Push button start towables not sure it applies to all !!

[3708]

After loosing our 2006 Jeep Liberty (totaled)to a person that ran a red light in downtown Spokane last year we ordered a 2014 Jeep Trailhawk which we took possesion of in Feb. of this year. I was able to remove my SMI Brake system, the ram on the brake pedal, the tow bar and male part to the concealed brackets for the Roadmaster TB before leaving the vehicle at the salvage yard and heading home. After finally getting the brake system reinstalled on the new Jeep and the wiring for the brake lights,blinkers, taillights etc.. I was told by the installer that when towing the Jeep i have to hav the Running lights on the motorhome on all the time when towing as to energize the Brake-Lite relay so as not to backfeed from coach to Toad and take out the computer system on toad all due to the fact the Toad has a push button start,WOW!! What bothers me is not that i bought the car (I luv it) its the fact that if i forget to turn the lights on not Daytime lights but running lights i could burn the damn thing up(computer that is). Now i make notes i have a punch list prior to lift off and this is just one more thing but it just irks me that now i have to run the lights on all the time to tow this Jeep and i'm curious if it applies to all push button start cars or just JEEP. Now the installer said just parking lights on Coach but James at Roadmaster said light switch completely on to energize Brake-Lite Relay so as to not get feedback from Coach to car. Somebody may read this and say whats your point? My point is you may want to buy a Key start car for towing to avoid the hassel of the push button start car if it applies to other cars than Jeep.

[cvbdsl]

et2 wrote:
I was under the assumption when we purchased our trailhawk that diodes were the only way to add lights. Adding the bulbs won't fit in the tail lamps.

I refused to splice into the electrical system and went with the wireless. Works for me.

http://www.bladestowright.com/cart/ecom-catshow/Wireless_Lightbars.html


I have the RC 1. Just plug in the transmitter throw the lights on top and go. No cords to worry about. Or electrical problems on the jeep. The lights are rechargable.

Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but -
Love the idea of wireless as putting on the magnetic lights with wires is probably the most annoying thing (still minor) to get the toad ready.
The only drawback is the price:E
Around $625 - that buys me over a dozen sets of the regular magnetic lights.

If the price ever comes down to under a couple of hundred, that would be the way for me.

Chris

[YC_1]

3708, do you have a schematic or reference for your installation? I think I can visualize the problem.

[3708]

I'm not sure who said what and when, but there some things you just can't make up especially when you don't have the knowledge of it in the first place, i'am a DIY'er for the most part until it comes to electrical then i have to find the best person for the job thru recomendations and have it done, which i did. Thanks to this forum and the comments made it prompted me to call Roadmaster (James)back and say look, i'm going to throw you under the Bus if i can't get some answers based on what people are telling me on this forum i belong to.
1. Will not having my lights on the Coach when towing mess up the computer in my 2014 Jeep from backfeed?
Answ: Not to my knowledge, if you have the Diodes in place this will prevent any backfeed.
2.Then why must i drive with my Coach running lights on?
Answ:The brakes will over ride the blinkers if you shoud use them at the same time if you have your lights on with the brake-lite relay in tact then with your lights on this will excite the relay and you will have a blinker in lieu of a brake lite on that side be it left or right.
3.So if a blinker is necessary in traffic could i momentarily flick my lights on for that option?
Yes.
In overview there is probaly several ways this could have been done,but i did not want separate lights or a light bar on the Jeep, i got it done to my satisfaction and in the seven years i towed with my previos Jeep i never had a issue with Diodes. Unfortunately there was a misunderstanding and thanks to this Forum,Roadmaster i believe we have it corrected. Happy Holidays.....3708

[moparmaga2]

My 2013 Ram 1500 with push button start works just fine with diodes. Good thing too as the taillights are led strips built into the housing. There are no bulbs. It is a Chrysler product just like your jeep.

I wired and spliced the lights myself with a Hopkins brand kit. Works great.

Me thinks it is time to switch mechanics or diy it.

[rk911]

ldm468 wrote:

rk911 wrote:
....we installed a completely separate wiring harness and a second set of bulbs in the tail light assembly of our jeeps. when we're connected to the MH the aux braking system uses this aux wiring harness and the second set of bulbs. when we're unhooked the original bulbs and wiring harness are active. simple and effective.

rk911

My apologies for not making my previous post completely clear. Your installation of a second bulb in the tail light assembly works for incandescent bulbs. However, when I installed the wiring system on my 2015 Cherokee Trail Hawk, I found that the LED tail light assemblies are completely sealed and therefore there is no room for installing additional bulbs.

I do like the suggestion by wa8yxm for installing relays instead of diodes. I may try them if I buy a new toad or have problems with the diodes that I currently am using.

ok, len, thanks for clearing that up. i'll have to add an item to our pre-purchase checklist to have the sales critter pull off the taillight assembly before purchasing a new Jeep.

[RBabb]

I've not done it but I've heard of using a light bar with tail lights and turn signals ties directly to trailer plug as a secondary light system. Seems like a good way to add second bulbs when no room in tailights

[et2]

I was under the assumption when we purchased our trailhawk that diodes were the only way to add lights. Adding the bulbs won't fit in the tail lamps.

I refused to splice into the electrical system and went with the wireless. Works for me.

http://www.bladestowright.com/cart/ecom-catshow/Wireless_Lightbars.html


I have the RC 1. Just plug in the transmitter throw the lights on top and go. No cords to worry about. Or electrical problems on the jeep. The lights are rechargable.

[Gator48]

Here is a link from the Jeep forum regarding my installation of lights on our 2014 Cherokee Trailhawk. The Blue OX diode kit works great. The high brake light is on a separate circuit so I didn't connect it. Just the R&L turn/brake and the running lights.
Any other needs regarding the start/stop ignition switch sound bogus. BTW I use a redibrake system


Link

[MRUSA]

Baloney. My car has push button start, and diodes for the tail lights. In more than 4 years of towing it I have never had a bit of trouble with "backfeed", and I don't do anything special with my lights.

[ldm468]

rk911 wrote:
....we installed a completely separate wiring harness and a second set of bulbs in the tail light assembly of our jeeps. when we're connected to the MH the aux braking system uses this aux wiring harness and the second set of bulbs. when we're unhooked the original bulbs and wiring harness are active. simple and effective.

rk911

My apologies for not making my previous post completely clear. Your installation of a second bulb in the tail light assembly works for incandescent bulbs. However, when I installed the wiring system on my 2015 Cherokee Trail Hawk, I found that the LED tail light assemblies are completely sealed and therefore there is no room for installing additional bulbs.

I do like the suggestion by wa8yxm for installing relays instead of diodes. I may try them if I buy a new toad or have problems with the diodes that I currently am using.

[wa8yxm]

One option for those who worry about diodes shorting is to use an SPDT relay

The movable contact hooks to the lamp
The normal closed to the normal lead that goes to the lamp so when the relay is not energized it is connected

The lead from the Motor home goes to both the relay coil AND the normally open contact on the relay.

now, Motor home lights off (Be it turn signal or tail/marker/license) the brake/turn and tail/license lights work normally

unplugged they work normally

But when towing and the motor home sends power down the wire, the relay pulls in and completly disconnects the tail light from the jeeps system

[DSDP_Don]

In my first post I recommended just using separate bulbs and wiring from the coach. I like this system because you don't have to deal with another product like magnetic lights. I like to keep the attaching of the toad very simple and nothing interacts with the vehicle's electronics.

Here is another issue. When using a braking system that depresses your brake, many cars will illuminate their brake lights, even when the ignition is off. When using the diode system, which I used on two trucks for many years, you can have issues. When using the diode system and making a turn, if you apply the brakes on a vehicle with the lights that come on while the ignition is off, the brake lights will override the turn signal and wash it out.

On my current Silverado, the brake lights don't come on when the pedal is pressed by my braking system (SMI). I decided to add the extra bulb. The problem is the extra bulb kits usually come with the old style round bulb holders. I went to the auto parts store and bought the new style sockets that use the flat base bulb. These are so much smaller and fit in at a right angle making them easier to mount and take less space. I used a drill and a Dremel to make the opening.

Lastly, I like having an indicator on my dash that tells me when my brake pedal in the toad is operating. That's usually accomplished by tapping into the brake light switch. On my 2012 Silverado, the wiring for the brake light switch was about the size of the wiring you would find in a palm size calculator.....too small to tap into. Then I found no power there when my key is off. So, I added a small micro switch to a bracket under the dash that was triggered by the brake pedal movement. Again, this kept me from cutting into the truck's electronics.

[rk911]

dogvetia wrote:
also not to sidetrack the thread but since we are on the topic of push buttonstarts--my 2010 Toyota Avalon with push button start refuses to turn over when the front wheels are up on the tow dolly. The tech told me this was because the front end was higher than the rear. Don't make sense since you can park on a steep incline and it still starts any thoughts from you engineers?? tom

can you even buy a new vehicle these days that doesn't have the pushbutton start?

[dogvetia]

also not to sidetrack the thread but since we are on the topic of push buttonstarts--my 2010 Toyota Avalon with push button start refuses to turn over when the front wheels are up on the tow dolly. The tech told me this was because the front end was higher than the rear. Don't make sense since you can park on a steep incline and it still starts any thoughts from you engineers?? tom