Trailer Lights - Almost there, just need a little help!

[Muskienut]

In my previous post, I indiacted my trailer lights, brakes and turn signals work, but when I do not apply the brakes or the turn signals, they do not work. Side markers are not working either..So, I went out and bought one of those mini testers for like $3.00. It told me the Right and and Left signals worked, but not the TailLamp? This is the tester I connect to the connector which plugs in to my truck.

Do this mean I new a new connector? I thought it would be the adapter, but I am leaning towards the connecotor..Then again, I no nothing about cars or trailers, and very little about boats. Then again, could it be a fuse in the car? I do not think so because all my lights in the rear of my truck worked....

What do you guys think? I am hoping this is a simple, easy solution!

[wishing for walleyes]

Follow your wire from your truck plug running lights...maybe you have a pinched wire or bad connection where your truck plug connects to your truck wires

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Dan

[Steve Bakken]

Push the needle of your circut tester through the plastic insulation of the wire just ahead of where it goes into the plug. If you have juice, then it's in your plug. If not keep following it up the truck until, like Dan said, you find damage.

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Steve @ Bakken's Boat Shop www.bakkensboatshop.com

[Muskienut]

Steve - The circuit tester I have is the one for like $3 bucks that connect into the connecotr. Same 4 prongs as the adapter. So there is nothing I can push it thru?

If my tail lights on my truck work and they do not juice up on the tester, could it be that it is a 99.9% probablity of it being the connector? I could not find any kinked wires or anything....I am confident my truck wiring is good - it is only 1 1/2 yrs old.

[Dave]

Muskienut,
What kind of truck?

My running light (taillamp) fuse my Ford F250 was blown the other day. No apparent reason as the boat trailer lights worked fine after I was done towing it. With the taillamp fuse blown, I still had brake and turn signal lights. Maybe it's a fuse in your truck.

Steve was speaking of a probe on a voltmeter tester, not your plug-in tester.

[This message has been edited by Dave (edited 10-13-2003).]

[Muskienut]

Chevy Tahoe.

[SPIN DRY]

Have you tried plugging it in to another vehicle to see if it's the truck or the trailer?

[SPIN DRY]

Well if I would have read all the posts I would have seen that you are on to your truck.{boy is my face red} I have a 99 1500 and every year I have to replace the connectors where it is hard wired to my truck no matter how well I tape it. I don't know if yours is hard wired or if it is one of those plug in types. Also check your ground on the truck. Good luck.

[Muskienut]

Mine is one of those plug in types. Hey, good idea about trying it on someone else's truck. I'll see if one of my neighbors has the same plug in type.

[gofishingtom]

muskienut,

might just be your ground to the boat trailer needs to be cleaned and reattached.. that was the problem on my trailer last year the ground got rusty... might check that first

[Muskienut]

Pardon my ignorance here, but that would be the white wire?

[Surface Tension]

Yes white wire is ground. The melted plug interests me, dirty or loose contacts will heat up. Replace the plug not the whole harness. As was posted earlier a bad ground can do strange things. Jumper cables from the trucks frame to the trailer frame will help rule out a bad ground.

[Muskienut]

Thanks for eveyone's help!
The problem was a blown fuse in my truck. All lights are good to go! I would have never known without this boards help!