Towbar Electrics

ScreenName01D44C2B14
ScreenName01D44C2B14 Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited August 2023 in Towcars & Towing #1

Morning

I am wondering if anyone can help. I have just recently bought a Volvo XC60 replacing a Toyota Rav 4. I have had the genuine Volvo retractable tow bar fitted with the manufacturer electrics. I am a confused now as when the Tow bar was installed the Tow bar electric test kit showed all of the lights working on the tester board, but when I connect the caravan which is a 2016 Sterling Eccles 580 the road light's are not working there are no lights at all. My confusion is that they worked 2 weeks ago when we came back from holiday in the Rav4 

 

Comments

  • Gillway
    Gillway Forum Participant Posts: 24
    edited August 2023 #2

    Presumably you’ve checked the fuses for your van seen as though the car test seemed to show the tow electrics were working? Another possibility is if you know anyone with a van who would be willing to let you plug their van into your tow bar electrics, then you’d know for certain where the fault lay to give you a starting point?

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
    1,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited August 2023 #3

    Maybe if your caravan has LED cluster lights the Volvo electrics are not compatible as it stands, and you need a loading module.

  • ScreenName01D44C2B14
    ScreenName01D44C2B14 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited August 2023 #4

    Thanks for the replies, I am fairly new to caravanning so will check the fuses on the van then look at a module if required, any idea how much a module costs??

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited August 2023 #5

    I would go back to Volvo and see what they have to say about it, they should be willing to make it work with your van, they charge enough !

    We had a 2007 XC90 with a 1998 van, no problem.  Then we changed to a 2008 caravan, again no problem.

    Now we have a 2016 VW with the 2008 caravan, still no problem.  

    One thing I would say is that trying the car with a tester board is not the same as trying it with an actual caravan.

    Take the caravan along and tell them to make it work.  That is  what you have paid them for.

  • watto64
    watto64 Forum Participant Posts: 162
    edited August 2023 #6

    Are you getting any messages / feedback from the trailer lights self test function in the car?

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited August 2023 #7

    I know when I last changed my car to the D5, all of the lights stopped working. I had however updated to LED lamps - I put a filament lamp back on each circuit and they all worked fine - nots sure if you are able to do that id you think they are LED as Metheven suggests.

     

    Another test would be to borrow a trailer board from someone, or by one from Halford's online (the robbing scumbags) and then return it for a refund, to test. 

  • LLM
    LLM Forum Participant Posts: 1,555 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited August 2023 #8

    With the Volvo XC60 there is a check trailers lamps function XC 60 Check Trailer Lamps.   This should initialise the system and/or identify the problem.  Otherwise, as said above go back to the Volvo agent for them to fix it.  

Categories