How to Troubleshoot a Trailer Connector Without Power  

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Expert Reply:

If the trailer connector at the rear of your 1998 Ford F-150 is not receiving power, you will first want to check inside the connector for any dirt or debris. You can use electrical cleaner to clean the connector off, if needed. You will also want to give each of the wires leading into the connector a good wiggle to ensure they are properly attached. If the wires have come loose or the pins inside the connector are corroded, you can replace it using part # HM48190 for 4-way connectors or part # R7CB for 7-way connectors.

If the trailer connector at the rear of the vehicle does not have loose wires and the pins are not corroded, you will first want to check the ground wire. Trace the ground wire back to the frame to ensure it is attached to a clean bare metal surface. You can also run a new ground wire to the frame, using part # 12-1-1, part # 44-5310A, and part # FA1131822, if you cannot trace the existing wire back.

After the ground wire is checked, you will want to use a circuit tester like part # PTW2992 to test the trailer connector. To do this you will need a friend to sit in the vehicle and perform each of the trailer connectors functions while you are testing the corresponding wires. If any of the circuits do not illuminate the tester, you will want to trace the corresponding wires back to their origin, taping all loose or frayed connections.

Once completed, you can now move onto the trailer side. Again, the first step is to check inside the trailer side trailer connector for any dirt or debris in addition to wiggling the wires leading into the connector. To replace the trailer side connector, you will want to use part # HM48192 for 4-way connectors or part # A10-7W6 for 7-way connectors. You will then want to follow the trailer connectors ground wire to the trailers frame to ensure it is attached to a clean bare metal surface.

After the trailer side trailer connector has been checked, you can then mate the vehicle and trailer side connectors together. Before doing so I recommend using a thin line of part # 11755 between the two to help prevent future electrical failures.

Once the trailer connectors have been connected, you will want to use the circuit tester listed above to test the wires coming from the trailer connector at varying points in the trailers wiring harness to see where the problems occur. You will again need to have a friend sit in the vehicle and perform these functions as you test the corresponding wires. Seal all open or frayed wires using the electric tape listed above to ensure there are no short circuits.

If none of these steps offer a solution to the problem, please let me know and I would be glad to offer additional troubleshooting advice for you.

expert reply by: Conner L

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