Range Rover issue

[deeveus 81]

I've got a 2005 Range Rover HSE Diesel and a brand new alloy 8x4 trailer with LED lights. The lights simply won't work when it's hooked up the the RR, all it does is for example will give me all lights illuminated when I have the park lights on e.t.c. I've spoken to Land Rover and apparently it needs a $500 fix which involves a control module to be fitted as it's not designed for low voltage lighting on trailers.

Does anyone know of a cheaper option? As my RR was made under the ownership of BMW the systems may be very similar to someone who has perhaps done a cheap fix? It's booked in for Monday but if I can save $500 I'd be greatly impressed!

Cheers.

[jochen 4]

I've got a 2005 Range Rover HSE Diesel and a brand new alloy 8x4 trailer with LED lights. The lights simply won't work when it's hooked up the the RR, all it does is for example will give me all lights illuminated when I have the park lights on e.t.c. I've spoken to Land Rover and apparently it needs a $500 fix which involves a control module to be fitted as it's not designed for low voltage lighting on trailers.

Does anyone know of a cheaper option? As my RR was made under the ownership of BMW the systems may be very similar to someone who has perhaps done a cheap fix? It's booked in for Monday but if I can save $500 I'd be greatly impressed!

Cheers.

You can add the contol unit if you like but a much cheaper option is to wire the LEDs to the standard taillights.

> it needs a $500 fix which involves a control module to be fitted as it's not designed for low voltage lighting on trailers.

This statement is wrong. The car is a 12V car. The trailer is a 12V trailer. Both have the same voltage.

What BMW are referring to is that the BMW standard trailer wiring kit includes a control unit to monitor and report when the trailer lights are blown. the control unit also interacts with the stability systems on the car to improve vehicle stability when it detects a trailer is conencted.

But if you don't want the original control unit then just wire the trailer lights to the vehicle taillights.

And anyway, the LED lights will work absolutely fine if you wire them to the BMW taillights properly. They won't even upset the bulb monitoring circuit as the power used by the LEDs is so low.

If you have fitted a standard NZ trailer wiring cable and done the standard NZ wiring job of wiring the trailer plug to the existing taillights then everything will work normally.

So the fact that the lights don't work properly means that you have simply got them wired wrong.

Remember: the NZ trailer plug pinout is standardised and also written on the plug or on the instructions you got with the plug.

So simply wire them properly.

Or: get an original trailer wiring control unit 2nd hand (I did this for mine). Cost me around $60 and I had everything original :-)

If you have any wiring questions just ask.

Edited October 14, 2009 by jochen

[deeveus 81]

You can add the contol unit if you like but a much cheaper option is to wire the LEDs to the standard taillights.

> it needs a $500 fix which involves a control module to be fitted as it's not designed for low voltage lighting on trailers.

This statement is wrong. The car is a 12V car. The trailer is a 12V trailer. Both have the same voltage.

What BMW are referring to is that the BMW standard trailer wiring kit includes a control unit to monitor and report when the trailer lights are blown. the control unit also interacts with the stability systems on the car to improve vehicle stability when it detects a trailer is conencted.

But if you don't want the original control unit then just wire the trailer lights to the vehicle taillights.

And anyway, the LED lights will work absolutely fine if you wire them to the BMW taillights properly. They won't even upset the bulb monitoring circuit as the power used by the LEDs is so low.

If you have fitted a standard NZ trailer wiring cable and done the standard NZ wiring job of wiring the trailer plug to the existing taillights then everything will work normally.

So the fact that the lights don't work properly means that you have simply got them wired wrong.

Remember: the NZ trailer plug pinout is standardised and also written on the plug or on the instructions you got with the plug.

So simply wire them properly.

Or: get an original trailer wiring control unit 2nd hand (I did this for mine). Cost me around $60 and I had everything original :-)

If you have any wiring questions just ask.

Hi Jochen.

So in short you mean fit wires from the trailer plug outlet back to the lights on the car? Would you have to do each individual channel i.e left & right indicator, park light & brake light?

Cheers.

[hotwire 352]

Hi Jochen.

So in short you mean fit wires from the trailer plug outlet back to the lights on the car? Would you have to do each individual channel i.e left & right indicator, park light & brake light?

Cheers.

Yes, thats the only way to connect to have all lights working - as is normal for trailer wiring

[jochen 4]

So in short you mean fit wires from the trailer plug outlet back to the lights on the car? Would you have to do each individual channel i.e left & right indicator, park light & brake light?

Absolutely. That`s the way NZers have been wiring trailer lights since cars and trailers were invented. ie since aroud 1900s.

BMW do things smarter, but the ye olde fashioned waye of wiring trailer lights still works.

[*Glenn* 854]

The RR might have parking sensors, which might keep going with the trailer on though

[antony 0]

The RR might have parking sensors, which might keep going with the trailer on though

Only when your in reverse.

[*Glenn* 854]

Only when your in reverse.

That occured to me after posting. Not sure on the RR's it should be the same as a BMW and only work in reverse

[Apex 693]

Would have thought $500 is chump change for someone who owns a 2005 Range Rover HSE Diesle and an alloy trailer with led lights

[jochen 4]

Would have thought $500 is chump change for someone who owns a 2005 Range Rover HSE Diesle and an alloy trailer with led lights

...and understands that Dynamic Stability Control is affected by trailers, especially heavy ones, and thus surely is concerned enough about vehicle stability when towing to want all stability systems to work properly...

[deeveus 81]

She's going into Land Rover tomorrow to get sorted. I'm biting the bullet. The Parking sensors front & rear go in foward & reverse LOL below 10kph I think? They are simply a pain in the ass when your trying to back your vehicle, mine are 10 billion dB, too bloody loud but they are handy parking a 2.5 ton vehicle into a tight spot! Most probably the same as the standard issue BMW. I'm told Trailer Mode disables the dipping LH external mirror, disables DSC for the REAR, firms suspension in the rear, changes the transmission characteristics, alters the DSC characteristics and so on, quite a list... I tried to make the RR loose control on loose gravel when I was up at the crib on a sharp sweeping corner, the DSC cut in ofcourse but even without the car in Trailer Mode the car kept inline perfectly. Ha, it's not that I can't afford it, I'm just trying to get around saving $500!

Edited October 18, 2009 by X5V8

[318Touring 40]

The Parking sensors front & rear go in foward & reverse LOL below 10kph I think? They are simply a pain in the ass when your trying to back your vehicle, mine are 10 billion dB, too bloody loud but they are handy parking a 2.5 ton vehicle into a tight spot!

There should be a button somewhere that turns PDC completely off (or on).

[deeveus 81]

There should be a button somewhere that turns PDC completely off (or on).

Yep, I normally turn it off with the trailer. It turns itself back on when you start the car however.