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Atlas Trailer Hitch wiring for 7 pin connector

1595 Views 7 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  ribbit
I have a 2018 VW Alas, it did not have the factory tow package, I have installed VW receiver hitch and the pictured VW Trailer Hitch Electrical Installation Kit. It works just fine and the car was coded to recognize a trailer. This kit is for use with the 4 wire flat plug. My hitch has the 7 pin wiring harness but it is not connected. I want to replace the 4 pin harness with the 7 pin harness so I can tow a small camper which is equipped with trailer brakes and the 7 pin connector. I also have the wiring harness for the 7 pin connector which came with the tow bar but it is not connected to anything. The harness that came with my hitch has the 7 pin connector on one end and the other end 2 connectors, one is long enough to reach the module that came with the kit and has a plug which looks to fit into the module, this plug has 5 wires: 12v power, Reverse, Right turn/brake, Left turn/brake, and running lights. The other plug only has 2 wires going back to the area where the module is, one will be for the ground and the other is for the brake controller. There is a ground screw back there but I can't find anywhere back there to plug the wire for the brake controller in. I am worried that there might not be a wire back there for the brake controller since it did not have a tow package. I can see them leaving out the module in cars without the factory tow package but I would think the cars wiring harness would be the same and there would be a wire for the brake controller. I wish I had access to a car with the factory hitch to see where the controller wire is on it.
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, that leaves the shorter part of the harness that plugs in I don't know where.
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Did you ever figure this out?? I'm in the same boat and need the 7-pin for my trailer. The dealer guys have no clue and didn't offer any advice when I had them code the module to the computer.
It seems to be a dealership issue. I have wiring for the 7 pin out let ,factory installed and asked the dealer to hook up connector. I got a lot of song and dance, finally the parts dept got a kit to install the connector. If I can't do it myself I'm going to a trailer shop where they know whats up. Very frustrating. You would think anybody buying a big SUV would want the hitch to actually operate.
To follow up on the saga of getting the wiring hooked up. simple, VW had a plug and play adaqpter for factory wiring, you just take the plate off the wiring location plug in the 7 pin adapter good to go. easy pease. Why was there all the drama? This is only for factory wire setup.
To follow up on the saga of getting the wiring hooked up. simple, VW had a plug and play adaqpter for factory wiring, you just take the plate off the wiring location plug in the 7 pin adapter good to go. easy pease. Why was there all the drama? This is only for factory wire setup.
Drama is because this post was about a vehicle that did not have the factory set up or even a hitch but a vw wiring harness, vw module, and vw hitch was installed and not working.
Sorry to sound dismissive, I would go to a good trailer shop and have the harness wired for the 7 pin conversion. I don't have that talent myself.
Sorry to sound dismissive, I would go to a good trailer shop and have the harness wired for the 7 pin conversion. I don't have that talent myself.
I have been there, they said I would need to go to the dealer, everything should have been working but it was not. I have a VEEPEAK scan tool that connects to my phone and a line of code from a car of the same year, engine but had factory tow option. Going to try that, maybe have a conversation with the dealer but I am tired of throwing money at VW for something so simple that should have been working to start with. After that I will toss the VW module and buy one from e-trailer that plugs into my lights.
Now you're talking ,let us know how you make out.
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