Outlander towbar

JudyandEd
JudyandEd Forum Participant Posts: 7
edited November 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Just bought a Mitsubishi Outlander from a main dealer and got them to fit the towbar. They said they do lots of them for caravaners.  The towbar is a WItter detachable and they tell me the electrics are a Mitsubishi plug in unit. The issue I have is that
there appears to be no warning that the caravan indicators are working or not. I think I read somewhere that it is a legal requirement that there should be a light or bleeper to show the winkers are working ok.  Does anyone have a definitive answer to that
please.

Would also appreciate advice on suitable mirrors to fit a recent model outlander.

Many thanks

Comments

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #2

    It's a requirement that your car tells you an indicator is duff ..... it doesn't need to do that though via a tell lamp or buzzer. Mine has no extra tell tales or buzzer but rapid flashes them rapidly to tell you .... like your car would.  Remove a bulb
    & see what happens. 

  • Pathfinder
    Pathfinder Forum Participant Posts: 4,446
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #3

    Does your caravan have LED rear lights - if so it is a known problem as LED's do not draw enough power to illuminate the trialer warning light on the dashboard.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited November 2016 #4

    You could always loosen an indicator bulb and see what happens. Without creating a fault the only other alternative is to check the position with the supplier.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #5

    You could always loosen an indicator bulb and see what happens.  ....

    Is there an echo .... echo ..... echo in here? ..... Innocent

  • GodivaNige
    GodivaNige Forum Participant Posts: 606
    500 Comments
    edited November 2016 #6

    Your car may have a trailer bulb fault light on the dash, my old Touareg had this, the trailer ecu detects if a bulb is blown and gives you an indication. If all of your caravan bulbs are good, then you have no audible or visual alert when using indicators.
    This complies with the law as it still informs you if you have a faulty trailer bulb. The way to check if your car has this is to remove one of your caravan bulbs, then with your caravan electrics hooked up (obviously :) ), start the car and you would see
    a warning. P

  • KellyHenderson
    KellyHenderson Forum Participant Posts: 76
    edited November 2016 #7

    I totally agree with taking a bulb out of the caravan road lights (we recommend indicator bulb), then indicate on the car - if it ticks or flashes out of sync then you're covered.

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

    I totally agree with taking a bulb out of the caravan road lights (we recommend indicator bulb), then indicate on the car - if it ticks or flashes out of sync then you're covered.

    It would be a good idea if you're testing the indicator circuit ..... Innocent

  • GodivaNige
    GodivaNige Forum Participant Posts: 606
    500 Comments
    edited November 2016 #9

    If your car has the trailer bulb fail indicator as I had the Touareg, it may be the case that it will illuminate if any of the bulbs on your caravan have failed, not just the indicators. So tail lights, markers, brake lights etc.  it's worth you checking
    your car owners manual or searching the internet for more info, maybe in a Mitzi owners forum if one exists. A useful feature on the Touareg whereby you don't have to ask the wife to stand out in the rain for a bulb check when you hook up :-) The towing ecu
    module on the Treg did other things when you hooked up too, such as disable the rear parking sensors, activate the car alarm if the trailer electrics are unplugged when the car is locked, and change the stability/traction control and gearbox characteristics
    whilst towing. Certainly some manufacturers are including these facilities within their car electronics so it's definitely worth you finding out if Mitzi have something similar on the Outlander

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