# How to (and how NOT to) tow a Phaeton



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Since this seems to be 'wheels and tires' week here on the forum, with everyone getting flats, I thought it might be a good idea to post some information about what to do if your Phaeton ever needs to be towed.
A North American Phaeton must not be towed with any of its wheels on the ground. Doing this for more than just a few feet (e.g. pulling the car out of a ditch or mud-hole) will cause extensive damage to the drivetrain. This is, I presume, because it is a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Volkswagen of America has published some information that provides guidance concerning how to load a Phaeton onto a flatbed tow truck. I have reproduced the two illustrations below. Along with the flat tire thread (this one: How to change a flat tire on a Phaeton) and the wheel corrosion thread (this one: Corrosion Prevention Precautions when removing and replacing Phaeton wheels), it might be a good idea to print these threads, put the papers in a plastic bag or Tyvek envelope, and toss the package into your spare tire well. That way, you'll have easy access to the reference information if you are ever stuck on the side of the road and want to look it up.
Be aware that the information concerning towing the Phaeton that is printed in the owner manual (Section 3.2, 09/2003 edition, which is what came with my car) is hopelessly screwed up. The manual devotes two full pages to towing instructions for a two wheel drive Phaeton - none of which were ever imported into North America - and three paragraphs to towing a four wheel drive Phaeton. Worse still, the paragraphs about towing a four wheel drive Phaeton contradict each other - one paragraph states "Do not tow the vehicle with the wheels lifted at either the front or the rear" _(this is correct)_, and the very next paragraph states "If it is impossible to tow the vehicle with the front wheels off the ground, or if it has to be towed more than 30 miles, the vehicle must be transported on a car carrier" _(this is misleading and wrong). _Obviously, that last sentence of the instructions for towing four wheel drive Phaetons actually describes procedures that are only applicable to two wheel drive (front wheel drive) Phaetons.
What the VW technical documentation presented below doesn't say (kind of a surprising omission, in my opinion) is that if the car is not damaged - meaning, it only has a flat tire - it will be a heck of a lot easier to get it up onto the car carrier if you first adjust the ride height to the highest possible setting. This will give you more ground clearance, and lessen the risk of damage to any of the underbody parts when the Phaeton is being loaded onto the car carrier.
Michael
*How to Tow a Phaeton*


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (and how NOT to) tow a Phaeton (PanEuropean)*

Ah - one last thing. If you plan to transport your Phaeton on a car carrier for a really long distance (e.g. across the country, because you are moving or are shipping the car), then you should have your VW dealer put the car into 'transport mode'. This can be done quickly and easily with a VAS 5052 diagnostic scan tool - it only takes 30 seconds. Just ask the car carrier driver to stop by at the VW dealer once the car is loaded, tied down, and ready to go. The Phaeton tech can hook up the scan tool and invoke transport mode once the vehicle is up on the car carrier. Or, you can drop your Phaeton off at your dealer, have them invoke transport mode, and have the car carrier pick it up at the dealer.
You don't have to worry about 'transport mode' for short distances (e.g. 100 miles or less) - only if you plan to ship the car a long, long distance on a car carrier.
Michael


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## DaveInDallas (Oct 12, 1999)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

I'm curious - what does transport mode do? Thanks.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (DaveInDallas)*

Hi Dave:
I'm not really 100% sure, but I think the general idea is that it turns the whole air suspension system right off and closes all the valves, so the battery does not go flat trying to compensate for movement of the vehicle while it is being transported.
Michael


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## chrisj428 (Feb 26, 2005)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

Transport mode (AFAIK) will put the car to sleep. It will shut down all non-essential systems (certain climate functions, radio, cruise, etc.) in an effort to maintain battery levels.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (and how NOT to) tow a Phaeton (PanEuropean)*

*Archival Note:*
Please also read the information on this discussion: Damage arising from Towing & Flatbed Transportation.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

My Phaeton had a little problem last week and needed to be transported to the VW dealer. The staff at Phaeton Customer Care did a wonderful job of contacting roadside assistance and dispatching a suitable flatbed tow truck to pick up my car - the tow truck arrived 90 minutes after my phone call, and the driver was even nice enough to drop me off at the airport!
Below are a few photos that illustrate the loading and towing process. Note that the safety chains wrapped around the lower suspension members of the car are quite loose - they are not cranked down tight, but rather just installed "finger tight" to prevent the car from moving in the event of a sudden stop by the tow truck.
The Phaeton must be set to the highest suspension level first, then put into 'jacking up mode' (to turn off the air suspension) before it is loaded onto the tow truck. These actions must be done in the specified order - first, raise the car, then second, turn off the air suspension controller (that being what invoking 'jacking up mode' does).
Michael
*Loading and Transporting the Phaeton*
First, get the towing eye from the tire changing equipment under the trunk.







>
The thread on the towing eye is 'backwards' - don't let this confuse you.








If you need to pull from behind, here is where to find the towing eye attachment at the back of the car.








Just before loading. Wooden boards were used to smooth out the ramp transition when the car was pulled onto the ramp.








Cable connected, ready to pull the Phaeton up onto the platform.








Just after loading it, before it is tied down for security.








The retaining hooks and chains are installed *finger tight* only. They are just there for emergency purposes. 
If you set the park brake and put the transmission in PARK, the car will not move.








All done, ready to go. 
My thanks to the driver Mike, and the staff of Kustom Towing in Victoria, BC for their very prompt, courteous and professional service.








If you take the time to follow the directions and do the work carefully and well, you can transport anything on a flatbed. The day after my Phaeton was picked up in Victoria, I saw these Boeing 737 fuselages being moved from Wichita, KS to Renton, WA, also on flatbed transporters. Same concept, same degree of care required.


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## henna gaijin (Jun 30, 2005)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

Michael,
Do you have a part# for that Towing Eye?
Thank you.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (henna gaijin)*

3D0 803 615.
It is standard equipment with every Phaeton, and can be found in the black styrofoam tray that surrounds the spare tire (or, the styrofoam tray that holds the tyre inflation compressor, if your Phaeton did not ship with a spare tyre).
The photo below comes from another post I made entitled How to change a flat tire on a Phaeton. In the photo below, you can see the towing eye for the Phaeton directly above and to the left of the special tool used to remove the locking bolt on the wheel.
Michael


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## Jack Orr (Mar 15, 2000)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

Er, ah, Michael, what was the problem that required you to do all this? 
You seem to have had a lot of problems with your car, which was built rather close to mine, and I would like to find out what to expect. Hopefully not, however.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (Jack Orr)*

It was a very minor problem that arose from the torque converter replacement a few weeks ago. "Loose screw", so to speak.








Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*

We can be grateful that it is simpler to transport a Phaeton than it is to transport a Mercedes. If you have a Mercedes, you have to take even more precautions when it is transported, as evidenced in the picture below.
Michael
*How to Tow a Mercedes (triple-firewall technique)*


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## invisiblewave (Sep 22, 2008)

*Re: How to (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_It was a very minor problem that arose from the torque converter replacement a few weeks ago. "Loose screw", so to speak.








Michael

A tech screw-up??? Your definition of the word "minor" seems to differ from mine! Any problem that requires me to wait 90 minutes then have the car towed when I'm on the way to catch a flight would NOT be described as "minor"!!!


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## aimhii (Oct 5, 2009)

How do you turn off the air suspension controller?


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## remrem (Jan 20, 2008)

*Re: (aimhii)*

You can put the car into "Jack" mode, if that is what you're asking, by simultaneously pressing the suspension ride comfort button and the ride height button for a few seconds. Be aware that the system will revert to normal once the car is driven over 5 mph.
I think there is also a "Transport" mode, but I believe that requires a VAGCOM computer interface.


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## aimhii (Oct 5, 2009)

Wow, Thanks again, this is why I love this Forum....You guys are great and wealth of knowledge.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: How to (invisiblewave)*


_Quote, originally posted by *invisiblewave* »_A tech screw-up??? Your definition of the word "minor" seems to differ from mine! Any problem that requires me to wait 90 minutes then have the car towed when I'm on the way to catch a flight would NOT be described as "minor"!!!









It was "minor" because I was the person who screwed it up, and Volkswagen was kind enough to both pay for the towing and fix the consequences of my mistake under warranty.
Besides, you never run after flights (aircraft) or women - there's always another one coming along later.
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Photos re-hosted.


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## Passat2001_5lover (Dec 11, 2001)

*What happens at end of very long transport?*

Hope this is not too dumb a question :screwy: 

If dealer puts Phaeton in transport mode for a longer than 100-mile tow ride, does the Phaeton have to have that procedure undone...sort of a *non*-transport mode (to take it out of transport mode)?? 

Tim


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

I believe that once the car is driven above a certain speed (I think it is 5 km/h), the car will automatically exit transport mode. 

Michael


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## Phaeton_qatar (Jun 20, 2012)

PanEuropean said:


> I believe that once the car is driven above a certain speed (I think it is 5 km/h), the car will automatically exit transport mode.
> 
> Michael


According to VCDS, it states 80 km/h and then it will auto-deactivate.

Asad


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## n968412L (Apr 23, 2009)

I notice in the first post that the VW instructions refer to the "oblong" holes in the underbody.... maybe lost in translation, but they are oval, not oblong...


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Archival Note: *

Two other discussions that are worth reading, because they address consequential damage that can arise as a result of towing or lifting the car -

Lifting the Phaeton on a Hydraulic Lift - Precautions

Damage arising from Towing & Flatbed Transportation

Michael


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## maccd87 (Dec 20, 2015)

Has anyone transported the Phaeton on standard car hauling trailer? Looking at the damage threads it would seem using 4 J-Hooks and ratchet straps in the 4 oval holes in the four corners of the car might lead to a damaged hole preventing a proper seal of the bung after it is replaced. Normally when transporting my other vehicle to races I use two jhooks in the frame on the front of the car, and two axle straps (essentially heavy duty nylon straps) around the rear subframe. Doesn't look like this is acceptable in this case. Straps through the wheels maybe (popular on lowered race cars for short hauls)? 

What have other people done?

I assume you should not use the tow hooks for strapping the car down. I would think they are not designed for a downward pulling force (towards the trailer). They are only intended to be used to pull the car up a trailer.


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## s2kvondeutschland (Mar 19, 2011)

Tow hooks are there if you need to pull the car onto the trailer instead of driving it on, then use wheel nets to tie it to the trailer. 

Standard procedure for every car towed by my BMW/VW dealer. It's hard to tell what is AWD these days so they all get towed the same, including the i8 we delivered last November. 

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Towing-Auto-Hauling/Wheel-Nets-Auto-Car-Tie-Downs

Sent from my Chroma Nexus 6


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## dstalling (Feb 19, 2009)

*Tow truck and dolly extracted my immobile Phaeton from the garage with all its wheels off the ground and took it to the dealer for repair.*

I've been anxious about towing in the event of my 04 Phaeton becoming immobile. I'm sharing my recent experience with extracting the car from the garage as it would not start and a trip to the dealer was imperative.
Recently at ~113,250 miles, I jumped in the 04 Phaeton to go to meeting... gave the key a quick turn on and the car turned over and over with no hint of firing. Immediately turned off and tried again. Same results. I was certain it was the cam sensor as no error codes were displayed. I called a tow company and explained how the car was in the garage and would have to be extracted as the driveway makes 90 deg turn now a 30 deg slope. No room for flatbed tow truck. They assured me they could handle getting it to the local dealer. 
The tow truck had a long "Tee" with multiple hydraulic options that could be extended from the two truck. We rolled the car about 1/2 way out of the garage allowing enough space for the Two truck to turn the "Tee" 90 deg and to slide under the rear end (parking brake was "on" ); arms on the "Tee" extended to the width of the rear wheels and two "L's" rotated to grasp the rear wheels and lift the rear off the ground after safety belts secured the tires. The driver placed a set of over-center dollies that were placed on bars behind and in front of the front tires; after lifting the dolly arms that were fitted around the front wheels were lifted off the ground. He gently used the hydraulics on the two truck to bring the car out further and gently took the car down the drive way and off to the dealer for repair. 
I'm no longer anxious about having to get the Phaeton transported should there be another need to get it to a repair center. The dealer found the cam sensor was dead and after replacing it the car was fully back to it's normal self and I was a happy camper.
daves, Lenexa, KS


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