Brake Lights and Turn Signals Are Not Working on Utility Trailer

Question

Question:

I have a small utility trailer. Neither the brake lights or the turn signal lights work. The running tail lights and running lights work fine. The brake and turn signal on the tow vehicle work fine. For some reason the brake or signal lights will not work at all on the trailer. The bulbs are fine. Any suggestions?

asked by: Don G

0

Expert Reply:

When trailer lights are malfunctioning, there are many possible causes. As a first step, you will want to use a circuit tester such as part # PTW2993 and test the trailer connector on your Grand Cherokee. This will help you determine if the problem exists with the trailer or with the vehicle. Test each pin as its function is activated. If you are not getting current at the right or left turn/brake light pins, you will want to check the tow package fuses if your Grand Cherokee was equipped with the factory tow package.

If you do not have the tow package, trace the wires back from the trailer connector, until you locate the converter. This will be a small black box. With a helper on hand to activate the turn and brake light signals, use the tester to check for signal entering and leaving the box. If you are getting power entering the box but not leaving it, the converter is bad and must be replaced. I'd recommend part # C59496.

If the trailer connector checked out all right, start at the connector on the trailer. Examine it for damage or corrosion. Make sure that the ground wire is securely attached to metal on the trailer frame, and that this connection point is not corroded. Trace each circuit back to the fixture, looking for broken or pinched wires, or wires with worn or cracked insulation.

The chances are excellent that one of these issues is causing your problem. I've also linked you to some FAQ articles that you might find helpful.

expert reply by: Mike L

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Answer 1

It sounds like either you have the load resistor #DI34ZR connected to the wrong circuit, not connected quite right, or the vehicle uses a pulse width modulation type of wiring that could affect performance. I have included a picture that shows the 2…

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Answer 2

If the lights on your trailer were acting fine prior to installing the LEDs then you need to start off by checking the ground connections for your lighting. Make sure they are securely connected to a clean, bare-metal surface as even some paint can…

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Answer 3

Per Putco, you would need 1 load resistor inline with the wiring harness feeding LED bulb for a turn signal. I believe your Sierra has two bulbs per side, one for the running lamp, one for the brake/turn signal. You only need to install Load…

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Answer 4

The first thing I recommend doing is to check that the ground wire for the lights is securely attached to a clean metal surface on the trailer frame. A loose ground wire will keep the lights from working. If the ground attached to the trailer does…

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Answer 5

Odds are your cargo carrier's lights are the super-efficient LED type. These can cause turn signal hyperflashing as you describe. This does not cause any actual harm to anything but it can certainly be annoying. Your options are to try load…

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Answer 6

The issue you are having is the trailer wiring is going to have combined turn signal/brake light wiring. This is why trailers will typically only have single red lights and 3 wires going into the tail light. A Tail Light Converter #118158 can be used…

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Answer 7

I've never heard of an actual third brake light connector on a camper shell to plug in on a truck and we don't carry any parts to do that. The light generally needs to be hardwired into the truck's brake light circuit. The issue with this…

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Answer 8

The closest modern tire size to a 7.00-15 tire is a 225-75-15 like the #AM10256 tire you mentioned. Typically, a 225/75-15 tire will measure about 8-3/4 to 9 inches wide by around 28-1/2 inches in diameter. We offer the same size in a Load Range E as…

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Answer 9

The Titan Hitch Box Extension and Reducer for 2-1/2" Trailer Hitches, #RP45292, is a confirmed fit for your 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD short bed with a Lance camper. This extension is specifically designed for your slide-in camper with the…

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Answer 10

The Reese Titan Extension/Reducer you referenced, part #RP45292 would work great with the 2-1/2 inch Class V hitch on your Ram. As you mentioned, the extension has a 8K capacity when cut down to the 24 inch length, that will provide a 2 inch receiver…

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Answer 11

There is a Titan hitch extender that should work for you, but would require a Titan hitch be installed on your truck to handle a tongue weight loaded that far from the hitch. It is Reese part #RP45292. You can use it as a 34 inch extension or cut it…

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Answer 12

You can use a 7-Way and 4-Way connector at the same time just as long as you are not overloading the light circuits. If your camper has a lot of outside lights like running lights, and brake/stop/turn lights then the lights that perform the same…

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