My 02 FF doesn’t want to communicate with the Swifts lighting - the indicators flash rapidly. Swifts answer is to order a vehicle lighting module to fit in the caravan to regulate the voltage. Trouble is, they don’t know which one I need.

I’ve been to my local Swift dealer who has a test box but none of the VLMs he tried worked. He was one short though so he’s ordered it to see if that’s the one.

Anyone else own a newish Swift or Sterling and had this problem?

My camper trailer had led lights and I gave up with them, fitted old-school lamps instead. I read there is an interface that goes in between the trailer plug and car which resolves the problem, also read that the bulb out testing on the car can be switched off via diagnostics. Just to much $$$ and aggro for me so swapped the lamps
Here is a link to the adapter, if you are tempted check they can supply to UK spec as Aus is wired differently.

http://www.smartlogicelectrical.com.au/ 2007 TDV8 VSE
2003 TD6 gone.
2002 P38a gone
1999 P38a gone
1997 p38a gone
1993 VSE gone
1992 VSE gone
1966 Series 2a with V8 conversion gone

The problem is caused by the vehicle testing the 'bulbs' by giving it a very short pulse to see if theyre present and working. A normal bulb wont illuminate with the short duration pulse but an LED will. The modules have either a small resistor / capacitor network which slows the voltage rise at the trailer bulb or a timer circuit. I built my own using a handful of component putting a timer on each channel affected. The timer swuitches on it's output after 1/10 of a second, the short pulses are ignored. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

This is the module that Swift say you need. Trouble is, there are around 8 different types.

Why are car manufacturers so obsessed with testing bulbs?

Sure, test it when I turn it on. then maybe every so often when it is on.. but why spend all the time the car is running testing the flaming bulbs! It is a ridiculous system and totally unnecessary.. Do bulbs fail so frequently that you need to test them every other minute?

On the other side of this though, how many people do you see driving around with lights not working? Surely now the car tells them there is no excuse..

I couldnt agree more, if I'd been doing the programming I would have tested the bulbs at startup and then when theyre used. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

Can the bulb test be turned off with IID tool?

I've just looked through the manual and I cant see it as a feature in there. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

hot and cold bulb monitoring can be switched off with the iidtool...

OK so not sure on the terminology here.. what are hot and cold? While lights are on and while off?

And where on the IID is that? There always seem to be so many options I am never sure where to look!

Thanks!

Its not in the manual, I havent looked on the car yet. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

@sandy, its in the LCM ...cold is on start up and hot whilst engine running...

@AJ, i cant see it on the gap functionality menu but i'm sure its do-a-ble cos i've done mine...

I'll have a look later, might be useful to be able to defeat it. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6

I can only find cold monitoring in mine. I went into LCM and scrolled through and set every one to “no”. I’ll try it again when I get to the van

I would have thought cold monitoring was the one, it will be feeding the pulses without illuminating a normal buld and can therefore show failure without the lamp being lit. Does it specifiy which lamps or is itglobal on/off? Im just wondering if it is configured for the trailer lights. BMW i3 Electric Car
2012 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8 (now gone)
2006 VW Touareg 3.0 TDi V6