Detachable towbars and parking sensors

[Rioja]

I have recently purchased a 2010 Skoda Superb estate which came equipped with rear parking sensors ( which I have never had before) but without a towbar .
The dealer told me that I need to fit a detachable towbar otherwise it interferes with the sensors. Is this true ?
The advertised nose weight on the Skoda brochure for my vehicle is 80kg and pulling load of 1800kg ( its the diesel 170BHP model), however, in the same brochure they advertise an optional extra of a detachable towbar but that states that the maximum nose weight with that is only 50kg which is insufficient from previous experience.
Perhaps you can enlighten me as to what I should do. I have also been told I should only fit the approved Skoda towbar to avoid invalidating the warranty if there happens to be an electrical problem that follows.
Your advice would be appreciated
Thanks in anticipation
Dave

 

[Beehpee]

Firstly according to dealers if you get anyone to fit anything to your car other than them doing it then it will invalidate your warranty, they say this so that they get the business, odd that there are so many towbar companies, car phone companies and so on and so on......in my experience this never happens, maybe if your car was to develop a fault with the lights after you had a towbar fitted then they could then use the excuse that the towbar electrics were causing the problem with your lights but other than the cars lights they could never use the excuse that the towbar was causing any other fault with the car so therefore any argument re your warranty would never have any validity, as for the parking sensors, they can cause problems, I have rear parking sensors and if I put a towball cover on then my sensors go to pot, without the cover on they work perfectly, it seems almost inconceivable that putting on the cover which adds no more than about 5mm to the size of the towball can mean the difference between them working and not working, the advantage I would think you will have by going to a specialist towbar company is that they will know I would think before they fit the towbar whether they will have any effect and if they assure you they won't you then have a good argument to get the fault rectified if they subsequently do.

BP

 

[NigelHutson]

It may be that whichever towbar you have fitted that the car's electrics need programming by the Dealer (or someone who has the proper equipment). That should stop the sensors working when the caravan electrics are plugged in (amongst other things). It would be very surprising if Skoda don't do this. I would speak to someone in the Service Dept, rather than a typically uninformed sales person.

 

[MeonIan]

Have just purchased new Octavia estate with park sensors. Had my local towbar fitter who I've used for my past 7 towbar fitments fit a fixed towbar, no problem with sensors. He fits a witter towbar with Skoda electrics with means he can reprogramme the car to turn off park sensors when towbar being used as well as activating the bulb failure device on th dash. My previous Octavia hatch had the same arrangement, no interference with sensors, however my one before that I had problems with the sensors detecting the towbar. The only difference between these cars were that the last two have had the new 13pin electrics fitted whereas the one causing interference had two 7 pin electrics and I think that with two they just caught sight of the sensors. Most dealers sub contract their towbar fitting out anyway, mine certainly does. My towbar was fitted within 3 hours and came out at about £350 incl. Will not affect any electrics warranty if you have the manufacturer wiring kit, the towbar itself is type approved so no warranty issue there so the only concern you may have is over the workmanship of your chosen fitter who may cause damage, best advice is to ask around for recommendations in your area.

 

[Beehpee]

It's not the electrical connection that interferes with parking sensors it's the physical proximity of the towbar or more usually the actual towball that the sensor picks up, often a car will have a switch to turn off the parking sensors so having them switch off automatically when the towbar electrics are plugged in isn't always needed.

 

[otherclive]

On my xc70 the rear sensors don't pick up when the detachable tow ball is fitted. But kick up a din when hitching up, but there is dash switch to turn them off.

 

[Martin24]

My old Rexton only made a racket when backing up to hitch, the fixed ball never affected the sensors at all! Still managed to reverse into someone as always ready to back just that little bit more!!!! Proud to say that since the end of January I have regained my parking skills and haven't hit a thing without the beepers distracting me from the job in hand!

 

[NigelHutson]

Come to think of it, all of the cars that I've had with reversing sensors (x 4) haven't been affected by the towball being fitted, either fixed or detachable (two of each). The only thing that did cause a slight problem was a bumper guard. I bent that slightly towards the car, and the false alarms stopped.
If possible, I would still have the electrics properly programmed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it should stop the sensors sounding when the caravan (or any trailer) is attached. I know they can sometimes be switched off (Rover 75 couldn't), but if they can't they'll drive you mad when you have to reverse, and secondly, other things might need to be activated (any trailer stability programme, indicator/lights warning, fridge, charger etc).

 

[Rioja]

Thanks for your comments and advice all.

 

[JTQ]

The advertised nose weight on the Skoda brochure for my vehicle is 80kg and pulling load of 1800kg ( its the diesel 170BHP model), however, in the same brochure they advertise an optional extra of a detachable towbar but that states that the maximum nose weight with that is only 50kg which is insufficient from previous experience.

But what does the vehicle's handbook say in this legally important matter?
Advertising literature statements IMO will not satisfy your insurers, Skoda's warranty Dept or Vosa if you ever find yourself with an issue where they get involved with it. I suspect there was also a little fine print rider on the advertising literature to say something after "details can change".
It also does not sit comfortably with me that the 'maker supplied' towbar does not meet the claimed vehicles ability.
In your position I would most certainly be wanting an authoritive resolution of the vehicles maker's maximum towing noseweight ['S' weight].