Trailer Lights Stay on Once Vehicle Ignition is Shut Off

Question

Question:

Have a problem with my trailer lights staying on very dimly after everything in truck is turned off. Have to disconnect the 7-pin connector to get the trailer lights to go off. Problem is not there if I just hook up the trailer before doing anything with the truck. Its not the delay in the truck lights after you turn off. The trailer lights will stay on for a LONG time if not disconnected.

asked by: Zzmike

0

Expert Reply:

I suspect your problem is caused by a damaged or corroded trailer connector.

Take a look at your trailer connectors, both the socket on your truck as well as the plug on the trailer. Look for green or white corrosion on the pins or sockets of the connectors. If corrosion is visible, there is a strong possibility that the corrosion has spread to the interior of the connector. The terminals that each individual circuit connects to are very close together, if corrosion builds up on the terminals, the 12-volt accessory circuit can actually bleed over to the other circuits and apply power to them.

Clean or replace the trailer connectors as needed, which should solve your problem.

expert reply by: Mike L

0

Scotty

3/7/2013

I have exact same problem with 100 new equipment that I purchased from eTrailer. So though the theory of cross connection e.g. frayed wire, is still valid, I have verified that all my connections are tight. Any other ideas for why a very dim light exists as explained previously?Thank you.

Reply

Patrick B.

6/20/2013

Corrosion in the connectors, 7-way on vehicle or trailer, is the most likely culprit. If all of those parts are new and properly installed, we have seen this happen with LED trailer lights. There may be a small amount of power on the taillight circuit, not enough to light the vehicle or trailer incandescent bulbs, but maybe enough for an LED. You can take a circuit tester and probe the wires of the light that is dimly lit to find which circuit the current is on, and more closely examine that circuit. It could be a relay, somewhere on the fuse blocks, is going out.

Reply

Answer 1

It sounds as though there is a short or something is mis-wired. Using a circuit tester, like the #PTW2993, check the connection points in the vehicle side connector, to see if there is constant power on the running light circuit (brown wire on the…

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Answer 2

This sounds like the problem could be a short or possibly ground related but based on what you have said a ground is much less likely. Look for any pinched or frayed wires on the trailer and fix as needed. This could cause a short resulting in…

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Answer 3

Often when a trailer harness lighting circuit stays on continuously, even when the vehicle lights are okay and function correctly, the issue is corrosion inside the vehicle socket or the trailer plug that allows the 12V auxiliary power signal to…

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Answer 4

When a trailer's tail light remains on when the vehicle is shut off, this usually indicates some kind of short in the wiring. I first recommend using a circuit tester like #PTW2993 to check the vehicle side connector. You will want to see if…

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Answer 5

It sounds like you're asking about the 12V circuit on the 7-way trailer connector on the rear of your 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Some vehicles will always have power and some others will not. We don't have this specific information for your…

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Answer 6

Generally you see this situation on a vehicle that has LED lights because there is a power bleed coming from a different circuit into the lighting circuit. LED lights require a lot less power than incandescents, that's one of the biggest benefits…

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Answer 7

It is possible that the Curt 4-way connector like the Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector #C62VR can short out. This is usually caused by a short in the trailer wiring. You can test your harness by using a…

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Answer 8

You would not be able to charge your battery through the wiring on your 4-way trailer connector. Since your truck has a 7-way connector, you could maintain the power to the battery but not charge it. To begin, you would need to cut off your 4-way…

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Answer 9

There is not a plug and play adapter for your Lance connector that we are aware of. Typically this is installed by the Lance dealer. A junction box/7-way plug kit like #HS381-9000 is an option you have to convert the camper to match the 7-way RV…

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Answer 10

Some trucks do need an under-the-hood connection of wiring to activate the 12V trailer power feed and the trailer brake controller power input feed. This process is outlined and illustrated in the linked article, in the section titled…

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Answer 11

A junction box/7-way plug kit like Epicord #277-000141 or #HS381-9000 lets you convert the camper to match the 7-way RV blade type connector format. This avoids the extra connection points and potential trouble spots from using separate adapters.…

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Answer 12

Lance does have a proprietary plug, but many customers see a standard 6-way or 7-way round and notice it doesn't fit their factory 7-way as well. I've attached an article to help if you have one of the 7-way or 6-way round connectors which we…

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Trailer Lights Stay on Once Vehicle Ignition is Shut Off

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