Is this an accident waiting to happen? I recently took delivery of a Skoda Yeti with which I am delighted. I had opted for factory tow bar preparation and my local Skoda garage recommended a company to supply and fit the Skoda-specified towbar and car-specific wiring. I duly arranged for the supply and fitting of the tow bar at my home. At the first attempt, the company supplied the wrong wiring harness, then they fitted the correct harness, but, I later discovered, without taking account of the factory preparation and, to make matters worse, the fitters had no means of testing the rig. I called them back and the set up was checked using a basic lighting bar. It operated the lights and extended the alarm to cover a trailer but that was as far as this simple test could assess.

I then contacted the Skoda garage to arrange for the system to be coded so that the reversing sensors and rear fog lights would be disabled when towing and the electronic stability program would recognise that a trailer was attached. This they attempted but were only able to say that the towing electrics were recognised by the car’s system. They had no means of testing the other aspects of the setup.

I am now in France where I keep my trailer and, on hitching it for the first time, the reversing sensors remained activated, the graphic that should show that a trailer is attached does not appear in the display and I have no way of knowing if the ESP recognises the addition of a trailer. I have consulted the BRISKODA forum to find that I am by no means alone with this problem. I have contacted Skoda Customer Service for advice but the response was vague and unhelpful. Many new cars have Electronic Stability Programs, parking sensors and alarms that extend to a towed trailer. If the ineptitude and lack of definitive information about the fitting of towing equipment is as widespread as I suspect, many motorists, especially those towing long, heavy caravans are at risk of losing control if they are involved in an emergency since the ESP will not respond correctly.

I wonder what the attitude of insurers would be if such a rig were involved in an accident? More seriously, I am concerned an accident could be caused through the negligence of companies fitting towing equipment incorrectly. Skoda Service has a high reputation but in this important area ignorance and lack of concern appear to be the norm.