Towing indicator.

I recently plugged in my caravan and noticed that, although all the lights etc worked on the caravan on the last couple of occassions the trailer indicator on the dash did not illuminate. It had on all other occasions but not recently. My questions are:-

1 - Is the indicator just an indicator or does it trigger something on the Disco for towing.

2 - Why would this now not be coming on, what trips this indicator to come on? When starting and the dash lights up the towing indicator does come on so it's not a lamp out.

Thanks
Matt

Have you got LED bulbs in the caravan it may not be drawing enough current to trip the trailer indicator.

Can you try another Caravan?

The caravan on past trips have bought the towing light on. It has just not come on on the last two hook-ups. Do you know what trips the dash indicator to come on. I have had in the past when it worked, caravan lights on and off and the dash light came on. I'll give my trailer board a go.

Thanks

Not 100% sure how the LR system works - will have to look at the wiring diagrams but on the Majority of the systems it looks to see if there is a suitable current flow (ie 1.5A @ 13.8 Volts for a 21W bulb) being drawn by the trailer electrics

As a first step i would probably look at a earth fault (ie dirty connection) somewhere in the trailer / LR electrics.

If the fault is the same with the trailer board i would look at the LR Earths if the trailer board works i would look at the van earths

Where are you in the UK?

The problem with the trailer indicator is that: []This connection is part of the serial data bus between the instrument pack and the BCU. The BCU and the Intelligent Driver Module (IDM) control the operation of the trailer warning lamp"(RAVE) ... so it's not simple at all, u must be good with electric diagrams and make measurements along the circuit to find where the fault is... the ideea is that the BCU must detect additional current draw...but if the lamp works on self check the problem is somwhere between the socket and the BCU

Check the towing relay, it is seperate to the indicator relay.

maybe the dash bulb

if the caravan lights are working why bother about it

1968unclefester said:

maybe the dash bulb

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When the ignition is turned on the bulb should self-test for 3 seconds.

Dippypud said:

Check the towing relay, it is seperate to the indicator relay.

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A disco 2 facelift, I can't remember the dates, had a modified relay, 4pin instead of 3pin.

Check on the rave CD.

ricc said:

if the caravan lights are working why bother about it

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because its a legal requirement when towing a trailer/caravan that you have a tell-tale indicator light (buzzer permitted in UK) informing you that the indicators are functioning on the trailer - If it doesn't work then it will be an MOT failure from next year, and also attracts a wee fine from plod if they get picky!