What's missing - tow package
 

My GTS came with the "Trailer hitch without hitch ba" http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...es/biggrin.gif for $630. I assumed that meant I had a standard 7 pin connector in the back, as per the manual. I don't.

Buddy of mine called me last week - some goofy ***** yapping on a cell phone hammered him on his bike. He's ok, but the bike is torn up and at a local tow yard. He needs help getting it. I think, 'sweet I get to tow with my Cayenne'. Get up under the Cayenne and there is no connector. There is a cover held in place by 4 screws. I remove the cover and there is a female connector in there.

So now here's another assumption - I assume I am suppoed to have some connector that is 7 pin on one end and connects to the harness/plug that's in there? Should this have come with the truck when new? My dealer was worth ****-all when I bought the truck.

You can buy the standard NA 7 Pin connector from any Auto Store. The reason that it doesn't come with a connector is due to the Euro plug being different then the NA. You may also want to make sure the the car is coded for NA trailers, the default on my Touareg was for Euro wiring.

If you want to use trailer brakes, then you will also need to get a brake controller hooked up.

Thanks for the information. Just for more clarification, here is what I have on my truck:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/L1060140.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/L1060143.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/L1060144.jpg


So that's a standard connector and I can head to any RV/trailer/parts store and buy a 7 pin connector with cover to mate up to it?

Yes that is correct. You will need something like this, and is less then $10. Push the 7 Pin Connector into the wiring harness by your hitch and screw in the 4 screws and you are done. Simple operation. This connection will work your lights and signals, it will not control brakes, as I said you will need a brake controller, I use a Tekonsha P3.

Thanks. I assumed it was that simple. I didn't know if the connector in the back was Porsche-specific or generic. I've had to run the wiring for an older truck that had none of the prewiring for brakes and the trailer connector - what a PITA :)

No controller in it yet, I'm just towing a small utility trailer until my vette is running again. :D

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...55/APS/002.jpg

Nice Garage!

The hook up is pretty easy on these cars, you may want to check with your Porsche Dealer to make sure that there isn't a computer change to make. I had to switch it from Euro light settings to NA light settings. You could also check by plugging in your trailer and checking all the lights. In my Touareg I was getting a dead bulb warning on my dash.

Thanks. I found this online - http://www.carmata.com/scripts/prodV...?idProduct=940

http://www.carmata.com/ProdImages/vw-trhs_300.jpg

Thanks for the tip on the lights, I'll hook it up and check.

i cant beleive as dear as our cars are, that it does not come fully preped for the intended country? thats mad.

my car has a removable tow hitch (swan neck westfallia) and 2 x electrical connectors.
when i deceided to tow my harleys when we moved house, i tried to work out how/where the swan neck tow ball was, and could not find it anyware.
so bought a new one from porsche (£125) then one day when i was cleaning the boot after spilling a bag of cement dust, i found a "brand new" one hidden in a holder under the air compressor, it had never been used, i bet the previous owner couldnt find it either.
i still cant get the hang of how it locks in? there is a key and a green/red button?

Stopped by my local RV shop and grabbed the appropriate connector that terminates in the 7pin I was expecting to find up under the car.

Thanks for all the replies!

Glad to help, enjoy your GTS. If I didn't have a desire to trade my 997C2S in on a GT3, then I would definitely trade my Poor Mans Cayenne S in on a Cayenne GTS with 6 speed.

I understand the dilemma :) I would like to add a 997C2S to my garage, but I just don't have the space.

The GTS is great and I wouldn't have made the move if it wasn't such a smokin' deal. I just rolled over 5k miles after my trip to Indianapolis. I can't think of a better daily driver. I can haul my dogs, tow my car and make it up my long, steep drive in the winter. And it's all wrapped in an attractive, fun to drive vehicle. I think the 6spd manual is the way to go, even though I initially thought it was a stupid idea in an SUV.

There are a few negatives, but overall it's a great compromise for a DD.

I just purchased an 06 TT last week and had the same problem this weekend when I went to tow, fortunately I didn't have to tow far. This thread has been helpful, but I have another question about the brake controller some of you are mentioning. Are you using it to tow a trailer with hydrolic brakes or something? Or is it needed in a situation where you need to back up a trailer with surge brakes?

I use my brake controller to control the electric brakes on my trailer. The OEM electronics will not control trailer brakes, it controls the lights, and also communicates with the vehicle to adjust shifting as well as a few other features.

Thanks for the response. I was figuring you had something a little more sophisticated than I do, but wanted to be sure. I have surge brakes on my boat trailer and I'm pretty sure the trailer disables the brakes when you put the vehicle in reverse (assuming the trailer harness does it's thing). Hopefully when I buy the European converter plug I should be good to go.

Just wanted to note that I'm pretty sure I found the exact same part at a local RV place for $11. I've seen other threads mention the blue receptacle coming out of the Cayenne as being a European thing, pretty sure it's not strictly European as the part I bought definitely says GM/Ford on it and fits. I'm pretty sure most GM/Ford vehicles just always come with this part already installed if they have a tow package. I'll post the manufacturer/part number after I tow with it and make sure it works....