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[art]

I have an 02 2.6 with a factory fitted tow bar. Intermittently when I brake the buzzer goes off and there are no stop lights on. The rear indicators also crap out and I get the fast flash on the front indicators and dash.. I have found the buzzer. But no idea where the relay is. O Another post mentioned the trailer relay in the box in the engine bay - any idea which one that is ?

Thanks

[Kevin Wood]

Not sure if it's a saloon or estate but on the saloon the towing electrics all connects to a multiway connector in the rear of the boot space. It's accessible if you remove the pastic trim that runs across the rear of the boot ahead of the rear bumper. I'd have to double check where it is on an estate.

That's not to say that they fitted the factory kit, so you might find an aftermarket relay box or similar fitted.

There's nothing I can think of in the engine bay that would be towing related.

[Andy B]

there's also a brake relay up front behind the glove box or above the driver's feet (depends on how old the car is & I can't now remember  ) that supplies the trailers brake lights.

[art]

Thanks for the speedy responses. It is a 02 Estate. I thnk it is factory / dealer fitted the sockets have Vaux/GM logo on them and there is a professional wiring loom going into the wheel arch trim on the drivers side - that is where the buzzer is. looks like the trim will have to start removing stuff

[Doctor Gollum]

The official factory plug is in the spare wheel well.

The official post factory kit connects via rear lamps.

Either way, water ingress or ground fault will cause all sorts of mayhem...

Problem might even be at the trailer plug itself.

Best course of action... Identify the loom(s) and check for continuity and resistance between socket and car

[art]

Thanks for the info will be tracing the cables - deffo nothing in the spare wheel well. so must be an after market dealer job.

"Onanists think outside the box" <- best tag line seen in ages !!!

[Doctor Gollum]

Thanks nice to know at least one person understood it

Re the plug, it's a part of the original loom and is clipped up above/adjacent to the the bracket that secures the jack in place

The official post factory kit is essentially plug and play using an intermediary plug/socket combo... Almost looks factory but doubles the wiring behind both tail lights

[Andy H]

there's also a brake relay up front behind the glove box or above the driver's feet (depends on how old the car is & I can't now remember  ) that supplies the trailers brake lights.

I bought one of those from AndyC when I fitted a towbar to my 03 Elite Saloon - I never did find the socket so it is still in my spares box (along with a new powersounder and an unopened tube of grey goo)

[Doctor Gollum]

The official post factory kit had instructions for variations such as if the car had check control fitted.

I fitted this kit to my ex plod estate, which also had the factory fitted plug in the location described earlier. I would have fitted the loom to connect to that, but couldn't get hold of one for love nor money...

[Andy B]

there's also a brake relay up front behind the glove box or above the driver's feet (depends on how old the car is & I can't now remember  ) that supplies the trailers brake lights.

I bought one of those from AndyC when I fitted a towbar to my 03 Elite Saloon - I never did find the socket so it is still in my spares box (along with a new powersounder and an unopened tube of grey goo)

I fitted one to my 99 MFL saloon after I'd made up a loom to fit the square plug behind the boot trim. It took me a while to find it .... but it's that long ago now I really have no idea where mine was. 

[art]

Had a look after work .. was getting dark and I noticed that the rear indicator lights are flashing - but very dimly and all lights are flashing rapidly, hazards are normal brightness and speed front and rear. Brake lights are OK [apart from the tow bar buzzer going off]

Ticking at the same speed as the lights is a thing called  Anhanger Blinkuberwachun google tells me this is Supplementary blinking watch. The GM part number is 09 121 634
If I un plug this there is no rear indicators.

could this guy be the culprit ? 

[Doctor Gollum]

Possibly, but you clearly have an earth fault

[art]

Possibly, but you clearly have an earth fault

I tug checked the earth connection all look good and solid - will meter out in the am - if Storm Freya doesnt hit us. Can you explain why you think it is an earth fault ? I would have thought that would make it not intermittant - although now it does look solid and its both indicators and rear only.

[Doctor Gollum]

Possibly, but you clearly have an earth fault

I tug checked the earth connection all look good and solid - will meter out in the am - if Storm Freya doesnt hit us. Can you explain why you think it is an earth fault ? I would have thought that would make it not intermittant - although now it does look solid and its both indicators and rear only.

The only common link between all the rear lights is the earth circuit. The fact that all the other tail lights are flashing with the indicators points to a common fault... qed

[art]

Possibly, but you clearly have an earth fault

Thanks
That is all latin to me    but wouldnt the stop lights and the hazards be affected as well ? - they all seem to terminate earth on the same stud  on the passenger side ?