Code activation required or not?

[Vindiesel]

Hi Guy's......just fitted a Westfalia tow bar with the Westfalia dedicated wiring kit to my S211.208, tow bar fitted easily as did the plug & play wiring kit.

Hooked up/connected the trailer & everything works, running lights, indicators, brake lights, hazard lights & rear fog light on the trailer with no rear fog light on vehicle......all good.
Vehicle doesn't have rear parking sensors so no issues there.

I then hooked up my iCarsoft MB11 ~ under 'AHE-Trailer recognition' the trailer is 'recognized' when connected up & 'not recognized' when not connected.

Is Code activation still required?

Everything seems to be working, possibly it's for the vehicle to adapt braking, stability, traction etc.....etc.

 

[CowleyStJames]

Coding is required, even says so on the Westphalia site. Ask me how I know?
Used to have a W211 estate and had their towbar fitted.
Had to have coding done, but they did the fitting and coding anyway

 

[Vindiesel]

Thanks for the reply CowleyStJames....................Yep, I read too that coding activation was 'required' by p.f.jones the tow bar supplier & on the Westfalia site but was curious what the full benefit's were, no one seemed to really know in any great detail!

I've just had the coding activation done by Tanfield Ltd in Peterborough for £60inc vat, they checked the 7 pin socket output on their lighting display rig, all checked out OK. Then plugged in their Westfalia Auto coding kit & activated the coding.

They then disabled a light on their rig & the vehicles trailer bulb out warning display popped up, this didn't show during my initial hook up testing. The vehicles electronic systems are now aware when it's towing & adapt.

I wasn't told the full benefit's other than it did need coding, job done on to the next : )