Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg, Audi Q7 owners

[waninae39]

it is important to have the vehicle underside reinforced.
here is an example by CANAM
this helps the TV to handle higher tongue , trailer weight and WD loads

they often bolt the new frame in place vs weld. this is so the frame can be removed if any underside work is needed, ie fuel tank, cross bars etc

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

Tom,


I have the 2015 958 CD. I bought the hitch from Porsche and installed it myself. It did not come with a label. Do you know the USA/CAN spec for the 2015 and if the label is available as a part? Currently towing a 2002 Classic 30 slideout with a 2500 Ram Cummins but considering dropping back to a 23/25 and towing with the Cayenne.


Thanks,


Al

Al -

They're all at 7700# GTWR & 770# HW rating in the USA (except some of the early hybrids due to batteries) - which is technically 7716 lbs for the conversion from KG that Porsche used in the German TUV tests (the US-DOT & SAE equivalent testing).

Someone posted a few weeks/months back that they were able to get the correct USA hitch specs decal from the dealer, when their hitch had the Euro one.

Your factory hitch should have had the USA decal by law US-DOT regs., so ask the P-dealership where you bought the hitch for a proper USA decal since it wasn't included - or contact PCNA in Atlanta for the missing part/decal. It should be provided free as a missing item.

Andy T./CanAm set-up this +/- 2016 958 CD to tow a 30' AS for PCNA in the article below, so you may want to PM or email Andy T. as to what you need to do to set up your 2015 958 CD to tow your 30'-er (unless you want to downsize anyway for a smaller rig &/or other reasons).

https://www.canamrv.ca/blog/post/hit...ch-diesel-417/

NOTE TO ALL - RV Lifestyle magazine has changed their website & dropped archived Hitch Hints articles - including the above one on the 958 CD + 30' AS, so CanAm now has it at the above link on their own website.

You can use the above working link for the prior posts' dead links, & it applies to any size AS/other trailer towed by a Cayenne & its cousins, to one extent or another.

Cheers!
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by ARF

Maintenance and longevity of diesel Cayennes?
Hey all,

I am one of the Canam fans pulling a 27FB with a 2015 Audi Q5 TDI. No problems towing, which includes crossing the Continental Divide and other mountain passes several dozen times. Living in Summit County, CO, I cannot go anywhere without going up and down a 11K’+ pass.

However, my faithful Q5 is approaching 110K miles (at 50K of which have been towing the AS) and the extended Dieselgate warranty will end at 120K. I want to extend the time the Q5 is still under warranty which means not using it as a tow vehicle anymore. So I am in the market for a new tow vehicle.

(1) I have considered both the PHEV Cayennes and BMW X5s, but there is not enough experience out there using them as tow vehicles. Also, although the electric motor provides the extra boost of torque for towing, I will not benefit much from all electric mode for local driving most of the year. The battery efficiency drops dramatically during our cold winters.

I think in a few years, PHEV and battery technology will improve and there will be more experience with the PHEVs as tow vehicles. In the interim, I am considering purchasing a 2016 Cayenne Diesel with less than 50K miles on it. This will give me 70K miles or 4-5 years of additional Dieselgate warranty.

(2) I would like to hear experiences from Cayenne Diesel owners as to the ongoing maintenance and repair records for these vehicles. Also, what features and options should I be looking for in order to tow with the Cayenne. (I know there is a difference of preference on this forum as to springs vs air suspension).

Thanks in advance for providing recommendations based on experience.

ARF -

First PHEV Cay - there are a few Cay PHEV owners who have posted on here with very good towing results, if you look back at the posts over the past 2 years or so. Keep in mind that the PHEV uses the Audi-based & Porsche-tweaked 3.0L Supercharged V6 paired to the EV motor, & that the newer 2019> Base Cayenne uses it alone.

In both cases the 2015> PHEV & 2019> Base & PHEV 3.0L SC V6 are now producing almost as much HP & Torque with the gas engine only, as did the original 2003-06 955 non-turbo V8 Cayenne S - within 5 or so HP/TQ. I'd posted the specs in this topic a few months back, or google for them.

We're considering going the 2015> 958/etc. Cay-PHEV route ourselves, now that we're retired & can benefit from using it in most all EV mode around locally, since most all of our daily driving is within its limited 14 or 18 mi EV-only range - while still having the towing capability of that 3.0L SC V6, and the batteries will recharge during highway driving in certain modes, so you'd still have the EV boost during take-off from stops & on grades.

But we're going to wait to look more at them until after we can more fully use it after the COVID thing is more under control, and the current COVID induced price spike fades, as well as to clear out the construction currently blocking our Avion in the driveway.

I'll try to get an extended test drive with towing in order to test it on the local mountain grades to be sure - and suggest that you do the same.


Second Cayenne TDI - there are loads of posts from people towing with the 958 Cay-TDI & they're all pretty shining reviews. So go back in this topic's member towing & maintenance reviews, as well as reading the article that I posted for Al above.

From fellow PCA member CD owners I know here in SoCal, the maintenance is more expensive than on gas models (as with any diesel) - aside from the "Porsche Prices" being higher - as they are for your Audi.

The repair & maintenance cost differential on your Q5 TDI vs. Q5 V6 gas models should be pretty much the same, as would the towing performance with almost the same 3.0L TDI engine that Porsche sourced from Audi, & then added their tweaks. The only difference would be the weight difference between the Q5 & 958-era CayTDI, plus any handling enhancements over your Q5-TDI as equipped.

However, both are subject to the same phase-out of support at the end of the Diesel-Gate Settlement's extended support period. So you'll run into that same miles end-game on another Cay-TDI, as for your Q5-TDI, & it's getting hard to find them with low enough miles to have a lot of useful life before the end miles.

A few years back, based on my fellow PCA CayTDI members' & owner/members on here - I was going to look at CD's again after the settlement was approved. However, when I asked my long time Porsche Tech (since 1975), & Hans said that he has lots of customers with Porsche, Audi & VW TDIs who all love them, & they're a technological wonder - but don't go with any of the Porsche/VW/Audi TDI's because "They'll wash their hands of them once the support period is over, as they've done on other problems before." (read it aloud with an Austrian accent for more effect).

So I personally passed on further consideration of Cay-TDIs then, & had not considered them during the Diesel-Gate problems & negotiations - even though I was prior to that cheating scandal breaking.

I don't know how CO's smog check regulations compare to CA, but I do know that in CA you don't want to have a vehicle that you can't get the required engine parts for proper running & passing our CA smog tests.

We just went through a 13 month wait on getting a rebuilt ECU for our 33 year old & now classic 1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia, because neither VW/VW Classic nor Bosch makes nor stocks the ECU anymore - & by chance we fried our Westy's ECU a few weeks before the COVID shut downs, & it wasn't a rebuildable core. So we were stuck from late Feb. 2020 to late March 2021 without a running & smog passable Westy!

My mechanic Hans' advice above was based on that same type of support & parts availability issue for the P/VW/Audi TDIs, & even Diesel-Gate Settlement extended warranty period aside - auto makers are only required to support ANY of their other vehicles with parts for 10 years in the USA & 15 years in the EU. You don't want to get stuck in that situation for either your Q5 or Cay-TDI.

Hopefully this gives you some guidance.

Good Luck!
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Hey Folks - FYI -

Older posts on here have dead links for the Hitch Hints article by Andy T. of CanAm RV because RV Lifestyles Magazine's website no longer has it in their available articles. But CanAm RV still has it on their website.

Andy T./CanAm set-up this +/- 2016 958 CD to tow a 30' AS for PCNA in the article below, so you may want to PM or email Andy T. as to what you need to do to set up a 958 CD to tow up to a 30' AS, as in this article - and how the rig towed for him.




https://www.canamrv.ca/blog/post/hit...ch-diesel-417/


NOTE TO ALL - RV Lifestyle magazine has changed their website & dropped archived Hitch Hints articles - including the above one on the 958 CD + 30' AS, so CanAm now has it at the above link on their own website.

You can use the above working link for the prior posts' dead links, & it applies to any size AS/other trailer towed by a Cayenne & its cousins, to one extent or another.

Cheers!
Tom
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[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by waninae39

it is important to have the vehicle underside reinforced.
here is an example by CANAM
this helps the TV to handle higher tongue , trailer weight and WD loads

they often bolt the new frame in place vs weld. this is so the frame can be removed if any underside work is needed, ie fuel tank, cross bars etc

Just to be clear, I believe this is a photo of the underside of a Buick Enclave. The Porsche will not look like this.

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by AlbertF

Just to be clear, I believe this is a photo of the underside of a Buick Enclave. The Porsche will not look like this.

I believe that there are some similar photos in this long topic for a Cayenne &/or Touareg posted a couple of years back, which were provided by Andy T/CanAm to a SoCal member to have done locally. Probably best to use the search function on here or google, or else skim through the pages.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Tom
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[Dwlachowicz]

Hello Fellow Airstreamers!

Last month I made the trip to pick up our new to us Airstream, a 2017 23FB Int'l Serenity. Made the drive from Chicago, IL to basically Waco, TX. I am immensely grateful for all the info on this thread in helping me make sure I have the right TV for this trailer. In addition, a HUGE Thank You to Andy from Can-Am helping me understand WDH for this SUV as well. I lucked out that the previous owner of our trailer was already using a EZ-Lift Elite 800 hitch and to top it off our hitch height was EXACTLY the same.

The three day drive back was long, but the T-Reg managed great and without issue. Kept speeds right about 60-65 for the most part, with the exception of some rain storms here and there.

I did have some issues with the Tekonsha P3 wireless brake controller, but I was able to figure them out. I will post that in a separate thread or add to an existing one. Below are some pictures from the trip.

[Rammonte]

Originally Posted by Dwlachowicz

Hello Fellow Airstreamers!



Last month I made the trip to pick up our new to us Airstream, a 2017 23FB Int'l Serenity. Made the drive from Chicago, IL to basically Waco, TX. I am immensely grateful for all the info on this thread in helping me make sure I have the right TV for this trailer. In addition, a HUGE Thank You to Andy from Can-Am helping me understand WDH for this SUV as well. I lucked out that the previous owner of our trailer was already using a EZ-Lift Elite 800 hitch and to top it off our hitch height was EXACTLY the same.



The three day drive back was long, but the T-Reg managed great and without issue. Kept speeds right about 60-65 for the most part, with the exception of some rain storms here and there.



I did have some issues with the Tekonsha P3 wireless brake controller, but I was able to figure them out. I will post that in a separate thread or add to an existing one. Below are some pictures from the trip.

Thanks for the post! Beautiful pictures of your rig. They call it the Vw Towrig for a reason [emoji6]. Keep the pictures from any future trips coming [emoji106]. Glad to hear your sorted out the issues with your brake controller. What kinda mileage did you manage on your trip? I averaged 14.2 L/100km (16.5mpg) towing my 2008 20ft flying cloud with a 2015 VW Touareg TDI [emoji108]. I love the combo [emoji7]

[jsmyze]

Thanks to all of the valuable info on this thread, and folks answering my questions, I ended up getting over the fear of Audi's warnings about WD hitch and receiver length etc. and decided to just pull the trigger on a ProPride 3P hitch. Now my SQ7/GT23 tows like a dream, there literlly is zero sway and you can hardly tell you have anything back there - when there is some wind action and or at higher speeds you might get a feeling of the whole rig being influenced side-to-side i.e. since the trailer physically cannot sway you instead feel a more of a push sensational across the entire plane of the rig from from front bumper of the car to rear bumper of the trailer. Couldn't be happier with the performance, and even though part of me wonders if I really needed the premium priced 3P to get these results, either way I'll take it.

Other comments on 3P, there's a bit of a learning curve - for example getting it hooked up, we had one tricky spot on a hill where we took and hour to get hooked up, my dad was about to give up on it, and then I figured out how to use the WD bars to change the angle of the hitch head to accomadate the hill we were on - I think next time we'd deal with it a lot faster/better.

Here are some stats: I can tow at 80 MPH with out much drama, take with grain of salt b/c I've only towed a few hours so far, but I never would have been able to attain that speed before - 60-65 was the fastest before, and you were white knuckled. I'm sure with more experience and in varied conditions I'll find out what the limits are. Also, for those who like the big engines I'll just add that I did a 0-60 run in about 8.5 secs which I thought was pretty amazing, the thing can really pull. Here's a pic of the rig.

[Flathead1984]

The dealer installed an Equalizer hitch on my 25 FC. It creaked and groaned on every corner. I ended up selling it and having the PP3 installed. This summer, we made a long western trip of over 14K miles, and it performed well under all conditions (side winds in Dakota's were up to 40 MPH in gusts).

A few things I have learned:

1. Make sure your alignment is OK before you unhitch. I once backed into to a tight camping spot and the trailer was at a different angle. Bad!
2. My VW 2016 has a poor back up camera (works, but it is not clear enough for me). I purchased a magnetized small bluetooth camera, stick it on the receiver, and I can back it up on line. I take it to within 6" of the receiver and then adjust the height and the angle of the hitch.
3. Put a strip of brightly colored vinyl tape on the top of the stinger and hitch. It helps with alignment.
4. Grease the bar receiver and ball often.

That is it. I had CanAm RV do the hitch mod on my Touareg, and it even feels better. May not need it, but it gives me peace of mind on long trips.

[ModernVista]

Just got a new 2021 Cayenne Turbo Black Metallic for our 2017 International 28’. Previously I had a 2017 Cayenne Turbo Meteor Gray (and a 2012 Cayenne S Meteor Grey before that)

I researched all the Cayennes again and ended up with pretty much the same vehicle ! I even looked at the Audi RS SQ8 - but not many of those available around me (whereas there were over a dozen Cayenne Turbos)

I thought about the hybrid but no spare and slightly less weight capacity and also..none available. I though about the Turbo Hybrid..but less towing capacity and also… none available.

The first dealership I called wanted 10k over MSRP due to ‘market’, but the second sold it to me without hassle or extra $- delivered to my door from LA to Palm Springs.

The features are much the same on paper but it rides a lot nicer, feels ‘tighter’, quicker, and just as capable. Seats are a little stiffer which is odd..but maybe they just have to be worked in (and these are the 14-way seats, not 18-way comfort seats). I swapped out the 7pin adapter with 4 screws from the old one to the new one, put in the hitch, plugged in the wireless brake controller- and we were towing again. Super easy.

The car is more than just the incremental upgrade that I expected , so I’m thrilled. Wife said “why is this car so much better to drive?” I guess a lot of refinements over 4 years? Which was nice.. I guess. Means she will drive it more.. [emoji23]

Now I have to clean up the 2017 Turbo and sell it.. don’t ask me why I upgraded- more money than brains maybe? Whatever- thrilled and reccomend it!

Chris

[Bier]

This last Monday my wife and I picked up our new FC 25 fbt from Woodland Airstream in Grand Rapids. We wound up staying at a campground about 20 minutes away from the dealer that they recommended that was really nice (Steamboat Campground) because we wanted some time to do a bit of a shakedown to make sure everything was ok. On Thursday we drove the roughly 400 miles back home. Overall I am very happy with both the trailer and how the SQ7 did towing it.

On the trip back we drove between 60-65 mph the whole way and averaged 12.2 mpg. There were considerable sidewinds almost the whole way (20-30 mph) with the occasional gust.

Couple comments/Questions:
- We purchased our hitch and had it set up on the SQ7 by Canam (I posted previously what all they did. In short, Eaz Lift elite 1000, 2 sway controls, tekonsha wired brake controller.
- Took me a few tries to get the backup camera to work properly as I forgot my Audi by default sets lights to AUTO and they have to be On or in Parking for the camera to turn on
- Setting the torsion bars properly was NOT easy with the air suspension, I still think it's off a bit. On recommendation from Canam I had the vehicle on when doing hooking up. The air suspension would even out the load regardless of how many links I used so only knew front end was light when I proceeded to drive away and had to stop and adjust it. Anyone else with an air suspension have any tips/trick for getting this setup right without simple trial and error?
- Every time I hooked up the 7-pin, the SQ7 would say Left or Right or both trailer light was faulty even though all the lights worked fine (if I unhooked it and reconnected it would change to a different light error). Friends of ours followed us home and said lights worked the whole way. Originally there was no dielectric grease on it, but after adding some the error didn't go away. Any ideas what causes the error?

Patrick

[andee_lane]

Originally Posted by Bier

This last Monday my wife and I picked up our new FC 25 fbt from Woodland Airstream in Grand Rapids. We wound up staying at a campground about 20 minutes away from the dealer that they recommended that was really nice (Steamboat Campground) because we wanted some time to do a bit of a shakedown to make sure everything was ok. On Thursday we drove the roughly 400 miles back home. Overall I am very happy with both the trailer and how the SQ7 did towing it.

On the trip back we drove between 60-65 mph the whole way and averaged 12.2 mpg. There were considerable sidewinds almost the whole way (20-30 mph) with the occasional gust.

Couple comments/Questions:
- We purchased our hitch and had it set up on the SQ7 by Canam (I posted previously what all they did. In short, Eaz Lift elite 1000, 2 sway controls, tekonsha wired brake controller.
- Took me a few tries to get the backup camera to work properly as I forgot my Audi by default sets lights to AUTO and they have to be On or in Parking for the camera to turn on
- Setting the torsion bars properly was NOT easy with the air suspension, I still think it's off a bit. On recommendation from Canam I had the vehicle on when doing hooking up. The air suspension would even out the load regardless of how many links I used so only knew front end was light when I proceeded to drive away and had to stop and adjust it. Anyone else with an air suspension have any tips/trick for getting this setup right without simple trial and error?
- Every time I hooked up the 7-pin, the SQ7 would say Left or Right or both trailer light was faulty even though all the lights worked fine (if I unhooked it and reconnected it would change to a different light error). Friends of ours followed us home and said lights worked the whole way. Originally there was no dielectric grease on it, but after adding some the error didn't go away. Any ideas what causes the error?

Patrick

We tow with just about the same setup for TV, TT, WD, Sway.

We have the same error message with our lights but we ignore it as everything functions properly. We had the same issue with our BMW setup due to the computer's constant testing of the LED bulbs. With the BWM we purchased an adapter - the Tow Ready 20142 7-Way Flat Pin to 7-Flat Plug to Plug Adapter - for $25 @ Amazon and it solved our problem. We haven't used the adapter it on the Audi yet ... but I'm guessing that would solve the error problem.

Also, to set up your WD you can just shoot Andy and email and he will send you a PDF of the instructions for setup. You must turn your vehicle off, leave the front driver door open and have all car keys a distance(20') away from the vehicle. This keeps the automatic suspension from activating. You can then go through the steps of measuring and finding the right distribution of weight.

Just FYi we tow hanging 3+one bolt ... but we also have a heavier TT (27' GT) compared to yours.

[Bier]

Originally Posted by andee_lane

We tow with just about the same setup for TV, TT, WD, Sway.

We have the same error message with our lights but we ignore it as everything functions properly. We had the same issue with our BMW setup due to the computer's constant testing of the LED bulbs. With the BWM we purchased an adapter - the Tow Ready 20142 7-Way Flat Pin to 7-Flat Plug to Plug Adapter - for $25 @ Amazon and it solved our problem. We haven't used the adapter it on the Audi yet ... but I'm guessing that would solve the error problem.

Also, to set up your WD you can just shoot Andy and email and he will send you a PDF of the instructions for setup. You must turn your vehicle off, leave the front driver door open and have all car keys a distance(20') away from the vehicle. This keeps the automatic suspension from activating. You can then go through the steps of measuring and finding the right distribution of weight.

Just FYi we tow hanging 3+one bolt ... but we also have a heavier TT (27' GT) compared to yours.

Thank you so much for the information! I'll email Andy for the pdf and try the steps you mentioned.

[Meallen]

Thanks for the info. I have a 23' 2019 CB which I've been towing with a 2018 Q7. I also studied this thread carefully, then I compared handling with and without using a E2 WD hitch. As you note, the difference is night and day. Biggest things I notice with WD is the much smoother more comfortable ride and more predictable steering especially when climbing hills and over bumps. As far as gas mileage I seem to get just over 12mpg at 65 but it seems to drop off to about 11mpg when I get into the 70s.

[Bruce B]

So…
I have a question for the people who tow with late model Q7’s.
I owned a 2019 Q7 that I towed out 16’ Bambi with. It was just fine for that use but, when we upgraded to a 2021 25’ Globetrotter I traded the Audi for a GMC 2500. There is a part of me that likes this truck. The drivetrain is about as perfect as any truck I have driven for example. That said, I can’t get the doors adjusted so that they do not rattle over even medium sized bumps and the sheer size of the truck limits where you can take it! You have to call ahead before you even try to enter a parking garage.
So, now that I have read that Can Am has said that the current SQ7 hitch looks stronger from the factory… it has me thinking.
My wife and I are both fans of late model Audi’s and the SQ7 would be a delightful addition to our home.
My question is this. When I pulled the Bambi with our 2019 Q7, I noticed that reverse gear seemed to be geared a bit high for backing the trailer up. I mean high numerically here.
With any of our trucks, there was always plenty of power to put the Bambi anywhere I wanted to. I never gave it a thought. The first time I backed the Bambi uphill, I was shocked at how different it was. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it an issue when boondocking in odd areas?
Just curious…

[bbandeddie]

Originally Posted by Bruce B

.

My question is this. When I pulled the Bambi with our 2019 Q7, I noticed that reverse gear seemed to be geared a bit high for backing the trailer up. I mean high numerically here.

With any of our trucks, there was always plenty of power to put the Bambi anywhere I wanted to. I never gave it a thought. The first time I backed the Bambi uphill, I was shocked at how different it was. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it an issue when boondocking in odd areas?

Just curious…

Reverse gears do tend to be pretty high and you notice it for sure. That said, I’ve never had a situation with our Honda Ridgeline and 27FB where we weren’t able to back up. Actually the worst place we had to back up was our own drive, an uphill S bend from the road. I can’t wait imagine the SQ7 would even blink an eye at your Bambi.

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by bbandeddie

Reverse gears do tend to be pretty high and you notice it for sure. That said, I’ve never had a situation with our Honda Ridgeline and 27FB where we weren’t able to back up. Actually the worst place we had to back up was our own drive, an uphill S bend from the road. I can’t wait imagine the SQ7 would even blink an eye at your Bambi.

Of course we now tow a Globetrotter 25’!

[Shairstream]

I have a 2013 VW Touareg TDI and have determined if you plug the connector in with the car already running you are more likely (not all the time) to get a light error on the dash. If you plug in with the engine off this does not happen.

I also tow a boat when not towing the AS and discovered this when launching the boat. I do not want the trailer lights connected while launching as I do not want a possible short to blow a bulb. So I disconnect the connector as part of my backup check. On retrieval of the trailer after launch I reconnect the connector and always (almost) get the error message on the dash. If I shut the car off and then connect the connector all is well.

With the AS I have noticed the same problem - except I dont back it in the water. There is something in the electronics of the car that ‘triggers’ all lights on the AS to flash very faintly when the car is shut off and connector connected. So, I unplug the connector when stopping for the night. In the morning, if I start the car before I plug in the connector I almost always get an error message on the dash. If I plug in the connector first and then start the car - no problem.

[Meallen]

I've been towing my 2019 23' CFB with my 2018 Q7 with Factory receiver / wiring.

Installed the Curt Brake Controller under the dash into the stock connector there. That works great. These are my questions:

1) I seem to get no power to the trailer as far as charging on the Aux pin. Added solar so it's not a huge issue but curious if that's normal. Audi service advisor said this is normal but not sure.. Wanted to check before doing something custom. I've tried with the trailer master switch both on and off.

2) As expected, when I switch the lights on, the camera on the trailer becomes powered and mostly works. But oddly, it seems using the blinkers or break lights slightly disrupts the power (or maybe the wireless signal to the camera )and the camera image will be lost for just a few seconds then comes back.

Any insights would be appreciated.