PT Cruiser and trailer lights

It's my understanding the PT Cruiser (this is a 2001) requires a special
interface between the auto lighting and the trailer lights. If this is
correct can someone supply more information? (I suspect that hooking the
trailer brake/turn-sig lights directly to the auto "loads" the auto
lighting circuitry such that it won't function or even perhaps be damaged.
If this is the case I'd suspect the interface consists of a circuit that
appears as rather high impedance to the brake/turn-sig circuitry and
switches current from the tail lighting source to the brake/turn sig
lights when used (?))

 

Looks like I jumped the gun. With a little research, and looking at the
rear lights, it looks like the brake and turn-sig are separate bulbs--ie
they don't use the same filament for brake and turn-sig like a lot of cars
do. An interface module should only essentially consist of a pair of
diodes each side to drive the single filament on the trailer from
either/both brake and turn-sig circuits while keeping them separate in the
Cruiser.

 

If what you say is the case, it's not just a pair of diodes - but there
is a converter box available to make it work properly. If you think
about it, a pair of diodes wouldn't help - you still wouldn't get turn
signal action while the brake lights were on. You could accomplish
what you need to do by adding a relay to cut out the brake light on
each side and hold it off for a second or two while the directional is
active on that side (in addition to your diodes) if you really wanted
to cobble something together yourself.

good luck,

nate

 

That's what the "light converter/interface" units for sale at every U-Haul
location do, yes.

I've seen so many of these working improperly on the road. They seem to
have the standard 50/50 durability thing going (50 miles or 50 minutes,
whichever occurs first).

If I were pulling a trailer with a vehicle that had separate brake and
turn lights, I'd just add separate turn lights to the trailer and avoid
messing with Rube Goldberg "converter" devices.

 

I went to the dealer and bought the MOPAR harness, complete with "converter"
for my 1999 Intrepid. Except for the LARGE hole I had to drill behind the
right taillight, it was a slick install - plug and play. Still going strong
and working fine 6 years and 100K miles later. It was a bit of coin (~$70
CDN), but comparable in price to the "plug-and-play" Reese units sold by the
local parts stores. Makes for a well sealed, robust installation.

Two notes:
The "converter" isolates the BCM which controls the signals from the trailer
lights - common trailer shorts don't roast your BCM.
Also, the common method of testing the turn/brake lights by turning on the
hazards and checking the bulbs doesn't do the trick any more - you need to
also have someone check to see that the brake lights come on when you step
on them in the car - to make sure the "converter" is still working properly.

 

Just put a new set of trailer lights on and could not find a set anywhere
that sported amber turn segments. I assume this is a common item in the rest
of the world.

Richard.

 

just buy separate amber lights, no big deal.

nate

 

www.truck-lite.com
www.pmlights.com

 

Options from Truck-Lite:
http://tinyurl.com/by4ln

Options from Hella Germany:
2SD 964 169-111
photo: http://dastern.torque.net/lampics/2SD964169111.jpg
dimensions: http://dastern.torque.net/lampics/2SD964169111dim.jpg

2XL 005 194-011 (left; right unit is -021):
photo: http://dastern.torque.net/lampics/2XL005194011.jpg
dimensions: http://dastern.torque.net/lampics/2XL005194011dim.jpg

Options from Hella Australia:
http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=2133
(the compact option)

http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=1181
(the "go big or go home" option)

LEDs neatly sidestep the BCM interface problem; they draw next to zero
current; the BCM simply disregards the trivial extra current as normal
bulb-to-bulb production variations...also, no bulb burnouts, much less
problem with connections and grounds, etc, plus much better photometric
performance than is obtained from most US bulb-type trailer lights.

All this stuff is easily available; you just have to know whom to ask.

DS ;-)

 

Thanks for the comments. Nate is correct -- just a pair of diodes (an OR
circuit) would prevent turn flashing when the brakes are applied. And, I
certainly don't want to risk damaging the PT circuitry by possibly drawing
too much current. Nor do I want to rewire the trailer lights and make the
4-wire connection "obsolete" because I have other vehicles that have the
4-wire connection. It looks like it's not as cheap and easy as I first
thought.

 

Dan, your point is well taken, but all of the submersible units offered on
those sites for domestic sales are red units only. One needs a submersible
amber unit and I did not find that listed, just amber side lights with
reflectors.

Richard.

 

Richard
Unless the lights are immersed a lot perhaps just drilling some drain
holes in the bottom and using some grease on the electrical contacts would
be "good enough". I've used this technique with success in fresh water --
don't know about salt.

 

Check the 2nd post I made, with specific links to specific lamps.

 

joke is one you! the pt cruiser does not have a bcm

 

drawtite sells the device you want and it can be bought a walmarts even
it changes the wiring from a 6 wire lite circuit to a 4 wire circuit most trailers
have

 

**** that, go to walmart buy the drawtite box and get it done

 

Pure water is an insulator, not a conductor. It is what gets dissolved in
it
that acts as a conductor. Salt for example makes water into an excellent
conductor. Soapy bathtub and sink water also make good conductors.
Dissolved iron, AKA rust, also works well to make water into a conductor.

But for your average fresh water resivour you can go to the boat launch
and watch them backing into the lake, and see the brake lights going even
under water, then watch them pull out and see the water come pouring out
of the light housings.

Ted