Hilux Relay- Indicators

[rinkhals68]

When I bought my Hilux 3.0D 4x4 D/C in 2010 (new) I asked the dealership to fit a towbar as "additional extras".

Although I hardly ever tow anything (I prefer the roof-top tent option), I did notice on the first occasion that my hazards wasn't working. I thought it might have been a wiring issue with the trailer I borrowed from a friend and sort of ignored it. When the same thing happened later on (this time a different trailer), I realised the fault might be with my bakkie's electrical socket's wiring.

I asked Fourways Toyota to check it out and big was my surprise when they told me there was nothing wrong with the wiring, the problem is with the relay- it doesn't have the capacity to accommodate the "extra" load coming from the trailer when the hazards are used!

I asked them why the vehicle was delivered to me with a relay that can’t do the job it is suppose to do- but they said I need to take this up with Worcester Toyota where I bought the vehicle. Needles to say- no one wants to take responsibility and I am very disappointed in the Toyota dealer network for not sorting this out when fitting after-market accessories. Surely if you fit a towbar you are planning on using it (at same stage) and therefore expect for everything to be in working order!

Fourways Toyota did offer to "upgrade" the relay at a cost of more than R800, but that that just felt excessive for something that should have been sorted the day the towbar got installed.

Seeing that Toyota dealerships don’t want to play ball and fix what I believe is extreme negligence on their side, I want to know if anyone of my fellow Hiluxers have a (Cost effective) solution?

Much appreciated.

Dries aka Rinkhals

[subok]

Dries, try replacing some or all of the bulbs with LEDs.

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[pietpetoors]

it doesn't have the capacity to accommodate the "extra" load coming from the trailer when the hazards are used!

First time I hear that. Can it be true? Extra load, two extra globes?
Maybe remove two of the vehicle's indicator globes , connect the trailer, put hazards on and see if it work. You mos then have the same number of globes as for only the vehicle

[Stef]

I'm with Pieter, sounds dodgy to me. Those relays can handle plenty current and if it was over worked, the contacts would have burned and nothing would work. The other question is why the fuse did not blow, surely the fuse should have then protected the relay as well if it is not up to the task?

Do the indicators work properly? The hazard relay only feeds power to the L & R indicator circuits simultaneously, so if they work then the wiring should be OK. Do the hazards work without a trailer connected?

I would have the wiring re-checked somewhere else...almost sounds like there is an earth missing or the wrong wire is earthed on the towbar side.

[pietpetoors]

Sounds like typical dealership jargon if they do not know what the problem is.

Like when I complained my Aygo's brakes are spongy, the reply was "it is because it has ABS"

[Mylux]

I've got a similar problem with my 2006 4.0L V6. On it's own everything works just fine. As soon as I hook up my caravan, the hazards dont work.
If you press the hazard switch, they only flash once then nothing after that. I've connected the caravan to another vehicle and it works fine.
I'm sure it has something to do with a poor wiring connection from the towbar into the vehicles' harness. I've checked the female plug and all looks ok there.
When I get a gap I will strip open all the wiring connections and start from scratch.
Luckily I'm towing with a Hilux so I don't need the hazards!

[Family_Dog]

The vehicle ECUs probably sense the extra load imposed upon it be the trailer lamps. Not difficult fix, if the ECUs cannot be reprogrammed to accept the higher load, THEN Led should not make too much of a difference. That being said, I don't know how much current these ultra-bright LEDs actually draw.

An alternative is to fit an additional relay for the trailer lights, with the relay coil being triggered by the existing tail lights.

-F_D

[pietpetoors]

Problem with fittings LEDs to the trailer is that he will be fixing the problem for that one trailer, but as soon as he hooks something else he still have a problem. So it is not the ideal solution.

Eric those super bright jobbies is 3watt, so that gives you 0.25A if I am not mistaken

[rinkhals68]

Guys, thanks for all the feedback and advice! What "Mylux" described is exactly the issue I have...everything works fine untill you hook the trailer.....everything on that trailer will work, bar the hazards....

Maybe I need to check "Toyota's" wiring!!! Any specific place I need to start the fault elimination process... :-)

[Jaans]

I had the same problem on my Hilux. Originally there was no problem. Then one a trip I noticed that the hazards does not work. After some time i realised it is after I fitted my replacement bumper. I disconnected the indicators on the replacement bumper and the problem was solved. I want to replace the standard globes with LED's and see what happens.

[subok]

Jaans, I came to the same conclusion. I bought Goldilocks with aftermarket bumpers front and rear. Hooking up any trailer causes the hazards to freeze. So when towing, I remove the globes in both bumpers and the problem goes away.
I think if it happens without any aftermarket bumpers there may be something wrong with the relay as stated.
Just wondering if Toyota is the only supplier of these relays? Perhaps there is a cheaper replacement?

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[Mylux]

Hi Dries, I have the same aftermarket front bumper. The TJM type. Perhaps the additional indicators are the cause of the problem.
When I get a chance I will remove the globes, hook up the caravan and test. LED globes may be the way to go.
Will let you know.
Regards
Greg

[pietpetoors]

If you change the globes in the aftermarket bumper it can work.
Just let me know whether it is the bayonet type or wedge type.

[Stef]

Guys, thanks for all the feedback and advice! What "Mylux" described is exactly the issue I have...everything works fine untill you hook the trailer.....everything on that trailer will work, bar the hazards....

Maybe I need to check "Toyota's" wiring!!! Any specific place I need to start the fault elimination process... :-)

Start with the towbar plug & where it is spliced into the main harness. If all OK there then they might be correct that is the relay (or rather, flasher unit).

After reading Subok's post about the lights "freezing" the penny dropped...it is not just a plain relay, but a thermal flasher. The description of relay operation in my earlier post would be true for a secondary hazard relay (like for the alarm system).

With the added lamps the resitance is lower, thus a higher current flow through the flasher which means that the bi-metal strip takes longer to cool down, which makes the lamps stay on longer ("freezing"). Why yours is not coming on at all I can't really explain....maybe the strip gets so hot that it bends too much (warps) and pulls the contact away...

Anyway, the best solution would be an electronic flasher; 2nd place would be an uprated thermal flasher that needs more current to flash, but a balancing act IMO.
One could go the LED route on he trailer, but would solve only for that trailer as mentioned above. Replacing some vehicle lamps with LED could make the lamps flash faster when trailer is not connected (unless you have additional lamps already in an after market bumper)

[rinkhals68]

Greg/ Stef,

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

Stef, any specific specs on that electronic flasher unit and where is the place to go looking for it….a Midas or somewhere a little more “exotic”? (I’m in Fourways).

Thanks again

[Stef]

Maybe check your local outlets, otherwise ask Hoppy, he organised one for Thys a while back for less than R50 IIRC.

[Stef]

Maybe something like this?

Flasher.JPG

(30.36 KiB) Downloaded 1803 times

[rinkhals68]

Stef,

Thanks- ek die naweek gaan soek!

[Mylux]

Hi Dries, The problem is definately the extra globes in the circuit from the aftermarket bumper. I removed the globes hooked up the van and all works as it should. I'm off to find led globes. I hope I can get orange led globes????? Alternatively a beefed up flasher relay that can handle the additional load.
Anyone know where I can get led globes. Thanks

[stephanvaneeden]

Hi Greg,

Het jy die probleem opgelos. Ek sit met dieselfde een.

[Mylux]

Hi Stephan,
Ja ek het regekom. Ek het Led globes by die TJM bumper se ligte ingesit en alles werk soos hy moet. Ook getoets met die karavaan opgekoppel en hy is reg.
Dit lyk vir my of die standard flasher unit net sterk genoeg is vir die standard globes en niks extra nie.
Verskoon my soutie afrikaans!
Hoop jy kom reg!

[stephanvaneeden]

Dankie Greg, sal gaan soek vir led's.

[Family_Dog]

Anybody know where the IFS flasher unit is mounted? Hound Dog's indicarors stopped working yesterday, fuse is fine (10A) and I doubtr that all four bulbs would have blown at once.


-F_D

[Family_Dog]

OK... problem solved. I went to listen to White Fang's flasher unit and the tick-tick comes from somewhere up the top of the right hand dash, behind the speedo. So I figured I would have to remove the instrument cluster to reach it.

But then I had a brainwave: Tried the fourway flasher button , and the flashers all worked. So not the flasher unit. Tried the indicators again - and they now also work!

Easy fix, don't know what caused this but I'm happy once again :)


-F_D

[Knuppel]

Have come across this a couple of times already. The hazard switch gets stuck in no mans land. Then when you use it again it will be fine. Usually happens when you use it to say thanks for the yellow lane drivers and then you dont depress the button all the way in to realeas it. It is the first thing I check when comming across a toyota vehicle with no indicators.

[Family_Dog]

No yellow lines between my home and the office (three blocks ;) ) but I did think this was strange after the 'Lux had been cleaned that morning. Makes sense - I guess he wiped the dash down and the Hazard switch was partly depressed. The indicators did work that morning on the way to work, at all three turns I made during the journey.

Good tip to remember, thanks!


-F_D

[KZTE Nut]

Hi Family Dog

Got the same issue with the indicators on my KZTE. None work till you let the hazards flash a few times then voila you have your indicators back ! I think it must be a contact within the hazard flasher unit that is not doing it's job.... quick fix :)

[Family_Dog]

Yep, sure beats stripping the dash! :)


-F_D

[subok]

My hazards have now stopped working even with the aftemarket bumber globes removed. How/where do I start looking for the relay? It may even be the switch itself.

[Family_Dog]

Most likely a fuse has blown when you had the extra bulbs in.


-F_D

[Mud Dog]

My hazards have now stopped working even with the aftemarket bumber globes removed. How/where do I start looking for the relay? It may even be the switch itself.

Don't know if the Vigo will have it in the same place as the SFA's, but on the SFA it's under the driver's side kick panel.

[subok]

Correction, that was tested in Jan 2016, but I tried it again and ..... the hazards are working again. The clue was that the hazard unit was working because the indicators were never faulty. The switch gave power to the hazard unit as it clicked once before stopping. So glad it's not a short or faulty earth. The real test will be when I hook up a rental trailer in a few days to move to CT...

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