Afternoon everybody

I have had a Brink removable towbar fitted to my MY2008 HST. I chose to have the 7 pin generic electrics installed, as didn't see the point in going for the official LR one when I only tow 3-4 times per year when moving logs.

When I plug in our trailer, the fuse for the tailgate lock blows - it does it every time but only once I've locked and unlocked the vehicle. I have tried towing and unplugging the electrics before locking the doors - makes no difference! Even when it is unplugged, the fuse blows once I lock the doors after towing.

I have tried this trailer on my parents XC90 which is apparently wired into the main circuit (however powerful that is, I don't know) and it doesn't blow anything.

Any ideas on why this may be happening? I had the towbar fitter back out and he tested it and found no problem with his light board tests.

I'm going to try a different cable from trailer to car but nonetheless, bit of a pain to have this problem.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Take the socket on the back of the car apart, they are renowned for allowing road crud in my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

The problem happened on the same day as it was installed - I can't see that being an issue really. Worth a try if nothing else works though.

Have they taken the 12V + feed for the towing electrics from the locking circuit. Mine, Saab convertible
Hers, MY08 GS auto

I am not 100% sure but what I do know is he wired it into the circuit which controls the tailgate locking mechanism. The fuse for this circuit blows every time and it prevents me being able to lock the car until I replace the fuse.

As I said before, all the tests he carried out on his light board worked perfectly. I'm not sure why it's happening !

Sounds as if the tailgate locking circuit cannot take anything else connected to it except the tailgate locking.
Try taking the feed from somewhere else?

I agree, but I wouldn't want to wreck my electrics or risk permanent damage - if I put a much higher rated fuse in the location of the 5amp tailgate one, would this be an issue? Do I risk melting the tailgate circuit wires, perhaps?

I thought the idea of dedicated electrics was that these type of problems are eliminated, you only need the 7N socket, no need for the 12S, however the 7N only has lights and indicators so why there is a connection to the tailgate locking circuit indicates the fitter has made an error. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

The generic towing module only takes a signal from the lights, a separate feed is used to power the trailer light. Fuse FA9 is what LR provide for power to a trailer http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic25489.html

Take it back and have them do it right. Mine, Saab convertible
Hers, MY08 GS auto

That's fine SaabDriver, but the 20A FA9 is for the 12S socket not the 7N. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Yes I know but if they are going to link into the wiring that is what they should use. There is a connecting block that the dedicated wiring plugs into, it just needs a spade connector on the feed wire putting onto the correct pin of that block.

Or replace the fuse with one of the piggy back things.

Much better than picking the first live wire they found. Mine, Saab convertible
Hers, MY08 GS auto

Thanks all for helping with this. I think, from all your comments, I need to be getting back in touch with United Towbars to have them fit the electrics to a circuit with a higher rated fuse.

I would like to do this myself but it would void the warranty (lifetime) that they provided me when they fitted it.

Thanks for all your help chaps.

The only reason to use a 12v supply is if there is a relay to disable the fog lights and the reversing sensors, however the car is canbus and this should be carried out with software, later cars did not need the tow bar enable software. Purely depends on the trailer size whether or not one need these functions. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.