# CURT Manufacturing has Released the A3 Sedan Hitch Receiver



## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

For those who need a little utility, CURT has released their A3 hitch as #11399. They generally mention exclusions on their website in cases where the product won't fit a certain powertrain or trim combo; no such mention is made for this one. A quick look through the install literature yields no exclusions or caveats. I suppose it clears the 2.0T "dual" exhaust branch and sees no complications from the AWD layout. If so, I have high hopes for the S3 compatibility!

It's a no-drill design, attached by four simple bolts. It's a bit high on price right now, but I imagine that's because it's a new offering. If you need a hitch for bikes, a small cargo carrier, or whatever, give 'em a look. Their products are top notch. No, I'm not affiliated in any way. 

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/11399

https://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary/11399/installsheet/CM_11399_INS.PDF


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Dan Halen said:


> For those who need a little utility, CURT has released their A3 hitch as #11399. They generally mention exclusions on their website in cases where the product won't fit a certain powertrain or trim combo; no such mention is made for this one. A quick look through the install literature yields no exclusions or caveats. I suppose it clears the 2.0T "dual" exhaust branch and sees no complications from the AWD layout. If so, I have high hopes for the S3 compatibility!
> 
> It's a no-drill design, attached by four simple bolts. It's a bit high on price right now, but I imagine that's because it's a new offering. If you need a hitch for bikes, a small cargo carrier, or whatever, give 'em a look. Their products are top notch. No, I'm not affiliated in any way.
> 
> ...


that looks pretty clean . I like the bike rack on top though .


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

I want to be able to pull into the garage without having to remove the bike. I've done roof racks before... not worth the efficiency penalty for me.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Dan Halen said:


> I want to be able to pull into the garage without having to remove the bike. I've done roof racks before... not worth the efficiency penalty for me.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


And avoids the potential embarrassment of pulling into said garage with said bikes on the roof. A good friend of mine's step dad did it once...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Remark withheld.


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

Dan Halen said:


> For those who need a little utility, CURT has released their A3 hitch as #11399. They generally mention exclusions on their website in cases where the product won't fit a certain powertrain or trim combo; no such mention is made for this one. A quick look through the install literature yields no exclusions or caveats. I suppose it clears the 2.0T "dual" exhaust branch and sees no complications from the AWD layout. If so, I have high hopes for the S3 compatibility!
> 
> It's a no-drill design, attached by four simple bolts. It's a bit high on price right now, but I imagine that's because it's a new offering. If you need a hitch for bikes, a small cargo carrier, or whatever, give 'em a look. Their products are top notch. No, I'm not affiliated in any way.
> 
> ...


When will we know if this will fit an S3? I want to go down and preorder one, but a hitch is a must have for me for bikes. Can't preorder one till I know if this will work. Asked the dealer, they had now idea what I was even taking about (not sure what they even get paid for).

The only possible problem I see with fit is the rear valence possible extending a little more inferiorly on the S3 vs 2.0 A3.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

azbiker said:


> When will we know if this will fit an S3? I want to go down and preorder one, but a hitch is a must have for me for bikes. Can't preorder one till I know if this will work. Asked the dealer, they had now idea what I was even taking about (not sure what they even get paid for).
> 
> The only possible problem I see with fit is the rear valence possible extending a little more inferiorly on the S3 vs 2.0 A3.


Welcome to the forum, 'biker! I've been watching CURT's website and Amazon.com to see if someone with a 2.0T posts a review. My concern actually isn't the rear bumper- it's the quattro bits and the exhaust as the 2.0T and S3 have a two-branch exhaust, while the 1.8T has a single-branch exhaust. 

I'd emailed them in the past to ask if they'd have an A3 hitch... suppose I'll reply back to them and ask if they can confirm 2.0T fit. They'll generally have a disclaimer on their website saying it *won't* fit a trim level, if applicable, but the absence of that probably can't be taken to mean that they've tested both cars. 

I'll let you know what I hear. I intend to have one waiting at the house when the car arrives, should I go through with it.

... by the way, please don't order directly from CURT if you're buying. Check Amazon first.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

I'd also like to call out something I noted in the technical documentation for the #11399 installation:

WARNING:
WE RECOMMEND THE USE OF 18050 STABILIZING STRAPS FOR ALL NON-TRAILER
(WHEEL-LESS) LOADS. PLEASE SEE THE CURT CATALOG OR VISIT US ONLINE AT
WWW.CURTMFG.COM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

-and-

WARNING: ALL NON-TRAILER LOADS APPLIED TO THIS PRODUCT MUST BE SUPPORTED BY 18050 STABILIZING STRAPS.
** FAILURE TO PROPERLY SUPPORT NON-TRAILER LOADS WILL VOID PRODUCT WARRANTY**

The stabilizer strap appears to be something that I won't be able to use with the 1UPUSA bike rack I intend to pair with the receiver. Hmm.


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## anti suv (Sep 26, 2013)

Just wrap the strap around part of the bike. Thats what i did when I had to design/build a hitch mount bike rack setup for my old 2002 mr2 spyder.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

anti suv said:


> Just wrap the strap around part of the bike. Thats what i did when I had to design/build a hitch mount bike rack setup for my old 2002 mr2 spyder.


:thumbup: Time to put even more clear bra on the bike.


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

Dan Halen said:


> I'd also like to call out something I noted in the technical documentation for the #11399 installation:
> 
> WARNING:
> WE RECOMMEND THE USE OF 18050 STABILIZING STRAPS FOR ALL NON-TRAILER
> ...


Gotta say, I don't like that stabilizer strap at all. I, too, am a 1UP user which is a clean easy to set up. Hanging a strap off the trunk is a serious downer to me.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

azbiker said:


> Gotta say, I don't like that stabilizer strap at all. I, too, am a 1UP user which is a clean easy to set up. Hanging a strap off the trunk is a serious downer to me.


For what it's worth, I've never used a strap on my Rabbit or on any number of other CURT-equipped cars with bike racks. I suspect it's really just to keep the "sway" from wallowing out the receiver. <shrug>


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## anti suv (Sep 26, 2013)

+1. I currenty have a curt (or similar) hitch on my gti for carrying bikes without any strap. I have carried 2 30 lb bikes on it with no issues. It installed exactly like the one for the a3 too. 

The point of the strap is to reduce/eliminate the bending moment (torque) applied to the hitch. This way the hitch only has to deal with the forces pulling strait down and strait forward and back. 

I really think the strap is a bit overkill.


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

*New info*

I contacted Curt by phone today. The guy who answered the phone said it should fit on both A3 models since it didn't mention any exclusions. 

Called Audi to ask if it would fit the S3. Guy says he doesn't know, will try to research and may get back to me.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

azbiker said:


> I contacted Curt by phone today. The guy who answered the phone said it should fit on both A3 models since it didn't mention any exclusions.


They were so quick to answer my initial e-mail about product availability back in February or March. I'm a bit surprised I've still not heard anything on my recent inquiry.



azbiker said:


> Called Audi to ask if it would fit the S3. Guy says he doesn't know, will try to research and may get back to me.


I'd not put much stock in anything he's able to give you. It's an aftermarket part that he's probably not seen; any guess he has would be a shot in the dark, most likely.


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

Not sure if I should risk it and preorder or not. Dealer says he can give me 500 over invoice on preorder. If I wait till release date to order, may be stuck waiting a while to get one.

Wish I could talk to an A3/S3 engineer.


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

*Installed!*

This is my first post here (Hello everyone!) so I thought I'd make it a useful one...


I picked up one of these hitches with 1-7/8 Euro ball mount for $170 on Amazon and installed it yesterday on my brand-new A3. If you take you time, and luck is on your side, this _should_ be a very straight-forward install. Here's a few things that may help:

1. Thoroughly read the install instructions at https://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary/11399/installsheet/CM_11399_INS.PDF

2. The heads of the carriage bolts that are used to secure the hitch are just barely too wide to pass through the access holes in the chassis. After struggling for too long hoping to get them to go through (it's really close), I decided to bust out the angle grinder. A few minutes of sparks later:










Like I said, they are really close to fitting right out of the box so don't go crazy with grinder!

3. When the hardware is in place, it's time to lift the hitch into position and install the nuts. The ends of the screws that secure the bumper beam protrude into the hitch mounting area just enough to make this harder than it needs to be. Some careful maneuvering is key so you don't end up pushing the bolts that are just hanging in the holes back up into the chassis tube. If this happens, you will be hating life as you try to figure out how to extract the hardware out of a seemingly enclosed cavity. Yes, I was in that dark place but in a moment of clarity I made a discovery... If you remove the screws (4 on each side) that fasten the bumper beam to the chassis, you can -without removing the bumper cover- push it out just enough to create a gap that the wayward bolt and square hole spacer can now pass. Some patient coat hangering through the forward access hole is the the name of the game here.

Once everything is in place and torqued according to the instructions, this is what you will have:


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing your install experience! I was beyond relieved to see that second photo, validating that it does indeed fit the quattro-equipped cars. I contacted CURT a few weeks ago but didn't receive a response.


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## rex_racer (May 19, 2001)

Any pictures straight on from the back? Thanks!


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

rex_racer said:


> Any pictures straight on from the back? Thanks!


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

Any news on this for the S3? Dealers in Las Vegas where I live still dont have any S3s in stock so I can down to the dealer and check. I want to order my S3 but need to confirm this thing will fit.


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## Phanuel (Sep 4, 2014)

azbiker said:


> Any news on this for the S3? Dealers in Las Vegas where I live still dont have any S3s in stock so I can down to the dealer and check. I want to order my S3 but need to confirm this thing will fit.


Did you ever see an S3 on a lot to compare the rear valances against an A3? I need to remember to do this if I can find one on a lot near me.


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## ColoradoA3 (Nov 13, 2014)

Which wiring kit did you use? Were you able to tuck the wires out of sight?

The last time I installed the curt wiring on my 09 A4 I had to deal with the wires showing between the taillight compartment and the trunk mat


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

ColoradoA3 said:


> Which wiring kit did you use? Were you able to tuck the wires out of sight?
> 
> The last time I installed the curt wiring on my 09 A4 I had to deal with the wires showing between the taillight compartment and the trunk mat


Funny you should ask... I put the lighting kit in just a few days ago!

I used this one:

http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Curt/56146.html

Everything is hidden since the converter and wiring is all mounted behind the left side trunk interior panel with the trailer connector running beneath everything into the well that holds the jack/tire iron. These wires then run out the bottom through a (slightly modified) panel plug just above the front end of the hitch receiver tube. When not in use, I simply shove the plug and small amount of slack wire into the forward opening of the receiver. 

I couldn't be happier with how well this came together as the only way to see any wiring whatsoever is to get under the rear of the car!


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## ColoradoA3 (Nov 13, 2014)

rgalosi said:


> Funny you should ask... I put the lighting kit in just a few days ago!
> 
> I used this one:
> 
> ...


Great, thanks. I'm ordering tonight, hope to have it installed soon


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## ColoradoA3 (Nov 13, 2014)

Can I also ask, what did you use as a wiring guide?

Mine's on the way from etrailer

edit: actually, it looks like I should be able to just test each wire myself


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

ColoradoA3 said:


> Can I also ask, what did you use as a wiring guide?
> 
> Mine's on the way from etrailer
> 
> edit: actually, it looks like I should be able to just test each wire myself


There are five wires to each (non-trunk lid) light assembly: two for the tail light, two for the brake/turn, and one ground. I don't recall off-hand what color wire everything was except for the ground (solid brown). Easy enough to test though. 

For the benefit of other trailer wiring noobs like myself: The module's brake input wire (red) does not get connected to anything since on the A3, the turn signal and brake are the same light array and there is no dedicated brake light (aside from the one above the rear window). Simply connect the turn signal inputs to the appropriate wires on the car same with the tails and ground and you're done. It took me the longest time to get my head around this idea for some reason :banghead:

One other tip: Instead or running a dedicated wire from the battery to the trunk to power everything, I simply tapped into the 12V power jack that's already present in trunk. I haven't checked what that fuse is rated for yet but it's seems ok for the low current draw of my small utility trailer.


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## awss4 (Jun 25, 2009)

I just got a S3 and will be installing a trailer hitch. raglosi, do you think if there were two exhaust pipes on each side that the Curt hitch would install. Curt says no but they didn't try it on a S3.
Also since the A/S 3 uses the same lights for both turn and stop, I think you don't need a converter if you change the trailer lights to LED. Has anyone tried this?


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

awss4 said:


> I just got a S3 and will be installing a trailer hitch. raglosi, do you think if there were two exhaust pipes on each side that the Curt hitch would install. Curt says no but they didn't try it on a S3.
> Also since the A/S 3 uses the same lights for both turn and stop, I think you don't need a converter if you change the trailer lights to LED. Has anyone tried this?


Here is a photo of the underside showing the hitch relative to the exhaust. The center-to-center distance of the exhaust tips on the A3 2.0T is 43 inches. I'm going to guess that is the same for the outer tips on the S3 while assuming that the extra pipes attach where you see the unused boss in the muffler housing stamping. If this is the case, I would say the extra (inner) pipes are probably going to hit. I'll see if I can get a better photo from directly underneath...

Lighting-wise, it may be possible to connect trailer LEDs directly to the tail light wiring but I definitely wouldn't do it. The module, at the very least, provides a means of electrical isolation between vehicle and trailer. With the module installed, a short circuit on the trailer will simply blow the fuse supplying power to the module (in my case, the in-trunk 12V accessory socket). Direct connection will blow your tail light fuse -or worse- leaving you with no tail lights whatsoever. Lighting module=cheap insurance


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## awss4 (Jun 25, 2009)

Thanks for your reply. You are right that the two extra exhaust come from the unused bosses. It does look like the inner pipes will hit. 

Lighting wise you make a good point on isolating the trailer lights from the car lights.

Thanks again


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## ColoradoA3 (Nov 13, 2014)

I installed my hitch receiver the other day. Couldn't torque down the two most forward bolts because there's no way to get a wrench into the right position without dropping the exhaust. I may try to find some type of socket accessory to get it in there. You can see how the exhaust is in the way in the pic from the previous post by rgalosi

Rgalosi was right, you have to shave away a small amount of the head on the bolts to be able to squeeze them into the access hole. I just used a grinder and took out about 10% on one side of all four bolts.

I'll post a couple pics later for those that want to see how it looks


My wiring came in today so I'm going to install that this weekend. Still don't know if I'll run it off the accessory power in the truck or route the cable all the way to the battery up front. Have you blown any fuses yet running the power from the trunk?


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

ColoradoA3 said:


> I installed my hitch receiver the other day. Couldn't torque down the two most forward bolts because there's no way to get a wrench into the right position without dropping the exhaust. I may try to find some type of socket accessory to get it in there. You can see how the exhaust is in the way in the pic from the previous post by rgalosi
> 
> Rgalosi was right, you have to shave away a small amount of the head on the bolts to be able to squeeze them into the access hole. I just used a grinder and took out about 10% on one side of all four bolts.
> 
> ...


I don't recall having that much issue tightening the forward bolts... I believe I just worked above the exhaust using an open-end wrench. It was slow going as there's not much room to swing the wrench but I certainly didn't need to drop the exhaust. A ratcheting box-end would have been nice.

The lights on my trailer are 5W/21W for tail/brake (x2) and 5W side marker (x2). This makes for maximum power consumption of 62W which means a 5.2A draw at 12V. The accessory fuse is rated for 10A so it should be fine. No blown fuses so far!


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

awss4 said:


> I just got a S3 and will be installing a trailer hitch. raglosi, do you think if there were two exhaust pipes on each side that the Curt hitch would install. Curt says no but they didn't try it on a S3.
> Also since the A/S 3 uses the same lights for both turn and stop, I think you don't need a converter if you change the trailer lights to LED. Has anyone tried this?


Have you been able to get a hitch on your S3? I have not ordered mine yet, waiting (for a long time now) to see if there is an option to one fitted.


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## awss4 (Jun 25, 2009)

rgalosi
The distance between the inner exhaust pipes 35.5 inches center to center. So based on your picture and that I want no visible hitch hardware when not in use I plan on designing and fabricating one. It will be a lot of work. Lighting Questions. Did you find all the wires and made all the connections in the area behind the left side trunk panel? I have the panel out and see a five wire harness that feeds the left side tail light, two wires for the 12v outlet, and lots of wires routed to the trunk lid. There should be left and right turn signals and running and tag lights in this harness. What did you use and where did you splice in? Thanks for your help.


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## rgalosi (Aug 29, 2013)

awss4 said:


> rgalosi
> The distance between the inner exhaust pipes 35.5 inches center to center. So based on your picture and that I want no visible hitch hardware when not in use I plan on designing and fabricating one. It will be a lot of work. Lighting Questions. Did you find all the wires and made all the connections in the area behind the left side trunk panel? I have the panel out and see a five wire harness that feeds the left side tail light, two wires for the 12v outlet, and lots of wires routed to the trunk lid. There should be left and right turn signals and running and tag lights in this harness. What did you use and where did you splice in? Thanks for your help.


All but one of the connections were made behind the left side trunk panel. You still have to run a wire to the right side to pick up the wire that feeds the right turn/brake light. Luckily, the module is designed to be installed on the left side so the right turn signal input wire is longer than the rest. Simply connect power (from the accessory jack), tail light, left turn, and right turn and you're done.

Remember -because the turn and brake are the integrated into one lamp- there is no need to connect the brake light input on the module. 

Also remember, of the five wires going to the tail light assembly, two are for turn/brake, two are for tail light, and one ground (brown). It took me a while to realize that the doubling of wires is because each LED bank gets its own lead.


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## ColoradoA3 (Nov 13, 2014)

I FINALLY got my wiring done. Had a pro do it, and he wanted to use the draw tite wiring so I let him.

As a note: The installer told me there's a panel under the car that he used to route the power wire all the way to the front, so it stays tucked away from getting damaged.

When choosing a ball mount, I had to use this one. Once installed, it puts the top of the ball right around 17.5 - 18" off the ground (18 is normally the standard). also take note that I have the 19" wheels, which will effect height. I couldn't find anything with a higher rise than 5 inches, and I believe my harbor freight folding trailer is closer to 19, so I may have to make some changes. That ball mount that I linked has a length of 9 5/8 inches (vs the one that's 11). It's maybe a quarter inch off the rear facsia.



btw, fun fact: I took it to audi first. They wanted 8 hours and $1,000 to just install the wiring, which is why I took it to a trailer professional who actually knew what he was doing :laugh:


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## fjork_duf (Jul 13, 2001)

Anyone get a hitch installed on an S3 yet? I am trying to determine if this car would be better than a Golf R for carrying my bike. I strongly dislike roof racks. With the golf I would just chuck the bike in back.

Edit: Maybe just this trunk mount with clear bra would work? 

http://www.etrailer.com/p-Y02624-12.html


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## toutenhoofd (Jun 20, 2010)

I'm also wondering if anyone has installed this on an S3.

Thanks!


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## Phanuel (Sep 4, 2014)

Definite does not fit an S3. 

Electronic exhaust flap control units are directly in the way of the mointing bracket and the inner exhaust pipes and larger muffler are where the hitch needs to go.


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## GTI2lo (Dec 19, 1999)

Hitch fits great! 

Works well with my bike carrier and is solid. 

Just ordered the wiring kit so that I can hook up my little seadoo.


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## GTI2lo (Dec 19, 1999)

Bike rack works great and is solid with two bikes on it.


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## DomozitoLK (Jan 17, 2001)

*Wiring diagram for 2015 A3 tail lamp harness?*

Do you happen to have a wiring diagram to show which wire is which on the tail lamp harness? I have the Curt 56146KIT coming tomorrow but wanted to save time from having to probe each wire. Thanks in advance!



Oh, never mind...just saw an earlier post of yours:



rgalosi said:


> There are five wires to each (non-trunk lid) light assembly: two for the tail light, two for the brake/turn, and one ground. I don't recall off-hand what color wire everything was except for the ground (solid brown). Easy enough to test though.


===




rgalosi said:


> Funny you should ask... I put the lighting kit in just a few days ago!
> 
> I used this one:
> 
> ...


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## DomozitoLK (Jan 17, 2001)

*A3 Hitch -- Easy install!*

My hitch arrived last night and it took maybe 30-minutes or so to bolt it up to the car. Super easy install. As mentioned before, the bolts that hold it to the frame rails are exact fit. I didn't shave mine, but gave the bolt-head a slight tap with a screwdriver and hammer to convince it to enter the access hole. The only other issue I had was the inside bolts that sits under the exhaust pipe made it difficult to get a socket onto. But I sprayed WD40 over the hanger bushings and levered the pipe away enough with the socket extension to get the bolts torqued down to 110 ft-lbs as per the instructions. Overall a very easy install.

Tonight I will be installing the trailer wiring and I will post pics of that install as well showing which wires to connect to. Trying to get everything ready for getting my two racing karts to the track Saturday morning.


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## DomozitoLK (Jan 17, 2001)

*2015 Audi A3 trailer wiring...*

Wired up the Curt 56146 trailer wiring and it was a pain in the butt. Audi has hidden access to the tail lights pretty well and not easy to probe the wiring. No visible sockets or anything as far as I could tell. But here is what I found out from probing the wiring harness near both sides of the tail lamps:

*LH side (Driver side)*


Blue wire with yellow stripe=Left turn signal
Blue wire =Stop light (brakes)
Brown wire =Ground 
Brown wire with red stripe =(Unknown)
Blue wire with white stripe =Tail light/marker light

*RH side (Passenger side)*


Light brown wire =(Unknown)
Purple wire =Right signal/stop (brake)
Orange wire with brown stripe =(Unknown)
Orange wire with green stripe=(Unknown)
Brown wire with green stripe =Right signal/stop (brake)


I would normally run power directly from the battery but I spent way too much time trying to figure out the wiring in the trunk that I just tapped into the 12V accessory socket like the other guys here. I may go back an change that eventually when I have more time. After probing all the wires, both the purple wire and the brown/green wire (on the passenger side) activated with the turn signals and the stop/brake lamp. I was unsure which to use so I chose the purple wire. None of the other wires tested as separate turn signal or stop/brake like the LH side of the car.

I'll go back some day and look more into, but I mainly just needed brake lights functional to get the racing karts to the track early Saturday morning. I primarily use my 2015 Subaru WRX for towing (but it's in the shop getting some bodywork done) and going forward will mainly just use the hitch on the Audi A3 for bike rack or other such use. Anyways...I wanted to share what I found out for others doing this mod. Maybe someone else who has time can go update this if they know of a better way to wire this up or have access to the actual Audi wiring diagram that can post it up.


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## GTI2lo (Dec 19, 1999)

Awesome! 

Thanks for that detail!


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## azbiker (Jun 20, 2014)

*S3 Hitch*

I can confirm that the hitch fits on a 2015 S3...if you drop the exhaust bolt it up and then reinstall the exhaust. That is what I had to. The inner pipes will clear just fine when the exhaust is brought back up.


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## Onequick4door (Sep 13, 2014)

azbiker said:


> I can confirm that the hitch fits on a 2015 S3...if you drop the exhaust bolt it up and then reinstall the exhaust. That is what I had to. The inner pipes will clear just fine when the exhaust is brought back up.


Hallelujah! I was not looking forward to putting a roof rack on my car for my mtn bike.


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## GTI2lo (Dec 19, 1999)

I towed our 14' Scout from the marina to our lakehouse (Cottage) and it did fine.. total weight is about 1,500 lbs.


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