Trailer Lights

[specktator]

Alright this might sound dumb but been stumping me for a few weeks now. I just got finished changing out both of my trailer lights on my boat trailer. Previously, my brake and signal lights would work but not my running lights. I change out both lights b/c they were pretty corroded. Hook em up, and still just brake lights and signals, no running lights! I checked my fuse box on my truck and everyone of them is fine. Any suggestions?

[longsidelandry]

Did you change out all of the wiring, connector and all?

[specktator]

Originally Posted by longsidelandry

Did you change out all of the wiring, connector and all?

no i didnt change out the wiring. I guess im gonna have to do that. i was trying not to. almost had a heat stroke just changing out the lights. all the bolts were stripped. i had to cut them off with a hack saw.

[Bluechip]

Get a light tester and check the socket on your truck where you plug your trailer in..

[Salty]

Originally Posted by Bluechip

Get a light tester and check the socket on your truck where you plug your trailer in.....before you change anything else.

[Red Devil]

Do you hook your trailer up with the vehicle running or off. The reason I'm asking is that a couple of years ago when I bought my utility trailer, they hooked it up at the dealer and the lights didn't work. I was about to ask for my money back when the guy climbed in my truck and killed the engine and restarted it. The lights came right on. This was on a Ford though. Not sure what you drive. May have a severed wire or connection also.

[specktator]

i found my prob. my dad tried to tie in some side running lights and when u couldnt get them to work he just cut them loose and never re-connected the wire. Hooked them back up. now i got the passenger side working but still cant the driver side. Fack!

[fishinpox]

Originally Posted by specktator

i found my prob. my dad tried to tie in some side running lights and when u couldnt get them to work he just cut them loose and never re-connected the wire. Hooked them back up. now i got the passenger side working but still cant the driver side. Fack!

man you dont need them lights!!! just tap your brakes every so often !! i re wire my shat every year and about a month later 1/2 of it dont work......im done messin with it

[Gerald]

I did not read all the post to see that you had found the problem. There must still be a broken wire on the driver side.

Sounds like there is a bad connection/broken wire on the wire that goes to the running light.

Look to see what color wire is common to both trailer lights.....I think it is normally brown. If you have a volt meter, check to see if you are getting voltage to the light....you are probably are not getting power at the light.

Then trace the wire back to the truck and check the plug in on the truck to see if it has power. Somewhere there is a "break" that is not allowing power to get to the light. There could be a broken wire on the trailer [near the plugin connection] or on the truck. Maybe you can look under the truck bumper and find where the running light wire connects to the truck.....then wiggle that connection. The lights might come on because of a bad connection.

If you don't have a volt meter or a light tester......you can still trouble shoot using a short piece of wire. With the trailer wire un-plugged, run a ground wire [usually white wire] from the truck to the trailer. Make sure that you make a good "ground" connection to the trailer.

Then take a short piece of wire and use it to "jump" the power from the truck blinker or brake wire and use that to see if the trailer "running light" will light up. Also, use this jumper wire to test that the brake or blinker light will work.....using the jumper. This will let you know that the ground wire is making a good connection.

Working with trailer lights.......been there done that a few times.

Let us know what you find............