Troubleshooting Lights Not Working on Right Side of Trailer
Question:
Lights on truck working but trailer right side ain’t working
asked by: Curtis H
Expert Reply:
I'm not sure which specific lights on the trailer's right side aren't working, but based on how trailers are wired I'm going to assume that it's just the brake/turn signals. If the running lights aren't working either please just let me know.
With this type of issue the first thing I recommend doing is taking a circuit tester like # PTW2979 and testing the right side turn/brake light circuit pin on the truck's connector (3 o'clock position on a 7-Way or the furthest right side pin on a 4-Way). Test the pin while you have the right turn signal or brake lights powered on in the truck to see if you get power.
If you do get power then you know the problem is somewhere on the trailer. If you don't get power then the issue is actually somewhere on the truck.
If you did get power at the connector you will want to head over to the trailer and simply inspect its connector, looking for any debris or corrosion around the pins that needs to be cleaned out. If the connector looks good just try and trace the right side turn/brake circuit wire as far as you can from the back of the connector to the rear tail light assembly and look for any pinched, exposed, or otherwise damaged sections of wire that need to be replaced. Also make sure the light assembly itself is properly grounded to a clean bare metal surface, whether it uses a dedicated ground wire or grounds through its mounting hardware.
If you didn't get power on the truck side connector, the most common culprit is a blown fuse under the hood. You can check your owner's manual for the fuse locations related to trailer towing lights and replace the fuse if needed.
Please let me know what you find if this doesn't resolve the issue can we can continue troubleshooting.
Products Referenced in This Question
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Peterson Combination Trailer Tail Light - 6 Function - Incandescent - Square - Passenger Side
- Trailer Lights
- Tail Lights
- Rear Reflector
- Side Marker
- Side Reflector
- Stop/Turn/Tail
- Square
- Surface Mount
- Non-Submersible Lights
- Incandescent Light
- 4-3/4L x 4-1/2W Inch
- Red
- Peterson
more information >
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