After a few years off from caravanning we have decided to start again now we have the full fat. We pick the van up in a couple of weeks and the tow bar is being fitted Monday. I have decided on the Weastfalia detatchable one with 13 pin electrics and the LR loom. Am I right in thinking that once it is all fitted I need to have it enabled or is it plug and play?

Both sir...

Will work plug & play but i think there are certain types of electrics that need programming for features to work sir ...

Thanks Craig. As I understand it with the 13 pin and the LR loom it locks the suspension and also affects the engine management to give the best performance for towing. I'll take it in just to make sure.

Does the computer still need to be enabled if you switch from 2x 7 pin to 13 pin?

As far as I am aware, if the trailer ECU has been enabled previousley (for the 7 pin wiring) then it is just a case of replacing it with a 13 pin harness. The consensus seems to be to go with the LR loom. A little bit more expensive bur better quality.

steadyaway wrote:

Thanks Craig. Also affects the engine management to give the best performance for towing.

My old D3 did alter the transmission when towing.

I remember collecting a sankey trailer with it and it always dropped a gear very early on hills even if it didn't really need to. I used to drive it in command shift/manual mode after that as the trailer was empty and the D3 certainly never struggled. Mine was an 08 so not sure if still the same on a FFRR

I recall if it's not programmed on the car then the car's fog lights will still come on. If programmed correctly they don't if you're towing, only on the trailer. Rear fogs obviously.

It's also supposed to deactivate the rear parking sensors when reverse is selected. I've only heard about the engine/gearbox management thing from the tow bar fitter so I stand to be corrected. But he's has had 3 range rovers so I would guess he knows a bit about them.

What caravan are you getting?

steadyaway wrote:

It's also supposed to deactivate the rear parking sensors when reverse is selected. I've only heard about the engine/gearbox management thing from the tow bar fitter so I stand to be corrected. But he's has had 3 range rovers so I would guess he knows a bit about them.

Oops quoted the wrong post. Sorry.

Last edited by steadyaway on 24th Apr 2015 5:57am. Edited 1 time in total

IanT599 wrote:

What caravan are you getting?

Well, not really good news today. Took the ff for its tow bar fitting this morning. Decided to have the Westfalia detachable fitted with 13 pin electrics. Looks good and really easy to attach and detach. Then I went to my local indy LR to have the towing ECU enabled. After a short while he came out and told me that there was no configuration file for the 2006 MY. All the relays and fuses are present but when he plugs the MOT tester into the socket the car displays "Check Trailer Lights" or something similar, and the lights on the tester flash instead of lighting up constantly. So, should it be "Plug and Play" or do I have issues. It's going back Wednesday morning for the wiring checking out.