Trailer light issue: "Trailer park lamps fault, check lamps" error message

[rdxland]

To Ford

Hi there. Can you privately message us with your VIN and the name and location of your Ford dealer so I can look into this park light fault concern? Thanks!

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[Trad]

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[Mark S.]

To Ford


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Click on the user's avatar, then select "Start Conversation."

 

[rdxland]

Thanks for the PM tip

 

[rdxland]

Hi there. Can you privately message us with your VIN and the name and location of your Ford dealer so I can look into this park light fault concern? Thanks!

I’m hesitant to supply any personal info without solid confirmation you are Ford Motor Company. Do you want the dealer near me or where I purchased the BS Badlands? BTW, this is a ‘21 and we have not had any contact with Ford dealers or customer door on this yet. We we are still on our trip - the trailer was dropped off after the we delivered the car to its destination.

 

[Meanderthal]

I’m hesitant to supply any personal info without solid confirmation you are Ford Motor Company. Do you want the dealer near me or where I purchased the BS Badlands? BTW, this is a ‘21 and we have not had any contact with Ford dealers or customer door on this yet. We we are still on our trip - the trailer was dropped off after the we delivered the car to its destination.

While I understand your hesitancy, that is a confirmed FoMoCo account on this forum. They put out the same request for most people that are having an issue that they might be able to fix under warranty.

 

[rdxland]

While I understand your hesitancy, that is a confirmed FoMoCo account on this forum. They put out the same request for most people that are having an issue that they might be able to fix under warranty.

Thank you!

I am now in contact with Ford on this. We'll see what happens. In the scale of things, the tail light alert is not all that serious. Irritating? Yes. Serious? Probably not, the lights work properly, it just seems that Ford's software is a bit weak on this point. I find it a little nuts that the engineers did not anticipate trailers having LED lights. Our travel trailer has incadescents, but it is a few years old and we can't tow it with the Bronco anyway. I am now wondering, however, how our truck will respond to LED lights (2021 F-150) I'll have to test that someday.

 

[Bucko]

Thank you!

I am now in contact with Ford on this. We'll see what happens. In the scale of things, the tail light alert is not all that serious. Irritating? Yes. Serious? Probably not, the lights work properly, it just seems that Ford's software is a bit weak on this point. I find it a little nuts that the engineers did not anticipate trailers having LED lights. Our travel trailer has incadescents, but it is a few years old and we can't tow it with the Bronco anyway. I am now wondering, however, how our truck will respond to LED lights (2021 F-150) I'll have to test that someday.

Interesting, as I can recall adding LED bulbs on a 2004 F-150. The only issue was the fast rate of the turn signals flashing. That was an easy fix by changing the flasher to an LED rated one (not the best, as it would not work if you had to use an incandescent bulb again), or adding load resisters to the bulb socket wiring, or buying LED bulbs with load resisters built in (best option).

My point is that LED bulbs have been around a long while, so the big auto manufactures should know about these issues.

 

[rdxland]

Interesting, as I can recall adding LED bulbs on a 2004 F-150. The only issue was the fast rate of the turn signals flashing. That was an easy fix by changing the flasher to an LED rated one (not the best, as it would not work if you had to use an incandescent bulb again), or adding load resisters to the bulb socket wiring, or buying LED bulbs with load resisters built in (best option).

My point is that LED bulbs have been around a long while, so the big auto manufactures should know about these issues.

Agreed. We’ll see what Fotd has to say. They’re setting up a case for it.

 

[PonyDriver43]

Following.
Mine did the same thing when I added two way leds to my bike rack. They were two way that I wired as running, brake, and turn signal. Worked great but when lights were on got the error message the OP got. I figured it was just not enough resistance on the leds to let the BS think a trailer really had working lights.

 

[Little Buckaroo]

Hi folks. I'm new to this forum, with our '23 Badlands. Just put on a sweet Kuat Piston Pro hitch mounted bike rack with integrated lights and guess what...I've got the same annoying issue with the constant "lamp fault" warnings.

What ever happened with Ford on this. Were they able to resolve it? if not, could some sort of a resister dongle in between the connecting of a trailer (or bike rack like mine) and the receptacle on the Bronco add enough "draw" to suppress the problem?

I'm fustrated in Vancouver, and hope one of you can save me!

 

[Stealthfyter]

Hi folks. I'm new to this forum, with our '23 Badlands. Just put on a sweet Kuat Piston Pro hitch mounted bike rack with integrated lights and guess what...I've got the same annoying issue with the constant "lamp fault" warnings.

What ever happened with Ford on this. Were they able to resolve it? if not, could some sort of a resister dongle in between the connecting of a trailer (or bike rack like mine) and the receptacle on the Bronco add enough "draw" to suppress the problem?

I'm fustrated in Vancouver, and hope one of you can save me!

Same thing here using the Kuat Piston Pro X with the integrated lights, Please let us know how you make out!

 

[rdxland]

I provided a quick reply a day or so ago on this...Ford contacted me (via this forum) while we were on the trip towing our daughter's car 1/2 way across this great country. Now that we're back home, I just reinitiated contact with them to move forward on this (and another warranty item or two). We'll see how it goes. I am hopeful that a solution is forthcoming. I'll post here when it's resolved.

 

[Little Buckaroo]

I have been poking around more on this problem. Seems like a lot of other vehicles have it too. Problem is there is no single thing I've found that plugs into the "4 flat" plug on the OEM hitch to solve it.

I'm wondering whether plugging this into the Bronco:

https://www.amazon.com/YONHAN-Trailer-Connector-Mounting-Solutions/dp/B07WS94Q3K#:~:text=Easy to Use: Converts 4,wiring systems for towing solutions.

And then this into the 7 way round plug to get back to a 4 flat to plug in a trailer (or my Kuat bike rack):

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Wiring/CURT/C35FR.html

...would solve things? You'll see that the adapter above is designed with resisters in it to deal with "vehicles with lamp out sensors"

Any of you who understand the difference between 4 and 7 way plugs have any words of wisdom on whether this will work before I go buying a bunch of gear?

 

[Bucko]

My Ford F150 uses a 7 blade plug, and has next to it the 4 pin plug. Both work for any trailer application that I need. The 7 plug provides not only for an electric brake type trailer, but also the additional 12V blade if I have a 12V source that needs power (such as a fridge if a camper is connected). I even have a 7 blade adaptor to 4 pin...it too works. I think there is an issue on how you have your plug or blade adaptor wired, OR if this trailer is using LED bulbs, they do not have load resisters, and are drawing too much current and the BS is reporting this. Good LED bulbs (or LED light assemblies) have a load resister built in.

Here is a chart that explains the various 4 pin, 6 plug, and 7 plug connectors/wires/wires/requirements.

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