Picked up a new (04 reg) Stralis unit yesterday and a 2001 Lawrence David curtainsider. Tutns out the brake lights on the trailer have a mind of their own 
Press the pedal and they come on for 2 secs then go off again.
The computer on the unit is showing me that there is a bulb failure and that the ABS is not working. Bulbs are all ok though
Any body had anything like this or can anybody point me in the right direction 
Thanks 
Oh Lucy… 
Proudscot:
Picked up a new (04 reg) Stralis unit yesterday and a 2001 Lawrence David curtainsider. Tutns out the brake lights on the trailer have a mind of their ownThe computer on the unit is showing me that there is a bulb failure and that the ABS is not working. Bulbs are all ok though
Any body had anything like this or can anybody point me in the right direction
Thanks
Sounds like it could be a bad earth or a dodgy connection.
Just a guess and probably wrong, but sometimes having the wrong or different wattage bulbs in can cause similar problems (volvo cars suffer bulb failure messages from it even when they’re working and occasionaly strange behaviour).
Dodgy earth.
How many times have you seen an older Ford with dodgy rear disco lights when they are braking and indicating!
I know I once had a Schmitz Cargobull reefer that if you put a rear light bulb in the ‘wrong way round’ (if you see what I mean?) it would shine as bright as a fog light.
Remove bulb, twist 180 degrees and replace in socket and it was fine.
In your case however - I cannot help. I think it’s just that Italian flair!!
It’ll be a dodgy earth in the trailer confusing the unit ECU. Been there, done that…and various other permutations. 
Thanks everyone for the suggestions I know what I will be doing tomorrow before I go away for the week - ah the joys of moving from being an owner driver to being a 2 truck outfit 
flying_fenman:
I know I once had a Schmitz Cargobull reefer that if you put a rear light bulb in the ‘wrong way round’ (if you see what I mean?) it would shine as bright as a fog light.Remove bulb, twist 180 degrees and replace in socket and it was fine.
Presumably due to it being a combined tail/brake bulb - if you put it in wrong then yet get the two filaments connected the wrong way round. The two pins are offset to theoretically prevent you from doing this, but they’re small pins and the fittings are often flimsy plastic and so it’s very easy to get them in backwards without knowing it.
The majority of cars have this type of bulb for tail/brake too.
Paul
I had a Stralis for a little while, (it was a hire unit).
If the trailer had sets of 3 of those round Euro tail light units, (with bulbs, not the newer LED ones) it would do this with the indicators.
The answer was to remove one of the indicator bulbs each side, or replace them with a 5w side light bulb in instead of the proper 21w bulb.
It might be worth a try for brakes too.
Simon:
I had a Stralis for a little while, (it was a hire unit).
If the trailer had sets of 3 of those round Euro tail light units, (with bulbs, not the newer LED ones) it would do this with the indicators.
The answer was to remove one of the indicator bulbs each side, or replace them with a 5w side light bulb in instead of the proper 21w bulb.
It might be worth a try for brakes too.
What you will find if you are running Euro lights(bulbs) the problem with indicators is the standard flasher relay can’t cope with the extra wattage. Hence when you fit 5w bulbs no problems.
macplaxton:
Dodgy earth.How many times have you seen an older Ford with dodgy rear disco lights when they are braking and indicating!
I had a Fiesta like that! It didn’t seem to matter what I did they still kept doin it!
I was going to give up and start a mobile disco…
…I guess I could have been… MC Hammer
I’ll get my coat!