Troubleshooting Trailer Brake and Turn Signals Not Working with 2011 Ford F-150  

Question:

Expert Reply:

If you aren't getting any brake or turn signal lights on the trailer when hooked up to your 2011 Ford F-150 the first thing I recommend doing is testing the connector on your truck with a circuit tester like # PTW2993. Have a buddy sit in the cab and run through the brake and turn signal functions while you test the appropriate pins on the connector for power.

This will let you rule out the trailer or truck as the problem area. If you don't get power with those functions activated then you know the issue is on the truck but if you do get power then there's actually a problem somewhere on the trailer's wiring.

If you didn't get power you can stay at the connector and inspect the pins for any debris or corrosion that might be built up inside, cleaning out as needed. If the connector looks good then you can also check for a blown fuse under the hood. I took a look at the online owner's manual for your F-150 and it shows that the trailer turn/brake signal fuses are located in the number 37 and 38 positions inside the power distribution box. Make sure these fuses are present and in good condition.

If those are good then you will just need to try and trace and inspect any trailer wiring you can access on the truck for any pinched or damaged areas that need to be replaced.

If you did get power at the connector during the initial test then you will want to inspect the trailer side connector for debris or corrosion that needs to be cleaned out. Make sure your grounds, both the main harness ground and the individual light assembly grounds, are secured to a clean bare metal surface that's free of any debris or corrosion. Inspect any wiring you can find for damage or exposed areas.

If you still can't locate or resolve the issue please let me know and we can continue to troubleshoot.

expert reply by: Chris R

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