Trailer tailight help.

Dotson

Cadet
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
24
The brake lights work on my boat trailer but I cannot get the tailights to come on with the lights on my truck. Any ideas? Thanks!
 

wellsc1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 7, 2009
Messages
328
Re: Trailer tailight help.

I troubleshoot by half-stepping the problem. Get one of those trailer light testers from Walmart or somewhere like an automotive store. It looks like a trailer connection without wires and has a set of lights to tell you if your vehicle connections are working. From that test you'll know which direction to look - vehicle wiring or trailer wiring.

Since break lights work, your ground must be intact. That half-steps the problem to the tailight site of things. Blinkers work with brake site of things, so it may be simply a one-wire issue, assuming both lights don't work at the moment. However, don't assume both tailight filaments aren't bad. "Murphy" may be lurking to trip you up with a coincidence.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Trailer tailight help.

The trouble is in the brown wire in the harness. It is either not being powered from the tow vehicle or there is an issue in the trailer side. Turn the lights on, check the plug on the car for +12 volts on the brown wire. If you have it, the problem is trailer. If not, fix the car side.
 

Shadow662

Seaman
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
57
Re: Trailer taillight help.

Re: Trailer taillight help.

Not sure if you fixed the problem yet but if you tried and nothing worked I have some tips. I'm not sure what kind of vehicle it is or if they worked before and not working now. If this is a new install some vehicles have different lights for the tail and stop lights. The kit bought from the stores have the stop lights and running lights threw the same wire. If you vehicle has separate running and stop lights then you will need a seperate harness that converts the wiring to work for your vehicle.
 

Shizzy

Ensign
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
984
Re: Trailer tailight help.

check to see if your vehicle has a tow / haul fuse. My Ranger has one and I found the fuse was blown. I had the same issue.
 

burp

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2002
Messages
363
Re: Trailer tailight help.

If your tow vehicle is a Ford truck/SUV, there is a fuse in the fuse box under the hood which powers the trailer running lights. If it's blown, the trailer turn and brake lights will still work correctly, just not the trailer running lights.
 
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