Buzzing when towing a trailer

[shyboy]

I got my son to help me take a tree stump to the local tip yesterday in a small trailer on the back of my 2.6l facelift estate.
I wear hearing aids which enabled me to hear the indicators clicking OK, but my son pointed out another 'buzzing' noise coinciding with the indicator clicks, which I couldn't pick up until I stopped the engine. We traced it to the back of the load area, but didn't have time to locate it exactly, and I'm wondering whether this is normal, (some sort of additional warning, perhaps), or whether it was a malfunction of the signalling system. I did notice that the dashboard flasher symbol which lights when I'm towing my c*****n,  , was not doing so on this trip, and I'm not sure whether all the trailer lights were operating correctly.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Bill.

[Entwood]

It is mandatory to have a warning that trailer indicators work correctly. The simplest way is to add a "buzzer" to the circuit that makes the noise as the trailer lights flash .. this is done in 99% of trailer wiring installs.

It is just far far cheaper than geting the built in lights to work, which usually involves relays and removing the dash - for some stupid reason Vx don't put the trailer bulb in the socket .. you have to remove the dash just to fit the damned bulb !!

The buzzer is normally behind the boot trim somewhere .. they are about the length of a cigarette and about twice the diameter, simple 3/4 wires, one to each trailer indicator live, 2 to earth - some have a combined earth ...

[Kevin Wood]

That'll be the audible warning stystem that the trailer indicators are working.  

Either an audible signal, or a separate warning light on the dashboard is required for the towing electrics.

Kevin

[Andy B]

You say that your trailer warning lamp on the dash works too? A lot of towbar fitters take the easy route of fitting a buzzer rather than swapping the 3 pin flaher relay for a four pin & fitting a lamp in the dash. It sounds as though you have both visual & audible warnig of your trailer indictors flashing!



Doh! Must type faster!

[Andy B]

..... you have to remove the dash just to fit the damned bulb !! .....

It's not difficult though.
The one gripe I have with my 4 pin flasher relay is that  it's a lot noisier than the original. Hella's reply was that it was an additional indication that all was well  :-? & to try pipe lagging to try to quieten it.  

[Entwood]

..... you have to remove the dash just to fit the damned bulb !! .....

It's not difficult though.
The one gripe I have with my 4 pin flasher relay is that  it's a lot noisier than the original. Hella's reply was that it was an additional indication that all was well  :-? & to try pipe lagging to try to quieten it.  

I'll find out when the weather improves !!! Presently "illegal" with no trailer warning ... so the bulb/relay job is on the list of things to do, as well as the "parkpilot disable when towing" thing  ...

[shyboy]

Thanks for the info. fellas. You've got me wondering now. It may be that the dash light is in the 2.0l and I've just not noticed before that there isn't one on the 2.6l.
Tha audible signal's obviously useless for me with my hearing, but what the Hell!
I'll check tomorrow. Had enough of this bloody wind for the time being.

[achoo81]

If you go on to either the Witter or Towsure towbars website you should be able to get hold of a kit to change the buzzer for a rather loud beeper.All you need to do then is trace the wiring from the towbar back to the link point behind the boot panel and you should find the buzzer,  

[Andy B]

... you should be able to get hold of a kit to change the buzzer for a rather loud beeper. .....

Or just bin it all, put a 4 pin flasher realy inplace of the original & put a lamp in the dash Where Vx thoughtfully wired up a hole!  

[Marie]

... you should be able to get hold of a kit to change the buzzer for a rather loud beeper. .....

Or just bin it all, put a 4 pin flasher realy inplace of the original & put a lamp in the dash Where Vx thoughtfully wired up a hole!  

how easy is this to do as every buzzer i have fitted has failed to work and really need to activate the light on the dash.

is there a how to guide?

[Kevin Wood]

how easy is this to do as every buzzer i have fitted has failed to work and really need to activate the light on the dash.

Haven't tried it myself but I understand it's a matter of adding the missing bulb to the instrument panel and changing the flasher unit for one with 4 pins.

Kevin

[Andy B]

..... it's a matter of adding the missing bulb to the instrument panel and changing the flasher unit for one with 4 pins.

Kevin

In a nut shell.  

[shyboy]

Thanks guys and gals. I'm going to put the bulb and 4-pin flasher unit in. My eyes are just a bit better than my ears.
Marie. If I do this before you do I'll post the info., although we'll probably still be talking about doing it at the Lakes meet, (perhaps in 2009  ).
Bill.

[Andy B]

Thanks guys and gals. I'm going to put the bulb and 4-pin flasher unit in. My eyes are just a bit better than my ears.
Marie. If I do this before you do I'll post the info., although we'll probably still be talking about doing it at the Lakes meet, (perhaps in 2009  ).
Bill.

When you test the dash tell tale, just put the hazards on. You'll get the two dash lamps plus the trailer lamp flashing.

[shyboy]

Thanks guys and gals. I'm going to put the bulb and 4-pin flasher unit in. My eyes are just a bit better than my ears.
Marie. If I do this before you do I'll post the info., although we'll probably still be talking about doing it at the Lakes meet, (perhaps in 2009  ).
Bill.

When you test the dash tell tale, just put the hazards on. You'll get the two dash lamps plus the trailer lamp flashing.

.  Thanks, will do.