Trailer "intelligence" + lighted hitch step (or cover)

[DavidR]

I just moved a trailer hitch step from our old truck to the new Ranger (with factory tow package). The step has LED lights that are designed to work as an extra set of tail and brake lights when plugged into the truck's trailer wiring.

Well, this truck has a lot more intelligence and diagnostics than the old one. I instantly got messages about a trailer being attached, and the trailer's right turn signal being faulty (the hitch step has no turn signals, so I guess that's not surprising, but for some reason the truck is only complaining about the right-hand one). Also, various rear driver assist functions are automatically disabled due to the assumed presence of a trailer, despite there not actually being one. In addition, auto start-stop is disabled, which some people might actually like, but it could annoy people who do like auto start-stop.

What's worse is that the error about the malfunctioning right turn signal is posted repeatedly and must be manually dismissed each time.

Anyway, this is all no big deal, it's more just amusing. I just unplugged it and it's now a non-lit hitch step - no big loss. But if anyone is specifically looking for a lit hitch cover that plugs into the trailer wiring, be aware it can cause unexpected issues due to the extra intelligence built into the tow package.

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[P. A. Schilke]

Hi David

Easy fix for you to have your lighted step back working. Go to your left set of steering wheel buttons and select Driver Aids Then Select Blind Spot Indicator Light You will see a setting for Trailer A, B, C. Select Trailer A and answer the questions. Then select Trailer length and arrow down to the 3ft length. Make sure Trailer A is selected and your step lights will again work. It may be slightly different for your setup if it has a 7 pin connector, but your owner's manual will cover this in the Driving Aids section of the manual

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

 

[DavidR]

@P. A. Schilke , thanks for the tip, I'll try it. I did read through the towing section of the manual, especially since the most annoying issue was the recurring messages about malfunctioning right-side turn signals, but didn't check the driving aids section.

Hi David

Easy fix for you to have your lighted step back working. Go to your left set of steering wheel buttons and select Driver Aids Then Select Blind Spot Indicator Light You will see a setting for Trailer A, B, C. Select Trailer A and answer the questions. Then select Trailer length and arrow down to the 3ft length. Make sure Trailer A is selected and your step lights will again work. It may be slightly different for your setup if it has a 7 pin connector, but your owner's manual will cover this in the Driving Aids section of the manual

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

 

[DavidR]

Setting the trailer length worked to avoid the messages about the rear driver assist, but unfortunately, the errors about faulty turn signal lamps remains. The lack of turn signal lamps in the hitch step must be getting detected as a burned out lamp by the system. Maybe some more modern lighted hitch covers anticipate this and do a better job of electrically simulating the presence of turn lamps..?..

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Setting the trailer length worked to avoid the messages about the rear driver assist, but unfortunately, the errors about faulty turn signal lamps remains. The lack of turn signal lamps in the hitch step must be getting detected as a burned out lamp by the system. Maybe some more modern lighted hitch covers anticipate this and do a better job of electrically simulating the presence of turn lamps..?..

Hi David,

Yep...I think you are correct about the T/S bulb missing from the trailer.... Maybe a small resistor bridging the Yellow and ground would solve that problem? Just a thought. Would be about 4 or 5 ohms. E=IR...Volts= Current X resistance.

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

 

[DavidR]

Thanks for pointing that out. I was just starting to think of something along those lines. The lighted step uses a 4-pin connector.

I'm wondering if there might even be ready-made adapters you can get that do that.

One interesting thing I noticed when I had it plugged in is that the turn signal relay ran much faster than normal for right turns and a bit slower than normal for left turns. Somehow, the truck senses a load for the green wire, but not for the yellow one. Since that seems kind of strange, I'm thinking I should clean the contacts and try it again. Maybe the step actually has resistors in it but the yellow connection wasn't making good contact. I'll post back if that works.

Hi David,

Yep...I think you are correct about the T/S bulb missing from the trailer.... Maybe a small resistor bridging the Yellow and ground would solve that problem? Just a thought. Would be about 4 or 5 ohms. E=IR...Volts= Current X resistance.

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

 

[DavidR]

I cleaned the contacts and now the behavior is more consistent but still not good. The LEDs light up fine as a tail light, but I now get intermittent messages about "failures" of both L and R turn signal lamps, and I also get intermittent messages about the trailer connecting and disconnecting.

My hunch at this point is that the load being presented by the LEDs in the step are just not compatible with the truck's sensing methods for normal trailer connections. It may be solvable by resistors, possibly on all 3 lines (L, R, and tail). When I get a chance, I can play around with that, but may not get to it for a bit. For now I'll just use it with no lights.

Thanks for all the suggestions, though!

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