Caravan light issues.

[KevL]

Good afternoon,
This is my first post.
I’ve recently purchased, for better or worse, a 2017 TD6.
It has the towbar and 12 pin connector and the previous owners towed apparently towed a van.

Today I connected my caravan to the car. The van is a 2024 Crusader Warrior.
All lights are led. The indicators are sequential.

Funny things happened.
With the engine running, both indicators on the van are working at the same time, no indicators activated on the car. Activating indicators in the car make no difference.
Several other oddities occur but I’d have to hook it up again and make a list.
Before I do that, is there a known issue with trailers with led lights?

The van works fine with my old Mitsubishi Challenger.
Both 12 pin plugs appear to be wired correctly

Thanks in advance.

Kev
I searched in the forums, didn’t find anything but a google search reveals a thread from 2020 suggesting resistors required.
Would this work?

LED Light Adaptor for Ford PX Ranger Trailer Trailer Plug/Loom Resistor Next Gen | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/356622081082'mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=xvg2a1u9saa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TAfKTyGaS6m&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY)

[gavinwibrow]

Good afternoon,
This is my first post.
I’ve recently purchased, for better or worse, a 2017 TD6.
It has the towbar and 12 pin connector and the previous owners towed apparently towed a van.

Today I connected my caravan to the car. The van is a 2024 Crusader Warrior.
All lights are led. The indicators are sequential.

Funny things happened.
With the engine running, both indicators on the van are working at the same time, no indicators activated on the car. Activating indicators in the car make no difference.
Several other oddities occur but I’d have to hook it up again and make a list.
Before I do that, is there a known issue with trailers with led lights?

The van works fine with my old Mitsubishi Challenger.
Both 12 pin plugs appear to be wired correctly

Thanks in advance.

Kev



Sounds like that the same as the D4 and maybe others, that you need the "load" bit of electronic wizardry fitted to cater for LED trailering.
There are posts on here on how and what to do, but others more experienced with electrics will hopefully be along to steer you right.

[Graeme]

I would check the wiring of the car's 12-pin socket for correct wiring. I don't know if the D5s started with the 12-pin or 2 7-pin rounds but regardless, perhaps the socket is wired for an older van that didn't have the modern standard wiring layout. The only issue with LEDs should be the lack of trailer blinker indication in the instrument cluster if no load resistors either in the car or the van and possibly the van's blinkers periodically flashing momentarily, but certainly no malfunctioning.

[KevL]

Graeme,

It has a Land Rover badged 12 pin socket and appears to be wired correctly at the socket. It’s moulded so can’t be changed. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250312/3a682965c28bfaaf580aa549d4f4bf28.jpg

[Graeme]

That's good.
Are the van blinkers periodically flashing for a brief moment? If so then the car is checking for resistance indicating incandescant globes and therefore load resistors are required.

[KevL]

Thanks Graeme.

I’ve ordered an adapter with resistors. I can’t think what else it is, I’ve never seen anything like it in over 40 yrs towing stuff.

[Graeme]

Whilst I don't know the D5 specifically, resistors by themselves won't normally stop the flashing on modern LRs. A load module for LRs usually has relays to switch in the van blinkers when the on signal is normal but which don't switch on for the very short duration bulb tests.

There should be threads in the D5 section describing what people have done to stop the test flash.

[oldyella 76]

Just taken delivery of a MY25. I hooked up the van today that has led lights with no changes the lights work properly and the dash icons work as they should.
Lindsay

[oka374]

If all lights on the van are affected I would be checking the ground/negative connection on the van wiring as when it is poor or non existant the ground can be provided through the other lights connections.

[KevL]

I’ll finish this post off in case someone else has problems in the future.

I added a 120 ohm 2watt resister to earth from both indicators, tail and brake light in the caravan 12 pin plug.
This has rectified the problem.

To clarify exactly what was happening, if either the brake or tail lights were on, both caravan indicators would flash together, like hazard lights, without the car indicators being activated . They are sequential indicators

The issue is related to this type of light fitting with sequential indicators.
My box trailer with cheap combo led lights had no issue.

Thanks everyone for your input.