D3 Caravan LED Lights - Issues

[gaultfam]

Hi there, I have a D3 and have just got a caravan which has LED stop/driving/indicator lights. The issue is the LED Indicator Lights Flash (very faintly) all the time and the car doesnt recognise that a trailer is attached (I guess because there isnt much load electrical load with LED's as opposed to incandecent globes). Is there a fix I can do to rectify this or does anyone know if Land Rover sell a plug setup ? If they do.........any ideas what the part number is and how much $ ?? Im in Vic if it makes any diference ?:(

[PhilipA]

Contact/PM Drivesafe as he sells a kit .
Regards Philip A

[Scouse]

Have you looked in the FAQ section?
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/93220-aulro-discovery-3-4-rrs-faq.html

There's a couple (or more) plug in devices available.

[bbyer]

Below is a link to a current discussion of relays vs load resistors to resolve the LED concern.

DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - LED trailer lights not compatible with Disco 3? (http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic71836.html)

[33chinacars]

Here check these out & dont worry links work.

Home Page (http://www.labtronx.com.au/)

www (http://www.linearelectronicdesign.com/)

Gary

[NTB]

I am also wishing to get a box for the Trailer LED Issue and my D4.
There appears to be 2 which I have found to be used.
Linear Electronic Design, LED Adaptor Module www.linearelectronicdesign.com/ (http://www.linearelectronicdesign.com/)
LAB Electronics, PulseBusta Mk2 www.labtronx.com.au/ (http://www.labtronx.com.au/)

Is one better than the other?
Is there any difference the requirements between for a D3 and a D4?

NTB

[Nomad9]

Hi NTB,
I got one from Linearelectronicdesign a couple of years ago. I've done a bit of travelling, corrugations, wet, more corrugations, dust and oh did I mention corrugations, the unit is still fine, and works a treat. Not cheap but things that work usually aren't.
Easy to deal with all the usual stuff....... no problem at all.

[bbyer]

Is there any difference the requirements between for a D3 and a D4?NTB Land Rover is supposed to have designed the D4 trailer hookup such that a LED trailer light setup does not require anything extra.

I also think that is one of the reasons the D4 now has the LED tail light assemblies - because the necessary alterations are now all designed in at the factory.

[gghaggis]

Land Rover is supposed to have designed the D4 trailer hookup such that a LED trailer light setup does not require anything extra.

I also think that is one of the reasons the D4 now has the LED tail light assemblies - because the necessary alterations are now all designed in at the factory.

Not quite,

LR have designed the D4 to use LED's _on the vehicle_. The upshot is that there is no longer any intermittent pulsing of LED lights, whether on the vehicle or on a caravan/trailer plugged into the vehicle.

However, the car-specific trailer functions (trailer-assist, reverse-sensor overrides etc) still require incandescent globes, for them to be triggered successfully. For that you will still need a dummy load of some sort.

I'll add the caveat that some LED setups seem to trigger _some_ of the trailer functionality and not others. For instance, my old LED-fitted van did not trigger anything. With my new one fitted, the reverse sensors automatically disconnect (as they should), but nothing else seems to be triggered.

Cheers,

Gordon

[townse]

Hi i have both the linear module and the pulse busta. The pulse busta is much better. Less trouble with car electrics. Regards Jim

[bbyer]

I note the very diplomatic "not quite" - well said. It is annoying that near mainstream equipment like trailer LED lights can create a concern on an "all new" vehicle design.

I wondered if someone has a Series II or III and a trailer with LED lights?
If so, I expect when connected, all is well - at least no backup sensor or trailer assist problems anyway.

It seems the LED trailer lights only cause problems on either very new design vehicles, (Iveco), or high end vehicles from the last ten years - something about the CAN-Bus I gather. Apparently Automotive Electrical Engineers cannot imagine the problem but the people who buy the vehicles do discover it, and then figure out a work around.

Oddly enough, or perhaps not so strange, new Toyota products do not seem to have the problems when a LED trailer is connected. Somehow, I do not think it is because these vehicles are state of the art, but just the opposite.

At the same time, perhaps Land Rover, Mercedes, Audi, and BMW should require their Engineers to get off their bicycles and take what they design home each weekend and on holidays.

[NTB]

Thankyou for your feedback.
I do wonder what is going on at times. It appears that the issue with LED Trailer Lights came to light on the D3. So why is it still a issue with the D4 then. The D3 and D4 are built to be 4x4 / towing vehicles, so why was this still not rectified during a D3 update or the D4 release.
I think LR have dropped the ball there.
Another point to this (slightly off subject) is why LR do not have a Electrical Brakes Wire fitted from the front of the vehicle to the rear. I know different countries have different standards but why not have the facility there ready for the installer. Again they are designed for towing.

NTB

[bbyer]

Another point to this (slightly off subject) is why LR do not have a Electrical Brakes Wire fitted from the front of the vehicle to the rear. I know different countries have different standards but why not have the facility there ready for the installer. Again they are designed for towing. NTB

The link below is to some files I have posted re the electric trailer brake setup for the North America spec LR3's. They already have a Ford electrical connector located above the brake pedal to accept a Reese, Tekonsha or similar brake controller and then the blue brake wire run to the rear and ending inside the round NAS 7 pin socket.

In other words, Land Rover does know how to do it, they apparently choose not to on the EU and Australian spec models.

DISCO3.CO.UK Photo Gallery - NAS Trailer Socket Pin ID and Wire Colours (http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4497)

[NTB]

Thanks for the info bbyer.
Stange how this is not incorporated into the Australian Versions.
My guess is that a high percentage of Discovery's/Range Rover Sport's would tow loads requiring a Brake Controller.

NTB

[Grappler]

See this thread,

There is some info on my homemade solution. It allows my RRS and trailer lights to function correctly with a LED equipped trailer. The device simply plugs inline without altering any wiring and can be used on other LED trailers. The parts cost less than $100 including the waterproof IP6 box. Requires only basic soldering skills.


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/132337-d4-led-caravan-lights-3.html

[bbyer]

I expect LR takes the easy way out. GM, Ford and Chrysler over here have pretty much standardized on a 4 wire flat plug and a 7 conductor round plug. There are other variations of that, however with the Big 3 at least agreeing on something, that gives the other wannabees a guide that if they are wise, will stick to.

The electric brake controller has probably only sorted itself out in the last five years, not more than ten anyway and there are lots of variations of the adapter cable so all is not perfect yet.

In the EU, they still have a miss match of two plugs, 14 pins or one plug and 13 conductors or some variation of the NAS system. The NAS system does not allow for a fridge or permanent 12 VDC power or fog lights.

Land Rover however, could just set a world standard, 13 conductors on ar rear fuse panel plus a brake conductor from front to rear and be done with it. Everyone would be better off.

They could then produce the separate harness as they presently do to resolve local differences - that idea does make sense but the tangle should be just at the rear of the vehicle, not both front and back.

[Ivan]

Also don't forget in the UK there are very little, if any, trailers with Electric brakes. I had not heard of them until I came over here. Most , if not all, UK ones are mechanical brakes.

Ivan

[NTB]

Sorry to bring up a old thread but found something interesting on the weekend after visiting friends out west. They have a Holden Colorado (Isuzu D-Max) 4x4 Ute. It also has Reversing Sensors. I asked if they operate when reversing the trailer.

He said No.

There is a Magnet Reed Switch incorporated into the Trailer Socket and a Magnet mounted into the Trailer Socket Cover. So when the Trailer Plug is connected the Magnetic Reed Switch does not see the Magnet and Disables the Reversing Sensors. When the Trailer Plug is Disconnected the Magnetix Reed Switch activates because the cover is closed and Enables the Reversing Sensors.

What a simple idea by the manufacture.
Removes all the issues with Globes Lights and LED Lights.

NTB

[Glynhouse]

If you think L/R have a problem with this ? speak to folk with a new Ford Ranger with a van and LED's.
Seems to be beyond Fords capabilities to fix !

DD

[LWB123]

Hello from Brisbane.

Last year I wired LED lights up to my boat trailer and after the unlock key was activated on my Volvo wagon (similar system to LR) the amber lights glowed and stayed on. Basically, the car didn't recognise the trailer was there so the trailer flasher light on the dash didn't work either.

The local auto electrician suggested that it needed a low level resistor wired in between the earth and each of the two turn terminals on the trailer's plug – I used two small 12V 2W bulbed light units from Jaycar Electronics and the glowing stopped and the dash indicator works just fine. I just taped them up and enclosed them within the plug unit. Worth a try and it may work for you - costs about $2 for the bulb units or you can use old ones from a Commodore dash light unit.

Not elegant but it works and is cheap.

Cheers,

[NTB]

Hello All,

I currently do not have a issue with the LED Lights yet. None of my Trailers / Campervan have LED Light Fittings.
I think it is interesting how the whole Trailer Detection System could have been so much simplier for all Discovery Owners with the simple swicth on the Trailer Socket Cover.

NTB

[gghaggis]

I think it is interesting how the whole Trailer Detection System could have been so much simplier for all Discovery Owners with the simple swicth on the Trailer Socket Cover.

NTB
I wonder how durable such a system really would be though? Note that on the D4 (as opposed to the Holden), the detection of a trailer does more than just turn off the parking sensors. It also reprograms the suspension and transmission settings. For that reed switch to work with the rest of the electronics, there'd have to be a local area CANBUS controller for it to feed into, and probably a few other bits and pieces as well.

Short story is - it's not that hard. It's just different. Wire it correctly and it will work - for the all-up cost of a few dollars for a load lamp/resistor.

Cheers,

Gordon