Troubleshooting Constant Trailer Connector Replacements on 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan

Updated 07/17/2023 | Published 07/16/2023

Products Featured in This Question

Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector

(46)

$94.41

Dielectric Grease for Electrical Connectors, 2 oz.

(1503)

$11.93

Question:

Help please! Considering getting your harness/module but I have had issues with other ones going in my 2016 VW tiguan. I have 4 yr old boat trailer, 4-pin, LED lights. Over 4 years, I have had 3 module stop working. One the side, it starts by some running lights not coming on, over time, other lights stop working including signal lights. I get the module switched by professional shop, problem solved every time, but in a year, my module stops working again. This last one lasted 2 months. One shop said maybe a short in my tiguan. Another shop said the dont work on Tiguans because there wiring is funky. No one can give me straight answer why this keeps happening. I do not launch or go near water with lights plugged in. Would your wiring harness fair any better? Any suggestions what the issue could be? Thanks

asked by: Toby F

Expert Reply:

The Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness # CU26FR is a solid choice for wiring on your 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan since it uses the tees to trigger the trailer light functions but it pulls power directly from your battery via the included power lead.

Whenever there are issues with wiring malfunctioning like this it's almost always a bad ground on either the tow vehicle or the trailer. You need to make sure both the Tiguan and your trailer have a ground connection that's secured to a clean, bare-metal surface.

If your grounds look good then the connectors could be getting corroded - if you live near a large body of water this can still affect your trailer connector (the inner metal pins) even if it isn't directly dunked into the water. Be sure to use the cap that comes with this wiring and it wouldn't be a bad idea to apply Dielectric Grease # 11755 to your electrical connectors as well to help protect those connections.

expert reply by: Jon G