things. We have always felt that we were treated very fair by our local dealership when we have had to bring it in, so that was another factor.

I had initially wanted a full size truck, but I honestly cannot justify it. Believe me I have been trying for years. Not that the gas mileage is great on this VW, but it beats any truck I have driven. I got right at 16 taking the back way to work which is basically a ton of lights. Interested to see what it will do on the highway. Thus far, I must say I really, really have enjoyed driving it. It will definitely get up and go which is a big difference for me from what I was driving.

But the hitch issue is definitely an annoying one.

WaterBullDawg1980
06-27-2011, 11:12 AM
I can say the Toureg is a sweet SUV man I'd be a fat chested proud owner of one in my driveway lol

Thats funny, bc I would swap with your truck in a heartbeat. I was in a rental the other day and they gave me a 2011 Dodge Ram bc they were out of the compacts. Like I told my wife....Daddy could get used to this. :)

E4NASH
06-27-2011, 11:18 AM
Thats funny, bc I would swap with your truck in a heartbeat. I was in a rental the other day and they gave me a 2011 Dodge Ram bc they were out of the compacts. Like I told my wife....Daddy could get used to this. :)

"Daddy" should've got a Tundra! I'll show what a real truck looks like this weekend... ;)

WaterBullDawg1980
06-27-2011, 11:20 AM
"Daddy" should've got a Tundra! I'll show what a real truck looks like this weekend... ;)

Man I know it! If I could only justify it I would have!

mmandley
06-27-2011, 12:19 PM
Thats funny, bc I would swap with your truck in a heartbeat. I was in a rental the other day and they gave me a 2011 Dodge Ram bc they were out of the compacts. Like I told my wife....Daddy could get used to this. :)


Notice I spoke of Claudias car not my truck lol

There's no replacement for displacement lol I love my truck and trust me I'm all fat chested and proud when I see it in my driveway lol