Travel Trailer Tail Light Stop Circuit Illuminates with Running Light Troubleshooting

Question

Question:

When I tow my travel trailer during the day, all of the lighting operates normally. However, at night or when I turn on my tow vehicles parking lights / head lights, the trailers passenger side tail light malfunctions in that the brake light is constantly illuminated. More specifically, the heavier brake filament to the bulb stays on in lieu of the separate, lighter tail light filament, which will still activate, but only when the turn signal is applied. The driver side tail light experiences no issues. I have verified the good condition of the tow vehicle ground and have cleaned the mating of the main trailer ground to the frame. Also, I have an observation camera wired to the clearance lights circuit on the rear of the trailer. The camera turns on when the clearance / running lights receive power. Im not completely sure, but I believe this circuit is somehow tied in with the passenger tail light that is experiencing the malfunction.

asked by: Josh

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Expert Reply:

You have a short between the running light and stop/turn circuit on the side of the vehicle that stays on with the headlights. Go over that circuit starting at the assembly looking for any cut or exposed, touching wire and fix as needed.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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Answer 1

There are a few things you will need to check on your trailer tail lights. First is the simplest and checking the light bulbs to ensure they are not burnt out. The tail light bulbs will have 2 filaments inside the light for the running lights and the…

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Answer 2

Yes. There should always be a very light power on your brake controller wire. However, it should be extremely minimal. As you increase in power using the manual override, you should see an incandescent circuit tester like #PTW2993 going from almost…

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Answer 3

That certainly sounds odd. Here is what I would try: First, unplug the brake controller for 5 minutes and plug it back in. This will perform a hard reset on the controller which is sometimes necessary after a new installation. If that doesn't…

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Answer 4

Your main problem is an insufficient ground for the trailer wiring. Try improving the connection of the main ground wire of the trailer wiring harness. Make sure it is attached to a clean metal surface. Or you can run all of the trailer wires back to…

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Answer 5

On your 2014 Harley Tri Glide, there is an open circuit on that brown pin for your running lights. I recommend tracing that wire with a circuit tester like #PTW2993 to locate the short. It sounds like it was spliced in on the wrong side of your…

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Answer 6

I contacted the manufacturer about the wattage draw of the Hook Probe Circuit Tester #PTW2993. They told me that the circuit tester will pull at least 5 watts.

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Answer 7

When a fuse is constantly blowing it does sound like something very simple - you have overloaded a circuit which is causing the fuse to blow so your best option would be to utilize things like LED lights that draw less power as opposed to any…

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Answer 8

Sound like one of the assemblies has the running light and stop/turn circuit switched as the brigher filament of the bulb should be the same on both lights and would explain why the side doesnt' work properly. On the dimmer assembly try swapping…

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Answer 9

When checking the wires associated with a brake controller, you should use a incandescent circuit tester like #PTW2993. This will actually cause a power draw on the wire to light the bulb and give you an accurate visual of if the system is…

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Answer 10

You need to confirm your routed the brake lines to the proper pin on your trailer connector or you need to check the wiring on your vehicle side. The brake magnets can be wired either way, just one wire power and one wire ground. It sounds like there…

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Answer 11

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 12

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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