Help with trailer lighting

[Tony Britt]

Guys,

I'm new to boating and not really mechanically inclined, but yesterday my trailer lights worked fine and today... nothing. Not even a peep. First time I've had trouble with the trailer lights and the lights on the truck work, so I don't think its a blown fuse or anything from that part of the package.

I would appreciate any help or wise suggestions.

 

[Carl S]

Most problems I have ever had with the trailer wiring was a bad ground or corroded connections. Make sure your plug-ins on the vehicle and trailer are clean. Also check your ground connections on the vehicle and trailer normally the white wires. Need to have a clean connection here.

Also make sure there is not a broken wire or a corroded connections of the wiring harness to the vehicle and or the trailer.

To check these properly you will need a test light or voltmeter or good eyes. Which I no longer have. Just an age thing. lol

 

[Max Neathamer2]

Prob a ground problem. Check the connector at the hitch. If it seems to be ok there then check the harness under your truck that leads to the Boat. One quick way to figure if it is your Trucks prob or the Trailer is to hook up to a Buddies Trailer and see if it works then. If you have a lot of Rust built up in the Ball connector then you can lose your ground. Also, if you have a lot of Build up on the Ball itself then it can give you a bad ground as well. Hope this helps..



Max

 

[Tony Britt]

There is a white wire laying on the ground that is not directly connected to the prong plugged into the back of the truck. Any idea where it goes? I don't think it was plugged into anything before.

Also, there is a lot of rust on the ball and I tried to clean that off, but the trailer lights still didn't come on. I've also checked the female socket coming out the back of the truck and it seems to be fine... no loose wires or anthing. Did I miss something?

 

[Donnie Matney]

Pretty good chance that white wire is going to be a ground wire. White is generally a ground wire. I bet this is your problem. Just screw it back to a piece of metal and you should be in business.



Donnie

 

[Tony Britt]

My fishing buddy has told me that the white wire has been sticking off for the past few days and we still had lights.Currently there is no wire screwed onto the trailer, but that will be remedied within an hour. Could it be that there is another ground wire that I don't know anything about?

 

[Tony Payne]

I had this problem before as well.



The white wire is probably grounding the trailer side. With it out/disconnected you are relying on your truck ground. WIll work, but can be intermittent, since you are no longer complete.



Easy test -- hook up the trailer lights to the truck, then find a bare spot on the trailer and touch the white wire. if they light, that was the issue, if not, keep looking.

 

[Tony Britt]

You were right about the trailer lights being intermittent. They've been that way all along since my fishing buddy pulled the white wire from the trailer. I thought that was just how the trailer was. I cleaned the rust from the ball and now I have turn signals, but I don't have the lights come on when I've got the park lights on as of yet. I'll try that after work. Is there any other tips I need to know about this trailering issue?

 

[Max Neathamer2]

If you have an Old Ball try a piece of Tin Foil and cover the Ball and then put the trailer on. Might help some of your Ground Prob.. My old Lowe would have this problem of the lights blinking on and off from time to time. Mostly after loading the trailer first thing in the morning and the first couple of stop signs or stop lights on the way to the lake. Never had this problem again after a little tin foil on the Ball. You need a good connection between the Trailer and Truck at the hitch for a good ground.



Max

 

[Tony Payne]

It is obvious that your issue is the ground... clean up and reconect that white wire to the trailer.



When I had this problem I drilled a new hole and popriveted the wire in place, solved it forever. Others may have other ways, but you need to get the wire connected to the trailer.

 

[Donnie Matney]

Here is a tip . I used to tow with an s10. Needless to say my flasher was underpowered, so I had to upgrade. Depending on the vehicle you may have to do the same. One way to find out is if you have the head lights on and push the break the rear trailer lights will go out. Not enough muscle from the flasher to push 6 to 8 lights. Flashers are cheap and are easy to install. This may not be your case but may need to be looked at if SimNitro's tips don't help. Keep on working that ground Iam sure that is the problem.



Donnie

 

[Donnie Matney]

 

[Bob G.]

Tony,



You need to get them ground wires connected to bare metal on the truck and trailer. The hitch ball is not designed for an electrical connection since the trailer coupler rotates on it and it should have grease on it. I had a problem last year when the insulation was worn off of the lights wire inside the trailer and would blow the fuse for the trailer lights in the truck when it rubbed the frame.



Bob G.

 

[Tony Britt]

Right now, I don't know which direction to turn. I've tried all the suggestions and the running lights just won't come back on. I don't have the expertise, time or money to dig inside the trailer to try and find this electrical gremlin. What's the ball park - even though I hate to go to a boat shop right now. They're all packed around for at least two weeks back.

 

[Bob G.]

Tony,



Do you have 12vdc at your truck connector when the lights are on? The non-insulated pin is ground. The order is like this: ground - lights - left turn signal - right turn signal - reverse for disengaging surge brakes (if you have it). Connect a voltmeter or DC test light from ground to the light circuit with the lights on. If you have it at the truck, the problem is at the trailer.



I wouldn't wait two weeks for a boat dealer to fix it. Any competent RV dealer or automotive garage should be able to find the problem in no time.



Bob G.

 

[Anotherdink Scott Chambers]

okay I now its been mentioned but have you checked the fuse for the runnning light under the hood of the truck for the trailer, they run on a seperate fuse in most if not all newer trucks, if it blows the other lights will work (turn signals) but runing lights wont. if its blown you probably have a short some where, this happened to me and it took me forever to find, and a couple of fuses. If its a ground problem all ya have to do is get ya a peice of wire long enough to strech between the truck and trailer and if lights come on then its the ground. if fuses are good and new ground doesnt work go to auto zone and get a one of those things (12 volt tester) that have a light bulb in it with a clip, put clip to ground on truck bumper and check the and yellow wire (I belive this is the running lights, brown and green are the turn signals on each left and right if I remeber correctly and blue is for the electric brakes) with light switch on, if it lights up its on the trailer side, if it doesnt its in the harnes on truck side or a fuse some where. hope this helps if Im wrong Im sure some one will corret me on the colors.