Weird electrical behavior from passenger seat and shirt at trailer hitch that fried trailer breakaway switch lead.

[Artie]

2018 Navigator Reserve with 30 way seats and tow package.

So this past weekend we were leaving camp and I was hitching up our camper, within a minute or so I smelled burning plastic and look to see the trailers breakaway cable smoking and melting. Quickly I unplug the 7pin plug and the anderson plug that supplies power to my camper and the issue stopped. The breakaway cable was connected to the hitch and was touching the hitch and safety chain. I did not know if the short was a result of the 7pin or the anderson plug, I tried the 7pin again and no issues so I assumed it was the anderson plug and I drove home without it connected. After some troubleshooting with the multi meter I can’t find anything that’s amiss on the camper, I checked pretty much everything and visually inspected the Anderson plug and cable on both the camper and vehicle. No continuity issues, no voltage drops, nothing on a visual inspection, the breaker didn’t short, no fuses blown. It had been raining and I had driven through a bunch or mud and crappy forest service roads, I chocked it up to water in the anderson plug and replaced the plug on the camper that I had removed for diagnostics.

Today, the passenger seat decides to move all by its self, backwards. It moved to the maximum backwards position and for a few minutes I can hear the motor being activated on and off.

I am not sure that these two issues are related. I do know that today while the seat shorted the breaker for the Anderson plug was on the “off” position. Also, the line for the anderson plug is one single run direct from the battery to the rear of the car and it’s in conduit the entire way. Any thoughts on what this could be?

I am calling my dealership tomorrow to inquire about a bearing I’ve been waiting on and parts for the cam phasers so I’ll add this to the list as well.

 

[Wayne Decker]

If the breakaway switch engaged, it would supply voltage to the trailer brakes from the trailer battery. It shouldn't in valve the tow vehicle.

Can't comment on the Anderson plug, I won't use their products.

 

[Artie]

If the breakaway switch engaged, it would supply voltage to the trailer brakes from the trailer battery. It shouldn't in valve the tow vehicle.

Can't comment on the Anderson plug, I won't use their products.

You are correct, the breakaway cable has its own power source. The cable was just the path of least resistance to the electricity that was being provided by whatever was shorting out, this source is what I’m trying to figure out and I’m asking if the buzzard seat behavior could be related.

The breakaway cable has zero voltage that runs through it, it’s simply functions as a pull string, if the trailer comes off the vehicle the breakaway cable with be yanked from the switch which then enables the brakes. I could substitute that breakaway cable with string and it would still function as normal.

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

I will just piggyback on the post by asking if you have your original battery? Strange movements of the seats, pedals, shifting into 4A, and loss of "memory" settings have all recently been happening with my Expedition. Tuesday, I got in and the seat and pedals defaulted to my (short) wife's settings as I pushed the start button, but no start and my settings had disappeared. I had to jump start it off a battery charger to get it started to its scheduled service appointment. I mentioned the above list of problems I was having and that I suspected they all were battery related. Paperwork came back that battery tested OK, so I doubt they did a load test on it. The next day it would not start again w/o jump start so I hooked it up to a trickle charger overnight. Ran fine today and it held MY memory settings but the *** (Auto Start Stop) still doesn't work so either my old charger isn't the proper one for an AGM battery, or the battery itself cannot reach full charge. If it acts up again, I'll take it to another Ford dealer before the B-T-B warranty expires.

I know this is all my fault for not driving it enough. Since Covid, this vehicle can often sit six days out of the week so I'm thinking I ought to buy a battery tender.

 

[Artie]

I will just piggyback on the post by asking if you have your original battery? Strange movements of the seats, pedals, shifting into 4A, and loss of "memory" settings have all recently been happening with my Expedition. Tuesday, I got in and the seat and pedals defaulted to my (short) wife's settings as I pushed the start button, but no start and my settings had disappeared. I had to jump start it off a battery charger to get it started to its scheduled service appointment. I mentioned the above list of problems I was having and that I suspected they all were battery related. Paperwork came back that battery tested OK, so I doubt they did a load test on it. The next day it would not start again w/o jump start so I hooked it up to a trickle charger overnight. Ran fine today and it held MY memory settings but the *** still doesn't work so either my old charger isn't the proper one for an AGM battery, or the battery itself cannot reach full charge. If it acts up again, I'll take it to another Ford dealer before the B-T-B warranty expires.

I know this is all my fault for not driving it enough. Since Covid, this vehicle can often sit six days out of the week so I'm thinking I ought to buy a battery tender.

Yes, it’s the original battery and has shown 12.3-12.5 volts the few times I’ve tested it this week. I haven’t load tested it but I will tomorrow… this is a good suggestion for the seat issue.

 

[duneslider]

Yes, it’s the original battery and has shown 12.3-12.5 volts the few times I’ve tested it this week. I haven’t load tested it but I will tomorrow… this is a good suggestion for the seat issue.

Voltage doesn't mean too much. Needs a load test or use one of the fancier electronic testers. Just replaced the battery in my jeep and it reads voltage at 12.5 but was only capable of 120cca.

A bad battery wouldn't cause the issue you had with the trailer though.

Why are you running a direct feed from your battery to the trailer? I am always nervous about that stuff. I assume you have it fused and maybe through a relay with the switch?

 

[wakeboarder]

Is there a possibility the battery in the trailer was hooked up reverse polarity? Or maybe something was shorted to battery + on the trailer battery?

 

[Artie]

Voltage doesn't mean too much. Needs a load test or use one of the fancier electronic testers. Just replaced the battery in my jeep and it reads voltage at 12.5 but was only capable of 120cca.

A bad battery wouldn't cause the issue you had with the trailer though.

Why are you running a direct feed from your battery to the trailer? I am always nervous about that stuff. I assume you have it fused and maybe through a relay with the switch?

The line from the battery runs through a 50amp breaker. The camper is from South Africa and this is how the power them while in tow, the 7 pin does nothing but trailer brakes and lights.

 

[Artie]

Update: so I ended up finding a short in a running light on the camper that was shorting on the frame and sending the voltage back through the anderson plug to the vehicle which the fried breakaway cable just happened to ground and fry from on the hitch. I rectified that issue but still have the weird seat thing. Bonus is the phasers finally got bad enough to throw codes and affect the driving characteristics. Solve one issue and on to the next haha

 

[Rob6805]

The line from the battery runs through a 50amp breaker. The camper is from South Africa and this is how the power them while in tow, the 7 pin does nothing but trailer brakes and lights.

Ok, I'll bite. Why do you have a trailer from South Africa?

 

[Artie]

Ok, I'll bite. Why do you have a trailer from South Africa?

Because nothing made here in the States has the capabilities as this one does. We currently have a Land Cruiser on the way to take over tow duties, the Navigator is fine for anything rated forest service road and easier so we need something to match the trailer prowess.

 

[Rob6805]

Because nothing made here in the States has the capabilities as this one does. We currently have a Land Cruiser on the way to take over tow duties, the Navigator is fine for anything rated forest service road and easier so we need something to match the trailer prowess.
View attachment 69271

That's pretty cool. And a LC would definitely be a better match.

 

[Fozzy]

Are you going to dump the Navi? Seeing it in the wild has to be the conversation starter. Luxury in the wilderness. The new 300 twin turbo is sick.

 

[Artie]

Are you going to dump the Navi? Seeing it in the wild has to be the conversation starter. Luxury in the wilderness. The new 300 twin turbo is sick.

I’m going to keep the Navigator until the extended warranty is out. It’s far too nice at what it’s built for, road trip and daily driver for the family. The Land Cruiser is getting completely purpose built for trips with this camper before I take delivery and will be strictly for adventure. I do get a lot of weird looks in the Navigator when out in the woods, it’s business in the front party in the back. As for the 300, I’m on the fence. Having turbos are great but the added complexity isn’t what we would be looking for, even if it were available to the US I would have gone with the 200 series so I could get all the modifications we wanted.