4200 Controller Night Mode issues

thekameleon

Member
Jul 19, 2013
95
Illinois
I have 2016 Ford F150 and I found a solid place for the ignition wire and have power ran to it. I then attempted to connect the night mode wire and this is where things have gone bonkers. I tapped into the parking light wire as I don't know of another better wire that is "hot" when the lights are on. When the parking lights go on, the controller head blinks on and off very quickly. I have a feeling its the CANBus wiring in the vehicle.

So has anybody dealt with this and how did they handle it? Did you use some type of CANBus decoder or did you find another better wire / connection?
 
Last edited:

firebuff17

Member
Mar 28, 2011
774
CT
Exactly what CEVS has said.
I was also attempting to grab a signal from my turn signals in a RAM and experienced a very similar situation. I figured out to use the trailer harness.
After much trial and error, researching, etc... I found that it is most likely NOT the CANBUS that causes these situations. I believe it to be the computer sending a pulsed 12v signal to the bulb. This is in an effort on the manufacturer to provide a "long lasting" bulb. This works perfectly fine with halogen/incandescent bulbs but not so well with LEDs.
 

thekameleon

Member
Jul 19, 2013
95
Illinois
Unfortunately I just looked into this deeper and with the newer 2015+ Ford F150s, you can't connect to the trailer wiring harness. If you do, the F150 will think a trailer is attached and throw a bunch of warnings. <sigh>

Anyone with experience on a 2015+ F150?
 

bullfrog4ever

Member
May 29, 2014
336
Indiana
My guess would be to find the actual parking light signal. There may be a wire to tap inside the cab, either of a fuse or a wiring harness. I know many GM's have a parking light signal inside the cab, since they come prewired for clearance lights. May be worth looking into.
 
May 25, 2010
7,072
Tunkhannock, PA, USA
"Night Mode" on the 4200 is PLENTY bright in the day time... I have my "Night Mode" trigger connected to a constant power and I've had no issues...
 

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