Trailer brake cable required?

PRY4SNO

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May 15, 2016
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Edmonton, AB
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2013 Touareg Execline
Went to plug in standard 7 pin trailer brake cable and found the wiring that was sealed behind four screws and the plug was not what I'd expected.

Cover plate is PN 7L5971885 but can't seem to find the PN of the wiring plug in behind.

Do I need a dongle/cheater cord to get between the Touareg wiring and the trailer?
 
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PRY4SNO

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Edmonton, AB
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2013 Touareg Execline
Interesting. And thanks for the post.

Does this Pollak adapter have everything required to convert the stock plug, or do I need anything else?
 

TurboABA

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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Dude, what are you talking about?
Unless he imported his Touareg from Australia or something, there's no converting anything. The NA units that have the towing package come with a blanking plate cover like he mentioned above. You unscrew the 4 corner screws, remove the plate and expose the vehicle harness end. Then you plug in the unit I showed and secure it with the same four screws that you removed earlier and throw out the blanking plate cover. You now have a 7 pin recepticle on the back of the vehicle.

If you want to tow something with a flat 4 pin connector, you use a standard 7 to 4 pin adapter found everywhere. If you want to hookup a 7 pin trailer, you just open the flap and plug it in.

If you want to control electric brakes, you add in a brake controller.
 

Savageman69

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ontario
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2012 Highline Touareg TDI
what your touareg didnt have this? both of mine came with factory plug like turbo listed. Your must not have had factory tow package
 

TurboABA

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If you have the tow package (no idea what year we are even talking about, since the OP didn't mention anything), and if it's as per factory built, you will have a cover on it. Behind that cover is the harness. Once you install what I listed above, you can plug in your trailer 7pin harness.

OEM Cover


OEM Harness


Final Outcome (similar... I didn't have an exact pic... the OEM plate is at a different angle and slightly recessed up under the bumper)
 

TurboABA

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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
OP never reported back... I guess he's still trying to plug a trailer into a blanking plate! :p
 

PRY4SNO

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Edmonton, AB
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2013 Touareg Execline
OP never reported back... I guess he's still trying to plug a trailer into a blanking plate! :p
LOL not quite. I towed a trailer again yesterday taking our pigs to the butcher. Used the Pollak adapter you linked and it worked a charm. Thanks for the recommendation.
 

TurboABA

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Atta boy... so you already figured out the brake controller part of it, or you're just not using the trailer brakes?
 

PRY4SNO

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Edmonton, AB
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2013 Touareg Execline
The trailer brakes worked brilliantly simply by plugging the trailer wiring into the adapter/OEM harness combo.

What do you mean about the brake controller part of it? The only novel thing(s) I noticed was the cluster alerted me that the left trailer signal was out and the addition of the trailer graphic on the back-up screen.
 
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TurboABA

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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Oh so it's not a house you're towing, it's a trailer. Very good.

What kind of trailer? (I bet it's one with wheels)
 

PRY4SNO

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2013 Touareg Execline
Oh so it's not a house you're towing, it's a trailer. Very good.

What kind of trailer? (I bet it's one with wheels)
Also not a Boeing 747. Go figure.

If you're going to be intentionally obtuse, expect the same in return. Try asking a specific question without being vague.

For reference, it was a borrowed stock trailer, so I don't have the specs on hand. All I know off hand is that it's an aluminum body, and designed for horses.

The first time I borrowed the trailer to take our lambs to butcher (sans brake wiring) I could feel the trailer push the Treg ahead as I went to stop. This time it was like there was barely anything behind the vehicle (icy roads and crosswinds aside). This represents a summary of my towing experiences with the Touareg.
 

DivineChaos

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mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
Also not a Boeing 747. Go figure.

If you're going to be intentionally obtuse, expect the same in return. Try asking a specific question without being vague.

For reference, it was a borrowed stock trailer, so I don't have the specs on hand. All I know off hand is that it's an aluminum body, and designed for horses.

The first time I borrowed the trailer to take our lambs to butcher (sans brake wiring) I could feel the trailer push the Treg ahead as I went to stop. This time it was like there was barely anything behind the vehicle (icy roads and crosswinds aside). This represents a summary of my towing experiences with the Touareg.
Trailer breaks are nice. If the oe trailer module wasn't 500 for mine and required connecting it to can... Heh obtuse. I think he's just bored and lonely. Sorry for the incorrect info earlier. I was thinking the euro to us trailer plug. I was under the impression older tregs had it. Or like the adapter required for old land rovers.
*Shrugs*
 

TurboABA

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I'm trying to help you just like I saved you from obtaining some euro to us adapter that you don't need. Now I'm trying to save you from crashing and/or getting a ticket by telling you more stuff you don't know.

The fact that whatever trailer you borrowed had a 7 pin connector indicates that it more than likely has electric brakes on at least one axle You're choosing to wear read oversized shoes instead of giving sufficient details.

I'm not into horses, but I know they aren't light, so that means it was probably a 7x14 or similar, with dual axles. At that size, it would have brakes, and they would be electric.

You need to add an aftermarket brake controller to tow safely, legally and properly something that size. There is no built in brake controller like there is in some late model trucks from factory.

The only difference you could have "felt"" was the different engine and transmission mapping since the trailer module was activated.
 

TurboABA

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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Or just listen to my current #1 fan there since i clearly don't know anything about towing with a Touareg and I'm just posing!

I'm off to bed before my IQ drops any more.
 

PRY4SNO

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Edmonton, AB
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2013 Touareg Execline
You need to add an aftermarket brake controller to tow safely, legally and properly something that size. There is no built in brake controller like there is in some late model trucks from factory.
That's the tasty morsel that moves the conversation forward. Thanks.

Happen to have a link handy?

None of this was in the owner's manual, from what I can recall.
 

TurboABA

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RIP-2010 Jetta 6spd 2014 Touareg Execline
Controllers are generic.
Buy whatever you like based on features\needs\budget.
I use a Tekonsha 90160 Primus IQ as it suits my needs.

Types of controllers

Some different models
 
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