How to Solve Towbar Programming Issue in 2022 Land Rover Defender 110
The Land Rover Defender 110 is a powerful and versatile SUV, perfect for those who love to camp and travel or need a practical workhorse. It is one of the three variants of the Land Rover Defender, and arguably the best one for its size. With the capability to tow other vehicles or objects, the Defender 110 is a great choice for those who want to hitch a trailer for their next adventure.
One of our clients, Mr. D, recently bought a 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 and wanted to install the best tow bar for his vehicle. He went to a reputable tow bar company and asked them to install the equipment. However, despite their efforts, the technicians could not configure the tow bar to the vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
The result? The tow hitch could not be made to work through the Land Rover’s electronic controls.
Now, you may be thinking that these controls are there simply for hitch, lighting and braking, but on a Defender they do a lot more. The electronic controls play a fundamental safety role while towing – they control stability and sway control too.
Therefore it was vital that this issue was resolved before the customer could start towing.
At Garden City Garage we have built a reputation for being Land Rover experts and offering great service and value, which is why Mr D. brought his Defender to us. He was confident that we could get to the bottom of the issue.
Our Land Rover specialist, Joshua, listened to the client’s story while trying to make sense of the issue plaguing Mr Davies’ Defender.
Once the client was done explaining, Joshua proceeded to verify the fault, diagnose the issue, and fix it! Read on to find out more.
Faults Found
Our Land Rover technician performed a visual inspection of the vehicle. He checked the tow hitch attachment and inspected the wiring in detail. Interestingly, there was nothing wrong with the installation. The tow bar company had done a great job of attaching the equipment to the client’s Defender. However, it was not working as it should, and it was up to Joshua to find the solution.
So, without wasting time, our Land Rover expert initiated the 15-step diagnostic procedure to help find a swift way out for Mr D’s vehicle.
Diagnostic Procedure
The in-depth diagnostic process followed by all our experts at the Garden City Garage, ensures you get a first-time diagnosis for your vehicle and a cost-effective solution every time.
Joshua followed the same routine when he performed the visual inspection of the client’s Land Rover Defender 110. He found nothing out of the ordinary in the SUV. The wiring was done perfectly, and the tow bar was attached firmly to the vehicle.
Next, our Land Rover technician moved inside the vehicle and tested the ECU for fault codes. Interestingly, no error codes were registered on the vehicle. In theory, the car was fine. However, the tow bar electrics were not working at all.
So, to get to the bottom of this, our Land Rover specialist used the same technical information and software on the vehicle that the Land Rover dealers use.
This investigation did not throw up any fault codes on the system, so Joshua checked the signals coming in and going out to the tow bar. They were also working fine, but the issue remained unsolved.
What was causing such an issue with Mr Davies’ Defender?
Well, it wasn’t long before Joshua figured things out. He found that the new tow bar was not registered to the vehicle’s database, which is why it wasn’t responding to the controls fed in by the ECU.
As Land Rover experts we know that a new towbar needs to be registered on a Land Rover Defender’s vehicle database because it changes the vehicle’s specifications and weight distribution. The database records the modifications made to the vehicle to ensure that it meets safety and roadworthy standards.
Luckily, Joshua was there to configure the new part. His skills, qualification, and experience as a Land Rover technician helped him along the way as he applied the fix.
Solving The Problem
Our Land Rover technician explained everything to the client, after completing the diagnosis. Mr D took on board our findings and recommendations and asked us to implement the necessary fix.
At Garden City Garage we pride ourselves on our customer service. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do which is the reason why we consult you every step of the way. You are always in control of work that gets undertaken on your Land Rover at Garden City Garage.
Joshua followed the Land Rover manufacturer coding procedure to register the new part into the ECU. Once that was done and dusted, Joshua tested the tow bar controls, and they started to work as expected.
Once the issue was resolved, our Land Rover technician called the client and gave him the good news. Mr D was overjoyed when he heard about the successful procedure, and he came in as soon as possible to pick up his SUV.
Summary
A client came into Garden City Garage, complaining about electrical problems with his Land Rover Defender’s tow hitch. Our lead Land Rover technician listened to the client’s complaints and went straight to work gathering the relevant information from the customer.
Our Land Rover specialist performed a visual inspection of the vehicle and he couldn’t find any faults. So, he decided to dive deeper by using our 15-step diagnostic procedure. Joshua used the Land Rover manufacturer technical information and software and found that the new part wasn’t configured for the vehicle.
Once we had identified the root cause the solution for this was straightforward. Our Land Rover specialist had to code the new part onto the vehicle.
Our skilled technician Joshua resolved the issue quickly using his expertise with Land Rover. The customer, Mr. D, was thrilled with the efficient value, service, and speed of booking and resolving the issue, compared to the Land Rover dealership’s estimated one month wait time.
Mr Davies was extremely happy with the service we provided at the Garden City Garage. If you are looking for a Land Rover garage that provides great value and gets the right diagnosis every time, look no further than the Garden City Garage. You can contact us on 01639 320036 to learn more about our services.
