Freelander 2 Trailer electrics issue

iv got a Freelander 2 2011 (facelift) and iv recently purchased a second hand tow bar with the electrics (plug and play) it come with a towing model and I'm not getting any electrical feeds thrown my towing connections at the rear of my car.

I'm getting electric from the green & brown wire and the thick red wire but nothing else (not sure what them wires are from) , the green & brown turns into the blue & red wire then goes into the towing module which is showing there is a feed. but after that I'm getting nothing off the other wires, the fuse on the towing module is showing there is a feed to it to and iv checked it so that's find, I thought it might of been because I didn't have a relay on it but iv since got one and its still not worked, I'm just confused as to what it could be. any help would be very much appreciated thank you. I'm being told that my car needs programming to tell to tell it that there is a tow bar on it but I wouldn't of thought it would stop electric from running too it but I'm no expert so I haven't a clue.


I apologise in advance if iv confused you haha.

landyfreelander said:

iv got a Freelander 2 2011 (facelift) and iv recently purchased a second hand tow bar with the electrics (plug and play) it come with a towing model and I'm not getting any electrical feeds thrown my towing connections at the rear of my car.

I'm getting electric from the green & brown wire and the thick red wire but nothing else (not sure what them wires are from) , the green & brown turns into the blue & red wire then goes into the towing module which is showing there is a feed. but after that I'm getting nothing off the other wires, the fuse on the towing module is showing there is a feed to it to and iv checked it so that's find, I thought it might of been because I didn't have a relay on it but iv since got one and its still not worked, I'm just confused as to what it could be. any help would be very much appreciated thank you. I'm being told that my car needs programming to tell to tell it that there is a tow bar on it but I wouldn't of thought it would stop electric from running too it but I'm no expert so I haven't a clue.


I apologise in advance if iv confused you haha.

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There are a few threads about F2 trailer wiring and I think you may have to have the wiring activated in the car's setup - I've not got an F2 so just glanced over the threads.

You may like to do a search (top left) to see what comes up.

landyfreelander said:

I'm being told that my car needs programming to tell to tell it that there is a tow bar on it but I wouldn't of thought it would stop electric from running too it but I'm no expert so I haven't a clue.

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Did you install both the towing fuses in the rear fuse box?
There should be a 15 Amp blade in position FA09 and a 40 Amp short J type fuse in position FA11.
The towing module won't pass power to the lights unless both these fuses are installed.

All normal lighting will work without programming the vehicle.

Programming affects the special towing functions, which won't operate if the vehicle isn't told that a tow bar module is fitted.
Programming effects the rear PDC disable, fog light disable, and the driver assist functions provided by TR and ESP modules.

i dont know why but it wont let me upload the photos i have of my issue.

Nodge68 said:

Did you install both the towing fuses in the rear fuse box?
There should be a 15 Amp blade in position FA09 and a 40 Amp short J type fuse in position FA11.
The towing module won't pass power to the lights unless both these fuses are installed.

All normal lighting will work without programming the vehicle.

Programming affects the special towing functions, which won't operate if the vehicle isn't told that a tow bar module is fitted.
Programming effects the rear PDC disable, fog light disable, and the driver assist functions provided by TR and ESP modules.

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Yeah iv put the two fuses in the right places, but still nothing coming through, it's hard to explain I did upload images of what's live Nd what's isn't but some reason they have failed to come through

Images aren't loading on the forum at present, which is a pain.

Have you made sure all the connections to the towing module are correct and secure? Is the grounding ring connection to a clean grounding stud. I used the same stud as the parking module.

What's working and what isn't?

landyfreelander said:

i dont know why but it wont let me upload the photos i have of my issue.

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You have to copy and paste them into your post.

If you have the image open in another window, right click on it and copy the image, then right click and paste it into your LZ post.

I think your links won't work because of security on the OneDrive site won't let LZ access them as a proxy.

GrumpyGel said:

You have to copy and paste them into your post.

If you have the image open in another window, right click on it and copy the image, then right click and paste it into your LZ post.

I think your links won't work because of security on the OneDrive site won't let LZ access them as a proxy.

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iv managed to upload them now thanks

Nodge68 said:

Images aren't loading on the forum at present, which is a pain.

Have you made sure all the connections to the towing module are correct and secure? Is the grounding ring connection to a clean grounding stud. I used the same stud as the parking module.

What's working and what isn't?

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iv managed to upload the images, the images show the only wires which I'm getting a current the earth wire is connected to the body so I think that is okay

The module doesn't have a lid on it, so there's no guarantee that's working correctly. The ASIC is very easy damaged by static, so needs to be protected by its casing if damage is to be avoided.

Interestingly your fuse box is very devoid of fuses compared to mine, I'd not really given it much thought until I noticed an almost empty fuse box, and only 2 fuse panels too.

The towing module should still function without the vehicle being told its fitted though.
If you're getting nothing at the trailer plug, then there's definitely an issue, which I would guess it's the module at fault.

it does I just opened it to check the board wasn't broke, but how come I'm not getting anything from the five remaining wires coming from the car ?

The towing module only has 1 12 volt supply, which in on the thick red/blue wire. This comes from the 40A J case fuse.
The brake supply is direct, and comes from the red wire.
The grey/yellow is the output trigger to the trailer relay.
All other lighting outputs are controlled via the CAN bus connection on the thin violet/orange and grey/orange.

Outputs from the module are.

Brake is red, which is a simple pass through connection.
Fog is blue.
LH indicator is yellow.
RH indicator is green.
Tail lights are green/white.
Reverse is yellow brown.
Black is ground.

Unfortunately I can't post the wiring diagram, as the forum is broken.

First off you need to check the brake light supply is passing through the module (ignition on, brake pressed).
If that's passing through, then you need to make sure the CAN bus connection is correct (violet/orange and grey/orange) through to the module.
The module tells all other outputs to go high under the control of the CAN data.

okay thank you for your help ill see what I can do

Nodge68 said:

The towing module only has 1 12 volt supply, which in on the thick red/blue wire. This comes from the 40A J case fuse.
The brake supply is direct, and comes from the red wire.
The grey/yellow is the output trigger to the trailer relay.
All other lighting outputs are controlled via the CAN bus connection on the thin violet/orange and grey/orange.

Outputs from the module are.

Brake is red, which is a simple pass through connection.
Fog is blue.
LH indicator is yellow.
RH indicator is green.
Tail lights are green/white.
Reverse is yellow brown.
Black is ground.

Unfortunately I can't post the wiring diagram, as the forum is broken.

First off you need to check the brake light supply is passing through the module (ignition on, brake pressed).
If that's passing through, then you need to make sure the CAN bus connection is correct (violet/orange and grey/orange) through to the module.
The module tells all other outputs to go high under the control of the CAN data.

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Iv just checked thr brake line and that's seems to be fine iv got power straight into the module, what do you mean I'd thr cans wires are connected correctly?

landyfreelander said:

what do you mean I'd thr cans wires are connected correctly?

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Are the CAN wires connected to the module? The data the module needs to activate the various lights comes down the violet/orange and grey/orange, which the module then decodes to power the lights.
I can't see those 2 CAN wires at the module in your picture, but they need to be connected or it simply won't work.

Nodge68 said:

Are the CAN wires connected to the module? The data the module needs to activate the various lights comes down the violet/orange and grey/orange, which the module then decodes to power the lights.
I can't see those 2 CAN wires at the module in your picture, but they need to be connected or it simply won't work.

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these are the wires you are on about I think, they are connected to the modules , am I meant to get an electric reading from them because when iv tested them there isn't anything

landyfreelander said:

these are the wires you are on about I think, they are connected to the modules , am I meant to get an electric reading from them because when iv tested them there isn't anything

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Those are the wires.
It depends on what you've equipment you've connected, as some tests could potentially damage the CJB, but I would guess the CAN is protected against accidental voltages.

Unless you have an oscilloscope to see the data waveform, the CAN wires will appear dead. It's a data signal, nothing more.
The whole trailer module is software driven, with the exception of the brake lights, which must not fail should a fuse blow.

I'm thinking the trailer module isn't working, as you've got live and ground, and hopefully the CAN signal is good too.

Nodge68 said:

Those are the wires.
It depends on what you've equipment you've connected, as some tests could potentially damage the CJB, but I would guess the CAN is protected against accidental voltages.

Unless you have an oscilloscope to see the data waveform, the CAN wires will appear dead. It's a data signal, nothing more.
The whole trailer module is software driven, with the exception of the brake lights, which must not fail should a fuse blow.

I'm thinking the trailer module isn't working, as you've got live and ground, and hopefully the CAN signal is good too.

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is there any way of checking if the trailer module is faulty ?

landyfreelander said:

is there any way of checking if the trailer module is faulty ?

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Only by substitution of an other. Thankfully they're not too expensive second hand.

Nodge68 said:

Only by substitution of an other. Thankfully they're not too expensive second hand.

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iv brought a new module but i don't seem to be getting any voltage on my multimeter. I'm pulling hair out with it now haha