LED Trailer Lights

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I have the auto electrician coming next week to wire up my 19MY SE D5 with a Redarc Tow Pro Elite and a few other things. He asked me to check and see if my car recognised LED trailer lights.

I went to the Crossover factory today, so I backed up to a couple of hybrid campers with LED tail lights - doesn't every trailer have LED tail lights now???? - and hooked it up.

The right indicator flashed the trailer icon three times and the left once, but only some of the time. So, I take it, this means the D5 does NOT recognise LED trailer lights so does NOT recognise it has a trailer attached. So Advanced Tow Assist does NOT work? Plus all the other trailer related things like turning off the rear park assist sensors when towing etc.???? Trailer stability control???

So it also means I have to install the ludicrously expensive "black box" so it will recognise trailers???? The car comes with a tow hitch plus extra towing features, yet it does not recognise nearly every new trailer out there????????? How is this moral or legal?

Cheers
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[Ferret]

If it has flashed the trailer icon even once then it recognises a trailer is attached. Sounds more like a poor connection issue to me.

And even if thats not the case you don't have to install a 'ludicrously expensive' black box. Ask your auto electrician about installing load resistors ~about $20 for the hardware.

[tony_s]

Yes, hard to believe, but if you do need the resistors you can buy them for around $20 each. You might find it easier to install them in your Vista than in the car. I think there was a thread on here earlier where owners said later model D5s recognised LEDs. My 2017 doesn’t, nor did my D4.
Tony

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Thanks, guys. Problem is, I have to tow many different trailers, all with LED tail lights. It has to work with them all.

The flashing icon thing was with different trailers so I don't think it was the connection. The lights worked perfectly.

I wondered about fitting load resistors in the trailer plug in the D5...

Cheers
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[Numb Thumbs]

Apparently there is a fix which is reasonably simple and cheap, but not particularly elegant. Apparently the Fords have a similar problem and there is a "dongle" available from Ford Dealers which adds the resistors to the chain:


https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/drj153/Discovery%205/49265666_2296336130399551_9132724789272641536_n_zp s0lwcl7jg.jpg (https://s253.photobucket.com/user/drj153/media/Discovery%205/49265666_2296336130399551_9132724789272641536_n_zp s0lwcl7jg.jpg.html)


https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh78/drj153/Discovery%205/48427505_2296336227066208_3182708020605878272_n_zp sddhrri06.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/drj153/media/Discovery%205/48427505_2296336227066208_3182708020605878272_n_zp sddhrri06.jpg.html)

It is $55 so guess who is off to their local Ford Dealer tomorrow??? A bit better than $700 plus much more in fitting... [smilebigeye]

Cheers
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[Tombie]

The Ford “dongle” won’t work for you.

Making up a small box to go in between will cost about $30

[IndusD4]

My MY18 has no issues recognising any trailer with LED lights, without the need for any resistors. I would check the connection as suggested above.

Ron

[Tombie]

Like all lighting, certain LED lights have sufficient numbers to draw the circuit minimum and work just fine.

Others don’t.

Door puddle lights are similar, a normal Led board isn’t sufficient, a multi Led array works perfectly.

[Numb Thumbs]

I am just back from the Ford dealer...

I got one of the dongles, drove to the camper manufacturer's factory and hooked up a camper using the dongle.

It works. $55 vs $700 plus fitting? I'll go with the dongle - not as elegant, but it works and is cheap.

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)

[Ferret]

Thanks, guys. Problem is, I have to tow many different trailers, all with LED tail lights. It has to work with them all.

Then install the load resistors inside your vehicle and tow whatever. Hardwear cost ~$40, assembly and installation free [biggrin]

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And why hasn't Land Rover fixed the problem?????????

Cheers
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[Tombie]

I am just back from the Ford dealer...

I got one of the dongles, drove to the camper manufacturer's factory and hooked up a camper using the dongle.

It works. $55 vs $700 plus fitting? I'll go with the dongle - not as elegant, but it works and is cheap.

Cheers
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Whomever quoted $700 was having a lend!

Glad it’s worked for you. As I posted different volumes of LED emitters on the trailer will have different results.

[Tombie]

And why hasn't Land Rover fixed the problem?????????

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;(

Consistency. No 2 trailers are consistent. They were when 21w bulbs were standard, not anymore.

[Numb Thumbs]

I do not see the problem. They can detect the presence of a trailer by seeing that the circuit is complete. Using resistance does not ensure it is a trailer, anyway. My bike carrier has lights that run off the trailer plug...

It is just laziness by manufacturers. We have found varous ways to solve the problem, why can't they?

Cheers
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[Tombie]

I do not see the problem. They can detect the presence of a trailer by seeing that the circuit is complete. Using resistance does not ensure it is a trailer, anyway. My bike carrier has lights that run off the trailer plug...

It is just laziness by manufacturers. We have found varous ways to solve the problem, why can't they?

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)

They can’t see the circuit is complete - it’s a diode [emoji41]

The sensing is only done on the indicator lines.

Another system uses a pin switch on the flap of the plug - handy - until you use it to power something that isn’t a trailer!

Your bike carrier for instance - is not a good idea to have that change the trailer / towing dynamics. And can’t program that out of the system - values sensed are just that.

I recently built a box for another forum member with a D3 which has another complexity. All sorted easily sub $100.

Another forum member had no joy with the Ford dongle so used it with 2 larger resistors fitted and all sorted.

[Graeme]

I don't know how the latest LRs detect the existence of an operational trailer light but earlier ones had a 1 ohm resistor in the circuit and voltage drop across the resistor would indicate the presence of a load or not as voltage drop was nil if no globe on the circuit. LEDs don't draw enough current to cause detectable voltage drop across a 1 ohm resistor but if a resistor of sufficiently high impedance was used (eg 2K ohm) then an incandescent globe wouldn't illuminate due to insufficient current.

[DiscoMick]

Crikey, is this still an issue? Even my simple old 2009 Defender recognises the LEDs in both our trailers - and even in the bullbar - and flashes the icon. It's not difficult. Any auto electrician should be able to fix it in half an hour.

[stevo]

My D5 has no issues with the 3 trailers, the car trailer is no problem as it lights up like a Xmas tree, the box trailer and boat trailer both recognised by the system just basic lights on those.

[Bradymorr]

Let me know if you want to try it out
I have the auto electrician coming next week to wire up my 19MY SE D5 with a Redarc Tow Pro Elite and a few other things. He asked me to check and see if my car recognised LED trailer lights.

I went to the Crossover factory today, so I backed up to a couple of hybrid campers with LED tail lights - doesn't every trailer have LED tail lights now???? - and hooked it up.

The right indicator flashed the trailer icon three times and the left once, but only some of the time. So, I take it, this means the D5 does NOT recognise LED trailer lights so does NOT recognise it has a trailer attached. So Advanced Tow Assist does NOT work? Plus all the other trailer related things like turning off the rear park assist sensors when towing etc.???? Trailer stability control???

So it also means I have to install the ludicrously expensive "black box" so it will recognise trailers???? The car comes with a tow hitch plus extra towing features, yet it does not recognise nearly every new trailer out there????????? How is this moral or legal?

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)

[PeterJ]

Well then, sit down every one, this is a true but horrifying story. I hesitate to start said story with " my mate took his new D5........." But, that's also true, where, I am not saying, but had a towpro, second battery isolator, Anderson plugs to the rear for said caravan, 2 way, TPMS repeater and some 12V lines to run some other accessories fitted in the front of the car. The workshop supplied everything except the 2 way and TPMS repeater including the $6000.00 invoice for the 4 days work.[emoji15][emoji37]
Yep, I am still shaking my head.

[Tombie]

Well then, sit down every one, this is a true but horrifying story. I hesitate to start said story with " my mate took his new D5........." But, that's also true, where, I am not saying, but had a towpro, second battery isolator, Anderson plugs to the rear for said caravan, 2 way, TPMS repeater and some 12V lines to run some other accessories fitted in the front of the car. The workshop supplied everything except the 2 way and TPMS repeater including the $6000.00 invoice for the 4 days work.[emoji15][emoji37]
Yep, I am still shaking my head.

Bloody hell, then again it could rack up.

$1000 for the towpro and isolator.
$500-$1000 for battery (aux)
$300-$500 Fabricate battery tray

That’s $2500 so adds up quickly.

Antenna, mounts etc and of course whatever the hourly rate all add up.

[PeterJ]

Bloody hell, then again it could rack up.

$1000 for the towpro and isolator.
$500-$1000 for battery (aux)
$300-$500 Fabricate battery tray

That’s $2500 so adds up quickly.

Antenna, mounts etc and of course whatever the hourly rate all add up.

Yes, and so it did rack up, but in this instance no battery tray or battery he used his carryover system from his D4, yes to antenna mount and no doubt a lot of hours spent pulling the inside apart and putting it back together, not much fun at all to do to your 4 day old vehicle. It was just such a shock to me, I do all of this type of stuff myself so I admit to being completely out of touch with what these services cost Having said all this, my mate was extremely happy with the work they did, so in the end that's all that matters.

[Numb Thumbs]

Does anyone happen to have photos of where the wires are that have to be tapped to fit the ballast resistors? What colour wires I'm looking for would be a great help, too.

The packaging on the resistors - Narva - says they can get to 170 degrees C so guess I will have to mount them in such a way as to not melt or set fire to anything...

Cheers
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[Ferret]

Does anyone happen to have photos of where the wires are that have to be tapped to fit the ballast resistors? What colour wires I'm looking for would be a great help, too.

The packaging on the resistors - Narva - says they can get to 170 degrees C so guess I will have to mount them in such a way as to not melt or set fire to anything...

Cheers
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They do heat up. I've measured them with a infra thermometer but after 20 minutes of continuous operation via the hazard lights (ie both resistors heating up at the same time) only got to 80C. Depends on how / where they are mounted I suppose. Tombie posted somewhere of lower wattage ballast resistors which would probably heat even less.

Picture below is of D4 looking into the rear passenger side tail light assembly. Perhaps it is similar for a D5 or maybe give you some ideas of where to look.

You can see the aluminium box the resistors are mounted in. In the top left hand region of the picture you can see where yellow and green wires from the ballast resistors tap (covered in black electrical tape) into the yellow and green wires of a loom that is labelled "Trailer Towing".

[Numb Thumbs]

Thanks, Ferret.

Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)