Troubleshooting Problems With 7-Way Connector Installation On Trailer

Question:

Hello, I recently forgot to unplug my 7 way adapter from truck before disconnecting and pulling off. I am rewiring the plug and can’t seem to get it right. I have white, black, green, yellow and brown coming from trailer. Trailer is tandem utility landscape trailer with brakes on rear axle. My 7 way has the colors for each pin labeled but there is no yellow, only black, white, red, blue, green and brown plus the center pin. I connected all the wires to correct color pin but my brakes aren’t working and when I turn on right turn signal both turn signal come on. Any advice on getting this wired so everything works as it should? Thank you

asked by: Justin

Expert Reply:

The first thing I will say is I wouldn't follow the color of the wires on the trailer. There are standard colors, but in general they can't be trusted on the trailer side. Tracing the wires back to make sure they are the correct function is always the best idea, then match that to the corresponding pin on the connector. The turn signal issue sounds more like a ground problem so I would also double check the ground connection. Make sure it is secure on a clean, bare-metal surface.

Another thing you might want to do is test the functions on the vehicle side using a circuit tester like # PTW2993. I'm not sure what it looked like when you pulled away but there could be some damage to the connector depending on the force that was applied.

expert reply by: Robin H