How to Tow With a TDI Beetle

Your Volkswagen Beetle can tow a trailer.

Your Volkswagen Beetle can tow a small trailer when properly equipped. This equipment includes a trailer hitch and four-way wiring harness. The 2005 beetle is rated to tow 2,200 pounds. This is enough to tow a light utility or single personal watercraft trailer. Double checking your trailer lights work prior to every trip is a good way to avoid a conversation with a police officer. Properly connecting the trailer to your Beetle assures it stays connected on the road.

Instructions

1. Determine the towing capacity of your Beetle by looking in the owner's manual. Look on the trailer's data plate for the weight of the trailer under gross trailer weight (GTW). The mass of the trailer must be less than the towing capacity of the Beetle for a safe trip.

2. Connect the trailer's coupler to the Beetle's hitch by lowering it on. Lock the coupler in place by lowering the latch and inserting a hitch pin through the handle.

3. Push the trailer's electrical harness into the vehicle's receiver. If the two harnesses don't match, an adapter can be purchased to bridge the gap.

4. Connect the trailer's right chain to the left side of the hitch and the left chain to the right side. The chains need to cross under the coupler to catch the trailer's tongue in the event it becomes detached from the vehicle.

5. Drive slower than normal while providing additional space to the vehicle in front of you. The weight of the trailer reduces the braking capacity of the Beetle.

References

• UK Tow; Towing Capacities
• Sherline; Trailer Loading and Towing Guide

Resources

• Towing World; Towing Laws Listed by State