So apparently there wasn't a fuse, or a split charge relay when the work was done the first time. It was probably wired for a later configuration than the 1992 caravan than we bought and with no fuse it heated up and melted a load of the wiring.
I've had it back to the guy who did the work and he's ...

I hadn't even thought about fuses. I've not looked tbh. I'm going to get the caravan looked by a caravan specialist, although it was cheap so I'm happy that was 'sold as seen'. However I'll take your advice and have the bongo looked at by an auto electrician to assess the installation of the towbar ...

Thanks. I was going to get the electrics and gas checked by a professional anyway as its an old caravan, I wish that Id thought not to hook up the grey socket until I'd done that. Hindsight eh.

Bit of an update. I thought Id check to see if the radiator fans were coming on so I had the bonnet open for the first time since towing. It looks like it might not be the transmission after all, the wiring that had been put in for the towbar electrics was totally burned out, insulation melted and ...

I see, so it's possible for the radiator to transfer heat from the engine to the transmission if it's not cooling properly and the radiator is getting hot.

I've just had a Haydn temperature alarm fitted, currently the two sensors are on each side of the engine, I'll move one to the transmission so ...

The van's a 1996, it's the radiator that was on the van when we bought it 6 years ago, I don't know if it was changed previous to then.

Ah, I see. So they share the radiator but the piping system is different, with the engine having water as a coolant and the transmission cooler has oil in it. So a problem with the engine cooling system shouldn't really have an affect on the transmission anyway.

Oh and, I'm confused, is the engine cooling system separate from the transmission cooling system, or do they share components that would make one have an affect on the other?

The leak was due to a rusted rear heater pipe, which I had replaced. The garage hadn't done Bongos before so I sent them info on draining and refilling the system, which they were fine with, however I have no idea if they followed it or not. Is there an way to check for air or is it a case of taking ...

I was towing on the flat and had only traveled around 20 miles, so if they already have a cooler on the transmission maybe it's not working as it should? I had a coolant leak recently so the coolant system has been emptied and filled a couple of times getting that sorted, maybe it hasn't been done ...

That's really useful, thanks for the information.

I don't believe it has been changed and I haven't checked the level for a while. I'll do that first, thanks. It's changed via the dipstick isn't it? The engine was definitely running hotter, presumably due to the extra work of towing the caravan, would that be the case for the gear box too?

Hmmm. There was definitely a noticeable difference when I pressed the hold button, it got brighter. Maybe an electrical fault rather than a gearbox fault? (fingers crossed) I've just had the towbar fitted, along with a coolant alarm and an engine temperature alarm, so there's been stuff done to the ...

The hold light came on yesterday on our V6, it's never happened before, any ideas why? Here's what happened;

We've just bought a caravan and were towing with the Bongo for the first time, going around 50mph on the flat. I noticed the Hold light come on and go off a few times and think (although I'm ...

Ah, ok, thanks for the info. Would you recommend the extra welding for towing a small caravan? I've already got a bike rack on the rear door so I wouldn't be using it for that.