Last weekend, doing some electrics, (actually installing new towing electrics), car on ramps, ran a big thick cable from the battery to the boot to serve the 12S socket.
Finished them off, wife called me in as lunch was ready, I reached in and extracted the ignition key and went and ate.

Later, I decided to check out the fridge connection (OK the electrics are for towing a caravan...). Went out, inserted the ignition key and found that the ignition lock was jammed and would not turn. Half hour later still no joy but luckily I had got it to the ACC position so was able to easily pull the barrel out.

Long story a bit shorter, ordered a new one from Lexus, and left it. Went out to the car Sunday late on, - battery COMPLETELY flat.....


THE QUESTION

Anyone know if the ignition being left on ACC (with nothing obvious switched on like the radio or lights) would drain the battery, or have I screwed up the electrics in some way.

My new barrel has arrived and will go in tonight so I can test my electrics with the engine running (and get it off the ramps!!!)

Hoping someone has more of a clue than me!!!

Cheers

Dave

Just fitted an 12n and 12s to my car, if there is nothing connected to the socket all should be OK
Regards Syd

Thanks Syd, hopefully when I get the new barrel in there will be no power drain!!!

Leaving the key in the acc position will drain the battery

Thanks Johnboy - all is sorted now - new igniton barrel and towing electrics all sorted out and no more current drains.
The biggest problem was the Smartcom relay box that I got from Towsure was faulty from new, so me not being a brilliant electrician was unable to diagnose the problem.
Luckily for me a mate (who is a brilliant electrician) came round and sorted it yesterday afternoon with a new updated Smartcom.
For those interested - the orange Smartcom has been superceded by a black one (how techy is that!!) which is more sensitive to voltage changes (apparently!) from the car.

Off to France for 2 weeks 0800 Friday - the weather looks slightly better in Royan than here so I might get a tan this summer!!!!!!

Cheers

Dave

I still cant believe you've admitted that you tow a caravan

Well, you tell me a better car for the job.....
Last towcar was a Rover Sterling - when it worked it was great.....
Before that a shed on wheels - oops sorry - a P reg LR Disco - just about the WORST towcar I have ever encountered!
Before that an Audi 100 2.8 - on a par with the Sterling
Before that a Rover 216 company car - less said about that the better
Before that - my first towcar for my first caravan - a Cavalier - 120k and still went like a rocket - just fell apart regularly

Clarkson isnt always right you know, with the right towcar, serviced properly, and loaded correctly you can tow at 70 quite safely (in France where its legal - and I will tomorrow)!!

Cheers

Dave

Have a great holiday let us all know how the drive went on your return

and your fuel costs/mpg for a long trip towing

Ohh I know these exactly, this is the fifth year running I've towed through France about 500 miles each way, and I tow in Britain about twice a month for weekends away!

My 'van is about 1500kg all up, and the LS does 17 mpg when towing. Compare that with an LR Vogue (roughly same size engine) and they get about 12 towing!

I know it sounds like a hefty price, but if you know what the costs are you can budget for it, we all do anyway to own these wonderful cars!!

Anyway, just off to finalise packing and get on the road, 10am ferry from Dover.

About 250 today, an overnight stop then the same tomorrow, then 2 weeks of sun sea sand and s....omething or other!!! (I'm getting old!!!)

See ya

Dave

When I was a kid, we used to tow a caravan down to Royan. Lovely place, the beach down that way is great with that big pine forest right at the back of it!

Happy days..

Hi All - Back from a great 2 weeks away.

Car behaved faultlessly, but split a valve in a caravan tyre day 1 travelling back and wrecked the jockey wheel and severed the black cable (caravan lights) in Rouen (an AWFUL city) on a lump of concrete day 2 coming back!

Stopped in Chartres on the way back and had a wander Friday evening, the cathedral is AWESOME (and I'm agnostic). If you get the chance visit it!

1180 miles all towing a 1500kg caravan (we went around whilst there in my mates 320d touring (not a bad motor!))

OK - the figures - all with ECT switched on just to see what happened - 1180 miles - 292.47 litres = 64.12 gallons = 18.4 mpg - so it really is better with it on than off in ALL situations

Thats not bad at all mate glad you had a good time sorry to hear about the few problems but hope you got them all sorted fairly easily.

over 18mpg is great!

my mates vogue SE only gets 12 when not towing!

Did see a towing article with the Overfinch rangie... they didn't talk about fuel consumption but did prove a that a punto on an Ifor williams 4 wheel car trailer only added 1 sec to the 0-60 and it towed it up to 125mph (private runway ofcourse)

Well thats what I thought (mpg wise), most of the time on N roads (comparable to M/A roads here) we were doing 55-65 mph so not hanging around. We gave the A roads a miss (tolls) and saved ourselves about £80 each way!

Not sure I'd like to tow at 125 even on a private runway, I know just how thigh clenching it gets when you get a wiggle on at around 70!!!!!!!!

Dave