Indicating
 

My XC90 hasn’t arrived yet (hopefully be here this week) but I was wondering what indication you have when you’re towing a caravan that the indicators on the van are working?
My current has a trailer symbol on the dash that flashes but all previous cars had a buzzer.

Will be interested to see the replies to this. I have recently acquired a used xc70 which didn't seem to have any alert to suggest caravan indicators are working. My previous v70 with volvo towbar had the additional green flashing light in dash binacle however this newer xc doesn't appear to have... or it's not working.

Thanks

The car will tell you when they are NOT working , so it works the other way around ... just like the monitoring of the other bulbs really :-)

Having towed my caravan from the east coast of England to the west coast of Wales today, i concur with Clan, there is no tell tale to show they are working but when it does its lamp check before setting off I presume it will tell if there are any faults.

My 2005 V70 has a non-Volvo tow kit fitted and that does NOT use the towing connection on the REM but instead patches into the turn signal nearby. As a result, the towing lamp on the instrument panel does not illuminate but there is a buzzer which echoes the indicators.

Note also that the operation of the rear fog lamp operation changes from two stage (on - off) to a four stage (car and van on - car and van off - van only on - car and van off). This is to stop the car’s fog light uselessly shining on the front of the caravan and glaring in the rear view mirror. There is a periodic audible warning that beeps every minute or so when you think you’ve turned off the rear fog light but actually the caravan only is illuminated. If that makes any sense.

After market wiring systems have a audible beep, my V70 has a Volvo wiring system and does a bulb check, it just warns when a bulb is out otherwise nothing. Only downfall is you don't know if you have left the caravan/trailer unplugged by accident so double check before driving off unless you can see your marker lights on then you know its plugged in.
Volvo dedicated electrics also adapt abs etc for stability when towing, basic aftermarket electrics don't offer this.

they also look after the rear fog light and reversing sensors and no doubt a few more things we do not realise

Thanks for the info guys

My Volvo system lets me know if any lights aren't working, isolates the reversing and fog lights when a trailer is connected, and also activates the anti-sway system.
It's a 13 pin socket.

It's all been said - if it's a genuine Volvo system then the trailer (when connected) is added to the normal bulb failure warning system. The trailer assist function of the cars stability control system is also activated (if relevant) - something that does not happen on aftermarket kits.

However... I had an issue on the MY17 XC60 with phantom alerts when using a trailer fitted with LED lights - this was fixed by using the genuine Volvo 13 pin to 7 pin adapter that came with the car (rather than the Hella one I had...)

No idea what could explain that but it restored working order...