Left Turn Signal is Dim and Left Brake Signal is Bright on a 2010 Heartland Edge M18 Trailer

Question:

We have a 2010 Heartland Edge M18 travel trailer. It came new with tail lights matching the 47-07-003. The problem we are having is that the left side blinker lights are so dim that they cannot be seen at all with running lights on. Everything on the right side works fine, very bright blinker there. The left side running and brake lights come on the same as the right side. The left side blinker lights can only be seen with no other lights on, and are very dim, and do flash dim. With the running lights on, you cant even see them flash. Some people think it is a ground wire problem. Some think a faulty ground wire would have both sides malfunctioning because they are LEDs. It is very hard to get to the wiring on this trailer. Do you think it could be a wiring problem? Could it possibly be a faulty tail light? We have hooked up to two different trucks and it does the same on both. The light used to work fine, and there is no damage to anything on trailer. Any help would be appreciated before we order this light.

asked by: Karen

Expert Reply:

I would suspect a poor ground connection as well. It is odd that the brake signal is bright and the turn signal is dim because those signals typically run through the same wire. Any time there is a loss of power or brightness, a ground issue is the likely culprit. It is also important to check for the ground issue first because a new light will have the same problem if there is a poor ground.

I did some research on your trailer and found that it probably has an aluminum frame. Finding the ground issue could be tricky because all of the grounds should go to either the negative terminal of the battery on the trailer or to the main ground from the trailer connector, but there have been instances where lights were grounded to the frame. Aluminum does not provide the best electrical ground to complete a circuit.

If you want to look for the ground issue yourself, you will want to check the areas that would typically be affected. You should check to make sure all of the connections on the trailer battery are secure. You can also make sure there are no issues with the trailer connector. If the ground wires are ran to the main ground at the trailer connector, corrosion in the connector or a loose or damaged ground wire could cause a number of issues. Finally, check the frame for any possible ground locations. You can identify these by a screw holding wires or ring terminals to the frame.

expert reply by: John H