Thread: tralier light flashing when blinkers are on

Lower wattage bulbs or LEDs in the indicators will fix the problem.

Originally Posted by BigJon

Lower wattage bulbs or LEDs in the indicators will fix the problem.

to put led will I have to change the fitting ? I imagine so I try lower wattage lights I think

i get it blinking all the time in my defender these days and i havent done anything to the lights or the indicators. all the indicators are working correctly too

The trailer light is, apparently, triggered by the extra current drawn by additional lamps added to the indicator circuit. The trigger point for it must be set marginally above the current drawn by a standard pair (front / rear) of indicator lamps.

Normally adding a trailer with working indicator lamps to the circuit passes the threshold and the trailer indicator flashes to reassure you that you've got working trailer blinkers. If you have a trailer connected and the trailer indicator fails to flash, it alerts you to the strong possibility that your trailer lamps aren't working.

Unfortunately the circuit doesn't know the difference between an extra lamp in parallel with the original pair on a trailer or in a bull bar - the result is add a bull bar, get a trailer lamp flashing.

Theoretically it would be possible to adjust the threshold in the trailer detector circuit, although I haven't bothered researching this as it doesn't worry me overly. However, it's likely the circuit is in a sealed can hidden under the dash and is difficult to do anything with.

An alternative would be to fit LED lamps in place of your incandescent lamps which you could expect to draw less current (unless they've been fitted with a resistor in parallel to bring their current draw up to the same as a standard (22W I think) lamp so that lamp failure detectors in cars aren't inclined to indicate a failed lamp due simply to fitting an LED lamp. I think Inc. sells such beasties in his online shop which supports AULRO.

That's the explanation of why it happens. I'm sorry, I don't have a solution though.

if you get a high resistance in the blinker circut or hang extra lights off of it the trailer light will blink in tandem with the indicator light.

If all works well when you first flick the indicators on the trailer light should turn on as a light check and then stay off unless the trailer is actually connected.

When you put the extra lights in the circut senses enough load to think theres a trailer on.

Lower wattage incandescent bulbs did not work for me - so I got some LED replacement bulbs from Jaycar. Replace the ones in the bullbar with these and you problem is solved.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView...eMax=&SUBCATID=

They may have other/better models now.

They have the same bayonet fitting as the standard 12V bulbs. They fixed the problem on my Disco. not quite as bright as an incandescent but still OK. Get the white ones not the yellow ones.

They aren't cheap but should last forever.

Or yes if INc has them, buy from him. Long live AULRO

Originally Posted by GrahamH

However, it's likely the circuit is in a sealed can hidden under the dash and is difficult to do anything with.

The magic can you speak of is just the flasher can. In this case it has one extra leg on it. Leg one and two work as per normal but the third leg (middle one) goes to the light on the dash and is tripped by the increased load on the circuit.
If you just want the dash light to stop flashing you can do a few things.
1. Get a flasher can that has only two legs (it will fit straight in which is what the previous owner of my Disco did).
2. Cut the third wire or the third leg on the flasher can.
3. Remove the dash bulb.
4. Fit LED bulb replacements (they fit as per normal so no changes required to bulb socket).
5. Lower wattage bulbs (wouldn't be my choice but should work as stated by others).

It is nothing to worry about and isn't happening because ARB stuffed up or anything dire.
However you would think they would have some LED bulbs on hand and fit them for you (added into the cost) if they had done a LR before.

What did ARB fit?

If it was a bull bar I would not do anything. The vehicle just thinks there is a trailer connected now that you have extra lights in the front bull bar.

It's perfectly normal and as far I know and the trailer light on the dash that blinks with the indicators makes the driver aware that there is a trailer attached and to be aware of that when turning.

ARB should have known this but they probably have some twit fitting accessoried who only knows how to plug in a rattle gun.

On our Disco we have a TJM bar and the fitter installed the lights the wrong way around. The parking lights had been fitted furtherest to the outside of the bar. It was a simple matter of turning the fittings 180 degrees.