Freelander 1 13 Pin Towing Electrics Problem

Evening, I'm trying to wire in the 13 pin tow bar electrics on a '04 plate FL1 and I've hit a bit of a brick wall. I've got the official Land Rover kit (part number YWJ500070) and it's meant to be plug and play, it was all going as per the guide (which is awful) until I got to the part that connects to the reverse/fog light on the passenger side. The plugs on the lights don't fit into the plugs on the towing loom, has anyone else come across this? Have I been sold the wrong kit?

Hopefully I've explained it well enough, cheers in advance.

I wasn't aware that the 13 pin socket was catered for on the 2004 FL1. AFAIK only the 7 pin socket comes pre-wired and plugs straight into a pre-fitted plug on the harness, behind the RH boot trim.

I'm towing a caravan so I thought I'd do it properly and fit official 13 pin.

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-YWJ500070

This one fits into that socket and then into the lights on the other side before going towards the front and connecting to the battery.

£140 notes for a few metres of wire.
I can't see how that plugs up to the factory 7 pin tow plug. It obviously just wires into the vehicle, using non standard connections.

Just found another issue, after removing and refitting the rear bumper to fit my tow bar the rear indicators now don't work. It never rains but it pours. At least I won't get bored this week.

Most people just add the extra connections with scotch locks, or solder them if doing the job properly.

Thers a plug that going into a socket behind the drivers side rear lights. It's a genuine kit so it's meant to plug straight in.

Steve_Goral said:

Just found another issue, after removing and refitting the rear bumper to fit my tow bar the rear indicators now don't work.

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Why remove the rear bumper? I've fitted loads of tow bars to the FL1, and the rear bumper definitely doesn't need to be removed.

Sounds like you have a bad earth.

Steve_Goral said:

It's a genuine kit so it's meant to plug straight in.

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But now the rear indicators don't work? Has the socket on the car got corrosion on the contacts?

The towbar wouldn't fit with the towing eye in place and I couldn't remove that without getting the bumper off. I'm glad I did it though as it was so much easier to get it off with a bit of extra room. Like a knob head though I can't remember if i actually plugged the lights back in, it was starting to rain so I just wanted to get it back together before i got everything wet. Do the lights and parking sensors use the same plug? I reconnected a big grey plug but thats it. I'll get under and have a look tomorrow evening after work.

Nodge68 said:

But now the rear indicators don't work? Has the socket on the car got corrosion on the contacts?

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I got caught in a shower as I was putting the bumper back on, theres a chance water got into the plug, I'll get under and check it out after work tomorrow.

Steve_Goral said:

The towbar wouldn't fit with the towing eye in place and I couldn't remove that without getting the bumper off. I'm glad I did it though as it was so much easier to get it off with a bit of extra room.

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You don't actually take the tow ring/exhaust deflector off to fit the tow bar, you just remove the bolts on its inner side and substitute the longer bolts from the kit. If you tighten up the tow bar bolts without the tow ring/exhaust deflector, it twists the rear chassis rail, which can cause it to tear out the spot welds. The rear bumper can also melt from the heat if the exhaust. And you don't have a 4.5 Ton rated tow point on the rear.

Steve_Goral said:

I can't remember if i actually plugged the lights back in, it was starting to rain so I just wanted to get it back together before i got everything wet.

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If you didn't plug them in, the the tail and brake lights also won't work.

Steve_Goral said:

Do the lights and parking sensors use the same plug?

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No. The PDC is on its own harness.

Steve_Goral said:

I got caught in a shower as I was putting the bumper back on, theres a chance water got into the plug,

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Water won't stop the lights from working. Low voltage electricity works under water.

Cheers Nodge, I'll get out tomorrow and check for the other harness.

Just been out to have a look and the rear lights work but the indicators don't. I'll get the rest of the towing wiring in and then I'll investigate as it might be down the fact that the loom is only half wired in.

I'm still stumped by the odd plugs on the loom though, I really hoped that as it was a genuine kit this kind of thing wouldn't happen. Did the pre and post facelifts have different plugs on the rear lights?

Steve_Goral said:

I'm still stumped by the odd plugs on the loom though, I really hoped that as it was a genuine kit this kind of thing wouldn't happen.

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Was it in proper Land Rover packaging?
The 13 pin tow socket wasn't mandatory on trailers while the FL1 was still in production. This will limit the need for LR to provide support for such a system, especially as the FL1 was out of production for so long, before 13 pins came in.
This is pretty much proved as a majority of the necessary wiring for the 13 pin socket isn't in the vehicle.

Steve_Goral said:

Did the pre and post facelifts have different plugs on the rear lights?

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The plugs are similar, and still go to the rear bumper in both cases.

Yeah it came in the right packaging. Whats odd is that the part number is listed on the LR website as compatible and it's on the BritPart site/catalogue but when I search Topix there is a similar kit but has a slightly different item number (still 13 pin though) and details the part I'm stuck with. It involves chopping the connectors and Scotch blocking them but as it's all just pictures it doesn't go into enough detail as to which wires need chopping and splicing.

https://topix.landrover.jlrext.com/topix/content/document/view?id=70900

You are scotch locking into the reverse light feed using steps 48-50 on the instructions. You splice in to the wiring on the tow electric harness for the reverse lights - if you take a photo of the available connectors and post it more detailed advise can be given as to which wires

td4van said:

You are scotch locking into the reverse light feed using steps 48-50 on the instructions. You splice in to the wiring on the tow electric harness for the reverse lights - if you take a photo of the available connectors and post it more detailed advise can be given as to which wires

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Cheers, I'll get some pictures today. It's a shame you have to do this, I was kind of hoping to find an adapter or something.

Steve_Goral said:

I was kind of hoping to find an adapter or something.

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Unfortunately the vehicle ended production before 13 pin wiring became mandatory. So the vehicle simply wasn't wired to cater for this later standard. The only way is to pick up wiring within the rear of the vehicle, and make any additional power connections at the front.

Slightly off topic. Have you checked the VCU using the One Wheel Up Test? And made sure you have 4 identical tyres fitted with least worn on the rear? If not, then tow bar wiring could be the least of the problems.