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Thread: Tow Bar trailer Lights not working on my 2016 Caprice

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    Default Tow Bar trailer Lights not working on my 2016 Caprice

    I just spent most of today upgrading my father in laws trailer with an LED light set, job went perfect and all works well on his car (an 2001 AU ford Falcon)

    Thought I would test on my Caprice as I e to use it soon and zip nothing

    I have checked and there is a setting in MyLink on the dash (I think this is only to adjust for the towbar) which is set correct - a volt meter check shows nothing at all on any of the trailer lights plug pins ..Everyone is still on holidays but I will be calling the installer as soon a she is back

    The towbar is an original Holden product and it has been set installed by a registered auto electrician... did I miss anything basic here ??

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    Was the trailer connector on the vehicle working previously?

    Have you physically checked the cabling from the connector back to where the circuits are picked up from?

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    im pretty sure you need a special connector. With my holden combo
    i found i needed a special canop connector for the radio and trailer


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    Quote Originally Posted by fandtm666 View Post
    im pretty sure you need a special connector. With my holden combo
    Yep.. that's where I was coming from... asking if it was previously working, etc.

    Many later model vehicles require any additional lamps to be programmed to the canbus.

    Regardless, the installer should have ensured everything was working correctly.

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    yep is a pain in the axxx mtv cost me a heap more because
    of the canbus setup for the radio and trailer lights.

    What is worse you cant even splice the cables running into the canbus
    because its the little board inside it that diverts and controls the power

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    I'd be looking at your socket wiring, it sounds as though something is not connected. If you can trace the harness back from the socket you should find out where it connects to the main harness. (At a guess I'd say it's behind the RH tail light.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    Thanks for the replies, never had a trailer on the car before - when I bought the car I had it installed at cost and of course in good faith one expects the installer would have completed the wiring as well as test it. There are plugs and thingy's all over the the boot side where the battery is - everything looks plugged in to me

    I will have another quick look tomorrow - a call to the installer next week sounds like will be in order as well

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    What year Caprice ?
    Last edited by vnboost; 04-01-18 at 09:56 PM.

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    Just seen the year in the title, i think the TIM (trailer interface module) needs to be learned on the CanBus, this is done using the factory scantool GDS2..

    What area are you from? might be able to help you out there, save you going to a dealer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by vnboost View Post
    Just seen the year in the title, i think the TIM (trailer interface module) needs to be learned on the CanBus, this is done using the factory scantool GDS2..

    What area are you from? might be able to help you out there, save you going to a dealer.
    Thanks VNboost... much appreciated

    I am located Vic SE Melbourne - I have just sent you a PM as well

    Assuming you may be out of area a quick phone call would probably help - I may have access to one of these scan tools as well.

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    Hello checkitout

    Can you get to a trailer with globe type lights to test your car.

    The ecu that was likely to have been fitted with the tow pack is to remove any extra load from the vehicle electrical system and may not have turned on as the led lights don't present the load required for it to know there is a trailer plugged in.

    Some Tow Pack ECU's check for a trailer by pulsing a small voltage (approx 2.5 volt) on the brake or tail light circuit and even a some test lights are not a large enough load to activate it and will not light up on the 2.5 volt pulse and a lot of multi meters are to slow to read it. That's also how some vehicle's tests for blown lights.

    It also prevents knocking out the car's light circuits when there it a short (very common) in the trailer as it is powered via it's own fuse.

    The only cars i have seen that need the Trailer ECU programed are from the VAG group (Vw Audi Skoda).
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    Quote Originally Posted by SS Dave View Post
    Hello checkitout

    Can you get to a trailer with globe type lights to test your car.

    The ecu that was likely to have been fitted with the tow pack is to remove any extra load from the vehicle electrical system and may not have turned on as the led lights don't present the load required for it to know there is a trailer plugged in.

    Some Tow Pack ECU's check for a trailer by pulsing a small voltage (approx 2.5 volt) on the brake or tail light circuit and even a some test lights are not a large enough load to activate it and will not light up on the 2.5 volt pulse and a lot of multi meters are to slow to read it. That's also how some vehicle's tests for blown lights.

    It also prevents knocking out the car's light circuits when there it a short (very common) in the trailer as it is powered via it's own fuse.

    The only cars i have seen that need the Trailer ECU programed are from the VAG group (Vw Audi Skoda).
    I have kept the in laws original trailer wiring and lights intact (obviously now off the trailer) this will now be useful to test this ... will do this soon ... thanks for the feedback !

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    Quote Originally Posted by SS Dave View Post

    The only cars i have seen that need the Trailer ECU programed are from the VAG group (Vw Audi Skoda).
    yeah i know about that the hard way. my daughter bought a new Amacrockofcrap and the dealer installed new towbar was not working day one. go back to the dealer and they wanted a $95 service charge just to program the new ECU ( which they had installed themselves ). geez the service manager copped a serve , absolute pack of dumb shits.

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    I was told by a local TV serviceman you should never mix LED's with filament type globes but I wanted to replace the knacked lights on my Trailer with LED's along with a new plug and cable.
    I was a bit concerned but I had no problems and so far my Trailer has been used by others also without any problems.
    My vehicle is now 17 years old AU Ford wagon and was wired I believe either by the dealer or previous owner (State Gov dept) with one of them double row sockets. I later found the trailer lead was connected to the main harness behind the panel that hides the jack and wheel brace so I used it later to add a rear Camera and distance warning transducers.
    What you have said about the problem with the Caprice convinces me that cars with computers do 'talk' through the wiring checking things out as I blew the Stop globe in the Tail Gate and I could not engage 'Cruise Control'.
    New Globe, problem solved..............
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    I got the in laws old trailer wiring and lamps (he had thrown them in the bin the bugger - 4 good globes in and all)

    Unfortunately it is still a no go - it seems there is a TIM module as well as some programming enabling missing ... calling the original installer on Monday to fix. Thanks vnboost and all with their input here.

    I will let you know who this gets resolved

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    Quote Originally Posted by checkitout View Post
    I got the in laws old trailer wiring and lamps (he had thrown them in the bin the bugger - 4 good globes in and all)

    Unfortunately it is still a no go - it seems there is a TIM module as well as some programming enabling missing ... calling the original installer on Monday to fix. Thanks vnboost and all with their input here.

    I will let you know who this gets resolved
    Gave the installer a call today, he confirmed he had not tested after he installed, he also said "it should be working" ... hey well it is not!!!. He also confirmed correct cabling and module was installed and it was programmed up, ...so vnboost's and other feedback here is correct.

    We both agreed simply speaking even if there is a trailer pinout issue an easy check is to check for voltage with a voltmeter on the trailer pins (while indicator on etc) with a ground reference direct to negative on the battery - did that today and there is zippo zero on any pins at any time

    Good thing is that the installer is warranting his work I just need to get the car to him... hopefully in a couple of weeks time

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    hmmm when installing towbars on mercs you had to program the sam (which communicates via canbus) of the new trailer plug option. Customers also had to use an inline resistor pack if they were using a trailer with led lights.
    I would head down to your local holden dearer and have a yak with the service dept.

    ........Leroy

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    I would head down to your local holden dearer and have a yak with the service dept.

    ........Leroy
    Yep I did that, what a waste of time, in approaching the guy at the service counter with a "I need help" way, the old fart gave me a weird look like as if it was not his problem or why am I asking and why am I there ! ... he spoke as if it was like "what do you want me to do about it"

    When I indicated that I believed programming was likely involved he insisted that was not the case ... he asked if original GMH parts were used (which I have done) ... at that point I decided to walk out, the no care attitude of the "he knew everything" of which he did not, had pissed off by that point.

    I will not say which Holden dealer that was, this was one guy, I know they are mostly good guys out there ... it was my bad day hitting the wrong one

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    Quote Originally Posted by checkitout View Post
    Yep I did that, what a waste of time, in approaching the guy at the service counter with a "I need help" way, the old fart gave me a weird look like as if it was not his problem or why am I asking and why am I there ! ... he spoke as if it was like "what do you want me to do about it"

    When I indicated that I believed programming was likely involved he insisted that was not the case ... he asked if original GMH parts were used (which I have done) ... at that point I decided to walk out, the no care attitude of the "he knew everything" of which he did not, had pissed off by that point.

    I will not say which Holden dealer that was, this was one guy, I know they are mostly good guys out there ... it was my bad day hitting the wrong one
    I would have asked him if you were in the 'service' dept. I then would have asked for the service manager. That kind of attitude shits me.

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    so what happened?

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