I can't get the cap off the motor without removing the bumper. Checked fuses but since I can hear it trying to move, I think the gears are fucked.
Booked in for a diagnostic session in October

 

This has been a barrel of laughs. I just love dealing with dealerships ...

I went back to the larger Lookers dealer in my area despite dropping them because they screwed me over a service plan. Reasons being, I know they have a Treg master tech who's worked on my car replacing the oil pump a few years ago and I know he did a good job. And the service desk staff at the other dealer (they've done this a few times now. I assume because the simply don't want the work) gave me the whole "We don;t think it's covered by warranty and If we don't find its covered by warranty it's going to cost you x, y and z" bullshit.. basically fuck off somewhere else .. OK I will

Lookers had my car half a day before I get a call to tell me my tow bar is retro fit and they can go no further. They came to this conclusion because they can't complete a diagnostic check without the tow bar control unit telling them it's not safe to continue the check due to a warning that the tow bar lock mechanism is faulty. The very same message that comes up on the dash each time you turn the ignition on.
Now I'm no genius but I think the writing here is clearly on the wall.. and the dash!

I tell them I have the build sheet for the car and it clearly shows a tow bar was fit. They try to tell me the build sheet doesn't come from the factory, the sales team generate it! .. err ok whatever. And if they did, why is a tow bar listed on it?
They asked which dealer the car came from. I tell them and they call through to them to check. Call me back and say the supplying dealer has confirmed the bar is retro fit.

Obv's at this point I'm on a WTF tip. Either I've been totally mis-sold this car as I have in writing and on the build sheet that it has a factory tow bar. Or I'm dealing with some other form of fuckwittery. So I call the supplying dealer and speak with the service manager, who confirms neither he or his team have spoken to my local dealer. He confirms they spoke to someone from his sales team. He also confirms no record of his dealership sending my car for a retrofit bar. Confirms my build sheet is correct and I have a factory fit bar and additional cooling (as I've already identified some time ago ..). He (nice bloke) offers to speak to fixing dealer to confirm, which he does and they subsequently accept it is a factory fit item and continue with their investigations..

Three days later I get word that they have found the fault and, I quote "it's the tow bar electric folding hitch that faulting" and they've submitted the claim to the warranty people.

At least we got there in the end!

Obviously still hanging over the cliff off the warranty claim being accepted but I feel it's at least 60% there ..

 

Bunch of pillocks.

 

Sadly indicative of the situation these days but hope you get it sorted. It’s always worth fighting against ignorance and apathy but it does test your patience.

Got to say in almost 11 years of owning my 2013 T3 with the factory towbar, it never failed and it got plenty of use with the bike carrier.

What warranty did you get when you bought the car 🤔

 

I'm well used to dealing with bureaucratic ignorance and apathy at work but it really does drag you down sometimes, especially when it directly involves your own belongings and cash!

The T5 bar swivels fully up and down electronically. I think I'm right that the T3 and T4 bars need some manual assistance and thus there's less to go wrong. The type I have, from various manufacturers and fit on various marques, seem to fail within a few years regardless of usage. Most are made with plastic gears that eventually strip teeth and fail. Not for the variant I have but there are kits available with replacement metal gears. I'm 90% certain this is what's happened to mine.

I've already asked if they'd replace with a manual removal bar and they won't. Even if they did, that may trip me up down the line as it would be classed as retro fit!

The car was a year and a half old when I bought it so it still had manufacturer's warranty. I then had another 6 months or so of used approved. Since then I've kept up all component VW extended warranty. This year I went for £250 excess so fingers crossed, that's what this will end up costing me ..

 

Yes, the earlier T3/T4 swiveling factory towbars need manual assistance to lock down/retract home after using the electronic release switch 👍

Good luck 🤞

 

This kind of mullarky shouldn't be happening to cars of this cost and so-called quality, but of course it does. VW as a brand is not alone in this respect, though.

This sounds to be a costly problem to solve. Fka's request to replace the towbar with a manual/detachable set-up seems entirely reasonable, but seemingly the dealer won't play ball on that score. It clearly can't be left as it is, as it's a potential safety risk if not locked into position for use.

My old T3 has the manual-locking factory-fitted swivelling towbar, as Cass describes, and has so far not caused me any trouble. I do wonder though if the towball part becomes worn down through use over time, whether I will just be able to replace the the swivelling bar and ball part, or whether if would be simpler and possibly cheaper to replace the whole towbar with an manual aftermarket version? The factory-coded electrics would presumably still work OK in that case?

 

50mm diameter Euro tow balls have a manufacturing tolerance -0.39mm. The pads on Alko hitches can be adjusted with shims to accommodate both the manufacturing tolerance and wear. Seems the acceptable absolute min diameter is 49mm. So you'll have to wear off between 1 and 0.61mm before it's trash. That's a lot of towing .. or a reasonable amount of rust.. or too much fucking sanding!!!

The key takeaway gentlemen - Keep your balls dry and stop constantly sanding them!

Re the replacement. If the warranty claim is accepted, they'll be replacing like for like

 

I've found it impossible to keep the towball free of rust - covering it just gives water somewhere to collect!

 

Mine doesn't seem to suffer. I don't have any cover on it, just keep it retracted.
It always has a very light dusting of rust after infrequent use but I spray it with brake cleaner a rub with a clean rag and it's fine

 

Warranty claim accepted on Monday. Part should have arrived today and hopefully collecting tomorrow or Friday but not had an update or had chance to chase one today ..

 

Car back today with a shiny new tow bar. And they cleaned it too, it was well overdue..
£250 excess on the warranty. No charge for the week with the courtesy car.
Kind of nice to see the warranty paying for itself as the part alone was nearly £2.5k. I'd sooner it hadn't broken in the first place obviously.

Quite enjoyed running round in a little 3 cylinder Polo roller skate but very much appreciated being back in the Treg this evening..

 

Car back today with a shiny new tow bar. And they cleaned it too, it was well overdue..
£250 excess on the warranty. No charge for the week with the courtesy car.
Kind of nice to see the warranty paying for itself as the part alone was nearly £2.5k. I'd sooner it hadn't broken in the first place obviously.

Quite enjoyed running round in a little 3 cylinder Polo roller skate but very much appreciated being back in the Treg this evening..

I bought a used 2019 R-line Tech recently and it has a “Factory Folding Towbar” but I have just checked the PR codes on the label (37 of them) and it’s not mentioned. Does that mean my towbar is retrofit?

 

Result 👍

 

Who/what told you it was factory fit?

 

I had a 2019 with a Witter towbar but had ACC incompatibility issues so looked around for a Touareg with a factory fitted towbar. I’m sure the advert said it was but it was an independent dealer and I’m the third owner so they probably didn’t check.

 

This is what should be on the build sheet.
That's item no.17, part number 1D9, origin VWGROUP and "family" AHV

Where did you get your copy of the build sheet from? Find the original supplying dealer, call them and speak to their service department. They will be able to supply a copy.

I'd wager it's rare for someone to go to the expense of retrofitting an fitting an electric swivel bar.

I've also got to say, especially as you've been stung before, it's vital to do your homework before you buy!

 

Contacted the original supplying dealer and they kindly emailed me a copy of the build sheet. My towbar details were “1D9 / E / AHV” so factory fitted. No mention of an additional/ cooling fan though!

 

Thanks for that. I don’t have a build sheet, only the options label next to the spare wheel. I suppose it doesn’t matter that much as the towbar is working fine but I have a one year third party warranty which covers options fitted as standard so it might be useful to “prove” that the folding towbar was fitted at the factory.

 

I don't think there's any mention if the additional cooling on mine. Hence my posts about whether I have it or not.
Look at the radiator fan. If you have a dual fan I'm 99% sure that means you have the cooling upgrade