Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

[Nohfire53]

I have a 1999 Escort Trailer(link below) My left tail light was out, I replaced the sealed bulb and wired it with the 2 wires from the harness, no the light comes on, but I have no signal or brake function.

Does anyone have any ideas?


http://www.maxumboatparts.com/1999/t...t/17trail2.htm

 

[boat1010]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

Usually when you have a problem with trailer lights it is the ground. You can take a tester and make sure that the voltage is getting to the plug then just keep testing from there. But I would clean up all the grounds that go back to the trailer and make sure all the connections are good. Hope that helps..

 

[Nohfire53]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

The left tail light works, when I turn the car headlights on, the tail light on the trailer comes on, the signal light and the brake light don't work, the light just remains constant. I did reground the harness and the new light though.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

Check to be sure the contacts in the bulb socket are clean and the base is not bound so it can't push both contacts onto the the bulb contacts.
Mike

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

Check your lighting adapter/converter. A common source of issues, perhaps more common even than ground failures.

TerryMSU

 

[scipper77]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

I had a simaler problem 2 years ago. In that case it was the tow vehicle wiring. Harbor freight sells a tester you plug into the vehicle harness.

Yesterday I found I have the exact same problem as you except it is the right side. My plan is to first check the vehicle with my tester, then pull the bulb (I think its the bulb) If the bulb is good I'll clean the ground connection. If all that doesnt work I'll run a new wire through the frame. Heck it might save me time to just replace the bulb and run the new wire in the first place.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

You say that you have two wires at the light? Test both of them with a tester and see if you have power to them with the blinker turned on. One should be just for running lights and the other wire will be blinker and stop light. And again 90% of the time it is a ground issue. You can also test the filament on the bulb with a continuity tester to see if it is bad.

 

[a1nowell]

Re: Trailer's left signal and brake don't work?? Troubleshooting tips??

Check you tow vehicles fuses. My suburban has the towing package from GM. The trailer lights have there own fuses.