Troubleshooting Lights on Jayco Pop Up Camper Staying On When Plugged Into GMC Acadia

Question:

I recently purchased a 1990 Jayco pop up. I am hauling it with a 2008 Gmc acadia. When I plug up the trailer lights to my acadia, ALL the trailer lights light up but do not work. The brake lights are all on constantly and the blinker lights as well. Do I need a different adapter because of the age differences in the vehicles?

asked by: DAVID C

Expert Reply:

The age difference between the trailer and Acadia should not cause any issues. The first thing I recommend doing is narrowing down your search area by taking a circuit tester like # PTW2979 and testing the pins on your Acadia's connector while a buddy runs through the lighting functions inside the vehicle. If you are getting power on the tester before the functions are even activated, then you know the issue is somewhere on the vehicle. If you only get power at the appropriate times with the corresponding light functions powered on, then the problem is somewhere on the trailer.

If you found that the problem is on the Acadia you will need to look for any signs of a short that's causing this constant power. Inspect the connector itself for any debris or corrosion that might be built up around the pins, cleaning out as needed. Also take a look at the wiring coming out from the back of the connector and see if you notice any exposed or frayed wiring that needs to be replaced. You might not be able to go far but trace the wiring as far up as you can, again checking for any damaged wires.

If the Acadia's connector tested out fine, then you need to focus on the camper. Start by inspecting its connector for any debris or corrosion. Then simply start by tracing the wiring from the connector down the trailer, looking for exposed areas that might be making contact with bare metal or a neighboring wire.

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

expert reply by: Chris R