Volvo XC70

[surveyor]

Stiff and sore today after fitting 1/2 a towbar. Unfortunately, missing bolts stopped play...

[bracken78]

surveyor said:

Stiff and sore today after fitting 1/2 a towbar. Unfortunately, missing bolts stopped play...

Which towbar did you go for as I plan to fit one on our XC70 later this year.

[surveyor]

I went for a cheap as chips £120 Italian make off Ebay. Hoping for the best. It's tested etc. Instructions not the best, and missing two bolts before I can finish it.

Electrics were cheapest from Volvo themselves.

[bracken78]

surveyor said:

I went for a cheap as chips £120 Italian make off Ebay. Hoping for the best. It's tested etc. Instructions not the best, and missing two bolts before I can finish it.

Electrics were cheapest from Volvo themselves.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply.

[Accelebrate]

surveyor said:

Electrics were cheapest from Volvo themselves.

Are Volvo fitting the electrics? I'm still confused about if the trailer module requires 'coding' to activate it, or not.

[surveyor]

Accelebrate said:

surveyor said:

Electrics were cheapest from Volvo themselves.

Are Volvo fitting the electrics? I'm still confused about if the trailer module requires 'coding' to activate it, or not.

Nope. They said they would need coding, but I'll cross that barrier when I come to it...My suspicion is the coding will enable sway control, and parking sensor cutout, and maybe bulb failure logic

[surveyor]

Towbar is a mare. I’m not that happy with the end result, which looks a long way off the boot.

Likewise I’m struggling with the electrics.

Hopefully it needs coding as otherwise I’ve stuffed it up
Somewhere or missed a connector.

On the plus side I’m a dab hand at getting the bumper on and off!

[surveyor]

Towbar fitted and working. My cheap test kit showed the electrics as not working, so I ended up having it coded. £95 at the dealer - VIDA says it can do it - but you need a 400 euro subscription to go along with it!

Annoyingly my cheap tester still showed it as not working. Yet all is well plugged into the caravan. I'm not sure if it needed coding or not - I did not try it with the caravan before the dealer visit.

I'm not at all nervous about a 500 mile tow to Le mans, first of the season with no prep time at all. Not at all!

[Accelebrate]

surveyor said:

I'm not sure if it needed coding or not

Glad you got it sorted.

I've been doing some towbar research recently. From everything I've read the genuine Volvo module does need to be coded. There are aftermarket vehicle-specific modules that connect to the same connectors that apparently don't need to be coded. What you gain with the Volvo module is the stuff you previously mentioned like disabling PDC and the rear foglight when a trailer is connected and monitoring of the trailer bulbs.