Member Since: 26 May 2009
Location: wiltshire
Posts: 74
Towing electrics shorting out
My D3 towing electrics have decided that they are going to short out somewhere behind the plug and I can't see where! I plugged in one of my trailers on saturday to discover that a fuse was blown on the trailer electrics board in the back of the D3, so i replaced it with one of the same size (10amp) and the side light appeared to work untill I could smell burning and smoke started to come out from behind the socket!
I pulled the fuse back out and have since tried plugging in another trailer and the same thing happened.
Has anyone had a similar issue? or know of anywhere that the wiring could rub on the chassis?
I tow nearly every day and the electrics were landrover fitted when it was new- 5 years ago and they have been fine since!
Any ideas?
It could be the socket on the D3. Most likely corroded terminals or water ingress into the back of the socket or by failure of the rubber seal on the sprung flap. Only other possible is the left hand swinging weight may have chafed the cable?
Oh Lord! send down a dove, with wings as sharp as razors.
To cut the throats of men, that sell bad beer to sailors.
VIN 138A476***
7th Feb 2011 2:48 pm
hughes_jh
Member Since: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 294
Wired in my own electrics at the weekend and as Old Sailor says, the swinging weight is definitely a guilty looking culprit.
7th Feb 2011 3:50 pm
nelly13
Member Since: 26 May 2009
Location: wiltshire
Posts: 74
Took the sockets off the D3 this afternoon and this is what I found
This is the back of the left socket and the permanent battery live has almost completely burnt out!
Turns out that the fuse for the sidelights had nothing to do with it and this shorting hadn't blown the battery live fuse and it caught fire while I was taking the socket off!!!
Lucky it didn't decide to do this before or it could have been nasty.
I have now pulled the fuse and disconnected the wiring from the plug above the swinging weight, need a new cable and socket now!
That looks nasty Nelly. Glad you discovered that before your D3 became toast. Run silent, run deep!! HM Submarines Conqueror, Churchill, Renown, Ocelot, Porpoise, Onslaught.
Oh Lord! send down a dove, with wings as sharp as razors.
To cut the throats of men, that sell bad beer to sailors.
VIN 138A476***
7th Feb 2011 8:07 pm
SHARKYSHARKS
Member Since: 20 Dec 2008
Location: Saddleworth Oldham
Posts: 1954
I wonder why it isn't fused or is it Just re read it but surely the fuse should have blown before it got to that stage MY18 D5 HSE LUX😎
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7th Feb 2011 8:14 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
is it the white or black socket your after ?G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
7th Feb 2011 8:28 pm
nelly13
Member Since: 26 May 2009
Location: wiltshire
Posts: 74
wiggs wrote:
is it the white or black socket your after ?
I will be after the white socket, Only the first section of wiring to the first plug. The patr number on the cable is YMZ500800A MOD A Trailer link, The outer socket and seal are fine.
The worrying part is that this socket has never been used since it was fitted and it was fitted by landrover!
7th Feb 2011 9:55 pm
nelly13
Member Since: 26 May 2009
Location: wiltshire
Posts: 74
SHARKYSHARKS wrote:
but surely the fuse should have blown before it got to that stage
I thought that too and it is only a 15 amp fuse.
7th Feb 2011 9:57 pm
NickJ
Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: there's no f in point
Posts: 2137
A slow blow fuse is likely to have fusing factor of around 2, so will need 30 amps to rupture it
7th Feb 2011 10:19 pm
chrisbowler
Member Since: 30 Jan 2009
Location: UK WALES
Posts: 176
I had the same problem last year - put a trailer on the vehicle and saw side lights were out - checked fuses and replaced the blown ones. Went to pull away and got the DBCTE - (DASH BOARD CHRISTMAS TREE EFFECT)
Better still went to turn car off and took key out when I smelt burning and car carried on running with key in hand!!!!!!!!!!!
Turned out to be the white socket had BBQed itself and caused battery voltage to back feed ign circuits.
Luckaliy I do not have a caravan so have disabled the white socket and not had problem since.
Chris BowlerChris Bowler
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8th Feb 2011 8:24 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
nelly13 wrote:
wiggs wrote:
is it the white or black socket your after ?
I will be after the white socket, Only the first section of wiring to the first plug. The patr number on the cable is YMZ500800A MOD A Trailer link, The outer socket and seal are fine.
The worrying part is that this socket has never been used since it was fitted and it was fitted by landrover!
I have one here you can have if you like ..iv never used it ( only fitted the black as I have a home made trailer connector on the other side ) it looks in good condition
Send me your address if you want it and I will post it outG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
8th Feb 2011 8:38 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Did you ever get the towing socket i sent ?G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
25th Feb 2011 11:54 am
wvlenthe
Member Since: 07 Jan 2009
Location: Arnhem
Posts: 1967
Can anybod tell me if the lid which should close over the towing electrics when not used is available separately? It is not the bumper thing I'm after but the small round lid covering the actual plug. Mine has broken off and the plug looks quite corroded now.
FWIW, I have a single plug on the right when seen from behind.
regards,
WiljoD3 V8 HSE Auto in Zermatt silver - driveway version gone but not forgotten, only the living room cupboard version remains
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and smoke started to come out from behind the socket! 
but surely the fuse should have blown before it got to that stage 
