Timed power cutoff to supplemental braking system when towing Ranger??

Birddogman

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This is my first post here. I purchased a Ranger Lariat last June. In addition to use for daily transportation, hunting and around my property, I bought it to replace the older truck that I used to flat-tow behind my diesel pusher motorhome. I've been very happy with the Ranger so far and it has earned its keep in some really difficult off-road situations. A blizzard in September in Montana:

48871654627_b7babc1f1e_h.jpg


My partner, Nancy, our dogs and I travel all over the country hunting upland birds in remote wilderness places.

48767466126_1e50c22703_h.jpg


48867228228_732379502f_h.jpg


When towing the truck, I put it in tow mode through "settings" and then turn everything off. The lights on the truck are powered by its connection to the motorhome, including brake lights, turn signals, etc.

We use a supplemental braking system for the truck that is powered by plugging the brake system into the 12V outlet (cigarette lighter) of the truck. We have discovered that the truck automatically shuts off power to the 12V outlet after about one hour. Suddenly no brakes for the truck. I have to pull off into a safe parking area and reset everything in the truck to get another hour of working brakes. It is often not simply possible to find a safe place to pull off in the big rig and I end-up driving long distances without truck brakes.

This is obviously some sort of software issue and should be easily remedied by a minor change to the software to allow the power outlets to stay on for longer - say three or four hours. I can't seem to get any help from a dealer on this - maybe a safety policy issue?

Any suggestions as to how I can defeat the automatic 12V power outlet shut-off??

Thank you in advance,

Greg
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P. A. Schilke

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This is my first post here. I purchased a Ranger Lariat last June. In addition to use for daily transportation, hunting and around my property, I bought it to replace the older truck that I used to flat-tow behind my diesel pusher motorhome. I've been very happy with the Ranger so far and it has earned its keep in some really difficult off-road situations. A blizzard in September in Montana:

48871654627_b7babc1f1e_h.jpg


My partner, Nancy, our dogs and I travel all over the country hunting upland birds in remote wilderness places.

48767466126_1e50c22703_h.jpg


48867228228_732379502f_h.jpg


When towing the truck, I put it in tow mode through "settings" and then turn everything off. The lights on the truck are powered by its connection to the motorhome, including brake lights, turn signals, etc.

We use a supplemental braking system for the truck that is powered by plugging the brake system into the 12V outlet (cigarette lighter) of the truck. We have discovered that the truck automatically shuts off power to the 12V outlet after about one hour. Suddenly no brakes for the truck. I have to pull off into a safe parking area and reset everything in the truck to get another hour of working brakes. It is often not simply possible to find a safe place to pull off in the big rig and I end-up driving long distances without truck brakes.

This is obviously some sort of software issue and should be easily remedied by a minor change to the software to allow the power outlets to stay on for longer - say three or four hours. I can't seem to get any help from a dealer on this - maybe a safety policy issue?

Any suggestions as to how I can defeat the automatic 12V power outlet shut-off??

Thank you in advance,

Greg
Hi Greg,

I faced this problem too. I installed my wiring to the Ranger taillights like you did...worked well. However the aux brake in the Ranger foot well problem after two hours was on my mind, so I fixed this by installing a second fused cable off the battery to a cigar lighter plug under the drivers seat. So no worries about the 2 hour limit. After the install we took a 2000 mile trip without any problems. Probably not the only solution but worked for us with our 40ft Alfa Motor home...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 
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Birddogman

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Thank you for the response, Phil! From your signature, I'm guessing that you are more than a little bit knowledgeable about Ford Ranger issues.

Your recommended solution is certainly simple and straightforward. I could easily have my mechanic (I have zero mechanical skills, sadly) install such a work-around. In my experience, simple is good in a vehicle that is subjected to harsh conditions in remote places.

That said, it seems to this mechanically ignorant, non-engineer that this HAS to be a software issue. Somebody somewhere in the Ranger design team must have decided that after an hour (or so), power should be cut off to the 12V outlet to keep the vehicle's battery from running down if someone unintentionally left a power-drawing device plugged in. A valid choice for normal truck use, but not so much for towing. In my ignorance, I would think that decision could easily be modified in the software by someone who knows how - to decide, instead, that the 12V outlet power should be left on for, say, three or four hours (which happens to be about as long as I drive the big motorhome without stopping for a break).

A couple of gratuitous hunting pics to keep everyone's interest. Nancy and the dogs in front of the new Ranger with her first sharptail grouse of the year:

48703276861_70dce10da3_h.jpg


Finding the missing Ranger out in the vast high prairie at the end of an exhausting 15 mile day with a snow storm quickly blowing in = priceless:

48871457441_095afd07e6_h.jpg


Thanks again, Phil!

Greg
 

VAMike

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In my ignorance, I would think that decision could easily be modified in the software
There's no such thing as an easy software change in a car from a traditional manufacturer. (Tesla is a bit different.) It's a line of code, and two years worth of testing and approvals.
 

RedlandRanger

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There's no such thing as an easy software change in a car from a traditional manufacturer. (Tesla is a bit different.) It's a line of code, and two years worth of testing and approvals.
Given the importance of software in cars these days, I would rather have it that way than just "shove it out the door - we will fix it later".
 


dmeyer302

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Installing the new power outlet should be a 30 minute job for someone skilled. If you were closer, I'd do it for you.

Looks like you're using the truck like you're "supposed" to. Enjoy!
 

VAMike

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Given the importance of software in cars these days, I would rather have it that way than just "shove it out the door - we will fix it later".
Sadly, it's not clear that all the process makes it better. :(
 

RedlandRanger

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Sadly, it's not clear that all the process makes it better. :(
Granted, but at least there is attempt made to make it right.
 

Robert Allinson

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I would agree, the software doesn't give much heed to the car. Tesla has been working on it for so long, you can say they kinda proficient in that specific domain. To revolutionize the manual thinking, they chose to opt software. But they still do rely on manual actions.
 

J Haggerty (RADAR1)

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Is it confirmed that the 12 volt outlets actually shut off after 1 or 2 hours?
I'm used to leaving my GPS plugged into the outlet, and it shuts down in my other cars as soon as I remove the key. I was surprised the other night when I came out to the Ranger and saw the GPS was still lit up. If it automatically shuts down then at least I could rest knowing that my battery won't be drained if I accidentally leave it plugged in.
 
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Birddogman

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Is it confirmed that the 12 volt outlets actually shut off after 1 or 2 hours?
I'm used to leaving my GPS plugged into the outlet, and it shuts down in my other cars as soon as I remove the key. I was surprised the other night when I came out to the Ranger and saw the GPS was still lit up. If it automatically shuts down then at least I could rest knowing that my battery won't be drained if I accidentally leave it plugged in.

Dunno, but I can tell you that the 12V power outlet on my Ranger shuts down EVERY TIME after about one hour. The braking system has an active monitor in the MH and I can see when the brake in the truck has shut down,.

9-20-19 - Montana road block.jpg
 

J Haggerty (RADAR1)

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Dunno, but I can tell you that the 12V power outlet on my Ranger shuts down EVERY TIME after about one hour. The braking system has an active monitor in the MH and I can see when the brake in the truck has shut down,.

9-20-19 - Montana road block.jpg
Thanks, if it shuts down after an hour I won't have to worry about running the battery down too much if I leave the GPS plugged in then.
Those cows in your photo sure seem to be admiring your Ranger! :)
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