Tiguan Towing

[jdstephens]

Toureg has a ‘double’ limit towbar in aus. Is that going to go back down (140kg I think) too?

I checked my car last night. The towbar says 200, the door sill says 200, the towing pamphlet says 200. The towbar was fitted when I bought the car in November.

Ive taken pics of everything, so if things get changed...

I suspect there’s is no engineering issue with the towbars and believe the rated limit was dropped back to 100kg to reduce wear and tare on the vehicle. The downrating occurred around about the same time as VW upping their warranty to 5 years. I beleive they are worried about more warranty claims if the vehicle was towing the extra weight.

I could be totally wrong but I’m trying to make sense of their decision.

[Simonr23]

That’s what I meant too. I’m assuming it’s always about the car sturdiness/suspension specs, when tow bar down-weight limits are mentioned.

This will be a deal breaker for me- if vw/the dealer say it needs to be changed. There was no ambiguity when I bought my car. So there’s no loophole they can use. For me, it absolutely will mean they’ll have to buy the car back off me, as my camper trailer is just a smidge over 130kg ball weight, when packed nicely.

[Hillbilly]

It all comes down to what they had on the documents that applied when it went for ADR compliance
If it was complied at 100kg they would have to supply documentation to upgrade it to 200kg and if they didnt they may have been rapped on the knuckles and had to reduce it back again

[jdstephens]

That’s what I meant too. I’m assuming it’s always about the car sturdiness/suspension specs, when tow bar down-weight limits are mentioned.

This will be a deal breaker for me- if vw/the dealer say it needs to be changed. There was no ambiguity when I bought my car. So there’s no loophole they can use. For me, it absolutely will mean they’ll have to buy the car back off me, as my camper trailer is just a smidge over 130kg ball weight, when packed nicely.

I’m in the process as well, when I ordered the towbar not once did the dealer say it was downrated even though that occurred before I placed the order. I spoke to the ACCC about this, I explicitly explained that I didn’t in fact ask the dealership what the limit was, but apparently my consumer rights say that for purchases like this all the information should have been provided up front. It wasn’t, they have suggested I put in a report. My bigger concern is getting the bar back up to 200kg. We are planning on a camper trailer later this year and the one we’re looking at is over 100kg ball weight. Now the vehicle is not fit for purpose and we are very annoyed!!!

[Chalnoth]

Just another sign that VW is no longer the trusted brand it used to be. Time for me to look for another option.

[iDiesel]

Looking through my owners manual pouch and noted this in the documentation contained within.
My documents say 200kg but my VIN placard and towbar placard both still say 100kg...

[Simonr23]

In my case, all 3 day 200. Weird.

[Chalnoth]

Ever since "dieselgate", VW documentation isn't worth the paper it is written on.

[jdstephens]

Looking through my owners manual pouch and noted this in the documentation contained within.
My documents say 200kg but my VIN placard and towbar placard both still say 100kg...

When did you take delivery of the vehicle?

[Hillbilly]

As I have said before when quoting the ADR rules ITS NOT the TOWBAR capacity its the VEHICLE capacity

EG The rules state that the capacity is either the towbar or the vehicle WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER

So they can make a towbar to have a capacity of 10000KG if they want but if VW state the vehicles capacity is only 2000kg and its stated ball weight limit is 100kg thats all it can be. Yes I know its supposed to be a Factory VW towbar but when did VW start making towbars. They buy them in and authorise them I would think

The ball weight is set by the vehicle manufacturer only as there is nothing in the ADR rules about it.

However when vehicles are complied I guess that would be taken into account as well and there may be some legal problem that they have had to revert back to the 100kg.