Sponsored

R1S Gen2 Won't Recognize LED Trailer Lights, Service Center Says Software Fix Could Take a Year

smunro622

Well-Known Member
First Name
Stu
Joined
May 10, 2024
Threads
30
Messages
232
Reaction score
151
Location
United States
Vehicles
2023 Mach E Premium
as with all things automotive, there’s a tradeoff. While traditional gas and diesel rigs battle heat with robust cooling systems honed over a century, EVs have a nasty habit of cooking themselves under sustained load. For most, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks—until, of course, an issue like Ana Hernandez’s surfaces, proving that electrification still has some learning to do when it comes to the nuts and bolts of towing.

https://www.torquenews.com/17998/my...r-lights-service-center-says-software-fix/amp

Anyone else run into this issue?
Sponsored

 

Osyras

Well-Known Member
First Name
Danny
Joined
Aug 3, 2023
Threads
23
Messages
196
Reaction score
162
Location
Ontario, Canada
Vehicles
Gen 2 R1S Large pack.
Clubs
 
I had this problem yesterday, the lights on our trailer had a bad wire so I pulled out the magnetic ones. They got power but the car did not recognize (every few minutes I would get a popup that a trailer was connected and just as quick it would disappear). When in park they signaled backwards. Since the trailer was very low and the R1s signals were still clear I continued on until I got to my destination and was able to properly fix the onboard LED lights which worked just fine (brighter and bigger amp draw).

To be fair I have seen this on ICE vehicles as well.
 

Zoidz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gil
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Threads
160
Messages
4,257
Reaction score
9,407
Location
PA
Vehicles
23 R1S Adv, Avalanche, BMWs-X3,330cic,K1200RS bike
Occupation
Engineer
There's a relatively simple DIY fix - splice in an additional LED light in parallel to the existing ones to increase the load. Or for the adventurous, take apart the LED lights and add a resistor in parallel. Annoying to have to do this? Certainly.

Look at the bright side (pun intended) - your trailer can be lit up just like a fancy 18 wheeler.
Rivian R1T R1S R1S Gen2 Won't Recognize LED Trailer Lights, Service Center Says Software Fix Could Take a Year 1738593828611-gq
 

CXC_Raffle

Well-Known Member
Site Sponsor
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Threads
11
Messages
49
Reaction score
39
Location
Boston, MA
Website
www.carbonraffle.org
Vehicles
n/a
Occupation
Nonprofit promoting effective and just state-level climate policy
I think the solution is simple: wire in resistors so that the trailer lights appear to draw more current, like incandescent lights.

Early Tesla Model S had something similar. All the rear indicator and driving lights were LED, but the license plate lights were incandescent - they probably got the whole assembly from a Mercedes parts bin, as they did with window switches and steering wheel stalks. People didn’t like how they looked so yellow, but if you swapped them out for LED bulbs the car would show a “bulb out” error because it couldn’t detect the minimal power draw. A Tesla accessory seller came up with an LED with built-in resistor to simulate the incandescent’s draw, and charged a big markup on it I’m sure. I paid probably $20 for a couple little bulbs and swapped them out. Looked much better to me at least - worth the $20.
 

sub

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2021
Threads
30
Messages
1,695
Reaction score
2,868
Location
USA
Vehicles
Rivian R1S, Tesla Model 3
as with all things automotive, there’s a tradeoff. While traditional gas and diesel rigs battle heat with robust cooling systems honed over a century, EVs have a nasty habit of cooking themselves under sustained load. For most, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks—until, of course, an issue like Ana Hernandez’s surfaces, proving that electrification still has some learning to do when it comes to the nuts and bolts of towing.
This article sounds was either written by an AI that doesn't actually understand what it is writing about or by an EV heater who is just looking for reasons to hate on EV's.

For one - this "nasty habit of cooking itself" is either entirely imaginary or grossly exaggerated. Yes many don't have enough cooling to maintain full power on the track all day, but that isn't a normal use case and they just limit power to avoid overheating, so they don't ever actually get very hot. And yes if you light one on fire they burn. But way less often than gas cars, so how can something that is less likely to catch on fire have a habit of cooking itself?

And even if it were true that EV's "cook themselves" all the time, it that would still be out of place as it would have absolutely nothing to do with the story. So why lead with it?

Actually nothing in the story has anything to do with the vehicle being an EV.

I'm not in any way defending Rivian. But that article is garbage. EV's can have problems without it being because it is an EV. If it is true that Rivian tried to be clever with the trailer detection, got it wrong and made it worse then that is pretty dumb. But that has nothing to do with the engine or lack of one. There are more than enough non-imaginary problems with Rivian's products that there is no need to make stuff up.
 

Sponsored

Mark_AZR1T

Well-Known Member
Site Sponsor
First Name
Mark
Joined
May 28, 2021
Threads
33
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
2,747
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Website
jackpucks.com
Vehicles
R1T Launch, R1S Canyon Red
Clubs
 
Last edited:

NY_Rob

Well-Known Member
First Name
Rob
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Threads
23
Messages
4,782
Reaction score
6,895
Location
long island
Vehicles
Model 3 LR AWD, BMW i3 REX, 2024 Rubicon 4xe
Occupation
IT
100% not just an EV problem.. our 3 Series BMW's had issues with the LED trailer lights on our Jetski trailer. I went back to incandescent bulbs on that trailer because the BMW's were so freaking finicky regarding tail light bulb amperage and trailer light loads.

I towed our boat for two full summers with our Gen 1 R1T and not ever even a hint of overheating.
 

Seano

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Jun 19, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
125
Reaction score
130
Location
Nor Cal
Vehicles
Range Rover, Porsche Box, BMW Wagon, Jeep Wrangler
Clubs
 
Same as NY_Rob: many vehicles don’t “see” the led trailer load properly. Happened to me with a Cayenne & 2 diff Range Rovers
 

Mark_AZR1T

Well-Known Member
Site Sponsor
First Name
Mark
Joined
May 28, 2021
Threads
33
Messages
1,716
Reaction score
2,747
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Website
jackpucks.com
Vehicles
R1T Launch, R1S Canyon Red
Clubs
 
You can get an inline pre-wired resistor harness for either a 7 Pin or 4 Pin trailer harness to eliminate the common issue of LED lights. The problem has nothing to do with Rivian.

LED light adapter harnesses
 

Sponsored

fxstein

Well-Known Member
First Name
Oliver
Joined
Sep 17, 2024
Threads
10
Messages
120
Reaction score
221
Location
California
Vehicles
2023 R1T Quad Adventure
Clubs
 
Can confirm that our Gen 1 R1T Quad does not have that issue. Works with very low power LEDs connected. Was actually surprised it caught a broken wire with that setup.
 

SwampNut

Well-Known Member
First Name
Carlos
Joined
Apr 22, 2024
Threads
26
Messages
1,972
Reaction score
1,706
Location
Peoria AZ
Vehicles
2022 R1T Launch Edition
Occupation
Geek
Clubs
 
And I have the reverse complaint; mine detects even the tiniest, near-zero load. I was trying to use an optical isolator to prevent it disabling driver assist while trailering.
 

Wispitgood

Well-Known Member
First Name
Clay
Joined
Aug 29, 2024
Threads
0
Messages
67
Reaction score
36
Location
Virgina
Vehicles
Chevy
Occupation
Retired
as with all things automotive, there’s a tradeoff. While traditional gas and diesel rigs battle heat with robust cooling systems honed over a century, EVs have a nasty habit of cooking themselves under sustained load. For most, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks—until, of course, an issue like Ana Hernandez’s surfaces, proving that electrification still has some learning to do when it comes to the nuts and bolts of towing.

https://www.torquenews.com/17998/my...r-lights-service-center-says-software-fix/amp

Anyone else run into this issue?
I pull a fairly near 5x8 covered trailer with all LED with no issues, so maybe something else? I will say on a Checy 3500, I tore off old bed, and built a homemade 8x10 foot bed with less, and due to lower resistance, the turn signals blink fast, which is Chevys computer thinking a turn signal is out.

The key difference between filament and LED lights is LEDs less resistance.
Sponsored

 
 





Top