ATC system on Bailey Pegasus

birdwatcher7
birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
edited July 2016 in Caravans #1

Hi.  We have had a Bailey Pegasus since Jan 2011 and love it.  However, over the last few months we have had issues with the red light flashing on the ATC system when plugged into the car.  The ATC makes the'whirring' noise but the light flashes red.  Took
the caravan to dealer but they can't find anything wrong.  Anybody got any ideas?

Comments

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited July 2016 #2

    If you have a look on the alko web site a flashing red indicates and internal failure within the atc unit itself And a constant red indicates a voltage or supply problem hope that helps either way the dealer should have known that!1

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited July 2016 #3

    In addition to above info here.http://www.al-ko.co.uk/pages_faqs/led-lights.html

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #4

    Unfortunately the dealer is saying it isn't flashing red with them and so is probably the car ???

     

  • DORMAN12Q
    DORMAN12Q Forum Participant Posts: 90
    edited July 2016 #5

    Have a look at this post my Pegasus started doing the same as yours then the ATC failed completly.

    http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/information,-technical-tips-advice/parts-accessories/Alko-ATC-system/rt/1490337/

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited July 2016 #6

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpOTWjPmyCw  

     Interesting Video of ATC

  • Jillytot
    Jillytot Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited July 2016 #7

    check your plug connection. I was on a site with a bloke whos had faulted. couldnt sus it out. plugged another vehicle to it and functioned okay.worth checking before getting the unit tested/ctripped down. good luck

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #8

    Thank you for all your comments.  The dealer says there is nothing wrong so it must be the car.  Had the car checked and rewired to the new style socket so no adapter needed and guess what - it still flashes red!! Never had a caravan with ATC on before and
    don't want another one.  It has cost me £200 so far with no result.  Got a holiday booked in 10 days so might just take it back to dealer to have it disconnected and manage without.

  • rogerwyn
    rogerwyn Forum Participant Posts: 63
    edited July 2016 #9

    Had the same thing on our unicorn a few months ago plunged in and red light was flashing, this had not happened before in 3y of ownership, towed it for approx 5m then pulled over and the light had turned green this has not happened since, but I did read
    somewear that sometimes it needs to reset itself by being towed?

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #10

    We tried a friend's car before we got the car rewired and it flashed red on his too.  Funny that it doesn't when it's at the dealer.  According to the Alko website if the red light is flashing the unit has shut itself off and if the brakes are not stuck
    on (which they aren't) it is okay to tow.  Does anyone agree/disagree wth this?

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #11

    We tried towing it after being on the car for 12 hours but not very far.  We are going to try towing it a bit further tomorrow with our fingers and toes crossed!

  • DORMAN12Q
    DORMAN12Q Forum Participant Posts: 90
    edited July 2016 #12

    Buy a 13 pin socket, some 4mm2 cable and a pair of crocodile clips , wire up a test socket straight to a 12v battery, that way it rules your cars wiring out, that's what I did,

    Check the actuator is pushing out then returning when the battery is connected, mine had burnt a relay out inside, so would not operate both ways, it started with the same symptoms as yours,

    If it fails in the on position just use a pair of spanners to remove the push rod and continue without it. I did that to get home it wasn't much trouble .

    Alko were worse than useless. 

    I have a test socket you can borrow if you are near Leeds 

  • iffajobsworthdoing
    iffajobsworthdoing Forum Participant Posts: 94
    edited July 2016 #13

    We have found that if the car battery is a little down on voltage this happens, usually rights itself after a couple of miles.

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #14

    Thank you DORMAN12Q, we are near Selby so not too far away.  Will check the car battery (jobsworth) and then your suggestion DORMAN12Q.  Will contact you if we need to borrow your adapter.  Thanks again!

  • paul56
    paul56 Forum Participant Posts: 937
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #15

    Our ATC on a 2009 Bailey did flash red a couple of times when it was newish but we ignored it (afetr replugging in etc) and off we went with no problems. In the last 6 years it has always glows green. Never did find out what it was.

    By the way - great forum when you (a) get info and (b) get offers of help DORMAN12Q - well done if that doesn't sound patronising!

  • golfneil
    golfneil Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited July 2016 #16

    Sure I read somewhere you can clear the ATC memory by leaving it Connected to the car for a while. 

    Might be wrong. 

     

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited July 2016 #17

    Sure I read somewhere you can clear the ATC memory by leaving it Connected to the car for a while. 

    Might be wrong. 

     

    Your very much correct! The AL-KO ATC needs to be left connected to the towcar for up to 12 hours to clear it's Log when it's full.

    Colin

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #18

    is there any way to 'talk' to an ATC ..... in the same way that you can 'talk' to your car using an OBDII code reader?

    Just asking Cool

  • malc1945
    malc1945 Forum Participant Posts: 74
    edited July 2016 #19

    we had that problem when we wrer in france connected up to car over night cleared the log had no probs since in three years  malc

  • birdwatcher7
    birdwatcher7 Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited July 2016 #20

    We left the ATC connected to the car for 12 hours and then towed the caravan but this did not work.  As we are going away next week we have disconnected the ATC and will pursue a warranty claim when we return.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #21

    We tried a friend's car before we got the car rewired and it flashed red on his too.  Funny that it doesn't when it's at the dealer.  According to the Alko website if the red light is flashing the unit has shut itself off and if the brakes are not stuck
    on (which they aren't) it is okay to tow.  Does anyone agree/disagree wth this?

    We have towed about 150 times with our present 'van. Probably on 4 occasions we have had a flashing red light. One time was due to water in the socket. On the other 3 occasions when I had towed a short distance and stopped it was showing green

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited July 2016 #22

    I see in this months Club Magazine (August 16), page 94, Technical Q&A, titled "Live wire", they have overlooked another possible cause to said AL-KO ATC problem;

    As they have said; "There is a risk of the system being turned off while travelling", this is referring that said towcar maybe fitted with a Voltage Sensing Relay (VSR), so another possible cause could well be that the permanent power suppy to the towcars
    socket (12s pin 4 or euro pin 9) has been connected to terminal 2 of the VSR (the redundant terminal), which is no longer needed for caravans built after the 1998 caravan wiring changes. Should this be the case, if as said, the wires were swapped around within
    the towcars socket, the problem would still be present.

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