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JoaoPintoReis



Member Since: 23 Apr 2015
Location: Portugal
Posts: 90

Portugal 
Towbar relay bypass

Hello!
I have a Freelander 2, from 2007.
I want to install a towbar to use my bike carrier.
It has only red tail lights and side lights.
Do i need to install a relay bypass?
I will be waiting for your opinions.
Regards
Joao Reis

Post #272947 17th Aug 2015 12:50 pm
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Joe



Member Since: 07 Dec 2014
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 271

United Kingdom 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto Stornoway Grey

Hi Joao,
Do you mean the towing module which will comunicate with the car to disable parking sensors, illuminate trailor light on dash when indicating etc.
If so and you are not bothered about above you may just splice into your rear lights and connect your socket to this giving you brake lights, night lights and reverse on your bike carrier.
A relay is usually used to control power going to the sockets (to prevent car battery drain mostly in caravan running fridges etc.)

Joe Fix it until it's broke !

Post #272966 17th Aug 2015 3:29 pm
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JoaoPintoReis



Member Since: 23 Apr 2015
Location: Portugal
Posts: 90

Portugal 

Hello Joe.
Thanks for your info!
So, from what i understand from what you said, i can use without bypass relay, because that things you said above doen't affect me.
It is really just to the bike carrier and not every weekends.
Thanks

Post #272968 17th Aug 2015 4:04 pm
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Jonathan26



Member Since: 11 May 2013
Location: Manchester
Posts: 71

United Kingdom 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Caspian Blue

No Joe, I suspect what the OP means is a bypass relay, separate from the split charge relay.
A bypass relay is generally required on modern cars if you intend to splice into the wires going to the light clusters as feeds for your 12N socket. Modern cars can detect an additional drain when say, the trailer brake lights operate. All sorts of things can then show up on the car dashboard. A bypass relay has a hefty 12V direct supply to it, the lights on the trailer then use current from this rather than the car light clusters. The car light clusters are still spliced into but only provide the bypass relay with a "signal" amount of power (milli or micro amps).
It can't hurt to fit one - better still would be a dedicated 12V electrics kit - even for the 12N. FL2 2007 57 GS
D2 2005 Td5 - gone and not missed
FL1 2005 Td4 - gone and missed

Post #272972 17th Aug 2015 5:32 pm
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JoaoPintoReis



Member Since: 23 Apr 2015
Location: Portugal
Posts: 90

Portugal 

"Bypass relays
Bypass relays are required on vehicles with a bulb failure system and vehicles with Multiplex/CanBus wiring."

So, in FL2, do they have bulb failure system?
Is it realy necessary because of this?

Post #273332 21st Aug 2015 6:13 pm
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seagull1



Member Since: 23 Jan 2011
Location: Loughborough
Posts: 321

United Kingdom 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Auto Sumatra Black

FL2 does not have lamp failure but it is a can-bus system.

Richard FL2 07 TD4 GS Auto
Ex 02 TD4 Auto

Post #273343 21st Aug 2015 8:24 pm
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JoaoPintoReis



Member Since: 23 Apr 2015
Location: Portugal
Posts: 90

Portugal 

But is it can bus system in the headlights and/or the tail lights?

Post #273351 21st Aug 2015 8:59 pm
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ReggiePerrin



Member Since: 13 Mar 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1247

England 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Lux Auto Firenze Red

Why would you want to cut into your your existing wiring with scotchloks and plasic tape etc. when you can get a dedicated seven pin (almost plug & play) kit for your FL2?

I have 13pin LR electrics which I use for my caravan and with a small plug in 13 pin to 7 adapter (no wires) I tow my little Erde 102 utility trailer.

Fitting was a simple diy job and as with my last car, tow bar and electrics taken off and either reused or sold on.

Post #273356 21st Aug 2015 11:09 pm
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RichP



Member Since: 21 Sep 2014
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 1369

United Kingdom 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Manual Tambora Flame

As above, you can buy kits which are plug and play as LR have provided plugs/sockets within the rear of the car. Really easy and under an hour to do the electrics on their own including removing/reinstating panels.

Post #273361 22nd Aug 2015 7:21 am
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wjohnm



Member Since: 10 May 2014
Location: Glos
Posts: 84

United Kingdom 2011 Freelander 2 TD4 S Manual Sumatra Black

Need to be careful about saying plug and play as our 11my is not. Needs LR dealer activation at £50. Later ones I believe are. FL2 11 S Black 😂
Gone Disco2 TD5 GS

Post #273383 22nd Aug 2015 12:47 pm
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ReggiePerrin



Member Since: 13 Mar 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1247

England 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Lux Auto Firenze Red

wjohnm, note my comment from a couple of posts before yours...

"you can get a dedicated seven pin (almost plug & play) kit for your FL"

All FL2s have simple and 'DIYable' plug in tow bar electrics. Cars up to MY11 need dealer (or Indie) activation and cars from MY12 are properly plug and play.

Spending a few ££s on activation and knowing that everything will work as designed is probably better than breaking into the car harness etc. with bypass relay, split charge relay and turn light beepers. I know which way I'd go (having had both pre and post MY12 cars with dedicated electrics).

Post #273413 22nd Aug 2015 8:33 pm
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RichP



Member Since: 21 Sep 2014
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 1369

United Kingdom 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Manual Tambora Flame

Sorry guys OP relates to a 2007, which is the same year as mine and they are plug and play as I have fitted one myself. If you want it to deactivate the parking sensors then you need to get it programmed but for all other functions, it is plug and play.

Post #273416 22nd Aug 2015 8:49 pm
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Badger51



Member Since: 01 Mar 2014
Location: Coffs Harbour
Posts: 919

Australia 

Removed a bypass setup last weekend & installed the genuine LR system. I reckon, there was about 40' of wiring that I removed + the relays. Most of it cable tied to the brake lines on the underside of the vehicle! The genuine one is so much tidier & less intrusive IMHO. It works out of the box as far as the lights are concerned, just need to edit the CCF for the rear parking sensors now. (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Post #273436 22nd Aug 2015 10:11 pm
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JoaoPintoReis



Member Since: 23 Apr 2015
Location: Portugal
Posts: 90

Portugal 

Is the bypass just this?







[/img]

Post #273551 24th Aug 2015 11:36 am
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Badger51



Member Since: 01 Mar 2014
Location: Coffs Harbour
Posts: 919

Australia 

Pretty hard to tell from those diagrams. When I get a chance, I'll take some pictures of what I removed & post them. (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Post #273642 25th Aug 2015 8:50 am
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