Troubleshooting 7-Way on 2001 Chevy Silverado that Stops Functioning When Headlights are On

Question:

Hello, I just got a Hopkins part #47345 that comes with the LEDs that check your system. My truck shows that everything works perfectly fine, meaning the left and right turn signals, the brakes, and the running lights work until headlights are on. Once the headlights come on, the LED for both the left and right turn signal lights up very very faintly. You almost cant see it. Shut the headlights off and the LEDs blink with each turn signal brightly like they should. Where do I start? Thanks in advance!

asked by: Jay

Expert Reply:

This sounds like a ground issue. Ground problems normally show up when there is more draw on a system such as when you have the running lights on and then use another function like a turn signal or brake light.

Make sure that the vehicle side and trailer side connectors are clean and free of corrosion inside and out. I suspect that there is corrosion on the ground pin of the connector and cleaning it with fine grit sandpaper will fix it.

expert reply by: Jameson C