Thread: Caravan Connectors at Rear of a D3

Originally Posted by CaverD3

You would still see the flashing, I think?

Not if you put a lid on the box .

I meant the LEDs with the pulse still going through them. Or does it stop the test pulse once it has the right resistance?

Its been a while since i did electronics 101, but you should be able to get a small ceramic resistor and place it across the + and neg for the led array ( light). This should increase the resistance and let the car know that you have a trailer on. They will only cost a few cents from an electronics store and should solve your problem. Not sure what size but a couple of hundred ohms should be heaps. Bit of trial and error would solve it. Just needs to be a decent size say 5W so it can absorb the power and therefore heat that would be generated. My guesses are a bit rudimentary and its been years since i used the eectroics certificate, but have a go. Its relatively cheap to establish if it would work or not.

Good luck, Have fun

When I bought the D3 my auto electrician tried putting resistors on the trailers LED tail light wires.
This did not work, the trailer indicators still pulsed.
Ended up just changing the tail light units to the old fashion type, works a treat.
Jonesfam

The problem is when you have to tow someone else's trailer and its lights are not compatible. A detachable in line solution is needed and the current option at over $200 seems a bit expensive. There must be a simple solution and I would have thought a box of resisters or light bulbs that plug in between the car and trailer that mimic the load of an incandescent light should work - but given the above - maybe not.

Garry

Does anyone know if there is a product in the UK or US for this, we can't be the only country using LEDs on trailers??

Baz.

Read this entire post http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...-lights-2.html there is a schematic posted.

Relays are needed to stop the LEDs pulsing - the relay will only switch is V is over ~9v
Resistors (or something to provide resistance) is required to let the ECU know there's something there (shunt the 2v pulse back to the ECU).

For those interested in circuit boards a 40 cent (15ohm 5watt) ceramic resistor and $6 (PCB mount) relay from Jaycar is all that’s needed for each circuit. Add a $6 blank board and $10 box and its a pretty cheap solution. D3/RRS needs 2 circuits - L322 needs 4. Box I made is on the trailer, works fine with other tow vehicles.

to My knowledge there is not a US or UK produced solution, the 2 Aus makers are exporting (they wanted more like $380 when I looked into it), the problem is fixed in D4 so I assume update L322 as well. Mate's 2010 VW is OK even though the early ones had the same issue too - given that I assume that all EU vehicles are now up to handling LEDs...

The problem has not been addressed in the D4