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for those with the factory towing package, does it have a trailer brake control function already? as in when you brake, it activates the trailer brake.
anything else i need to know about the factory tow package?
I used to tow my E36 M3 set up for the track on a trailer - around 4,100 lb behind my wife's Grand Cherokee. I did not like that and only did one long trip from Virginia to New Hampshire Int'l Speedway with it. That was a very stressful drive. After that trip, I bought an F250 for towing and that was a little of heaven by comparison. I personally would not tow a car/trailer with my 2021 Cayenne GTS (it has the factory hitch on it, unused) but that's not saying you shouldn't. Long chassis pickup trucks and anti-sway hitches are very, very nice tow rigs.
Agree with the above. Get yourself a proper tow vehicle. No way I’d tow this thing with my Cayenne.
I had this same setup, dual A/C units on a 25’ airstream, GMC 1500 AT4. Was always at or over payload capacity for that truck pulling the airstream. Ironically the Cayenne can carry more weight on the rear axle and has a higher overall payload capacity than the GMC Denali half ton.
Towing is a complex dance and we won’t be able to unpack all of the complexities here in this thread. One major factor is the lever arm between the hitch ball and the rear axle and the corresponding resistance against these forces from the wheelbase length of the tow vehicle. This is part of why a 5th wheel with a pin right over the axle is much better and more stable. The short distance between the rear Cayenne axle and the hitch ball is a major advantage for its towing stability.
In fact when it comes to towing one of the smaller airstreams the Cayenne will be superior in handling than the 1/2 ton trucks.
For fun watch this testing video and imagine trying to do these things with a poor handling pickup.
Also worth pointing out they did this testing with a properly configured weight distributing hitch. This is extremely important as without one the towing setup will be very unbalanced and dangerous.
I had this same setup, dual A/C units on a 25’ airstream, GMC 1500 AT4. Was always at or over payload capacity for that truck pulling the airstream. Ironically the Cayenne can carry more weight on the rear axle and has a higher overall payload capacity than the GMC Denali half ton.
Towing is a complex dance and we won’t be able to unpack all of the complexities here in this thread. One major factor is the lever arm between the hitch ball and the rear axle and the corresponding resistance against these forces from the wheelbase length of the tow vehicle. This is part of why a 5th wheel with a pin right over the axle is much better and more stable. The short distance between the rear Cayenne axle and the hitch ball is a major advantage for its towing stability.
In fact when it comes to towing one of the smaller airstreams the Cayenne will be superior in handling than the 1/2 ton trucks.
For fun watch this testing video and imagine trying to do these things with a poor handling pickup.
Also worth pointing out they did this testing with a properly configured weight distributing hitch. This is extremely important as without one the towing setup will be very unbalanced and dangerous.
If I had a do over I’d buy a 3/4 ton truck. However, the most important ingredient here is the WDH and that it’s an Airstream. They are like Porsches….over 60% of airstreams ever made are still on the road.
For what it's worth, a Porsche dealership service writer told me that the capacity reductions shown in the hitch installation instructions are incorrect. Regardless, for liability purposes, one would think that hitches supplied by Porsche for dealer installation would have correct capacity information on their information labels.
Surprisingly, the dealer installed OEM hitch now shows under vehicle equipment on my.porsche.com as if it was factory installed.
If I had a do over I’d buy a 3/4 ton truck. However, the most important ingredient here is the WDH and that it’s an Airstream. They are like Porsches….over 60% of airstreams ever made are still on the road.
Same here.
It was quite frustrating to run all the numbers and be technically correct in the capabilities of the truck/trailer… We wanted to avoid the larger trucks due to lots of issues with the diesel emission systems in the winter. The airstream listed a tongue weight of 837 on the brochure so imagine my surprise when a lightly loaded (but full fresh water/propane) setup showed 1150lbs on the hitch weight scale.
If I have some lessons learned that others might benefit from… Airstreams are amazing. There is no substitute for those large windows and bright well designed interior… But making it work means going in with both eyes open on weight. Don’t listen to anyone that says it can be done when the numbers all line up near maximum capacity. Verify your numbers on a truck stop scale… preferably before making an expensive purchase if possible.
I towed a 25' Airstream with my 2006 Cayenne S and factory hitch and had a great experience. I regularly checked the weights and my biggest concern was the rear axle as it was at the limit. My '06 had air suspension which performed flawlessly.
I towed my 993 and GT3 track cars all over the East Coast and Midwest with an X5 and it was great. Would imagine the Cayenne would only be better. And I never had to buy, store or pay for a gargantuan pickup truck that handles like a dinosaur. BTW the factory tow package (which my car has) does not include a trailer brake controller.
Last edited by George from MD; 03-29-2023 at 02:06 PM.
I tow my Nautique S21 with my wifes RSQ8.....it tows flawlessly....5200 lb boat, 1500 lb trailer, 800 lb of additional lead, 300 lb of fuel plus a cooler full of tequilia
700 ish lb of tounge weight....I move the lead around to get it right. Audi is against a weight distribution hitch....and I have not felt the need for one
Ive got hundreds of thousands of towing miles on pick-up trucks when I was burning hundred dollar bills racing Porsches...3/4 ton, 1 ton....hated driving them, quality is terrible. I wont go back to an american truck. The Audi tows better in all aspects
I have a Cayenne GTS stuck at port from Euro delivery that will replace this audi...and assume they tow the same
I tow my Boxster and Miata on a 14’ Aluma - absolutely no issues at all. I bought a tongue scale to make sure I was 12-15%.
I use a Curt Bluetooth controller. It’s just OK, gets the job done but I have to reconnect every so often. I may switch to a Tenkosha wired for more reliability.
The brake controller wiring is under the deadpedal / driver’s kick panel. Search here for more details. With that wiring, the brake controller is essentially factory.
The brake controller wiring is under the deadpedal / driver’s kick panel. Search here for more details. With that wiring, the brake controller is essentially factory.
Here you go:
Originally Posted by Hotsauce1208
I have a 2020 Cayenne base and I can confirm that the trailer brake control plug has not been changed from the prior generations, and is the same plug on my 2019 Atlas. The Cayenne and the Atlas have the same plug with the same color wires attached. I found the plug by removing the two 8mm screws in the black plastic piece that holds the OBD port and moving it to the right side. The plug was tucked behind the carpet just above the dead pedal on the left.
03-29-2023, 12:47 AM
OEM Tow Package brake controller
