If you Google it, there are a number of passthru trailer adaptors that plug into the towing socket that allow led lights to be used, so I don't think that problem is limited to Ineos.
North American trailer wiring combines brake and indicators per side (thus we have LEFT brake/turn and RIGHT brake/turn)Can anyone advise:
- Is the standard round 7 pin connector fitted to North American spec grenadiers a blade or pin type?
- Are brake lights combined with the indicators or separated like the ROW/EU vehicles?
Thanks @anand Appreciated. Blade connector it isNorth American trailer wiring combines brake and indicators per side (thus we have LEFT brake/turn and RIGHT brake/turn)
Here is the wiring order for the standard 7 pin connector (truck side)
View attachment 7866526
And what the inside of the truck side connector looks like (again, generic, but this is our standard)
View attachment 7866527
Thanks for the tip. I hope there is some Government Regulation driving this sensor issue. i woudl hate to think that Ineos would do something as complicated as that without being forced.I think you're in Sparkie territory there. It sounds like the CANBUS is seeing a random low circuit resistance when there should be high resistance, i.e. open circuit, without a trailer connected. A momentary short between circuits or a small short to ground could produce that result. Trapped water or salt water corrosion in the socket might also do it.
CANBUS is in most if not all modern vehicles. Bosch presented the first version of CANBUS in 1986. It's essentially a simplified data network for complex equipment including motor vehicles.Thanks for the tip. I hope there is some Government Regulation driving this sensor issue. i woudl hate to think that Ineos would do something as complicated as that without being forced.
Well Clark Kent,Ineos appear to have mostly followed ISO11446-2 for trailer wiring. Might be worth checking your trailer against the wiring info here. Given the Ineos trailer plug wiring is working for others, and other example vehicles produce the same result with your trailer, it would be worth checking for a wiring inconsistency between your trailer and ISO11446-2. A legacy wiring issue perhaps?
Incandescent bulb trailer lights don't need load resistors. It's the opposite. LED equipped trailers may require load resistors with some CANBUS vehicles because LEDs draw less power.
A typical trailer incandescent 12v brake bulb is 21 watts. An LED equivalent is around 5 watts. Load resistors add a dummy load to make CANBUS sense the normal electrical load for incandescent bulbs. Some vehicles are more or less sensitive to this hence some vehicle and LED trailer combos need load resistors and others don't. It also depends on the numbers of lamps (loads) installed in each lighting circuit.
I did my best to helpWell Clark Kent,
It seems you can lead a horse to water, but you can not make it drink.
If I had a problem with my caravan wiring, I would be doing as you articulate above.
I suspect Ineos have the same ‘sounds like a trailer issue’ as you state.I did my best to help.
I feel @Tonyh 's frustration. This should just work but there are a lot of variables that need to line up with different generations of tech in service so it's unsurprising that some equipment is not plug and play.
I think Tony was close to identifying the issue back at post #5: 'I suspect its something to do with the length of wire that goes to the brake lights, a trailer board is only a few feet long so maybe its the resistance it doesn’t like.'
That sounds like a trailer issue?
Hi @Tonyh. Sorry this hasn't worked out for you. Good luck with the refund process.
Hi TonyhI suspect Ineos have the same ‘sounds like a trailer issue’ as you state.
It is NOT a trailer issue that can be blamed for the problem, especially as NO other cars/vans/SUV’s have a problem when connected. This is the frustrating point that Ineos don’t seem to be able to grasp.
Don’t get me wrong, I really like the car and want to keep it, its just that I dont think it unreasonable that Ineos pull their fingers out and fix this issue urgently. I think that if I had gone for a retrospective tow bar fitting, this problem would not be seen as I understand that there would be no fancy circuitry that turns the parking sensors and disables stop/start when connected.
They need to sort this, especially as 3 other IG from Dealership all have exactly the same issue which cannot be coincidental.
Thanks for advice but I cannot change the rear lights on my trailer. This is a very expensive fully enclosed car transporter trailer and therefore has bespoke rear light arrangements. All the other lights work, its literally just the brake lights.Hi Tonyh
I did reply in earlier thread and sympathise with your frustrations.
I had the same frustrations having had an auto electrician crawl all over the trailer trying to fix the issue.
I would confirm I have a number of other "new" and "older" cars, each of which didn't throw up the same issues as the Grenadier when connected to my trailer.
We tried fitting resisters of differing weights (all of which got too hot in my opinion and didn't solve anyway), cut in and fitted a universal bypass relay, etc, etc - none solved the issue.
The issue however went away as soon as I substituted my trailer LED lights with the CANBUS approved lights.
The ones I fitted were as below - Fristom FT-370 Rear Trailer Light with LED Control System
They were about £40 (exc VAT) each if I remember correctly, and would have saved a a lot of time and money if I had gone this route to start with.
Hope this helps
View attachment 7866877
I assume this what you had to do to Solve this problem?
Nice one, I didn't know these existed! I've had trailer light warnings on my dashboard even though the actual lights on the trailer seem to be working fine. Perhaps this'll fix it.Just go and buy one of these
Not personally.I assume this what you had to do to Solve this problem?
There's a few different variations, none of them cheap though!Nice one, I didn't know these existed! I've had trailer light warnings on my dashboard even though the actual lights on the trailer seem to be working fine. Perhaps this'll fix it.
I've tracked the website down selling the adapter here
Sounds like Ineos have roughly 2 years to fix it before they have an embarrassing situation on their hands in that case, at least in the UK. Is it safe to assume your dealer reported the finding back to Ineos?Update.
I have 4 brake lights on my trailer. Removed a bulb from one at each side and no warning lights came on!!
Replaced with LED and again no warning lights. Have now replaced all 4 filament brake light bulbs with LED and no warning lights are showing - result.
Looks like it’s a CANBUS issue as whilst I can now tow my trailer, I still cannot tow any other one.
Interestingly small trailers seem ok, its the larger ones like car transporter trailers that produce the error warnings.
My local Dealership brought an MOT tester and my car failed. Was told that it looks like Ineos may have a problem here as ALL the other Ineos’s that they have been plugged in have all failed!
If no fix is found it looks like my car will probably have a 3 year shelf life - no MOT means not roadworthy.
May be an idea for everyone to get the MOT test plugged in to the tow socket.