Trailer lights AAAARGH!

[T-water]

Help please. Just had my traler rewired when I plugged it into my jeep the right blinker didn't work so we checked it and discovered it was the connector in my car that was dead, so I said no big deal I'll buy a new one and splice it in. Everything looked like a standard 4 flat connector so that was what I bought. The problem is my Jeep has 5 wires going into the 4 flat connector the odd wire that is not on the trailer lights is a red wire for brakes...Guess what I have no brake lights. What should I do, I'm sure it's not a big deal just wondering how to get the break lights on. Thanks in advance.

[Whoaru99]

I think there is a converter box that goes between the vehicle harness and the trailer harness to go from 5 wire vehicle to 4 wire trailer.

Alternately, you might be able to find trailer lights with separate turn signals and brake lights, but I believe the converter is what most people use.

I think you could rig up your own converter with four diodes, but it's probably just easier to buy one.

[Jeremy airjer W]

What kind of jeep is it and does it have seperate amber turn signals in the rear? The old connector had 5 wires and 5 terminals right? How did you plug in a four flat in the first place.

If you have a five flat you have an extra wire that is used for the trailer brakes. If you are replacing with a four flat than disregard this wire. All the other colors should be there. Green for right turn/ brake - Yellow for left turn/brake - brown for running lights - and white is ground.

Good Luck!

[T-water]

Actually it was a flat four that had input from 5 wires! I think I need to go see my auto parts guy. Doesn't it seem that I should be able to wire it without buying a new connector? Thanks for the help!

[Whoaru99]

It depends on whether or not your Jeep has amber turn signals that are separate from the red brake lights.

If this is the case, I believe you will need a converter to adapt that vehicle to the 4-wire trailer light system.

It could be the original plug contained the converter and the converter got fried due to trailer wiring fault either in the old wiring or in the new wiring.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Thats odd!! Is this a factory Trailer harness? I guess I haven't seen that yet. I'll have to look at some diagrams at work to see if I can see what your sayin'. What year and model did you say that was?

[T-water]

It's a '95 Cherokee. Tonight I split the extra red wire and put it into the left and right turn signal wires. It's okay for now, I still have turn signals and I have brake lights but they do not operate simultaneously. So with a bit of careful driving I'm sure I'll make it through the weekend. Having any lights at all is better than alot of trailers!

[Whoaru99]

Don't want to sound like a gloom and doom guy, but there is some possibility you could damage the vehicle wiring this way.

If the turn signals and brake lights are separate, and now you've tied them together, it's back feeding one circuit into another - usually not a good (and quite possibly expensive) situation!!!

[T-water]

Right you are! I figured it out this AM. I guess I hadn't thought about the circular nature of a cicuit. My flashers went on everytime I turned on my blinker this AM. The good news is it's a cheap fix the bad news is I wasn't able to "jimmy rig" it on my own. So I guess I'm out a few bucks. Thanks for all of your help guys.

[Jeremy airjer W]

O.k., what was the fix. You have me thuroughly stumped. I checked the wiring diagrams and your supposed to have a seven round connector if you have a towing packeage. I then checked the trailer wire book and I could find plenty of 5 flat connectors but no 4 flats with 5 wires. I'm really confused!!!!

[T-water]

You need to buy a converter! It comes with an adhesive patch so you can stick it to the side cargo area. I'd like to say i figued it out myself but I had a little help from my mechanic.

[Jeremy airjer W]

For some reason I thought you where talking about a factory application. Abviously you where not. Glad to hear you are all squared away.