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Landy240

Member Since: 22 Jul 2024
Location: Merseyside
Posts: 6

Aftermarket towbar. Missing trailer assist and coding.

Hello everyone. First post.

Background..some time ago I ordered a Defender 110 SE with a factory fitted towbar as part of the build. My car was then cancelled before being given a build slot when the SE was discontinued for MY25.

Rather than go back to square one I put a deposit down on a new 110 XS which had been built but which did not have a towbar. When the car was delivered I had an aftermarket towbar fitted by a reputable company who assured me that no coding was required.

The towbar works as it should, as in the lights will work - but tow Assist / hitch assist is not present and I have since been told that to activate these features I will need to have the towbar coded by a main dealer.

Unfortunately - the dealer where I bought the car is a fair old distance (they had available stock) and the local dealer refuses to do the work as they did not sell the towbar. This is surprising as I am not asking them to fit it, just code it.

So - is what I have been told correct? The towbar needs to be coded to activate towbar assist?

Does everyone who has a factory fitted detachable have tow assist available?

Are there any other options? For example is it possible to DIY with the G4 gap too or similarly?

Any independents in the Merseyside area capable of carrying out the task?

All advice appreciated.

Thanks!

22nd Jul 2024 5:07pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2755

What's "tow assist" supposed to do?

l have a base model Commercial with factory towbar.

lf you select "towing" on the camera screen while reversing, the tow ball turns red on the screen and you get a view looking straight down, so you can reverse right under the towing hitch.

Is that what you are talking about?

22nd Jul 2024 6:50pm

Landy240

Member Since: 22 Jul 2024
Location: Merseyside
Posts: 6

Yes. That's pretty much what I'm talking about. I'm not actually sure because I don't have it. I think there are some stability benefits too.

On the camera screen there is no option to select 'towing' (even when hitched up)

22nd Jul 2024 8:14pm

BadgerWaz

Member Since: 15 Jul 2024
Location: Linconshire
Posts: 69

[quote="lightning"]What's "tow assist" supposed to do?

I looked this up on the net, it's an auto reversing option for the people who struggle reversing a trailer.

Yes, the GAP IID tool has the capability to activate the varied towing features. Providing your aftermarket towbar has been fitted with a LR factory/aftermarket loom and with a trailer module etc. it should be fine. I'd only be concerned if the towbar wiring had been piggy-backed/spliced into the rear lighting circuit on your car.

Did you have to/have the option to set the trailer up using the Pivi screen (length,width,number of axles)?

If your LR recognises the trailer wiring, the alarm should sound if you unplug the trailer when the car is locked. It wouldn't do this if the wiring is simply just tagged onto the rear lights (in my experience on previous vehicles).

22nd Jul 2024 9:20pm

johnlad

Member Since: 18 Dec 2023
Location: Blackpool
Posts: 54

I think advanced tow assist helps control sway of trailers or caravans by applying various breaking techniques when sway is detected.

22nd Jul 2024 11:14pm

DFNDER

Member Since: 02 Oct 2023
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 131

I believe Trailer Stability Control (TSC) is hard coded into the build regardless of having tow assist etc. It's part of the DSC suite.

GAP can turn on the selected features or "coding" as you call it, to allow you to set up trailer / caravan size etc. I don't know about trailer assist, but this should also be possible,unless specific hardware is also required.

23rd Jul 2024 12:36am

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2755

My 90 Commercial asked me to enter the dimensions of the trailer. And l had to drive along a straight road to "calibrate" it.

l don't have the auto reversing option though. l assume it's to do with the stability control.
How did we ever manage to tow trailers and caravans without all these aids !!!

23rd Jul 2024 6:59am

Retroanaconda

Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2641

All defenders specified with a factory towbar or that have one fitted by a dealer after sale will have the standard towing features. Reversing camera ball locator, towing view on cameras, the reverse assist calibration (lines on the screen), and the stability assist for example.

To have these features you need to have the towing module and loom fitted along with the towbar itself, and the car needs to be configured to be aware it has a towbar. As above it the aftermarket place has simply spliced into the lights wiring to power the trailer lights, then you won’t have any of this.

There was an ‘advanced tow assist’ package also available which gives you the automatic reversing feature, where you use the dial on the dash to steer it. This can be added later in software with IIDTool etc.

23rd Jul 2024 8:09am

DFNDER

Member Since: 02 Oct 2023
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 131

So I have the factory towbar and loom, reversing camera and TSC, but no trailer assist, as I know how to reverse a trailer or caravan.

How do I get the camera view down onto the tow ball? I've only ever gotten the red line that aligns with the hitch, but never the top down view. Curious.

23rd Jul 2024 8:21am

TexasRover

Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1043

2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White

Quite mind boggling how everything is becoming so complex now. I am sure it is tied in with insurances etc as well - they corner you in from every side. I think modern cars are just becoming single use items in that you buy it, use it and sell it on. Fitting a tow bar to an existing vehicle is clearly not worth the hassle.

For me other than buying a faceless cheap but comfortable newish runaround for the wife/me, I don't think I will ever be buying again an expensive complex modern vehicle - just does not seem to be worth it.

23rd Jul 2024 9:10am

BadgerWaz

Member Since: 15 Jul 2024
Location: Linconshire
Posts: 69

I've fitted a few towbars in my time and always with a harness/module.

When I asked LR how much it would cost for a towbar fitting to a new Defender that wasn't built with one from new the price was near to £3k

Lunacy.

I can see why the dealership have fitted you an aftermarket one to save on cost.

The self-reversing function I wouldn't waste my time with, but the cameras around the trailer are wizardry.

23rd Jul 2024 10:20am

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2755

How do I get the camera view down onto the tow ball? I've only ever gotten the red line that aligns with the hitch, but never the top down view. Curious.

When you engage reverse, you'll see the camera display on your media screen.
Along the bottom there should be a few options and one of them is "towing"
lf you tap on that, you'll see the tow ball view.

Click image to enlarge

Last edited by lightning on 23rd Jul 2024 11:28am. Edited 1 time in total

23rd Jul 2024 10:30am

BadgerWaz

Member Since: 15 Jul 2024
Location: Linconshire
Posts: 69

^

..and if you keep tapping the screen it gives you different angles of the trailer, one that makes our tri-axle 17' look like a thin skinny line so you can see the tarmac and white lines. Just like magic.

23rd Jul 2024 10:34am

Landy240

Member Since: 22 Jul 2024
Location: Merseyside
Posts: 6

Thanks to everyone who replied. I don't have any of the above although I believe the towbar was wired into the correct plug (not the lights) albeit with a non LR electrics package.

So, I'm trying to find out how the situation can be resolved & I'll post back when I do.

It's a frustrating situation & there isn't a huge amount of information available from anywhere really. Prior to fitting I made enquiries at franchised dealers, various aftermarket companies and perused JLR literature and configerators.

There has been more new information on this thread than the three combined.

23rd Jul 2024 8:05pm

DFNDER

Member Since: 02 Oct 2023
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 131

lightning wrote:
How do I get the camera view down onto the tow ball? I've only ever gotten the red line that aligns with the hitch, but never the top down view. Curious.

When you engage reverse, you'll see the camera display on your media screen.
Along the bottom there should be a few options and one of them is "towing"
lf you tap on that, you'll see the tow ball view.

Click image to enlarge

Cheers, thanks will try that

24th Jul 2024 10:14am

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