Towing with a TDI VW Jetta

[mutcth]

Originally Posted by Gringo

and does hanging fuzzy dice from the rearview mirror constitute an unapproved aftermarket add-on that invalidates your liability insurance by obstructing your view out the front?

My guess is that there are probably more state laws prohibiting obscuring your forward vision with fuzzy dice than there are prohibiting towing with a trailer over the manufacturer's tow rating...

Tom, who knows Gringo was kidding

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by dkottum

The question I have is, would the gearboxes hold up over the long-term, such as described in the opening post?

doug k

I too wondered about this and once asked Andrew T about it as I was interested in towing with a 5 speed manual / Lincoln LS sedan.

He said that many of his customers use or have used manuals and work well. Apparently there is more of a concern with clutches although one guy I know who tows with a Volvo sedan (manual tranny) has faired well with his clutch durability.

[barts]

The problem w/ automatics and towing is cooling; the engine tends to run at higher output for longer and thus if the stock transmission cooler is inadequate problems ensue when transmission temps go over 230 F or so.

For the Jetta, the DSG automatic is very unlike most automatics - there is no torque converter; instead, there are two wet clutches (like a motorcycle) that are computer controlled. VW rates both manual and automatics for towing at 1000 lbs in the US, 2000 lbs in Europe (the same car) if the trailer has brakes.

- Bart

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by mutcth

My guess is that there are probably more state laws prohibiting obscuring your forward vision with fuzzy dice than there are prohibiting towing with a trailer over the manufacturer's tow rating...

Tom, who knows Gringo was kidding

dang. I been found out. Again.

[dkottum]

Bart, the current tow rating in Great Britain for the TDI Jetta is 1441 kg for the DSG auto, or just over 3,000 lbs. I believe my 2006 TDI had a similar rating, and similarly U.S. rating about half that.

Why does VW downgrade the tow rating in America, for the same car, by half?

Makes you wonder if the tow ratings are legitimate at all. This is my second TDI, and I have towed large loads of lumber with the first one. No problem with power, handling or braking (without trailer brakes). However I did learn about trailer sway when I loaded the trailer back heavy. My experience is that the TDI is highly capable of towing if set up properly and driven safely, no different than any other tow vehicle. There is a reasonable limit; perhaps we will learn from the Canadians what that is.

doug k

[barts]

Interesting... there is much confusion on this topic on the TDI forums.

I am seriously considering equipping our TDI to tow our 19' steam launch so we can go places with both the boat and the trailer. Right now we're spending a month living in our Airstream up in the San Juans; I'd love to have our steam launch here as well. The boat on the trailer is about 1000 lbs so no sweat to pull...

- Bart

[ROBERT CROSS]

Confusion is an understatement.....

From: VWoA Accessories [mailto:vwaccessories@vw.com]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 3:30 PM
To: CH - Bob <name redacted>
Subject: RE: 402134 - TRAILER HITCH

Good Day Bob, (not me)
Volkswagen Group of America does not recommend towing with the Jetta
Sportwagen, and therefore we do not offer a tow hitch for this model.

Thank you,
Volkswagen Accessories


-Dear Mr. Mike,
Thank you for contacting Volkswagen Canada Customer Care with your inquiry regarding the towing capacity of the New 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. At this time this vehicle has not been given a towing capacity as it was not manufactured for towing use. The only vehicle that is currently manufactured by Volkswagen with a towing capacity is the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The reason behind this is should you use the vehicle for towing purposes and a problem is to arise due to towing this could void the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the particular part warranty. I apologize I could not provide a more favorable response at this time.
Once again thank you for contacting Volkswagen Canada Customer Care, should you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us via our website at Volkswagen Canada or via phone at 1.800.822.8987.
Sincerely,
KH
Volkswagen Canada Customer Care
<image001.

[dkottum]

North America, for the most part, uses pickups for towing and the car mfg's can duck the issue here so they don't have any challenges to their warranty. Not so in Europe, if they can't tow they won't sell.

Bob, it's too bad you don't have a letter from Great Britain from the same company for the same car. Probably would not say the TDI "was not manufactured for towing purposes . . ." which is not to say it cannot tow.

Noting that safety was not mentioned as an issue, and with the 6 year warranty expired (never needed it), I may give it a go.

Unless we trade for a larger Airstream and a Touareg TDI. Oh yeah, VW doesn't want you to put a weight distribution hitch on that either. How it can tow 7700 lbs with 10% on the hitch, and no weight distribution, is a mystery to me.

doug k

[ROBERT CROSS]

You are right Doug....the company is just using vague verbiage to cover an exposed butt.

[Gringo]

lawyers are ruining this country. I doubt you could even find a shoe or boot manufacturer who would sign his name to something stating that their footwear is safe to walk down a sidewalk in.

[DEWASSINC]

Some additional food for thought. I pull a 1990 Excella 34' with my Dodge Dakota V8. I also had CanAm confirm my combo; the only thing they did was beef up my trailer hitch.

Now I will say it's sometimes slow going up hills, but on the straight and level it pulls fine. I can do 60mph in O/D at 1700 rpm (although I usually run with O/D off). That's obviously attributable to AS great aerodynamics.

I get all kinds of people wondering how my little Dakota can handle this. I always allow a bit more travel time and don't expect to be passing many rigs, but hey, I'm on vacation.

[dkottum]

I'm glad you Canadians have the spirit of invention we used to have. More so, we tend to be followers, afraid to try anything outside the box and critics of those who do.

We see posts here of successful light tow rigs set up in Canada, driven routinely by satisfied customers. Are you guys hiding something? Or are we simply throwing harder-to-get money and resources away?

doug k

[Aage]

I think that everyone buys the TV that they want. Lots of people want trucks, despite the ridiculous price of gas and diesel now. Many of them would drive them even if they didn't tow. Nothing wrong with that, it's their preference, and we do still live in democracies.

I personally don't like trucks as a daily driver, and we don't tow enough to make it worthwhile even considering one. My wife's daily driver (and our TV) is a 2007 Ford Freestar, and I drive a 2005 Toyota Echo.

Thinking about the tow ratings of North American vehicles, it is completely in the worst interests of the manufacturers to put higher ratings on their cars and trucks. As has been stated in this thread, they are happy to push people to heavier, more profitable vehicles for those who wish to tow.

Why would they ever want to encourage people to tow with vehicles that are smaller, and therefore by their own admission, less profitable?

For the same reasons they would never consider adding good hitch receivers and oil coolers or better geometry for towing. They don't want you to tow with your daily driver, they want you to buy a truck or heavy SUV, a much more profitable and less-regulated product.

From their point of view, it only makes sense, doesn't it?

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by barts

Interesting... there is much confusion on this topic on the TDI forums.

I am seriously considering equipping our TDI to tow our 19' steam launch so we can go places with both the boat and the trailer. Right now we're spending a month living in our Airstream up in the San Juans; I'd love to have our steam launch here as well. The boat on the trailer is about 1000 lbs so no sweat to pull...

- Bart

Then it's about time you started a thread here, on the subject. And where are the pictures of the steam launch?

.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Aage

Why would they ever want to encourage people to tow with vehicles that are smaller, and therefore by their own admission, less profitable?

From their point of view, it only makes sense, doesn't it?

And from captive regulatory governmental agencies, such as DOT, to professional associations, such as SAE, you have what you need to prove the case. A cartel operates in it's own best interest. And occasionally yanks a chain (Congress in re Toyota) when threats appear.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Confusion is an understatement.....

-Dear Mr. Mike,
Thank you for contacting Volkswagen Canada Customer Care with your inquiry regarding the towing capacity of the New 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. At this time this vehicle has not been given a towing capacity as it was not manufactured for towing use. The only vehicle that is currently manufactured by Volkswagen with a towing capacity is the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The reason behind this is should you use the vehicle for towing purposes and a problem is to arise due to towing this could void the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the particular part warranty. I apologize I could not provide a more favorable response at this time.
Once again thank you for contacting Volkswagen Canada Customer Care, should you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us via our website at Volkswagen Canada or via phone at 1.800.822.8987.
Sincerely,
KH
Volkswagen Canada Customer Care
<image001.

LOL, I think KH was probably a student working at VW Canada on a summer job.

In other countries the VW Jetta TDI gets a 3,000plus tow rating so considering it is a vehicle that was not designed to tow it seems to be in fact, up to the task.

Just more smoke and mirrors from the auto industry / and or reps.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Then it's about time you started a thread here, on the subject. And where are the pictures of the steam launch?

.

Great minds think alike, but great GEEK minds click around until they find it. I immediately wanted to see the steam launch when I read that yesterday, and found that he has nice complete info about it on the site in his signature. The direct link:

Steamboating!

[slowmover]

Thanks, the heat done me in.

[PA BAMBI II]

Here are pictures of the Canadian couples' 20' Safari and TDI Jetta with some detail shots of the hitch receiver by Can-Am RV.

[Road Ruler]

That particular hitch receiver on the Jetta is quite rusty.

When they built one for our car 5 years ago it was painted with a durable black paint. Even on our salt laden Ontario roads it still looks fresh with minimal rust.