LED trailer - weird braking and other stuff

[rar110]

I bought a camper trailer with LED tail lights in Sydney. I towed it up to Brisbane without issue other than the 08MY L322 didn't recognise there was a trailer hooked up. The tail lights worked fine, including when night driving.

Today I towed it to get it registered. Before I left I inserted a test lamp into the trailer loom to get the car to recognise the trailer, which it did. After a short drive it felt wrong. The trailer brakes where on and burning. Also the indicators flickered fast and dash warned to check trailer bulbs. I took off the test lamp. The trailer continued to be recognised (mostly) and indicators flickered fast.

The trailer brake problem continued intermittently. I had the auto headlights selected. It was a rainy day and headlights turned on when it was darkish because of the weather. I worked out the trailer brakes activated when the lights came on. I turned the lights off and no issue. If I turned the parkers or headlights on I could feel the trailer braking.

I don't have an LED module.

Any suggestions about why the car lights activate the trailer brakes and why the L322 detects the trailer now but not when driving from Sydney.

[Grappler]

Wot wattage is the test lamp you are using to decoy the system?

Should be 21 watts

[rar110]

Im not sure, its a $2 cheapy screw driver type with wire and small alligator clip.

I took it off on the way to transport dept. However, L322 continued to detect the trailer without the test lamp fitted.

Im temped to buy a trailer board to see how that goes.

[BobD]

I assume that the L322 is the same as other LR products, such as the D4, which have Euro trailer plugs and wiring.


If so, there is a tail light wire which connects to the brake wire on Australian trailers, pin 5 I think. Hence, when the car tail lights are on the trailer brakes are on at full voltage. The wiring has to be modified to suit Australian electric trailer brakes. At least it sounds like that problem, although you mention that you drove at night with no problems previously. Maybe you didn't notice the brakes on at that time?


I assume that you don't yet have a trailer brake controller or you would have already come across the problem when trying to wire it up.

[rar110]

Thanks, I'll check it with the test lamp or multimeter.

[rar110]

I got this from the Labtronx website. "European manufacturers use European wire colours and uses, their wire colours and uses are not the same as the Australian Standard. European regulations E/ECE/324 &; E/ECE/TRANS/505 stipulate two separate tail lighting circuits. The Australian standard has only one tail lighting circuit on terminal #7 therefore your vehicle's wiring may need to be modified. I believe the manufacturer/dealer should modify a vehicle’s wiring to conform to Australian standards before delivery. This is usually done inside the vehicle by cutting off and isolating the right hand tail light wire from the vehicle’s lighting controller going to pin #5 of the trailer socket and then connecting the right hand and left hand tail light wires together so that both wires go from the lighting controller to pin #7 (this re-work has been successful with Land Rover vehicles - other makes?). After the above re-work has been carried out, the wires to pin #2 and pin #5 (if of sufficient amperage capacity) may be rewired for other uses."

[Graeme]

I took it off on the way to transport dept. However, L322 continued to detect the trailer without the test lamp fitted.Totally disconnecting the trailer plug with the ignition off then cycling the ignition on then off before reconnecting the trailer plug may clear the trailer-connected condition. However you probably have already detached the trailer so just try connecting it again (w/o trickery) to see if it has reverted to no-trailer attached.

[rar110]

Totally disconnecting the trailer plug with the ignition off then cycling the ignition on then off before reconnecting the trailer plug may clear the trailer-connected condition. However you probably have already detached the trailer so just try connecting it again (w/o trickery) to see if it has reverted to no-trailer attached.

I drove it today. The auto was staying in lower gears longer like it thought the trailer was still connected.

[Graeme]

Staying in lower gears longer could be learnt behaviour from having towed whereas reconnecting the trailer would be proof one way or the other.

[rar110]

Ok I am an idiot.

I now remember that just after I got it home I had a good look around underneath, and noticed the loom to the brakes was unplugged and hanging loose. So I plugged them both in. My only excuse is that it was last year.

That might also explain why the RR now detects the trailer.

I haven't done what Graeme suggested yet, too wet.

[harlie]

Hey RAR, this is something I sorted 7-8 yrs ago. Give me a call.

[harlie]

OK rar - we sorted the bakes issue, tested them yet? There is a 30 minute warranty on that work :p

on to the white socket.

1 - Reversing lamps - Yellow
2 - spare
3 - Chassis Ground - white
4 - + 12V constant - Green
5 - spare
6 - + 12V Ign - Red
7 - Ground for pin 6 - white

above is the list I have but I remember the wires on your car were not single colour - what are the 3 multi coloured wires in that loom?

[Graeme]

What I suggested was on the basis that the change in behaviour was all recent. In light of you having plugged in a loom between the 2 towings, you should ignore my earlier suggestion.

[rar110]

Thanks gents for your help. I've learned a bit more about my L322. It's now the same as it was driving up from Sydney.

Harie modified the trailer loom, in the cargo area, to the 7 pin trailer socket by cutting the wire going to pin 5 and soldering the (vehicle) end to another wire for the tail lights. The original design is for left and right tail lights to be on separate wires. One of those wires was going to pin 5 which was for the trailer brakes. The result was 12v going to the brakes when ever the lights came on. Now power for left and right tail light feed into the one wire. The end of the wire going to pin 5 is now ready to be joined to a brake controller.

Graeme, the transmission is back to normal.

Harlie, I got the following from the Labtronx website. I will look at the socket wiring tomorrow for the colours.

Pin #1 – Reverse lamp
Pin #4 – Battery +
Pin #6 – Ignition On +
Pin #3 & 7 – Ground

The lights are now flashing much more intensely when they're not supposed to. The L322 no longer detects the trailer.

[harlie]

so you need to make a shunting box or buy the labtronics setup...

From your photo, the colours on the white socket are:
Pin #1, Reverse lamp, yellow/red (maybe yellow/brown)
Pin #4, Battery +, blue/pink
Pin #6, Ignition On +, red/white
Pin #3 & 7, Ground, white

You could run a charge line to the camper from either 3&4 or 6&7 depending on weather you want it switched by the ign or not.

Personally I would be feeding the Andersen plug with heavier cable from the rear fuse box.

And feed the yellow/red into the blue to the black socket which will give you reverse lights on pin#2 in the black socket.

[rar110]

Ok I've hooked up the trailer. Only the indicators flash from the test pulse. Does that mean I only need a relay on the indicator circuit, plus a resistor for each of the circuits?

[harlie]

Ok I've hooked up the trailer. Only the indicators flash from the test pulse. Does that mean I only need a relay on the indicator circuit, plus a resistor for each of the circuits?

yes, just the 2 circuits. Means you have the same software as the D3 ect.

[rar110]

yes, just the 2 circuits. Means you have the same software as the D3 ect.

Thanks mate.