Towing Capacity

WolfgangVW

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI - Manual
Hey all. Just a question about towing. I have a 2003 Jetta TDI Sedan, the manual says 1000lb Max towing. I've done some reading and it seems like fellow TDI owners tow more than that. My question is what's the likelihood of towing a 1900lb small fibreglass camping trailer with my car? Doable or not recommended at all!? I am likely buying this trailer, I plan to tow with my Silverado with a 5.3L which is obviously no issue but thought I'd throw this out there to see what other people think or have towed. My initial thoughts are I wouldn't dare bother putting the wear and tear on my Jetta towing overweight when I have a truck but just thought I'd see what other people say! Thanks in advance!
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
Use the right tool for the job. Can you set up your car to tow? Sure. But you have the truck. Unnecessary and premature wear of car components for what reason?
 

irvingj

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Etna,NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon TDI (PD/BEW)
Some years ago, I towed a 1900-lb T@B teardrop with my wagon (I don't have a truck).

It struggled a bit to get going but seemed fine with it otherwise. I was afraid I'd have a "tail wagging the dog" scenario, but that wasn't the case at all; I suspect that was due to the radial tires and torsion-bar suspension on the T@B. It tracked beautifully, even over heavily-crowned secondary roads in ME and NH.

Learned to keep speed below 60 -- mpg dropped to 18+ at "highway speeds" (60 & up) due to air resistance, since the T@B was much taller & wider than my Jetta. Below 60, mpg went back up to 32+. I have a Hidden Hitch tow kit on the Jetta.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
Be aware of trailer brake requirements. They vary by state and you will get busted if you travel on an interstate basis, require them and don't have them.

The majority of states require them over 3,000lbs. But -- there is one (NC) that does at 1,000lbs (!!) and several at 1,500. There are also a few states that don't care (KY being one of them.)

Many boat trailers have surge brakes, but travel trailers are electric, which means you need a brake controller in the towing vehicle and the wiring harness for it. It's trivial for a passing cop to see if you have it too since the connector in the US, unless its a boat, is round (7 pin) .vs. rectangular.
 

irvingj

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Etna,NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon TDI (PD/BEW)
Not all travel trailers require electric brakes... my T@B trailer was equipped with surge brakes... and they did work well.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
The Feds did not recognize them as "actual brakes" prior to ~2007 (I think I have the date correct) and thus with the exception of boat trailers many states considered them to be "not brakes." The exception for boat trailers was for the obvious reason that the axles are often intentionally submerged, frequently in salt water, and thus electric systems would be very likely to be destroyed.

For the last decade or so they have been federally recognized provided the GVWR of the vehicle and trailer are within certain limits and most (if not all) states go along with that by reference.

They are also incompatible with weight distribution but that's not going to be a factor with a trailer at this size and mass, never mind that weight distribution is typically not permitted on a unibody towing vehicle anyway as the mounting points for the hitch platform are not rated for the loads it generates.
 

Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
Not all travel trailers require electric brakes... my T@B trailer was equipped with surge brakes... and they did work well.
Semantics I know but here it's required if your trailer is a certain size in comparison to the tow vehicle.. For example you might need brakes if your trailer weighs 1500 lbs and towed by a car but you wouldn't require brakes if you're towing the same trailer with something like an f150.

It all comes down to safety. Trailer brakes are nice to have if you drive on hills for example. In regards to the original post, I don't see the point of towing with your Jetta. If you exceed gvwr of your Jetta, you can get a ticket. I don't know what these numbers are and likely wouldn't exceed, but those numbers are what you want to stay within. The limit of 1000lbs exists for a reason. Whether it be the max tongue weight, gross combined vehicle weight rating, limits of the drive train, rear axles etc
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Irregardless of what anyone here says.... doing what you want is reckless and dangerous. Seeing as you are over the limit for what the car is rated for, if anything happens at all you will be held at fault and your insurance will not cover anything for you. Uoj can be fined as well for improper towing by the state. DOT does not play games.
That towing weight is the entire deal. Not what you put on the trailer. So if you're back seat or trunk has things in it that counts against the gross wight number. Towing number is a part of that. You must not exceed the gross wight even if you do not the towing wight. And that includes passengers.

Dont do it.
Changes are it will be fine and wont damage anything. However the moment you get onto a public road of any sort you are techincally committing a civil misdemeanor, a fine of $2,500, and/or three months in jail.
Of course this is if you were to be involved in any incident with another motorist or property damage.

Read your insurance policy. It's very clear about you will not be covered and you will be considered at fault if you are over.

Granted this is all if something happens.

I've towed way to much many times in various ways with various vehicles. It's not ideal and even if there was no legality issues I still recomend you do not.
 

irvingj

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Etna,NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon TDI (PD/BEW)
Well, learn something new every day. I never had an issue pulling the T@B, and as I said the surge brakes worked well -- I made sure they were adjusted correctly, and could feel them engage.

A moot point in any case, as I sold the T@B several years ago and now drive a MB Sprinter-based small RV.
 

WolfgangVW

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI - Manual
Hey thanks for all the replies! Lots of great info. I think I'll stick with the Silverado for now! It towed great when I picked it up!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
This question gets asked (and answered) here many, many times. The general category of answers are as follows: people that HAVE used their TDI cars to tow, have done so repeatedly, and successfully, and have never had an issue. The people that have NOT, are frightened by what they do not understand.

Consider this: the A4 platform cars are equipped, from the factory, with mounting holes in the rear unibody rails for an "official" Volkswagen accessory trailer hitch that is sourced from typical vendors like Westfalia (who has been making hitches for Volkswagens longer than most of us have been alive), or Bosal or Oris. These hitches are rated for 1500 kg (that's a tad over 3300 pounds). The light fixtures in the rear have extra plugs in them... that go to the accessory trailer wiring. Now, I ask, why would Volkswagen equip their cars with mounting points for a 3300 pound hitch, and have spots to plug a trailer wire harness in (on later cars they even have an actual trailer control module that plugs in and mates up with the CAN bus) that requires no special tools or drilling, if these cars are absolutely "incapable" of towing anything? Are the laws of physics different in North America than in the rest of the world? And why would it be such a stretch for my 2800 pound Golf to tow a 3300 pound trailer when it seems perfectly fine for a 7500 pound F350 to pull a 15k pound trailer? Seems like the Golf would have a leg up on that math, wouldn't it?

And all you folks talking about DOT laws, have you ever actually been stopped? I certainly haven't. And I've pulled stuff clear halfway across the country and back on many, many occasions. I've towed other cars via tow dolly with my Golf. Repeatedly. Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, and probably other states I've forgotten. Never once an issue. I passed a highway patrolman going through the mountains of West Virginia in my Golf going UP hill with a '92 Jetta in tow!



And our little "Pudge" camper is happily drug behind it, too!

 

Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
I was always told if I was above weight on any specific official weight ratings, I might not be covered in the event of an accident. A 3300lb trailer wouldn't be putting too much weight on the tow vehicle so yea it should be fine. But some jurisdictions require trailer brakes. As long as you got all the bases covered, sure, towing is fine. But just be aware of your weight ratings. Around here they do stop and ticket people who do dumb things. (like towing fifth wheel campers with an f150 which puts way too much payload on the tow vehicle)

A 3300 lbs trail might put 500 pounds of tongue weight. I dunno what the payload capacity of a Jetta is. More than 500 pounds for sure. But let's say you had four 250lb dudes in the car and 200 lbs worth of stuff in the trunk. So 1700 pounds of payload on your Jetta. Axles have ratings too. So if too much on back VS front might be bad. Tires have ratings.

I don't know what the gvwr of a Jetta is. But whatever it is, minus curb weight equals weight you can have added to the Jetta. Don't exceed that number. If you're unsure, stop at a trucker weigh scale
 

WolfgangVW

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI - Manual
This question gets asked (and answered) here many, many times. The general category of answers are as follows: people that HAVE used their TDI cars to tow, have done so repeatedly, and successfully, and have never had an issue. The people that have NOT, are frightened by what they do not understand.

Consider this: the A4 platform cars are equipped, from the factory, with mounting holes in the rear unibody rails for an "official" Volkswagen accessory trailer hitch that is sourced from typical vendors like Westfalia (who has been making hitches for Volkswagens longer than most of us have been alive), or Bosal or Oris. These hitches are rated for 1500 kg (that's a tad over 3300 pounds). The light fixtures in the rear have extra plugs in them... that go to the accessory trailer wiring. Now, I ask, why would Volkswagen equip their cars with mounting points for a 3300 pound hitch, and have spots to plug a trailer wire harness in (on later cars they even have an actual trailer control module that plugs in and mates up with the CAN bus) that requires no special tools or drilling, if these cars are absolutely "incapable" of towing anything? Are the laws of physics different in North America than in the rest of the world? And why would it be such a stretch for my 2800 pound Golf to tow a 3300 pound trailer when it seems perfectly fine for a 7500 pound F350 to pull a 15k pound trailer? Seems like the Golf would have a leg up on that math, wouldn't it?

And all you folks talking about DOT laws, have you ever actually been stopped? I certainly haven't. And I've pulled stuff clear halfway across the country and back on many, many occasions. I've towed other cars via tow dolly with my Golf. Repeatedly. Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, and probably other states I've forgotten. Never once an issue. I passed a highway patrolman going through the mountains of West Virginia in my Golf going UP hill with a '92 Jetta in tow!



And our little "Pudge" camper is happily drug behind it, too!

Oilhammer thanks for the fantastic post and great pics!
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Just because you do things wrong all the time does not change the facts.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I was always told if I was above weight on any specific official weight ratings, I might not be covered in the event of an accident. A 3300lb trailer wouldn't be putting too much weight on the tow vehicle so yea it should be fine. But some jurisdictions require trailer brakes. As long as you got all the bases covered, sure, towing is fine. But just be aware of your weight ratings. Around here they do stop and ticket people who do dumb things. (like towing fifth wheel campers with an f150 which puts way too much payload on the tow vehicle)

A 3300 lbs trail might put 500 pounds of tongue weight. I dunno what the payload capacity of a Jetta is. More than 500 pounds for sure. But let's say you had four 250lb dudes in the car and 200 lbs worth of stuff in the trunk. So 1700 pounds of payload on your Jetta. Axles have ratings too. So if too much on back VS front might be bad. Tires have ratings.

I don't know what the gvwr of a Jetta is. But whatever it is, minus curb weight equals weight you can have added to the Jetta. Don't exceed that number. If you're unsure, stop at a trucker weigh scale
This guy gets it.

You need to know the ratings before you tow anything. Car or truck. Just because your vehicle physically pulls it doesn't mean it's right...or safe. I'm not just talking about for the driver either. What happens if you lose control of that trailer or your payload? If you are at all unsure, just don't do it. You get into an accident and you'll be the one who is screwed. It's not just about being pulled over, it's about proper load management.

Not sure why this is even a debate? OP has a tow rig. Something more suitable for the job.

All that aside, what are the ratings for these vehicles? It sounds like a few on here tow. You should be able to knock that question out of the park without having to look it up.
 
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