Disable Reverse Sensors With Bike Rack

[steerage250]

I have a 2012 Mondeo Titanium hatch here in Australia, and want to disable the reversing sensors when I have a bike rack on the back of the car. I want to make up a "dummy trailer plug" that fools the car electronics that a trailer is connected (and hence disables the reverse sensors and blind spot warning). I presume the way it detects a trailer is connected is to detect one or more trailer lights connected (which it already detects for blown globe detection).

1. Does anyone know which globes the system needs to see for it to decide there is a trailer connected?

2. Does anyone know the maximum resistance in a globe circuit the system needs to see before it decides a globe is blown?

(Ford Australia refuse to help :-( )

regards

Ian

[steerage250]

I found my own answer on the Ford Australia forum (that I had been de-registered from unknowingly). Some suggests 120 ohm on the left and right indicators does the job (you would theoretically need 1 watt resistors for 120 ohm). I only had 100 ohm 1 watt in my junk box and they do indeed disable the reverse sensors and blind spot warning. They should really be 1.5 watt, but they are surviving so far due to the 50/50 duty cycle of the indicators.

Ian

[Lenny]

Hi mate,

One other way to do it without changing bulbs etc.

Purchase a DRL auto off relay,

Fit it to filter the positive feed on the reverse sensors.

You will then have a sensor feed on the relay box,

Extend this sensor feed to an insulated spade connector outside of the car,

And tape it on to the trailer socket.

Then on your trailer light bar,

Run a single feed from its reverse positive,

To a male insulated spade connector,

When connecting the trailer bar,

Plug in the extra spade connector,

End result will be:

When the trailer bar is connected; you put the car in reverse.

The relay will cence power in the censor feed and stop power flowing to the reverse sensors.

When the trailer bar is disconnected,

The reverse sensors will function as normal because there won't be any current flowing through the sensor line.

Sounds like an easier way around the problem rather than changing bulbs etc.

Here's a link to the DRL relay.

http://www.genlabs.co.uk/products/drlr/drlr1.html

They sell through eBay if you contact them, they cost between 10-12GBP

And some cable:

The cable is 2core and you will only need a single core for the sensor feed,

So purchase half the length of cable you require then seperate the cores using one for each side.

Anyways cable link:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twin-Core-10A-amp-12V-Black-Red-DC-Power-Cable-per-2m-/170680456683?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27bd5915eb

Then you just need a male and female insulated crimp terminal

Hope this helps and happy Christmas from Ireland :)

Ive fitted a genlabs DRLR1 to my rear fog light bulb because I've fitted dual reverse bulb units,

Now if my rear fog light is ON,

And I put the car in to reverse; the fog light automatically goes OFF for the duration that reverse is active

See my posts here:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/29347-guide-fitting-second-reverse-light-ford-focus-mk2-mk25/page-7

I've also fitted a genlabs DRLR2 auto dimmer relay to my aftermarket gauges because they were blinding bright at night driving,

See here:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/31832-guide-fitting-auto-dimmer-unit-from-gen-labs-to-gauges-or-drl/

[steerage250]

Lenny, you misunderstood my solution. It doesn't involve changing bulbs or anything. The solution is:

- buy a 7 pin trailer plug

- install a resistor from the LH indicator connection to earth

- install a resistor from the RH indicator connection to earth

- plug it in to the trailer socket when you have the bike rack on

- unplug it when you remove the bike rack

regards

Ian

[Lenny]

Lenny, you misunderstood my solution. It doesn't involve changing bulbs or anything. The solution is:

- buy a 7 pin trailer plug

- install a resistor from the LH indicator connection to earth

- install a resistor from the RH indicator connection to earth

- plug it in to the trailer socket when you have the bike rack on

- unplug it when you remove the bike rack

regards

Ian

Ah so you have it sorted then, no prob

[steerage250]

and just an update: It also needs a resistor on the stop/brake light circuit otherwise it raises an alarm for a blown stop light globe. I also went and bought some 120 ohm 1 watt resistors for the job. So, for others benefit, the final solution (so far) is:

- 120 ohm, 1 watt resistors on the left indicator, right indicator and stop/brake light circuits

Ian

[jeebowhite]

Good feedback there Ian, thanks for sharing!