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cochise49's avatar
cochise49
Explorer
Feb 10, 2014

Dinghy Electrical Problems

Had Camping World install a complete towing package on our 2013 CRV. Tow Bar, tail/brake lights, Invisibrake.

First time towing 800 miles....no electrical issues.

Second time towing 200 miles....Radio/Navigation system began to intermittently fail.

Took it to Honda and they wanted me to have CW uninstall electrical connections so Honda could troubleshoot. Seeking to blame CW of course for warranty purposes. Thought I would wait until next time the system failed to go to CW, it went 6 weeks without failure. Then....

Third time towing 400 miles one way......disconnected toad at park. CRV would not shift out of park and the VSA plus EPS idiot lights were on. No brake lights working unless connected to RV. That explains the stuck in park. Fuses looked good and obviously the brake light bulbs are OK. Used the work around to shift out of park. Towed it back home 400 miles. Made appointment at CW.

This is going to be a major finger pointing situation I think/ Can anyone give me some insights or indication that the toad wiring could have been done wrong? I want to be as well informed as possible.
  • cochise49's avatar
    cochise49
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2014
    I was rechecking the invoice from CW. Seems they installed a Brake Light Relay device in the toad. I read up on its installation and just for giggles, I checked the wire where it connected to the under dash fuse block. It uses a really unsure connector to join the relay switch to a fuse that is only live when the vehicle switch is on. Sure enough, the wire was disconnected. Probably by me when pulling the auxiliary fuse before towing. I reconnected and everything works. I'll still have CW recheck all hots and grounds. No idea what the brake relay switch has to do with the VSA and EPS lights except that it also connects to the brake light switch in the car.
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Feb 10, 2014
    cochise49 wrote:
    Where would I look for the diodes in the CRV?


    if there is no second set of lights in the taillight assembly of your toad that is a very good indication that diodes were used. when we began towing our jeep wrangler in 2003 the installer used a set of diodes which failed a year or so later taking our brake and tail lights with them. installing a new set diodes lasted less than a ffew days before they too failed. after the second failure we waved buh-bye to diodes and installed a second wiring harness and a second set of bulbs in our jeep's taillight assembly. the towing umbilical connects to the second wiring harness and bulbs. when driving the jeep the original harness and bulbs are used.

    the diodes in our jeep were housed in a small plastic box about the size of a pack of cigarettes. start following the wiring from the umbilical connection up front and you should find it.

    good luck.
  • cochise49's avatar
    cochise49
    Explorer
    Feb 10, 2014
    I'll make sure about he diodes. The invoice lists the diodes and labor for the installation. Honda was mostly concerned about a connection made directly into the under dash fuse block. Only other live electric is the line on the battery that powers the compressor in the Invisibrake.
  • othertonka's avatar
    othertonka
    Explorer
    Feb 10, 2014
    The first thing I would look at was if CW installed Diodes in the wires to the lights. Diodes are one way de1vices that prevent backfeeding of 12 volts from the MH back into the CRV system. Could be the problem. Good luck. have them check back to the lighting instructions that they installed and see if it calls for Diodes

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