Brake controller

[Brick]

Is anyone aware of any installation instructions for a brake controller in the L494 RRS? About to take delivery of my new vehicle and want to fit a Tow Pro unit. Have previously installed units in my D3 and D4, and aware the D4 instructions also worked for the L320. Not sure of they also apply to the L494. Anyone able to advise?

Thanks

[Graeme]

A socket is provided for the brake controller but I can't recall what plug it accepts. The socket provides service brake power to pin 5 of the trailer socket.

[simmo1]

I had Sneigy arrange to fit my Towpro at MLR Melbourne. The goons where I bought the car said it couldn't be done. Apparently it is relatively easy to do. Maybe a query to Sneigy might help
Simmo

[Graeme]

Here's the trailer wiring diagram for Oz.

112546

[Brick]

A socket is provided for the brake controller but I can't recall what plug it accepts. The socket provides service brake power to pin 5 of the trailer socket.

Graeme,

Dropped Pete (Sneigy) a PM but no response yet, looks like he hasn't been on the forum since mid July.

I dropped the knee panel today and found this plug sitting there. The Rover.net forum seemed to indicate the plug was above the brake pedal (but who knows for diff markets). Is this the one you were thinking of, or is the socket in the back of the vehicle? I notice it only has 3 wires, whereas the Tow Pro unit has 4.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/239.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/240.jpg

[Graeme]

The plug will need to have 4 wires - permanent power, earth, brake switch feed and brake o/p.

[Brick]

So I had a bit of a poke around in the rear of the car this morning. Love how much room there is to access the wiring.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/211.jpg

Found this connector which is not connected to anything, and which is part of the harness that appears to exit near the tow bar.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/212.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/213.jpg

The wiring diagrams I can find for the RRS L494 are not clear on which connector is for what purpose. Anyone with any ideas?

[Graeme]

The wiring diagram shows that the trailer brake controller socket is fed from the brake switch but is 2.3 metres long, so unlikely to be near the brake pedal and more likely in the rear.

Its 5 wires are violet/brown (brake switch), blue (service brakes), brown (tail lights), green/red(power) and black(earth). The blue wire is 1.8m long between the connector and the trailer socket itself.

Edit: The wiring diagram shows that the connector has at least 6 positions so likely to be 3 cavities x 2 rows.

[Brick]

Graeme, is that D295 from the diagram you previously posted? Cannot find any connector in the very rear section. May be tucked up behind a panel to one side.

[Graeme]

Yes. If I'd thought of it when I retrieved the wiring diagram I could have retrieved the connector details from the electrical reference library which includes the general area of where it is located. At the time I was only after the suspension module but grabbed a couple of other diagrams that I thought might be worthwhile having.

Last night and this morning I retrieved all the wiring diagrams for my L322 and any connector that I thought I might want as I had the need to retrieve the e-diff diagrams and connector details. Subscribing to Topix for 24 hours for the service information (electrical reference and diagrams and workshop manuals) for my vehicle only cost 8.50 GBP.

[Brick]

Finally found the info I have been looking for. Obviously the access rates for TOPIX vary according to the recency of the model, the newer the more expensive.

The brake controller connector is located up above the brake pedals. Just need to find out the plug to suit and should be fairly straight forward.

Here is the image but the link might display a little clearer.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/08/153.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63942093@N03/29000064090/in/dateposted-ff/

[Graeme]

LR has obviously renamed the connector since the early L494 diagrams but it has the same wire colours and cavity positions.

[Brick]

Will do a proper DIY once I get my act together. Needs to be done before 23 Sept as off for a couple of weeks in the caravan on the beach up north. Hopefully the dealer will know which plug I need to go into the connector. Should be a fairly simple job after that.

[Lobster]

This is the special part you need to fit into the landrover connector.

Tekonsha 3035-P Brake Control Wiring Adapter for Ford by Tekonsha

Search for it on Amazon, sells for about $10.

The red plastic divider can be "persuaded" from this connector, then wires can be swapped to mate up with the landrover pinouts.

Cheers

[SBD4]

On the diagram, what does "Connector housing not serviceable" mean?

[Brick]

On the diagram, what does "Connector housing not serviceable" mean?
Sean,

I stand to be corrected but I think it means it cannot be used for anything else.

I spoke to the service guys at the dealer about getting a plug to connect to the wires so I could then connect to the connector (excuse pun), but they were not particularly helpful. Will be speaking to Redarc tomorrow to see if they also have a specific plug/wire setup like Tekonsha.

[Graeme]

On the diagram, what does "Connector housing not serviceable" mean?
I can only assume that as the connector comprises of more than 1 part, the individual parts are not available as generally the complete housings (without pins or sockets) are available as spare parts. Connectors that are just a simple housing are usually described as serviceable. Pins or sockets with wire stubs are also generally available as repair kits but are positively expensive, eg $120 for a packet of 10.

[DiscoDJ]

Hi guys

Sorry to Hijack this for my L405 but Graeme and Brick - I just want to double check the wiring. I know my tow pro wiring intimately: red = brake lights, blue = brakes on trailer, white = earth and black = 12v power to tow pro unit.

I just want to ensure I have them heading to the correct colours on the pins under the dash in the L405 Rangie. I have also become very adept at swapping the pins around on that tekonsha/ford plug I got from Amazon - again, thanks Graeme.

So from this thread and one on Range Rovers.net I've confused myself as to what goes where so here's what I think it is. I've blown a cruise control fuse and stuffed the eco stop start with this so I don't want to do that again! Unless that was me and the multimeter trying to figure out what colour on that plug did what - should've just come here.

So here goes with the plug under the dash by our drivers right leg - grey plug/receptacle for the tekonsha/ford plug.

Blue on the Tow Pro goes to Blue on the Rangie - Easy
White on the Tow Pro (earth) goes to BLACK on the Rangie (black on the rangie at the plug under the drivers right leg is earth for this right??)
Red on the Tow Pro (brake lights) goes to Brown on the Rangie?
Black on the Tow Pro (power) goes to Green/Red on the Rangie?

If someone whom knows better can help me here I will be very grateful. I had a thread on this on the L405 group but this has been much more handy. I have even briefly toyed with putting the tow pro down the back and wiring it old school to the battery with a fuse of course, then to pin 5 on the trailer plug for blue, white earth to the chassis and red to the brake lights but if I can use that plug under the dash AND not lose cruise control (miss it when it ain't there!) that will save a whole lot of Cat 5 network cabling from the rear to the front.

If I can get this right I will repost the "answer" on the L405 thread I had. I am assuming of course the L494 wiring colours are the same as the L405 (they wouldn't do that to us would they??!!)

Cheers guys (and gals).
Darryl

[Graeme]

The L494 wiring diagram shows that the brake light switch (trigger) wire is Violet/brown, not plain brown which is an unused tail-light supply. Your other colours match the L494 wiring diagram.

[DiscoDJ]

Ok awesome thanks Graeme. Will try tonight and advise.

[DiscoDJ]

Just saw the sticky, thanks to Brick with the great photos and description. I am going blind and senile in my old age - how could I not have seen that AND it has answered all my questions!

Thanks for your patience all - especially Graeme with the PM's.

Hopeless I is.

[DiscoDJ]

All worked brilliantly. Thanks everyone.