No Brake Lights After Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit Installation

Question

Question:

2015 Jeep Wrangler everything works fine tail lights, turn signals, but no brake lights. Can a bad ground cause this problem ? Need help going crazy !!

asked by: Jon H

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Expert Reply:

If I understand correctly that you've installed the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles # HM56200 and now your brake lights are failing, this could be few things so we'll go through some troubleshooting steps here. You can start by using a circuit tester like part # PTW2993, to verify you have voltage running through the circuits. A brief demonstration video on how to test with a circuit tester is included for more details.

If you test the brake wire (should be Grey w/ Black Stripe) and it does not have a signal, you may have blown fuse or relay. Check your owners manual to find which relay/fuse corresponds to your brake lights and change if blown. If you are receiving signal then move to the other side of the converter box and repeat the method.

The next step is test is on the other side of the converter and repeat the process. If you do not have signal then you have an issue with your converter box and you will need to contact the retailer where you purchased the harness.

If your plug is good then make sure your ground is connected to a clean, dirt and grit free, bare metal surface. Other ground causes are grounding to an aluminum frame, plastic or aluminum license plate or a painted metal surface. If your ground is to any of these locations then adding a simple grounding jumper will alleviate the problem. The final ground cause could be if you have either a folding tongue or tilt bed. Both of these types of trailers can disconnect a ground because of their movement.

Finally, if you deem both of those facets operational, then, it is time to look for a small short in your wire. Inspect the wire and look for bare copper. If you find that then use electrical tape to seal the area.

expert reply by: Patrick R

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Answer 1

It is possible there is an internal problem on the #HM56200. With it plugged in use a circuit tester to probe the wires of the harness that go into the converter box and then test to see if the voltage makes it out to the other side of the box. If…

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Answer 2

For your #HM56200 the first thing to check is to make sure everything is grounded. 1. The connector on the vehicle should have a ground wire secured tightly to a clean surface on the frame. A wire attached to the body or a surface with undercoating…

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Answer 3

Yes, you'd need to have the part #HM56200 installed and plugged in using a circuit tester like part #PTW2993 testing the voltage leading into the converter box and out of it when the taillight circuits of the tow vehicle are applied to determine…

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Answer 4

You sure can. You can plug the Curt #C55124 T-Connector inline with the Hopkins Flat Towing wiring harness, part #HM56200. Since both systems won't be used at the same time, this set up will work just fine for you. If you click the provided link,…

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Answer 5

I went out to the warehouse and pulled the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles, part #HM56200, which you reference. The kit contains four connectors, which will be plugged into the connection points located behind your…

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Answer 6

To install the Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles #HM56200 on your 2017 Jeep Wrangler, you'll plug the female end of the harness into the existing male connector from your taillight, and then the other male end of #HM56200…

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Answer 7

It's possible the converter box had an internal problem which caused it to stop working, but to test this you need to reinstall the part #HM56200. Use a circuit test like part #PTW2993 to test the voltage going into the box and coming out. If the…

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Answer 8

Yes the Brake Lite Relay part #RM-88400 does fit with the Hopkins tow bar wiring kit part #HM56200 that you have. This is a required relay solution if you are using supplemental braking that depresses the brake pedal of the vehicle and your…

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Answer 9

Since you have a trailer wiring harness installed already that ties into the Jeep's taillight wiring harnesses your best solution will be to use a tow bar wiring setup that bypasses that since the Hopkins kit part #HM56200 is not compatible with…

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Answer 10

It sounds like you just need the T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector #118416, which I recommend because of the reliability of Tekonsha wiring harnesses. Your trailer wiring will still be active even with the flat towing…

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Answer 11

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 12

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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