Troubleshooting Trailer Lighting When Connected to 2008 Dodge Ram 7-Way Trailer Connector

Question:

im not getting any lights or brake lights when i hook up tp my pull behind camper do i need to change pigtail on camper? rv camper does not have electric brakes it is an older camper

asked by: Anthony

Expert Reply:

The first thing you will want to do is check the trailer connector pins individually for function. I recommend using an incandescent circuit tester like # PTW2993 to test for power. Since you don't have brakes on your trailer, you don't need to be concerned about that feature for this application. If you have a 7 way on your trailer currently and your vehicle side connector tests as working, I recommend next checking your ground connection on your trailer. You want to make sure it is free of all rust and corrosion having a bare metal to metal connection. Then you can test your trailer wires behind the connection with the circuit tester probing through the insulation. If the wires work there, you know the connector is not the issue. If you do not have power then the connector should be replaced with # A7WCB. Next I recommend checking the tail lights as they will either have a separate ground connection through a wire or through the mounting hardware. Make sure those connections are bare metal to metal.

Finally, you can probe wires every few feet to check for shorts and replace as needed using # 16-1-1.

expert reply by: Jason S