Ford Transit Custom 2017 LED's trailer fault

WJL

Feb 1, 2023
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Has anyone come across the fault with Ford transit custom 2017/18 models, that will not allow you to run LED's on a trailer/ caravan?



I had to go to the Ford main dealer recently as lost all power socket on vehicle, when they fixed it 280euros later, they had on the invoice- do not use LED trailer or caravan etc This model of van have known fault with running led's,



The towbar system was factory fitted unit which in my eyes should run LED's , and my previous van was same model but 2014 and ran LED's no problem, and LED's are on everything now, you can not buy a trailer or caravan new without LED's, why can i not run them?



I have tried the bypass plug in thingy and the fault still shows up,

does anyone have a solution,?



I would use my car transport trailer during the year a lot as i do circuit racing with my Fiesta ST150, so need the trailer,



Ford have not and are not helpful at all as they said for me to change my trailer to ordinary bulb lights?????

how is that a solution- ford should be doing more for their customers, not trying to turn them away.



please help
 
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Reactions: Hutch
Nov 30, 2022
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Anything in the handbook about not using an LED equipped trailer??

If not then I would be strongly disputing the bill you had because, as you say, just about everything has LED lights now. Not fot for purpose springs to mind.,
 
Jun 6, 2006
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I think any good auto electrician worth their salt would come up with a solution. I would think it would be something like install resisters in the towing wiring. This would be fairly much the same principle as the VLM modules that Sargent made/make for Swift caravans with LED lights.
 

WJL

Feb 1, 2023
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I think any good auto electrician worth their salt would come up with a solution. I would think it would be something like install resisters in the towing wiring. This would be fairly much the same principle as the VLM modules that Sargent made/make for Swift caravans with LED lights.

I have had an auto electrician look at it, they both said it needs to have a bypass box fitted, which is basically the resisters etc, its a box with resisters, and a socket on it, the other side has a lead to plug into the van socket, the socket on the box is then used to plug trailer/ caravan into, this is supposed to fix the problem, however this does not resolve it, and had second auto electrician look at it in a trailer centre, tried with new trailers, and the same issue arose, on the dash of the van it shows a brake light fault, then after using the trailer/ caravan with LED's next time to plug in there is no power, Ford will not tell me what they had to repair, so i' at a loss atm.
 

WJL

Feb 1, 2023
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Anything in the handbook about not using an LED equipped trailer??

If not then I would be strongly disputing the bill you had because, as you say, just about everything has LED lights now. Not fot for purpose springs to mind.,


Mmm, I tried that, they did not want to know, and have not responded to emails or phone calls, my next port of call is to contact Ford (GMC) direct about the fault to see what they would do, although this will be going above the local dealer, and i don't want to P...s them off either
 

WJL

Feb 1, 2023
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Mmm, I tried that, they did not want to know, and have not responded to emails or phone calls, my next port of call is to contact Ford (GMC) direct about the fault to see what they would do, although this will be going above the local dealer, and i don't want to P...s them off either
Nothing in handbook, I was on to Ford direct instead of dealer this morning, they are going to log the fault and start the process to try and get it resolved, could be a long road,
 
May 7, 2012
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I would think most towbar fitters will be aware of this problem on several makes and hopefully know the answer.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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.... Ford will not tell me what they had to repair, so i' at a loss atm.
I have come across this type of high handed intransigence from car manufacturers before. I don't have a solution.

But my experience goes back to the early 2000's when I purchased an ex-demo model (not Ford), paid for it in full, so it was my property not theirs. During a scheduled service they carried out a service modification. I asked what they had actually done, and pointblank they refused to tell me.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I have come across this type of high handed intransigence from car manufacturers before. I don't have a solution.

But my experience goes back to the early 2000's when I purchased an ex-demo model (not Ford), paid for it in full, so it was my property not theirs. During a scheduled service they carried out a service modification. I asked what they had actually done, and pointblank they refused to tell me.

To be fair I think they may have been referring to the Ford dealership and not the manufacturer?
 
Jun 6, 2006
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I have had an auto electrician look at it, they both said it needs to have a bypass box fitted, which is basically the resisters etc, its a box with resisters, and a socket on it, the other side has a lead to plug into the van socket, the socket on the box is then used to plug trailer/ caravan into, this is supposed to fix the problem, however this does not resolve it, and had second auto electrician look at it in a trailer centre, tried with new trailers, and the same issue arose, on the dash of the van it shows a brake light fault, then after using the trailer/ caravan with LED's next time to plug in there is no power, Ford will not tell me what they had to repair, so i' at a loss atm.
Oh I see, the box idea would basically the same as a VLM box idea that Sargent use for the Swift caravans as they use LED lights as well.

I guess you are looking for something that uses just the van with no extra boxes 🤔
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Exactly why I will never buy another Ford, Last one kept going wrong, local supplying dealer had it for over a month, didn't fix it, previous one caught fire, with factory fitted wiring fault under bonnet.
 

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