Ford Kuga Towing Electrics

[mgibso28]

I purchased a new model kuga 150psi in November 2014 and had a ford fitted detachable tow bar fitted with dedicated wiring loom. I tow a caravan with 4 brake lights fitted. when the caravan is hitched up and I apply the breaks the caravan break lights flash once and then a warning light appears on the cluster panel, "trailer brake bulb fault". I have had the caravan tested and no fault was found, I have also tried it on another caravan and the same fault occurs. been back to ford they tested car with tail board "two break lights" and no fault occurs. Is this a software problem, has anyone else had same problem.

HELP PLEASE....

[Rod_FOC]

What caravan make and model is it? Was the other caravan the same make? Were the brake lights etc.,. on the caravan(s) illuminating OK?

Ford explicitly state on my Galaxy that the factory fitted modules are not compatible with LED caravan lights... IF the caravan has LEDs you'll need to fit load resistors to fool the system and draw enough current.

The trailer board will have had 21W incandescent lamps of course, so the 'fault' wouldn't be present.

NB if too much current were drawn by four 21W lights on the trailer it would more likely blow a fuse in the module than throw up the fault?

[mgibso28]

its a bailey Pegasus. the other caravan was a bailey unicorn. neither caravans have led lights. when you first apply the breaks the 4 rear caravan lights come on and then immediately go off, I then get the brake bulb fail message on dash board cluster.

[Rod_FOC]

Hmmm ... that's 4x21W brake lamps as a load on the module (84W or 7 amps)...

Now I suppose Ford might assume a lower figure for any trailer... and have an electronic overload cutout rather than a fuse to blow... and then the car detects no current flow on the trailer brake lights...

Other caravans have high level brake lights but at lower wattage (Swift).

Looks like I'll have to get my caravan out and connect up to my Galaxy to test the factory fit install on my P2 caravan... (and hope it doesn't do the same).

It may be worth trying it with the two high level lamps removed to see what happens... and consider some alternatives if that fixes it? Although it may also be worth discussing with your supplying dealership as to whether the Kuga's trailer system is rated adequately?

[Rod_FOC]

UPDATE: I have now had my Bailey Pegasus 2 joined up to my 2013 (63 plate) Galaxy Titanium X with factory fit retractable towbar and trailer module... It is perfectly happy with the caravan having four 21W brake lights. No problems at all.

My last 09 plate Galaxy was also happy with my Pegasus 2 4x21W brake lamps. That was a Bosal removable with dedicated, but non-Ford branded wiring kit.

Was the towbar/electric factory fitted or fitted at the dealer's? If factory fit then a call (or write) to Technical to enquire why having a caravan with four brake lamps breaks your Kuga while my Galaxy is OK with the same might elicit some help or advice?

{Some dealers will actually farm towbar work out to specialist towbar companies and then they may or may not use Ford's own trailer modules, even if using special wiring kits that plug into the existing wiring sockets. If they have done that then I'd go back and complain it is not right as Bailey are one of the major caravan makers and have used 4x21W brake lamps for many years.}

[kittykuga]

FIXED: Same problem with Kuga 2015 and Bailey Pegassus 2012 with 4 brake lights, normal bulbs (not LED). Caravan spec says top two bulbs should be 5W but were in fact 21W. It seems the Kuga detects this as an overload, cuts them off after the briefest of flashes and flags up a bulb fault. We replaced the top two bulbs with 5W and this resolved the problem.

[Mervyn Beal]

I have got a Kuga ST line 2017 and got a similar problem with the caravan fog lights flashing on and off. Tried another make of vehicle and caravan lights ok. Connected my Kuga to another make of caravan and same problem so fault on Kuga electrics. Ford dealer connected trailer board to test lights and they work ok.

[Jethro_Tull]

As bulbs age their resistance changes, and differences between bulbs can be sufficient to cause sensitive CAN systems to sulk.  Replace all the bulbs in the caravan with new bulbs of the same make from the same supplier - that cured a similar problem with my motorbike trailer on Mrs Tull's old CRV.