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Subject Topic: no trailer lights with tailgate open
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Persongibbsy65
23/4/2013 at 5:43pm
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I have just had a towbar fitted to my Vauxhall Insignia estate and have realised that the trailer lights dont work with the tailgate open. The fitter has explained that when the tailgate is open the main rear lights turn off and a small set of lights inside the boot come on. This sort of makes sense but what if i need to open the boot at the side of the road at night eg a puncture.

Anyone experienced this?


PersonOpensauce
23/4/2013 at 7:33pm
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Was proper car specific wiring loom used? If not theres probably your problem. If towbar was main dealer fitted using Vauxhal supplied parts or fitter was main dealer approved then its a warranty issue but either way, don't let fitter fob you off.


Persongibbsy65
23/4/2013 at 7:41pm
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its not a dealer fit, a witter towbar with a generic wiring kit.


PersonOpensauce
23/4/2013 at 7:50pm
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By generic wiring do you mean vehicle specific or universal? price difference is well over £100. If you went for cheapest then I guess universal was used. I'm sure fitter could scotchlock in some extra wiring to correct the problem.


PersonThekilpins
23/4/2013 at 9:55pm
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If when opening the boot the lights turn off, before the kit was fitted, I would imagin that its normal.
If the main rear lights are switched off by a switch when opening the boot, I would imaging that's how it is supposed to be, maybe pop it into a dealer for advice?
Some of my lights turn off when the boot is opened, I have never observed the trailer board so wouldn't know if that happens on my car, ours was a VW fitted part, fitted before delivery.


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PersonGrampian91
24/4/2013 at 4:02pm
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Sounds like it needs a 2nd set of wiring taken from the boot mounted lights.

Would the dedicated loom solve that though?


Persondad1uk
25/4/2013 at 6:53am
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Needs a wire linking for the tail lights at a minimum for safety reasons and really indicators for hazard lights. May be worth getting proper fitting kit which will probably be wired into the harness before the tailgate split.

-------------
Jan and Simon and Jet and Amber


PersonDaveCoaches
26/4/2013 at 12:36pm
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A cheap option is to connect the sidelight wire in the caravan plug to the 12 volt supply from the car instead so the sidelights come on when hitched up regardless. Which wires you swap depends on whether you have 13 or twin 7 pin electrics.



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